More fuel cell tech.

hurt4x4

hurt4x4

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2012
Location
Greensboro
So I'm contemplating making a fuel cell for my tacoma to clear room for a traction bar. I've welded a good bit of aluminum, but I've never made a fuel cell before. So I'll probably need some pointers.
My plan was to make the cell the same depth as the factory tank and try to use the factory fuel pump, sending unit etc. As far as tank construction I was thinking 3/16" aluminum for the tank and 1/8" for baffles inside the tank.

Is there any reason I shouldn't try to re-use the factory pump and sending unit? Also I'm not quite sure what to do as far as baffle design other than try and copy what's in the factory tank. Any help or tips would be appreciated before I jump into this.
 
I built my cell from 1/8” aluminum.

The last piece to weld on was the top.

The baffles are a grid of interlocking flat plates welded together.

There several holes I. The baffles to let fuel equalize but not slosh badly. Two plates in the longer plane,
4 in the shorter direction.

This made an open square in center to put the sending unit.

I built it same height as my factory tank, so that the factory yj sending unit and pump could be used.

Even though the baffles interlock, I still put a few welds to hold them still and welded the baffles to the sides and bottom of the tank.

Haven’t had an issue with it since 2010.
 
Mine is a 25ish gallon tank, with an external pump. I wish it did have in internal. If you were happy with the factory tank as far as size, yes, by all means, build it to use the factory pump/sending unit. If you have any desire in the future to change engines, now would be the time to plan for that as well, if there would be changes. Baffles are a good idea, smaller holes, but lot's of them, and plenty at the bottom. However, my tank has none, but never had an issue. Other than I do "hear" the sloshing as the tank gets lower on fuel. Another thought is to locate the filler neck where it is the easiest to get fuel in, esp if you ever have to use cans.
Good luck with the build, take some pics and share em.
 
Mac5005 said:
I built my cell from 1/8” aluminum.

The last piece to weld on was the top.

The baffles are a grid of interlocking flat plates welded together.

There several holes I. The baffles to let fuel equalize but not slosh badly. Two plates in the longer plane,
4 in the shorter direction.

This made an open square in center to put the sending unit.

I built it same height as my factory tank, so that the factory yj sending unit and pump could be used.

Even though the baffles interlock, I still put a few welds to hold them still and welded the baffles to the sides and bottom of the tank.

Haven’t had an issue with it since 2010.
Click to expand...
You think 1/8 would be enough? I've repaired a Rci cell and that had me hesitant to use 1/8. I also thought about using 14g stainless, because I have access to a lot of scrap.

I like the grid idea for the baffles to add some rigidity. As far ass height, you think 1/3 of the tank depth sounds about right?
 
upnover said:
Mine is a 25ish gallon tank, with an external pump. I wish it did have in internal. If you were happy with the factory tank as far as size, yes, by all means, build it to use the factory pump/sending unit. If you have any desire in the future to change engines, now would be the time to plan for that as well, if there would be changes. Baffles are a good idea, smaller holes, but lot's of them, and plenty at the bottom. However, my tank has none, but never had an issue. Other than I do "hear" the sloshing as the tank gets lower on fuel. Another thought is to locate the filler neck where it is the easiest to get fuel in, esp if you ever have to use cans.
Good luck with the build, take some pics and share em.
Click to expand...
Good things to consider. No plans to change engines, I'll be lucky enough to get the fuel cell built haha. I was going to try and use a remote fill kit and be able to fill from my bedside still.
 
RCI fuel tanks are only 0.100" thick.
 
hurt4x4 said:
You think 1/8 would be enough? I've repaired a Rci cell and that had me hesitant to use 1/8. I also thought about using 14g stainless, because I have access to a lot of scrap.
Click to expand...

