Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

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Colin Newbold
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Colin Newbold »

Race car fuel pipe is always steel braided Peter, although underneath the braid is doubtless some sort of poly-something???

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Migge
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Migge »

Colin,

I can't see a small pipe on top (with a pipe incl. a check valve). Make sure that there will be no vacuum when the fuel level is going down!!
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Colin Newbold
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Colin Newbold »

I'm guessing I'll be ok Migge, these guys made the tank for my racing MGB and never had any problems plus they've been doing race tanks for a considerable time. But thanks for the heads up anyway:).

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Last edited by Colin Newbold on Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Migge
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Migge »

Then your tank will be vented from the fuel Cap.
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Colin Newbold
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Colin Newbold »

...especially as they copied the Kirkham tank exactly. Better not turn it upside down though, eh?
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Migge
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Migge »

Wouldn't fit :-)
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peterc
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by peterc »

Race car fuel lines inside the car must therefore be as you say a type of polyurethane and not just St Stl braided rubber.
Maybe we should all have specified these for the boot location.
Ref tank vent valves there is a distinct difference between a valve suitable for inversion and merely a vent valve.
I have corresponded with the manufacturer and the inversion protection valve needs to be mounted vertically above the fuel line in the tank. Cobras do not have sufficient space!
The tank vent type merely stops the garage from smelling of fuel by requiring pressure or vacuum to open.
Thus it opens when the fuel level drops and only opens if the pressure in the tank rises e.g. on a hot sunny day.
This valve can be mounted horizontally on top of the tank in the vent line but again should be above the fuel level where any fuel entering the vent pipe can flow back. It should not be on the end of the vent line lower down in the wheel arch.
Basically being below the fuel level means it could gain fuel inside the valve compromising its operation.
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Colin Newbold
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Colin Newbold »

Migge wrote: Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:42 pmWouldn't fit :-)
The car I meant Migge!
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by Colin Newbold »

I'm delighted to report 100% success with the fuel tank, even the fuel gauge worked after a few miles.

More than can be said for the electrics, which conked out 2/3 of the way back home. Very similar symptoms to what happened on last year's road trip so I replaced the Mallory Unilite ignition module yet again. This time though, the car spluttered to a halt again just a mile later, so out came a new coil. That seemed to fix it and then a mile from home I lost the fan belt!

By the time I got home it was nearly midnight - a 5 hr Marathon! I've obviously upset someone upstairs.
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peterc
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Re: Racing Fuel Tank - Design Required

Post by peterc »

Colin, sorry to hear of your marathon to get home.
As you lost the fan belt could that mean it was loose and therefore the alternator wasn’t producing sufficient charge. Loosing power from the alternator would then affect the electrics.
My check on how tight the fan belt should be without over tightening and damaging the alternator bearings is that you should just be able to turn the alternator pulley in one direction but not the other. E.g not against the drive affect of the belt.
Hope that helps you solve the issues.
Peter C
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