Fuel Cell Pickup Question

S

Simon Tibbett

Well-known member
I'm installing a new ATL cell and am using my old fill plate and duckbill pickups (I have two). Is there a certain way they go into the new cell? I forced them as deep as I could and tried to have foam on top to hold them towards the bottom, I didn't pay any attention to the direction they're facing (no kinks though) or if they are too close to the walls of the bladder. Anything else I should do before I put it all back together and into the car?
 
If I were going to be plumbing a new cell, I'd use one of these and dump all other pickups.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-16-108?seid=srese1&gclid=Cj0KEQiAuqC2BRDVxMSnpa-mhZoBEiQAFta8wdElR9uQa7L_Tl2jQBe1wtAsrHbR_lytulyB8-d2NgsaAre18P8HAQ
 
Nice piece, not looking to really change anything right now though, just get some seat time. I'm not plumbing anything, just replacing an ATL cell with an ATL cell. The bladder was long out of date and the case was getting some decent wear.
 
The standard orientation of the pickups is toward the rear corners of the cell to avoid starvation under acceleration and cornering.
 
i watched all of the videos on the HydraMat product and it looks very interesting. I talked to one guy who used it in a "GT"-type car and he didn't give it a glowing review. More information necessary, but the smallest unit is not terribly expensive if you're looking to try something different.
 
Tried it in a T1 car. Didn't work. They say it won't, but if it gets exposed it will suck air
 
There's also a limit to how much fuel can be sucked through one of those things. Holley doesn't answer that question, but I suspect if you have a thirsty V8 or otherwise huge fuel pumps drinking from one of the smaller pad thingies, you're going to still have issues with sucking air. you need to use the larger ones for a high flow pump so you don't have air bubble problems.
 
Simon... On the 8 gal cells we use on our cars we pack the cell full of foam to the top but leave a hole dead center for the pickup hose and a dip stick. Position the pickup hose to either side of the top plate making sure the other end is at the bottom and dead center of the cell as you pack the foam in. Cutting channels in the foam as you add it into the cell to compensate for the hose makes a good tight installation. Autocrossing we only carry 1 to 1 1/2 gallons and have never run dry. Racing on tracks like Hallett, Homestead, Palm Beach, Sebring with tight turns both ways we've never lost fuel pressure. Do make sure your breather hose has a big lateral loop in it so you don't throw fuel out of it when the cell is full. We found the duck bills too directional for the 8 gal cells.

Bob
 
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