1/8 is plenty strong, but tank construction is mostly about how the sides are joined, reinforced, etc. So if you have baffles reinforcing the flat sides of the tank, you don't really need much thickness to make a perfectly durable tank.
Stainless works really well too, it's just expensive (and heavy, relatively speaking for something you'll fill with liquid). A lot of aftermarket stamped and fabricated tanks for street rods, hot rods, restoration, etc., are made from stainless. If you've got cheap/free stainless to use, do it!
 
Fabrik8 said:
1/8 is plenty strong, but tank construction is mostly about how the sides are joined, reinforced, etc. So if you have baffles reinforcing the flat sides of the tank, you don't really need much thickness to make a perfectly durable tank.
Stainless works really well too, it's just expensive (and heavy, relatively speaking for something you'll fill with liquid). A lot of aftermarket stamped and fabricated tanks for street rods, hot rods, restoration, etc., are made from stainless. If you've got cheap/free stainless to use, do it!
Click to expand...
For some reason I wasn't picturing the baffles going all of the way up, I should have put a little more thought into that. Since weight and material cost aren't much of and issue I'm leaning more towards stainless now.
 
Mine is full retard. .250" aluminum with no baffles currently but I'm planning an idea for replicating the cell using .125" 3xx or even 4xx series stainless w/ baffling, but slightly different dimensions.
Before I got my aluminum one handed down to me from my coworker, it was wheeled hard as hell for years everywhere in the southeast with just a stock TJ pump. Same configuration is what I have today. Really the only reason I'm thinking about building a new one is for packaging. Otherwise, strength is the least of my worries.
 
XJsavage said:
Mine is full retard. .250" aluminum with no baffles currently but I'm planning an idea for replicating the cell using .125" 3xx or even 4xx series stainless w/ baffling.
Before I got my aluminum one handed down to me from my coworker, it was wheeled hard as hell for years everywhere in the southeast with just a stock TJ pump. Same configuration is what I have today. Really the only reason I'm thinking about building a new one is for packaging. Otherwise, strength is the least of my worries.
Click to expand...
Honestly that is probably close to what I would have ended up with had I not came here asking for help. Not that there is anything wrong with a tank like that, but if I can add some strength while cutting down on cost a little I'm all for it. I'd like to see the stainless tank you come up with!
 
Put the holes in the baffles so that they don't line up from one to another. Also more at the bottom, less up top. Gap the baffles off the bottom.

Could put trap doors on the area around the pump if you want to get fancy.

Also if you don't need it to be flat on the bottom, you could build a sump/tapered bottom, so the pump pickup is lower than the rest of the cell bottom, and gravity helps fuel go to it.
 
Finally making some progress on this fuel cell.
I scored some free 3/16 aluminum at work. Probably overkill, but why not.
It needed some cleaning up so I went over everything with a scotch Brite on the orbital.
I'm thinking about adding another small baffle on the bottom around the pickup, similar to what is in my factory tank.
20181126_170621.jpg
 
I'm pretty excited to be starting my new fuel-cell this weekend more than likely. Going to head to the scrap yard and scout around for some 3/16 stainless plate and see where that takes me. I'm definitely going to look towards the check on this topic discussed here.
 
XJsavage said:
I'm pretty excited to be starting my new fuel-cell this weekend more than likely. Going to head to the scrap yard and scout around for some 3/16 stainless plate and see where that takes me. I'm definitely going to look towards the check on this topic discussed here.
Click to expand...
Post pics when you get started!
Why 3/16"? That's going to be ridiculously heavy. Is it going to be stick welded?
 
hurt4x4 said:
Post pics when you get started!
Why 3/16"? That's going to be ridiculously heavy. Is it going to be stick welded?
Click to expand...
I could use 1/8". Depends on what the scrapyard has and what condition. With 1/8", I'd be in the right mind to go pick up an argon bottle and TIG it, but 3/16", stick all day. It would be heavy to go 3/16, but at the same time, is the additional weight nearly as much as a spare tire would be? Probably not.
Even with 1/8" stainless, I'd tackle the challenge of sticking it. 316L 3/32.
 
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