Budget fuel tank ideas

[boneheadzz]

Hey everyone-
I have a 79 TA that I've been auto crossing the last two or three years. It has a hopped up 350 SBC and a 350 auto trans. I made the switch to a used Holley commander 950 TBI kit. It uses an external pump. I have it mounted outside the tank (in front of it) and it feeds the efi through the stock line up to near the engine compartment where it has steel braided line to the TBI unit. Pretty basic and fairly staightforward.
My problem is I've upgrade the suspension, tires, wheels and shocks enough that I can do pretty well. I've now burned up the first Walbro pump and put the hurting on a second one. I put a pressure guage on the car and confirmed its zero fuel pressure in hard corners with as much as 1/3 of a tank left in it. The easy answer is to run it with a full tank.
But I'd like to see if anyone has put together a budget baffled tank that can still maintain adaquate fuel flow for my external fuel pump. I'm thinking of buying a new stock tank and adding a fuel sump to the rear and a couple of baffles inside when its opened up for the sump install. I am a competent welder so the biggest issue is a proven design that works and doesnt cost $500 for just a tank. I have another fuel pump that I plan on using for a future upgrade (possible turbo 5.3 LM4) and need to have good fuel flow anyway so a sump with large fittings is probably a must.



So with that- what ideas work best?

Thanks !

Mike

[raustinss]

Ricks resto-mod steel tank ?

[boneheadzz]

Ricks resto-mod steel tank ?

I looked at them and it looks like they only go up to 1973 in f bodies. Tanks Inc. looks decent but its an in-tank unit as well as Rick's.

[Build-It-Break-It]

I think unless your willing to switch to an intank pump set up your going to keep burning up external pumps regardless of any baffling system you come up with. fuel pumps just run to hot externally.

Tanks inc is the more affordable option but more for cruising. vaporworx is the best option to do it once and never think about it again but at a price. After you keep burning up external pumps (and you will) the price will make more sense to just have spent the money on an in tank vaporworxs set up.
Click link below for lots of reading. Carl sells a kit to convert your factory tank if there isn't a Rick's restomod tank avaliable.

https://www.vaporworx.com/

[gator68428]

This is my solution that gradually got more expensive as i went along, but I'm guessing its still way cheaper than a vaporworx + premium aftermarket tank. I'm sure there's plenty to critique about it--more external lines being a safety concern, fair concern, but I've taken extra care to carefully route and keep heat sources away with wrap and heat shields. My dual mode mufflers take up space in the back which is why needed a different tank shape and custom trunk floor.

I'm not sure why external pumps would overheat as they are pumping liquid fuel through them continuously--keeping them cool--I've never had a problem. I've had my external walbro since I converted to EFI in 2007. Only issue I've had was when I sucked up foam and clogged it--then I did have to replace--otherwise very reliable. Keep the fuel lines and pump away from heat and you're good. And they recommend to mount pump low so it never sucks air--something I haven't done yet and didn't seem to be a prob, but I will move mine down level with the bottom of the tank (midway up right now).

I did have cavitation issues like you're saying which what lead me to eventually go with an accumulator tank (aka surge tank) and crossover pumps. Haven't come up with a reliable enough baffle system yet. My understanding is that a vaporworks is similar to mine insofar as there is an accumulator tank and 1 or multiple feeders to keep it full--accum tank is essentially immune to slosh induced cavitation--but it's all inside the main tank.

But I will put in a plug for vaporworx as far as anti-cavitation is concerned. Because it only pumps as much as you need (no return line) it's not constantly sucking a full flow of fuel and not depleting the accum tank as fast, and therefore more immune to cavitation if accum tank stays more full for longer. Still too expensive for my blood. If there's a DIY way to do it I will always take that path.

Rough pricing is:
Ebay 24x20x10 Al 20 gal fuel tank $184
Walbro255 $95
Crossover pumps x2 (E8090, $43each) $86
surge tank (cx racing) $89
russel prefilter $19
Karropak gasket sheet $12
hoses n fittings $100
Fuel strainer pickup x2 (TF268 $23 each) $46

TOTAL = ~ $631

Charcoal canister, solenoid valve and main filter are costs separate from either approach.

*polyethylene vac line is 1/4" not 1/8" (typo in diagram)

[boneheadzz]

Mitch-
I was checking out your setup and I was thinking it was kinda overkill. Then I saw your video... you're running with the big boys! 136 mph in the straight and then slow down to 65 for that corner will put a hurting on a stock tank for sure!
I'm small potatoes running the autocross but I'd like to hit Gingerman in Michigan some day.
Not sure if you've seem the Aeromotive weld in sump but it looks decent and has a fuel return built into it. My year factory tank has a return line on the top of the tank but I imagine it just pours in through the top.
I was thinking a new factory tank with a sump fabbed up and a pair of 3/4 tank height baffles running front to rear and with a few small holes drilled in the lowest portions. Ill try to get some ideas together.
Thanks for your input.

Mike

[gator68428]

Mitch-
I was checking out your setup and I was thinking it was kinda overkill. Then I saw your video... you're running with the big boys! 136 mph in the straight and then slow down to 65 for that corner will put a hurting on a stock tank for sure!
I'm small potatoes running the autocross but I'd like to hit Gingerman in Michigan some day.
Not sure if you've seem the Aeromotive weld in sump but it looks decent and has a fuel return built into it. My year factory tank has a return line on the top of the tank but I imagine it just pours in through the top.
I was thinking a new factory tank with a sump fabbed up and a pair of 3/4 tank height baffles running front to rear and with a few small holes drilled in the lowest portions. Ill try to get some ideas together.
Thanks for your input.

Mike

Cool. If I were to go with baffling i would look into the trap door idea. The ATI units are costly, but I think that would be a do-able DIY

[boneheadzz]

Do you know of any suppliers that carry a weld on trap door? I guess I could fab a couple pairs up but it would be easier to just buy them.
Thanks
Mike

[boneheadzz]

I found these.

http://www.improvedracing.com/oil-pa...ductsearchusen

They are aluminum so they would have to be riveted or fastened to the baffle. Looks like a better idea than the 3/8" holes I was planning.
Thanks
Mike

[gator68428]

I found these.

http://www.improvedracing.com/oil-pa...ductsearchusen

They are aluminum so they would have to be riveted or fastened to the baffle. Looks like a better idea than the 3/8" holes I was planning.
Thanks
Mike

Oh very cool. I'm bookmarking that page. May add those to my setup to make it even more slosh proof.

[73ta]

I run a 73 TA. I converted my stock tank to an intank Walbro pump. No internal baffles. Like you have experienced, under 1/2 tank with high g loads will uncover the pickup. People with baffled tanks still have the problem. High dollar setups with multiple pickups and LS$ style pumps will solve the problem. I'm thinking more along the line of adding a Holley fuel mat in my stock tank as the only low dollar solution to cure the problem.