BillZ260 Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I dry-fitted my Fuel Cell last night, I bought blue powder coated aluminum RCI 30x12x9" unit, I think it is 15 Gal. I am mounting as far rearward under the back deck of the car as i can. With it up in it's position I found that the bottom of the Cell will be about 4-5 inches below the bottom of the rear skirt of the car. I am guessing this is ok since the bottom of the cell is about 1" higher than the differental. You guys have any thougts? I cut out my spare tire tub and replaced with 18ga steel circle welded in. Everything seems pretty stiff. I am mounting the cell with two 18ga 3" wide straps with 3/8" rubber pads glued to them for suspension, pads will also be on the top of the cell to keep it off of the metal decking of the car. The straps will bolt on to the bottom of the deck of the car w/ 4 1/4" bolts at each contact point, 16 in all, and wrap all the way around the cell. The straps will also be bolted to the mounting tabs on the bottom of the cell. I really like this cell and I think it will be ok as long as it isn't too close to the ground. This is the cell...http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=RCI%2D2161AC I liked it because the filler neck was on one end and I can easily run a connection to the stock filler on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I am mounting as far rearward under the back deck of the car as i can. Why? That just adds to the polar moment of the car. The one I just mounted in Amir's 240Z is as close to the rear diff as I could get it while still allowing room for the fuel lines and access to the diff mounting bolts. Also, the tank should be at least 6" from the ground when the car is at normal, static ride height. At least that's what SCCA and NASA say in their rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 In addition to JohnC's comments, I would think that some kind of shield (I'm thinking about some of those poly sheets they sell in the circle track catalogs) should be added to prevent the fuel cell from getting punctured by flying stones and what-not. I have one of the 5 gal RCI aluminum tanks and it is super light weight, just the ticket for my car - but I am pretty sure any road debris will puncture it pretty easily. Maybe it won't happen to you, but with my luck, it would. Once I had a small stone puncture a steel oil pan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted January 15, 2004 Author Share Posted January 15, 2004 Why? That just adds to the polar moment of the car. This is my first complete car build so I am not really thinking about anything else other than how will this car go together? So the answer to that Q, is that I was lining up the fill tube on the tank to the fill tube on the car. I am VERY green to all this stuff. So thanks for the input and keepem comming! I am good with a wrench and instructions but I guess if you turn me loose, with no real prior experienc I CAN be dangrous. So with this tank, I need to have 6"+ for SCCA, probably more for street driving. I didn't want to but looks like i will be putting the cell at lease somewhat in the car. I could mount it on top of the deck but, I do know that that would raise the CG of the car right , i am starting to get this. I will do some more layout and see what I come up with. Keep posting your ideas and comments on this. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted January 16, 2004 Author Share Posted January 16, 2004 UPDATE: My dry fit from the other day was a bit off. I went ahead an cut the holes I had laid out to see how it would actually fit in the car. With the cell in its true possition, it only hangs just at 3 inches below the rear skirt. With the car on the ground there is about 9.5" of clearence to the bottom of the cell. I feel much better about this. I am going to go ahead and mount it in this possition and see how I like it. If there are any problems with it I will move it up 6" later, that is about all I can move it fwd. Do you all have any ideas on runnin a large rubber line from the stock filler to the neck on the cell? I could not find an angled filler neck for the RCI Cell's, do you all know of one? Also the stock rubber filler tube supply line is too larg to fit on the Cell's fill neck. I doubt that I could use a radiator hose, or could I? Will be just over 12" from the stock fill location to the cell's neck and there is about a 2" drop. IDEAS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Here is an angled neck http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2D290191 ,you can't use a radiator hose, it will disolve. You can buy large fuel hose, for bends use a 90 or 45 degree exhaust pipe bend and clamp your hose to either end. You can even reduce the size that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted January 16, 2004 Author Share Posted January 16, 2004 Thanks! All i could find was one with a 6 bolt pattern, JAZ i think. Wish they werent 50bucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 The pics are small but look at this: http://www.guyons.com/tour_rx7_challenge.html I really like the way the whole thing is sealed off from the passenger compartment. Same idea could be done to the side to fill from the stock location. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted January 16, 2004 Author Share Posted January 16, 2004 That was clean! I guess a cover would look better than just a tube. I can not fab like that though. I don't have the tools or experience. Might have to get someone to help or do the work. Will see how it goes, thanks for the idea though, I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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