Fuel cell street legal?

JWebbie2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Location
Yadkin County
I've Googled like crazy and can't find anything about a fuel cell being illegal to run on the street here in NC. Anyone know if you can or not? I'm planning on 4 linking the rear of my Jeep, which requires a fuel cell. Thanks for any help guys!
 
Just buy a Genright tank. They seem expensive until you price out all the shit associated with putting a cell in the back, then add in the PITA factor of having to unzip the top to fill the tank, gas smell in the cab, safety issues, etc.

I'm not aware of any laws, though.
 
shawn said:
Just buy a Genright tank. They seem expensive until you price out all the shit associated with putting a cell in the back, then add in the PITA factor of having to unzip the top to fill the tank, gas smell in the cab, safety issues, etc.

I'm not aware of any laws, though.
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Can't run the Genright tank, my rear axle would hit it with the rear stretch.
 
I could easily do a 3-4" stretch with the factory 44 out back, straight rear track bar, and the FACTORY TJ tank in my jeep. For an example the factory track bar with that big ass bend around the diff has a solid 2" of clearance between it and the tank, with my raised rear trac bar mount I could run a straight track bar and clear by much more.

Jeep TJ/LJ Crawler™ COMP Gas Tank & Skid Plate (23 Gal)

By my math I could run a 8" stretch with a 14 bolt/sterling out back. I'm looking at running less because I hate the comp cut look, and I'm pushing my front axle forward around 6" or so. You'll loose the cubbie hole and the jack storage in the back. Gen-Right's JK rear tank keeps the jack compartment in the back, and I know my tank sits up much higher since I raised the floor 3" out back. It only hangs down 2 3/4" under the frame rail.

Worst case you'd have to run this tank.
Jeep TJ/LJ Crawler™ ALIEN Gas Tank & Skid Plate (11 Gal)

You're not gonna find a bolt in solution, it's easy to move mounts around and you'll be redoing a lot of the cross members under the jeep to fit the 4 link. I'm more than likely going to have to notch the tub some to fit the upper frame side mount because its going to be 3" above the frame rail. Only going with 38" uppers out back and 39" lowers.

I personally will not run a fuel cell because I don't want to smell that shit, sealed system or not you're gonna end up with fuel in the back from filling it up.


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The biggest issues with a standard cell are the lack of an unleaded fuel restrictor in the filler, unless you adapt a factory filler neck to it, and the usual lack of an evaporative emissions system, unless you keep it hooked to the vent. Both are needed on mid 70s and newer vehicles to pass a safety inspection, and removing them is a federal emissions tampering violation whether it needs an inspection or not.

On my 67 Fairlane I run one with an open vent and no restrictor, but it had neither stock. On my 78 f150 crawler i have the unleaded restrictor because I use a stock neck. It had no evap system factory so i didnt have to do anything with it. Ive been pulled in both but no-one ever mentioned it. Most cops pulling you for a regular traffic violation probably won't give it a second thought, unless you give them a reason to start looking for stuff to throw at you.

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iwaxmyjimmy said:
I could easily do a 3-4" stretch with the factory 44 out back, straight rear track bar, and the FACTORY TJ tank in my jeep. For an example the factory track bar with that big ass bend around the diff has a solid 2" of clearance between it and the tank, with my raised rear trac bar mount I could run a straight track bar and clear by much more.

Jeep TJ/LJ Crawler™ COMP Gas Tank & Skid Plate (23 Gal)

By my math I could run a 8" stretch with a 14 bolt/sterling out back. I'm looking at running less because I hate the comp cut look, and I'm pushing my front axle forward around 6" or so. You'll loose the cubbie hole and the jack storage in the back. Gen-Right's JK rear tank keeps the jack compartment in the back, and I know my tank sits up much higher since I raised the floor 3" out back. It only hangs down 2 3/4" under the frame rail.

Worst case you'd have to run this tank.
Jeep TJ/LJ Crawler™ ALIEN Gas Tank & Skid Plate (11 Gal)

You're not gonna find a bolt in solution, it's easy to move mounts around and you'll be redoing a lot of the cross members under the jeep to fit the 4 link. I'm more than likely going to have to notch the tub some to fit the upper frame side mount because its going to be 3" above the frame rail. Only going with 38" uppers out back and 39" lowers.

I personally will not run a fuel cell because I don't want to smell that shit, sealed system or not you're gonna end up with fuel in the back from filling it up.


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I've talked to 2 different companies that do TJ tank swaps in JKs and both said that you can't do an 8" stretch with a TJ tank. And don't really care about the jack compartment since it's too short to work on my Jeep now lol. And I already planned on taking the rear cubby hole out since I don't hardly ever use it either. And my buddy has the Motobilt cell in his TJ and I never smell any gas in it. Idk maybe he has it set up really good? Lol
 
JWebbie2 said:
I've talked to 2 different companies that do TJ tank swaps in JKs and both said that you can't do an 8" stretch with a TJ tank. And don't really care about the jack compartment since it's too short to work on my Jeep now lol. And I already planned on taking the rear cubby hole out since I don't hardly ever use it either. And my buddy has the Motobilt cell in his TJ and I never smell any gas in it. Idk maybe he has it set up really good? Lol
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Did you not read any of this? Not trying to be a dick but it does say between 6-7" stretch in a TJ with a 1 ton rear. I've already told you ditching the jack compartment you can move the tank back further. I'll post a picture of the 3 1/2" of clearance between the front of my factory TJ tank and the diff cover so you can understand a little better.
 
