Guest Anonymous Posted May 20, 2001 Share Posted May 20, 2001 I would like to put a fuel cell in my 73 240 but I am concerned about NHRA regulations. Is anyone here awrae of what must be done to stay within guidlines? The trapdoor idea was inventive but I want easy access to filling without opening y hatchto keep fual smellout of the car. Jake HELP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted May 20, 2001 Share Posted May 20, 2001 You have to have an outside Filler method. My trap door idea worked, but was by no means ideal and I've gone to something different... I saw a slick trick when I was at the MSA show. Guy used the factory filler location and had a piece of pipe welded at and angle down to the filler bail/45degree fill neck and it was a good design with plenty of angle. I have put a filler cap at the rear tail light panel and plan to use a flip down license plate frame to cover mine. The fuel cell sits where the spare tire used to be, hanging out the bottom. I do plan to build a trunk area with an access panel just to be on the safe side of the rules issue.. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 Filling from th erar is ideal BUT - you have to watch the angles. I wanted to do this but with my cell they would've had to drop it down a good bit more than it is now and backing ontop parking spaces would've put the sump in jeapordy of hitting parking blocks. So, the moved it up higher, built a sheet of steel to cover it, put a little "house" on top, and installed a flip up door. I'm NOT positive it'll pass tech but I think it's a decent solution. I still want a rear fill but the angle is pretty shallow with the existing fill necks you can buy - I know 'cause I bought one and it's gathering dust now... Get a shallow but wide tank and perhaps this would work. Or maybe a tank that draws from the top instead of a sump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 i was thinking of making a "house" because I know that NHRA rules state that there must be a firewall bewtween pass compartment and trunk when battery or cell is back there. but since we dont have actual trunks, maybe that would work. my other thing was i wanted to make a pedestal with a seal on ti that sealed against hatch when you close it where my hatch release is now, and then maybe put the barrel key type pins in to hold it shut (thus lightening my hardware too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 Whereya been Mike? Did you download that picture I uploaded for you? BTW, speaking of fuel cell homes (houses?) theres a good picture of one in those magazine cutouts I gave you at the show. Yours is just flush with the floor with no cover right? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 I have a gell cell optima battery... do I still have to have a sealed box or just a good tie down to pass tech on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 Hey Pete.....or those the Comp Polymer valve covers I saw on you website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 Great...just great...you mean that lil blue box in my car wont let me pass tech??? What about a sealed Optima in the batt box? Oh, wait....I forgot, they don't have tech inspections at the street races! Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 Nope. They're Moroso tall cast aluminum no-logo crinkle black finish ones. The black was a sacrifice to the issue of heat rejection versus shiny looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 I look at safety rules this way... they're there probably due to someone learning a lesson the hard way. Yeah, the blue Moroso box "shouldn't" pass tech - most tracks will ignore it though. Just realize it may clock you in the head during an accident. Ever talked to someone that walked away from a rollover? A friend of mine told me that after yo get hit in the head for about the 4th time by a McDonald's cup you vow to never let crap pile up in the backseat again! Even a sealed battery is supposed to be in a sealedvented box, silly maybe, but that's the rule I believe. To be 100% sure snag an NHRA rulebook or try to find it on the WEB. Almost went with the polymer valve covers myself but really liked the GM cast ones. Darius has those on his car, very sharp. I ended up with the Granatelli sheet metal units instead However they failed to send the ARP studs to mount them so they are not YET on the car. GRR! I also need to have a filler TIGged in and a PCV too. I think they will look good but make mounting spark plug wires a PITA. Straight PCV or get one of those bulbous "vents" with PCV inluded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 i am not sure about space issues but I hope yo use the evacuator system like in jegs with the tubes that go to the exh pipe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted May 22, 2001 Share Posted May 22, 2001 73 240 - they require a bulkheasd of some sort yes. I'm NOT sure that my setup would pass their tech. I've seen some hatch cars with actual steel bulkeads extending up to seal against the hatch - ugly! SCCA cars had them that I've seen. I'm leaving mine as is with the house and will consider a cell lik Mike's found with the bladder and added capacity in the future. My