fuel cell ?

[andy16]

I have calculated my cars gas consumption to be 8 gallons a night. hot laps qualify and race equal a total of 8 gallons. so why would i need a 32 gallon cell unless im running a hundred laps on alcohol ? wouldn a 15 gallon cell do the job for me. i have never ran a race longer than 50 laps and dont plan too. i am looking to get a new cell and want to be practical about it. i used to fill up the 32 gallon for weight because im a light driver but i made plenty of weights over the winter. plus thats less gas sloshing around and safer in a crash. ive always used the foam but i still suspect there will be some sloshing? whats the smallest someone has ran and got away with? i calculate my car is getting 4 miles to the gallon. track size .4 of a mile ten hot laps 2 qualify 40 lap race = basically 21 miles 4mpg/21 miles a night =6 gallons plus track roll in plus ridin around in pit and shop start up and check = total of 8 gallons a night. so if i fill up my 15 gallon tank 15x4mpg=60 miles on 1 tank. 100 laps on a .4 mile track = 40 miles. well below the sixty miles worth of gas i have?

is my math right or wrong lol. have been known to screw things up lol. so could fill up the 15 gal cell and add led to car for weight. then position smaller fuell cell in more optimum location? thanks in advance

[Egoracing]

32 gallon cells were designed for alcohol and they will not make 100 laps running a Super Late model. After most Super races went to 75-100 laps alcohol went away and gas came into use. When the switch started everyone went to a 26 gallon cell for gas for 100 laps. Running what you are 18-20 gallons should be fine.

[andy16]

thanks

makes sense thanks

[mab475]

Ran 40 laps on a 6/10ths mile track that gets bolted down rubbered up with 450 ci engine and a 22 gallon cell with no problems.

[andy16]

thanks

good info thanks

[sj valley dave]

We run 30-40 lap features on 1/3 -3/8 tracks..a few 1/2 miles...We run a 16 gallon cell and have a 815 hp 422" SB2.2 SBC and never have gotten close to running low on fuel

[hpmaster]

We ran 32 then 22 and now use the 16 gallon. Have it pushed up to the decking and all the way forward to center line of rear axle. Cuts polar weight movement and helps car turn. Haven't run out of gas up to 40 laps. Also helps compensate for the expanding older driver. We top it off after every run.

[Egoracing]

We ran 32 then 22 and now use the 16 gallon. Have it pushed up to the decking and all the way forward to center line of rear axle. Cuts polar weight movement and helps car turn. Haven't run out of gas up to 40 laps. Also helps compensate for the expanding older driver. We top it off after every run.

Be careful, some sanction bodies require it beind the rearend. Hate to see someone get popped for breaking a rule like that!

[hpmaster]

Be careful, some sanction bodies require it beind the rearend. Hate to see someone get popped for breaking a rule like that!

IMCA is the only one that says behind rearend that I have raced in. Truth is both IMCA tracks I raced at never blinked the last 3 years, right or wrong, if push came to shove and I couldn't talk my way out of it, my set up allows it to slide the cell back. UMP says behind rear axle. I have only been questioned 1 time on my cars about it at a UMP track 2 years ago and simply said if they ment the rearend housing and not the axles why didn't they word it that way? All was ok. There may be other Sanctioning bodies but this is what I have had to deal with over the years.


lucas
A. An approved fuel cell (32 gallon maximum) must be securely mounted in the
trunk area of the car inside a 20-gauge metal box supported by two (2) 1/8 x 2"
steel straps.

ump
D. The fuel cell must be mounted behind the rear axle between the rear tires, a minimum of 4”-inches ahead of the rear bumper. The bottom of the fuel cell must not be any lower than the bottom of the rear end/quick change housing.

united dirt late model
A. An approved fuel cell is mandatory, 32 gallon maximum.
Cell must be mounted in trunk area of the car inside a 22 gauge metal
box. Cell must be supported by at least 2 – 1/8th inch X 2 inch steel straps.

NESMITH
1. AN APPROVED FUEL CELL (32 GALLON MAXIMUM) MUST BE SECURELY MOUNTED IN THE TRUNK AREA OF THE CAR, INSIDE A .20 GAUGE METAL BOX SUPPORTED BY A MINIMUM OF TWO 2" BY 1/8" STEEL STRAPS.

imca
Cell must be mounted between frame rails, behind rearend, bottom of cell can be no lower than center section. Fuel cell vents, including cap vent, must have check valves, and bladders are highly recommended.

[Egoracing]

WOO and the series they own also state:
"The fuel cell must be mounted behind the rear axle between the rear tires,
a minimum of 4”-inches ahead of the rear bumper. The bottom of the fuel
cell must not be any lower than the bottom of the rear end/quick change
housing."

Southern Allstars says rear of car.

Fastrak: Fuel cell must be mounted behind rear end housing between frame rails in what is known as “industry standard”.
Many that state in the trunk area are in fact meaning behind the rear and it would be up to the tech person to enforce the rules. No one ever thought of putting the fuel cell above the rearend when every car had a shock mounted WAY above the housing.

[AmickRacing]

Wissota has that rule too...

3.3.5 blah blah blah
All fuel cells must be mounted no further forward than the center of the rearend, and must be between the frame rails.

[hpmaster]

I use 1"X1"sq. thick wall tube for cell rails and weld the 2" cell straps to 4 11/4"X11/4"sq.14ga. X2" long square tube as sliders to use on the 1"X1" fuel cell mount rails. I changed my old chassis by moving the chassis crosstube near the centerline of the rearend and mounting the cell rails to 4 weight clamps front to rear, my new 2012 chassis was built to incorporate that change also. Set to centerline of rear end and drill thru sliders and rails and lock down with 4 bolts and nylon nuts. Next slide cell back 12.5" and re drill rails. The extra foot of fuel line and return line just makes a lazy S on top the fuel cell. I did this when I went to the 16 gallon cell, just in case I needed to slide it back. I use a fuel return line and pressure regulator on a gas motor when I figured out how hot that fuel got from a standard position Chevy fuel pump without a regulator. Willy Carbs has a vacuum fuel regulator that dumps even more fuel back to the cell during higher vacuum, low fuel demand times helping to keep fuel cool even more by not dead heading it near the radiator, radiator hose and hotter front of car as long, plus keeps the car from loading up on caution laps by lowering fuel pressure at idle. Not saying I am right or wrong, just what I ended up doing. JMHO