Turbo z gas tank

[Guest Reisman240Z]

I asked a local shop about converting my 240z to a turbo. They said they would have to use the gas tank from the donor vehicle. Why is the gas tank different and why does it need to be changed? And would a gas tank from a 2+2 280zx turbo work, or does it need to be from a 2 seater?

 

thanks

[TravRMK]

You need a baffled tank for the EFI. The baffles in the tank keep the pump from starving at a partial filled tank. Carbs don't care if they get moments of no fuel pressure since they have float bowls in the carbs to keep the engine going during those moments of pressure drop. EFI has to have pressure, or it stalls. Any 280Z (not sure on the 2+2's) tank will work since they are all EFI. You could keep your carb tank by running a surge tank.

 

BTW all this and much more can be found by searching.

[Tony D]

Actually, Nissan Competition manual suggested surge tanks for the triple Mikuinis as well...

 

Any time ges is being sucked down quickly, any interruption in flow can be disasterous, turbo or N/A!

[randy 77zt]

you need a 75 or 76 tank-it has 10mm line out and 8 mm return.it will starve on a track like sears point below 1/4 tank if your car handles well.or do like some owners do and cut out the spare tire well/trunk floor and install a fuel safe or atl cell that is premade with in-tank efi pump.dont even think about those fake summit fuel cells-they wont pass tech

[Tony D]

Even the stock tank will starve given good corners with stock SU's! I found that out at LVMS when the stock 240 I was driving started cutting out...1/2 tank and extended period of G's combined with a slight banking the way they had the track set up and it would start cutting out and stumbling about 80mph on the "sweeper"...

 

Surge Tanks are good!

[Gollum]

But wouldn't a tank off a 280Z be just as effective as switched to a ZX tank?...

 

Seems like less work as it's more likely to fit nicely.

[Canadianz]

Just a thought, heres how I made a quick and dirty sump for my Dastun. Its a 71 and has absolutely no baffles except a single piece of sheet metal down the center. So some sort of protection is needed for your fuel system. What my brother and I did was first drain purge all the fumes out of our old tank, (fill with water and dry in the sun).Then cut slits in the tank where the sumpa was to cover , and bent out the metal to form "vee's" which point to the sump. This allows gas into the sump but not out as easily. The sump itself was made from an old oil pan sump so it was nicely shaped already. We welded a Tee 3/8ths fitting to the bottom and attached it to our new pickup (3/8ths)s and ran it out the original hole on the gas tank. After all this was done we welded the sucker up and heres the finished product.

 

The ex-oil pan sump with the 3/8ths T in the bottom for the pickup tube.

 

 

The V Slits and internal Pickup (ignore the rough cuts)

 

 

 

The final Product minus paint

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this gives you ideas

[Daeron]

 

 

Hope this gives you ideas

 

Indeed it does, my friend... many thanks..

[240Zed]

Or you could use a surge tank.

[Canadianz]

Defiantly if you have the money go for the surge tank, keep in mind you need a second pump, high volume low pressure to fill the tank as well as the tank and fittings itself. The sump works well from a couple people I know who have used it so I figured it is worth a shot.

[kyle]

Surge tank on a carb'd setup with mechanical pump?

[Clifton]

For a sump on the tank to work good it needs to have the fuel return line emptying into it to keep it full on turns. The sump also needs higher sides to keep the fuel from sloshing out and a an inlet that traps it, one that starts on say the right and snakes around to the left.

[Daeron]

For a sump on the tank to work good it needs to have the fuel return line emptying into it to keep it full on turns. The sump also needs higher sides to keep the fuel from sloshing out and a an inlet that traps it, one that starts on say the right and snakes around to the left.

 

Thanks for pointing that out, but I sorta knew that already, heh. Not the specifics, (thanks for the tip on the high sidewalls, that gave me a great visual concept) but I am fully aware of the ideas of baffling your sump to keep it full. I just hadn't thought of using an old oilpan as the actual sump, and that makes things wonderfully simple.

[MONZTER]

I bought a thing called "black Box" from ATL with the pump and all. It has trap doors built into it like the Nissan Comp oil pan. I cut a access hole in the top of the tank for a standard Fuel cell plate. Mounted it all up with safety foam and AN fittings. Works perfect for Autocross no matter how low the fuel is. Best part is it looks stock when mounted.

 

 

 

 

Jeff

[Daeron]

monzter: that was exactly what I had in mind; my uncle has several different racing oil pans for the roadster engine, from nissan comp to original BRE pieces, so I have seen lots to give me ideas.

[1 tuff z]

great info monzter, thanks. any pics of the tank during the 'surgery'?

[MONZTER]

Sorry no other pics during the build, I actually did more work than I think I really needed, as I actually cut the entire tank apart top to bottom along the seam weld. I did this thinking I was going to originally build my own baffles and trap doors. I then found the black box and said "@#%$" what would have been a lot easier. So it still has the baffle plate inside with a trap door right along side where the fuel level sender float moves. It ended up being a perfect way to hold the safety foam away from the sender float.

So here is the hot tip, - the top of the tank is not totally flat, and the tank cannot get any thicker because the spot were the opening is, is where it hits the bottom of the car to mount.

What I did was make a template of the fuel cell plate 3/16 offset around the perimeter. I then cut a 3/8 thick pc of aluminum of this template to make a forming buck. I clamped a pc of 18 gauge steel sheet and hammered the sheet around the form to make a "pocket". I then laid this pocket on top of the tank and traced it on the tank, then cut the tank out this exact size. I set the pocket into the cutout and tacked it in place. some of the leftover flange from the pocket will be sticking up and some of the low spots were it is not flat will be just flush. Grind off the extra flange to match the shape of the tank top, and then weld to make a perfect seem. Then re-cut the access hole in the new pocket and drill all of the mounting holes. The original fill plate will now fit into the pocket perfect.

I know pictures would help, but I think if you look at the pics close you will see what I mean.

Have fun

Jeff

[1 tuff z]

jeff, 2 more questions. what eng/trans setup you running [i'm assuming you're fuel injected]? checked the atl site but can't find pricing. what do they get for the 'black box'?

 

thanks, david

[MONZTER]

jeff, 2 more questions. what eng/trans setup you running [i'm assuming you're fuel injected]? checked the atl site but can't find pricing. what do they get for the 'black box'?

 

thanks, david

 

Hi David, Yes I am fuel injected running a Tec3r; it is a 240 block with a welded chamber N-42 head. I run the early 280 5-speed tranny with a Quaife 4.11 diff.

I don’t remember what I paid for it, but it does come as a complete kit with bulkhead fittings, hose, HP Walbro pump, electrical bulkhead, filter, pretty much everything. I ordered it from here

Earl's Racestore 1

Lawndale, CA

310.644.0881

You can actually buy the trap doors and all the parts separately, I don’t remember where I found it but I know ATL can send you a complete parts list, if you want to make you own box.

Jeff

[1 tuff z]

called earls race store, for the cfd600hp they charge approx $360+shipping [only $9]. unit is in stock, think i may go this route.

 

monzter [jeff], is your z now running the new fuel tank setup, if so how do you like it and have you experienced any 'low fuel' problems?

 

thanks, david