Fuel cell costs

RSTPerformance

RSTPerformance

New member
Anyone have an honest realistic price for a fuel cell and all the plumbing involved to install a fuel cell in a VW. As I understand you need the cell itself, 2 fuel pumps minimum preferably three (2 low pressure to a canister then 1 high pressure) then the plumbing, I have no idea what the cost of the plumbing would be I know I need a line to the injection system and then a return line and a vent hose from the tank. How should set it up and what are the realistic costs before I dive into this project.

Mark
 
Mark, some parkball estimates as I can't remember the exact cost of my cell installation.

* Fuel cell install (did my own) about $300 for fuel cradle/firewall box
* Fuel cell $300 - 350
* Carter Low Pressure Pump $40 - 50
* Fran Fuel Filter $25 - 30
* VW CIS High Pressure Pump $160 to $180 (or use existing one in car)
* Fuel Reservior (make my custom one) if fab shop makes it, probably $100 to $125
* Aeroquip lines/fittings (supply/return lines) $250 to $300 (stuff is pricey & alot of fittings is required for all connections)

Think this about covers it...I don't want to know the total $$$; so I will let you add the numbers. Regards, Ryan.
 
Mark,

I'd say Ryan's figures are probably pretty close. Some things may be high, and some may be low (fuel cell is probably closer to $450 - $500 for an ATL or Fuel Safe). I would figure on at least $1000 to put one in, maybe $1200 - $1300.

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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI
 
I had McGee motorsports @ Sears Point install / plum my cell. $1,100 and they made a REALLY sweet cover. As soon as I take some pics, I'll post them. P.S. Used ALL of the stock plumbing / pumps for reliability. Yes, I know that I might not be able to get the last couple of gallons out of the cell, but......



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Tim Linerud
San Francisco Region SCCA
#95 ITB GTI, GP for 2002
 
Is it absolutely neccessary to use a low pressure pump? I picked up a cell for a really good deal and was hoping to use just the stock pump. At present the cell just has a pick up hose in it along with a vent line and feed line. I know I'll have to plumb in a return line but do I really need a low pressure pump to make this work?

Steve

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88 ITB Scirocco
www.geocities.com/highspeedconnectionracing
 
Steve,

You need some kind of fuel accumulator. Even the stock Rabbits have one. The problem is, it's not big enough and is not force-fed. This is why the cars have the starvation problem in hard r/h turns. If you do it right, you can use the existing plumbing, and just run the feed and return lines to the accumulator. Shouldn't cost that much extra to do the l/p pump and accumulator.

I've also heard that you can get the whole accumulator setup out of a Fox and it will work.

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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI
 
Steve, I use a Carter Low Pressure pump to draw fuel from the cell as the VW CIS does not like to draw fuel as the pump is more of a "pusher" than a "sucker". In the early Rabbits, the VW CIS works well, without any assistance, due to gravity feed from the gas tank. With a fuel cell, the output is on top of the cell, and the CIS pump needs some help. Regards, Ryan.
 
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