Fuel cell for Caterham

[sdca7]

I am looking into getting a fuel cell or converting my tank for my Caterham. Would love to hear some advice or experiences with this conversion, or good sources. Ideally I'd like to keep the in-tank fuel pump.

 

Thanks,

 

Justin

[Kitcat]

Do a search, much discussion in past. Also go to usa@se7ens.net for a recent (and passionate) discussion.

 

Pluses-safety, perception of safety.

 

Minuses-cost, reduced tank capacity, short life and must be replaced periodically, they degrade and can clog up the works, not recommended w/street use/gas, uncertain safety benefit.

[rnr]

Personally the reduced fire risk is worth it for me and my fuel tank is actually at FuelSafe right now to get a custom bladder made. PM me your email and I'll send you their SuperSeven cell info.

[MoPho]

Boy, I'd be half tempted to trade you my fuel cell for your standard tank if it could be made to work with my fuel system.

 

Definitely better to have an external fuel pump/filter set up with the fuel cell IMO

 

 

.

[sdca7]

Ben mentioned that I might have to remap my computer with a new fuel pump if the pressures are different enough, so that's why I was thinking of keeping the current pump. Thanks for the advice as usual!

[11Budlite]

Ben mentioned that I might have to remap my computer with a new fuel pump if the pressures are different enough, so that's why I was thinking of keeping the current pump. Thanks for the advice as usual!

 

What kind of fuel pressure regulator do you have?

[sdca7]

I don't know what type of fuel regulator I have, but will check.

[Boxologist]

why do u want a different tank? and for which 7?

[sdca7]

It's an R500, and I'm using it mostly for track days at present. The discussion on se7ens.net leaves me thinking that I might be OK without it, but I'm leaning towards getting one anyway.

[JohnK]

Ben mentioned that I might have to remap my computer with a new fuel pump if the pressures are different enough, so that's why I was thinking of keeping the current pump. Thanks for the advice as usual!

 

A technical note here on Ford engine management systems: I know from first-hand experience that the 2000 model year Zetec, and I thus assume all subsequent Zetec and Duratec motors, use a returnless system for fuel supply. Earlier Ford setups had a pressure regulator on the fuel rail that bled anything over ?? psi through a second line back to the tank. The returnless systems had only a feed line from the tank. To manage fuel they use a separate module that is somewhere in the neighborhood of the fuel tank on a Focus - i.e., not part of the in-tank fuel pump in the 2000 Focus ZX3 I dissected. I don't remember if there are specific sensors on the engine that are involved in this control or if the fuel control module does all its calculations through direction of the ECU which knows what the fuel requirements are by what the engine's doing at any moment.

It would be good to be cautious here as this is not a trivial control problem - I would expect any liberties taken with such a system to have significant (and very difficult to fix) consequences. Honda, for all its incredible engineering, chose to use a return-type fuel deliver system on the 2004 S2000 engine I have

[Mondo]

I believe the 2006 and later Honda S2000s use a returnless fuel system.

 

I changed to an exterior fuel pump after my "little fire" incident in which I must of pushed some wires around when I had my arm in the tank reconnecting the fuel line. The spark created a mini fireball but luckily I was able to suffocate it by replacing the access panel... and the hair on my arm did grow back;) ).

Edited July 1, 2010 by Mondo