aluminum cell has sprung a pinhole leak or two too so I'm not 100% pleased with it. Battery is easier - requires a SEALED METAL housing. Yes, those plastic battery boxes in JegsSummit shouldn't pass tech and the heavy steel one they sell that doubles as a weight box (and weighs a ton) shouldn't pass either since it's NOT sealed! That means no boxes out there in the catalogs pass.... except ONE! The very nice alumnum one that Summit sells is both sealed and metal. I've got this one in the Z, the heavy metal one in the Mustang. I'll take the aluminum one anyday over that other piece of junk. Sealed is to prevent hydrogen from blowing it up in the car, metal is to prevent it from riping free and clocking you in the head in an accident. I'll be using some HUGE washer to help distribute the weight in mine just in case and it WILL be vented correctly. Probably run a sealed battery too just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted May 22, 2001 Share Posted May 22, 2001 Jim, that's the box I used too - pricey though. My dad bought it as a B'day present . I also ran a delco battery that had vent ports on the sides of the caps. I ran Tygon tubing from the ports to a tee, then a hose from the tee to the port on the box interior (that I screwed a fitting into). Then tubing from the box to the inner fender, sealed with a grommet and some really good RTV. So I shouldn't even have battery fumes in the inside of the box. I also sprayed clear on the inside of the box, to keep any corrosion at a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted May 22, 2001 Share Posted May 22, 2001 Owen, I did download the pic, thanks bunch. The pics you gave me show a really good example of the cell installation for tech in Japan. I don't currently have a fire wall constructed, but will have one before the car is finished. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 22, 2001 Share Posted May 22, 2001 Wow, gettin clocked in the head with a battery is a good way to put things into perspective! Mine is the blue Moroso box but it is bolted down inside the box as well. How much different can the aluminum box be from a plastic one in terms of safety? Oh well, like my other issues, I'll change it when I need to one day... Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 23, 2001 Share Posted May 23, 2001 Has anyone else thought of putting the battery underneath the car in the rear? I put in a fuel cell in the "trunk" instead of cut into the sheet metal mostly for the increased rigidity and have plans for what I believe will be a nice looking trunk/firewall that will not seal against the hatch. This left a huge area under the rearend where the tank used to be where I plan to install my aluminum battery box. I will have a cutoff switch on the console or dash and remote battery "lugs" in the engine compartment. Anyone see any problems with my ideas that I might be missing? The cool thing is all that battery weight will be way rear and way low for good traction and cg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 23, 2001 Share Posted May 23, 2001 So is your cell sitting in the spare tire well? Or on top of it? I don't know about mounting the battery under the car though...sounds like it could cause a stir at safety inspections. Imagine that thing go flyin off on the freeway! (Co-worker just had something rip into her oil and trans pans) I didn't go with a battery cutoff cuz I didn;t want to lose my radio stations J/K, it was just something I missed and may add later. As for CG, depending on how and where you drive, it might be better behind the seats as some here have done. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted May 23, 2001 Share Posted May 23, 2001 Cut the spare area out and made a square frame. The cell is mounted flush with the floor but I would have liked to have had is elevated a bit so it wouldn't hang down to low, but that would have affected the filler angle. I think pics are on my homepage link to the project... Mike [ May 23, 2001: Message edited by: Mikelly ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John C Posted May 23, 2001 Share Posted May 23, 2001 I built a little aluminum mini home over my cell and it passed tech last weekend without a problem.I also have a gell cell in a plastic battery box that passed tech. John C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted May 24, 2001 Share Posted May 24, 2001 Heh, proves my point - some techs will accept it, others won't. Glad to know the "house" idea worked. My chassis guys thought it would but warned me it might not. Th plastic box shouldn't pass I don't think unless it's been tested. I THINK one of the boxes out there might have been tested but I'm not sure. As to exhausting crankcase vapors - I won't be running tubes to the exhaust. The suction that produces is slight, I'll vent it to the carb just like emissions burdened cars do. It might cost me a little HP but I doubt it and I know I'll have vacuum. Exhaust velocity apparently has to be pretty high for the fumes to get sucked out by running them to your exhaust system. (shrug) That can get messy too I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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