Thread: RCI fuel cells

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If you could send me a picture that would be great, I'll pm my email.

Thanks,
Sean

Bob,
I tried to measure up where it will go and once the axle is in place it doesn't look like it will even be close. I have a plate on my diff to mount the upper control arms that won't even be close. Thanks a lot for taking the time to try and help, sorry it didn't work.

Sean

Originally Posted by stovens

Ok, here's my next stupid question. What is the difference between a fuel cell and a gas tank? I know fuel cells are suppose to be safer, but not why.
Also what kind of foam goes with gas?

Any of todays fuel cell foam should be compatible with todays gasoline.

Cells have foam.
Tanks don't.


The idea with the foam is, if you have a tank rupture whether small or large, the gasoline trapped within the foam keeps the gasoline from igniting all at once.
Better a small reasonably controlled fire than one big one.

Best fuel cells are those that have an inner plastic tank and an outer steel or aluminum one.

For street use, you want a circle track style outlet (comes out the top).
You do not want a sump type outlet like the drag racers use.

In fact, sump outlets on a street driven car are against federal law, but that may not pertain to a specially constructed vehicle.

The tank shown above is working out nicely, but any fuel tank should have baffles to control the fuel sloshing around inside.
The foam in cells takes care of that nicely and imo RCI should have put a couple of baffles inside the tank.

If you're running an electric fuel pump you need an oil pressure safety shutoff switch.
Some guys are pulling the fuel pump safety switch out of cars at the junkyard and installing those.
Better than an oil pressure safety shutoff switch imo because it also kills the fuel pump circuit if the car gets bumped or worse.

If you peruse the JAZ fuel cell site or other speed equipment catalogs you'll see where the cells have a tipover valve and the aluminum fill pipe adapters also have a spring loaded flapper valve that is supposed to hold the fuel in while upside down.

Like the sailboat guys say, "upside down is slow."

Thanks C9! I've been looking at a aluminum underbed mount gas tank for my truck. They are really pricey for the ones made to fit a 48 F1. I'm not sure if they are fuel cells or not by the way they list them on the Classic Performance Parts site. I'll have to give them a ring and find out.

Stovens, take a cruise through the junkyard and pay attention to the metal fuel tanks on vans.

For some reason most of them are removed and then placed inside the van.
Makes it nice for measuring etc.

The van tanks look to me like they'd fit more than a few cars and earlier pickups.
Capacity is probably 20-22 gallons.