WANTED: Fuel tank for Caterham S3 DeDion fuel injection.

[pethier]

WANTED: Fuel tank for Caterham S3 DeDion fuel injection.

 

I put a fuel-injected engine into a 1700 Super Sprint.  Got it running and drove it in autocross at LOG44.  After that it had a sudden fuel-cutoff problem.  When car is moving a sudden cutoff and sudden return of full power happens.

 

My tuner says there is something loose in the tank that he can not see because it is hidden behind a baffle or the like.  He has done a workaround using another tube through the gauge-sender plate, but this screws up the refitting of the boot floor.  Also the location of the fuel-return is currently in the filler hose, which does not play well with the trunk floor either.

 

Maybe the easiest way to solve these problems is to get another tank already meant for injection.

 

I have tanks from a Birkin, but there is no way they will fit into a Caterham S3 DeDion.

 

 

 

 

[MV8]

Not surprised by the pickup reroute to the sender. The carb tank pickup is very restrictive, tough to clear if corroded or clogged and totally unsuitable to feed an efi pump. A surge system would work with the carb pickup but also need a lift pump as well and still require the return from the top of the surge tank.

 

There is no drop-in tank that checks all your blocks.

 

For a flat top, he could use bulkhead fittings through the front wall, then have a flat access in the top to reach inside for setup of the internal teflon hose, pump and baffle. Here is the basic idea: https://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=84/category_id=61/mode=prod/prd84.htm

 

Note the cork seal, inner clamp ring (split to get it into the tank), and as many #8 machine screws as there are room for to get a light but even clamp on the tank top.

 

The tank cover could be raised an inch or two with support to fit a drop in assy with no bulkhead fittings. It's not like you will be standing on it.

 

Holley also sells a similar product but an oem bucket could be used and located by a custom flat lid, lifted enough to make the bulkhead pickup connection.

 

Edited January 18 by MV8

[pethier]

What does Caterham use for a tank in new S3 cars with DeDion?  

Edited January 18 by pethier
My "h" key is a little dodgy. I'm not kidding.

[11Budlite]

1 hour ago, pethier said:

What does Caterham use for a tank in new S3 cars with DeDion?  

 

This is what's in my 310S: https://caterhamparts.co.uk/tanks/2537-fuel-tank-s3-sigma.html?search_query=FUEL+TANK&results=119

[BruceBe]

This is likely not a tank problem.

 

We're troubleshooting an SVT-Zetec car right now, with exactly this failure mode - sudden cut-off, as if it was turned-off, and then comes right back and runs fine. We test drove the car for about an hour recently, and it happened three times.

 

SVT-Focus owners of the same generation complained about this as well, in a Focus. Fuel starvation doesn't usually behave like this. 

 

We have a test-plan, and will advise when we understand the root-cause problem.

 

Cheers,

-Bruce

 

[pethier]

8 hours ago, BruceBe said:

This is likely not a tank problem.

 

We're troubleshooting an SVT-Zetec car right now, with exactly this failure mode - sudden cut-off, as if it was turned-off, and then comes right back and runs fine. We test drove the car for about an hour recently, and it happened three times.

 

SVT-Focus owners of the same generation complained about this as well, in a Focus. Fuel starvation doesn't usually behave like this. 

 

We have a test-plan, and will advise when we understand the root-cause problem.

 

Cheers,

-Bruce

 

Interesting.  Although my engine is a Zetec, the injection is Hayabusa and the electronics is Megasquirt.

 

 

[BruceBe]

That's pretty far off the Caterham engine controls reservation :-)

 

Could be the tank then.

 

Cheers,

-Bruce

 

[MV8]

To be fair to Bruce's assumption, you've not said the "cutting out" has anything to do with cornering.

 

People read your build topic even though most don't post a comment. Please keep it up.

[pethier]

10 hours ago, MV8 said:

To be fair to Bruce's assumption, you've not said the "cutting out" has anything to do with cornering.

 

People read your build topic even though most don't post a comment. Please keep it up.

OK.  I understand that I didn't use the word "cornering".  As I said, Ron believes the problem is something loose in the tank.  It happened when the car was moving, not necessarily while cornering.  I tested the car with the workaround in it.  Did not drive it gently, did back and forth, and around a traffic circle.  Performed without a glitch.

 

As for the build thread.  Yes I need to go back to it.  Things got complicated, in both Seven and non-Seven ways.

 

Meanwhile, I just ordered a tank from Bruce. It's one he has.  Five minutes later I got a message from another vendor who apologized for the delay in answering me and wanted to look at a tank he has.  I have told him that I have ordered elsewhere, so he does not need to check on it.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 21 by pethier
hamfisted typing

[Alex-Ks1]

I saw the link for a Gas tank, I made my own ,think I spent 35$ doing it, made it from 1/8 inch T-8 aluminum.Its 19 gals and the top plate for the sender , pick up is 4.5 inch in Dia. TIG welding is not as hard as one would think ,just takes practice.

[Alex-Ks1]

The 7 needs a big gas tank it has to deal with a holly 500 CFM ,carb on a Hi perf, V-6. No one makes a holly manifold for this engine so I made my own .

[MV8]

I don't know Alex. Looks like you bolted a plate between a stock intake (TBI?) and a carb spacer. There is an intake for putting a holley 4v on this engine. No harm adding a pillow block for that floaty steering shaft.

[Alex-Ks1]

It is ,I took the manifold and milled out all of the runners ,opening it up. Them made the plate to mount the carb . There is a manifold on the market for about 375$ but you have to put this goofy riser on it for another 150$  to mount the carb ,and it just too damn high. I did all this for about 20$ 

I did have to put a hood scoop on it for clearance. I made it from fiberglass matting . I didn't want to spend the 300$ for one like it on line .

Edited January 26 by Alex-Ks1

[MV8]

4 hours ago, Alex-Ks1 said:

I did have to put a hood scoop on it for clearance. I made it from fiberglass matting .

 

Nope.

[Alex-Ks1]

Nope what , you don't know how to work with fiberglass. Down loaded a photo and copied it to make a mold Even made the front fenders  It came from Tractor Supply.

I bought one for 22$. Cut it half, shaped it and mounted it,  I sure would like to see what you built from scratch one day .

Edited January 26 by Alex-Ks1

[MV8]

You're funny. Double nope. I can tell what was bought and what was butchered, but this topic is for Pethier's fuel tank. Maybe they can make a fiction section? I can give you a list of what's wrong with this pile. The good news is there are plenty of buyers around, but you get a much better price if you separate the materials. 

[slowdude]

@pethier, does it make sense to look into a fuel cell? Might have a better chance stateside finding something than shipping and paying a ton in taxes.

[pethier]

1 hour ago, slowdude said:

@pethier, does it make sense to look into a fuel cell? Might have a better chance stateside finding something than shipping and paying a ton in taxes.

BruceBe is sending me a tank. Price and shipping is reasonable.