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Author
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Topic: Fuel Cell Plastic vs. Aluminum
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mainer
Gearhead Posts: 168
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 05-04-2006 12:22 PM
 
I'm replacing my rusted out gas tank and rust in the trunk and have decided to go with a fuel cell. Besides being a lot mmore expensive is there an advantage to aluminum fuel cells?Thanks,
don ------------------
68 Mustang Coupe
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 29200
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 05-04-2006 12:47 PM
They are made out of metal and won't crack.
Don't you know that crack kills?
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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator NHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,'04 &'05
First NHRA & IHRA 289 automatic Superstock Mustang in the TENS 06-99
First SS/MA in the TENS 04-03
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28 The Barry of BarrysGrrl Quote #1: "I never met a magazine mechanic I liked."
Quote #2: "Make sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth!"
Quote #3: "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!"
www.moneymakerracing.com
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393Bird
Gearhead Posts: 188
From: Clarksville Tn.
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 05-04-2006 07:03 PM
One of the pluses for the plastic ones besides price is you can switch to E85 with it, with out worrying.------------------
1993 Tbird
393 stroker, 3500 RPM TCS converter, Lentech Strip Terminator http://members.tccoa.com/392bird/
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 7251
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 05-04-2006 07:43 PM
I've been running straight methanol in my aluminum cell for 6 yrs now. Granted during that time frame, it has probably had a total of 2 yrs on gas, but regardless, it has held up fine. Maybe in another 20 yrs I will see some bad effects from it, but I have a feeling I will see bad effects from other things before then. If you decide to go from regular gas to any alcohol based fuel, you have to pull your foam out or replace it with new regardless of cell type. Once it has been submerged in gas, if you put it in alchy, the foam will come apart in a big hurry plugging everything in the fuel system.
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 3237
From: Stanton, Michigan, zip 48888
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 05-05-2006 08:24 AM
quote:
Originally posted by kid vishus:
If you decide to go from regular gas to any alcohol based fuel, you have to pull your foam out or replace it with new regardless of cell type. Once it has been submerged in gas, if you put it in alchy, the foam will come apart in a big hurry plugging everything in the fuel system.
I've been told that alot of the foam that comes in fuel cells will quickly fall apart if you expose it to fuel then let it dry out. The trick is to keep fuel in it I guess...? It makes me wonder if I'd ever get a fuel cell if I'd get it with foam..... Sure it keeps the fuel from sloshing, but is that REALLY an issue? I can see the sloshing being an issue only if you were to run the tank volume down to less than an 1/8 of a tank. Ryan 
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Ci8UUP
Gearhead Posts: 631
From: Renton, Washington
Registered: May 2005
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posted 05-05-2006 09:34 AM
I've got a plastic or poly in mine, it still works but after a few years the top of it starts to collapse, it works but it doesn't look good anymore.Consider this before you go to a cell... you will always need to pop the trunk whenever you fill up; you will always need to hold the pump handle down against the inlet mouth of the cell because of the automatic shutoff on most gas pumps; unless they've came a long way with them in the past few years, they will leak vapors from the inlet even when closed; you will need to buy and fabricate an aluminum plate for the cell to sit on to replace the huge gaping hole you'll have once the tank is out; make sure you get one with a sending unit also. Other than that paragraph, fuel cells are great. Ha! If I had to do over again, I would just buy a new tank and have someone weld in bigger fuel outlets. (this is the reason I went to a cell in the first place, they wanted a mint to flood my tank with ice or whatever they do in order to weld on it)
installing a cell is a difficult project, one you might be sorry you had undertaken. [This message has been edited by Ci8UUP (edited 05-05-2006).]
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prostreeter
Gearhead Posts: 437
From: littleton,co
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 05-05-2006 02:02 PM
Here's an option if you don't want a large cell in the trunk and then you really can't use the trunk anymore.What I did on my 69 pro street mustang was to use the original tank.Cut about a thrird out of the tank,weld on a rear sump and fabricate a new filler neck.The tank was a 16 or 17 gallon tank now it's 10.This way you don't have to pop open the trunk to fill the tank,just use the regular filler cap and the trunk is still useable.It fits very nice,compact,out of the way and it looks like a custom fabricated tank when looking underneath the car and inside the trunk.
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393Bird
Gearhead Posts: 188
From: Clarksville Tn.
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 05-06-2006 09:15 AM
I noticed the sag of my cell just days after filling it. Tried several things, but dound the best cure was to eliminate the sides from bulging which pulls the top in.  I placed thin pieces of plywood in around the sides to make the cell fit snug, which prevented the bulge, and no more sagging of the top. This is how it looks still after 2 years.  ------------------
1993 Tbird
393 stroker, 3500 RPM TCS converter, Lentech Strip Terminator http://members.tccoa.com/392bird/
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mainer
Gearhead Posts: 168
From: Bryant Pond, Maine
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 05-06-2006 10:08 AM
Thanks, great info. My trunk needs some fabricating anyway as putting in a new tank into rusty mounting holes wasn't a long term solution. Thought my car had a fairly good body till I media blasted it this past winter. I'm going with an aluminum jegs. thanks,
don
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Hans olsson
Gearhead Posts: 936
From: Sweden
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 05-06-2006 11:14 AM
quote:
Originally posted by 393Bird:
I noticed the sag of my cell just days after filling it. Tried several things, but dound the best cure was to eliminate the sides from bulging which pulls the top in. I placed thin pieces of plywood in around the sides to make the cell fit snug, which prevented the bulge, and no more sagging of the top. This is how it looks still after 2 years.
Nice! ------------------
- VIN 1F05M139343
- 71 Mach 1 Ram-Air
- 351C 4V 285 HP
- E-F-G/SA
- Stockers are way cool!
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