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Now tell me again how that first tank I sent you won't work? If it allows more stretch? Because by those numbers I could push the rear axle back 10" if I wanted with the factory 44 out back.
 
What kind of Jeep is it? If it's a JK just leave the factory tank and 3 link the rear. From what @iwaxmyjimmy is showing you could also just swap an TJ Genright tank in and stretch the fuck out of it.

As far as the legality of a fuel cell I'm not sure but your best off to retain the factory filler neck and ensure everything vent/evap wise is hook up the same as factory.
 
iwaxmyjimmy said:
717fb633b679b458e2cad65d866f7cdd.png


Did you not read any of this? Not trying to be a dick but it does say between 6-7" stretch in a TJ with a 1 ton rear. I've already told you ditching the jack compartment you can move the tank back further. I'll post a picture of the 3 1/2" of clearance between the front of my factory TJ tank and the diff cover so you can understand a little better.
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I was referring to the stock TJ tank not working. I'm just relaying what 2 different shops told me. I know a Genright TJ tank will work.
 
JWebbie2 said:
I was referring to the stock TJ tank not working. I'm just relaying what 2 different shops told me. I know a Genright TJ tank will work.
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Again not being a dick, but where in this thread was a stock TJ tank mentioned besides to show you a TJ stretch tank will provide plenty of room?
 
I believe...Technically...a fuel tank may be considered part of the emissions system. If this is true, then in the strictest sense it is probably illegal to fuck with the stock tank anyway. If this isnt so, then Im certain there is no problem running any fuel tank. That being said...I'm sure if you reconnect the evap. system and all that, and there are no "lights" coming on or "codes" being set, you'll be fine. I have done a few of these "tank mods" and reconnected all the evap. stuff and never had an issue. In fact, getting ready to relocate the pump/canister module on a 2011 Tacoma now
 
Ive never mentioned the gen-right JK tank for you application ever....

0d5f7836f444914b7a42372e0207fa44.png


Even the links posted clearly say TJ/LJ
 
shawn said:
Honestly, I thought the OP had a TJ or YJ... because JKs have belly tanks, and nobody actually wheels those, anyway
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Some don't have belly tanks I promise lol
7cfbb1e2efe3f3b4999445765a884191.jpg
 
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iwaxmyjimmy said:
Ive never mentioned the gen-right JK tank for you application ever....

0d5f7836f444914b7a42372e0207fa44.png


Even the links posted clearly say TJ/LJ
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Yea I'm not that big of a fan of the JK tank for a 2 door, but works good for the 4 doors I've seen. But I honestly skimmed over it pretty quick. I just read "crawler comp tank" and saw the capacity at the end and just thought it was the JK tank in the first link lol.

But I find it pretty weird that 2 different shops told me that a stock TJ tank won't work with a stretch but yet you're going to do it lol
 
JWebbie2 said:
Yea I'm not that big of a fan of the JK tank for a 2 door, but works good for the 4 doors I've seen. But I honestly skimmed over it pretty quick. I just read "crawler comp tank" and saw the capacity at the end and just thought it was the JK tank in the first link lol.

But I find it pretty weird that 2 different shops told me that a stock TJ tank won't work with a stretch but yet you're going to do it lol
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And never did I ever say that either.... that's from your thread back in may.
 
ol'Jeeps said:
I believe...Technically...a fuel tank may be considered part of the emissions system. If this is true, then in the strictest sense it is probably illegal to fuck with the stock tank anyway. If this isnt so, then Im certain there is no problem running any fuel tank. That being said...I'm sure if you reconnect the evap. system and all that, and there are no "lights" coming on or "codes" being set, you'll be fine. I have done a few of these "tank mods" and reconnected all the evap. stuff and never had an issue. In fact, getting ready to relocate the pump/canister module on a 2011 Tacoma now
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That was my biggest concern was the whole inspection thing, but every time I've took a vehicle to an inspection station they've never hooked anything up to them or even looked at the dash. But I have read about some guys that's messed with the EVAP stuff to make them work with newer vehicles electronics. I seen one guy that back halved a 2014 2 door JK that was running a RCI cell and didn't have a single light on the dash when I was at Gold Mountain a while back. I had to stop and pick his brain for a little bit lol
 
iwaxmyjimmy said:
373886f9179a6c534c2920277aae6eb6.png


And never did I ever say that either.... that's from your thread back in may.
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Hell I must have read that wrong and thought you were talking about your current TJ tank.
But I'm guessing you'll be running full hydro if your pushing your front axle forward 6"? I think I read that 2" is about max for not going full hydro without moving the steering box and all that
 
JWebbie2 said:
Hell I must have read that wrong and thought you were talking about your current TJ tank.
But I'm guessing you'll be running full hydro if your pushing your front axle forward 6"? I think I read that 2" is about max for not going full hydro without moving the steering box and all that
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I'll be redoing the front frame rails allowing for more uptravel and going with a U4 inspired steering setup using a manual steering box and a servo.
 
iwaxmyjimmy said:
I'll be redoing the front frame rails allowing for more uptravel and going with a U4 inspired steering setup using a manual steering box and a servo.
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Are you going to be notching it or cutting a chunk of the frame? I'd like to see this lol. My plan is to notch a piece off the passenger side frame rail for my steering
 
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