Fuel Cell for 1st gen RX-7

R

rlekun

New member
All else being equal, which fuel cell is easiest to install in the 1st gen RX-7: the "Well Cell" type from ATL, or the varios square type cells from ATL, FuelSafe, etc?
Also what's the preferred mounting approach? Completely under the rear deck with just the filler neck coming through? Partially protruding through the rear deck with a cover? Anyone have any good photos or diagrams?
 
Having only put one in and having just moved it I can't tell you which is better but I can tell you what we did. We have an ATL 12 gallon. Probably not big enough for enduros if you want to go 2 hours, actually definately not big enough, but good for about 1:20 or 30 or so at speed. We bought aluminum channel about 4X2. We cut it to length and affixed 4 pieces to the bottom of the rear deck and affixed the cell to that. The entire cell is below the deck. We cut a oblong hole in the deck and refitted the piece we cut with hinges and 2 Dzus fasteners. We put a seal, weatherstripping, on the bottom of the lid so we have a tight seal. We just had to move it 2 inches further back as we redesigned the panhard rod to be straight across the rear axle rather then angled toward the right front thus eliminating that moment (angled force) when cornering.

D. Plank
 
I put a 16 gal in my 1st gen for the long races, cut out the entire floor in back welded in a flat 16 ga panel in its place, ill post some pics.
 
I was talking to an ATL fuel cell dealer yesterday and he was trying to upsell me on a "three trap door surge tank" inside the cell and a new Bosch low pressure fuel pump located inside the cell case.

The surge tank idea makes sense as it traps fuel around the pick-ups, but is that really necessary with the foam?

As for the "black box" fuel pump, I don't really need a new pump, BUT I have the Facet fuel pump under the car in the stock location...which is okay for street, but never "felt right" hanging back there for track use.

Here's a link to the combo surge tank and fuel pump "black box" http://www.atlinc.com/racing/bbox.htm

This combination is going to add another $360 or so to cost of the cell. Does the above sound worthwhile?

Also I'm assuming the preferred method for holding the cell in place under the rear deck is to weld up some angle iron and weld between the frame members to nest the cell container into. Do you make it "removeable" ...meaning you can unbolt a side of the iron so if you ever needed to you could slide the cell out? or do you just weld the iron closed around the fuel cell? Should the cell be fastened in anyway to the support iron?

[This message has been edited by rlekun (edited March 07, 2002).]
 
As for the ATL "black box" set-up, I would say that it is overkill for most road racers (and I sell them!). I have found that the surge tank alone is most beneficial and can be had for around $160, if I remember.

EFI cars can mount a pump in the surge tank, or simply locate the pickup there, and that usually solves any problems. An addition tip would be to run the return line to the box as well, thus all unused fuel would be returned right to the pickup point.

Carbed cars usually only need to locate the pickup in the box and use either an internal or external low pressure pump.

Good luck w/ your choice.

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Chris Wire
Team Wire Racing
ITS Mazda RX7 #35
 
Is the most prevalent way of supporting the Fuel Cell can to the car merely using metal straps as the instructions that came with my fuel cell indicate? Is any other mounting or structural support required or advised to literally hold the can in place?

Do some IT cars weld up a support structure to slide the can into? Or do they create some sort of guard to protect the can from rear impact?

Sorry for the rather rudimentary questions...
 
didnt you get the pics I sent you?

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Daryl Brightwell
ITA Mazda #77
SFR, NORPAC
CSCC, SOPAC
 
7's,

Yes I rec'd the pictures. Thanks! But I'm not clear on how you're supporting the cell. I assume you're dropping it in to the square cut-out....so the 16gauge steel floor you added is essentially what's supporting the cell?

You had also said "there is a 1 3/4" by 1/4" thick square tubing "H" welded between the frame rails except the H has two crosses that make a square around the filler cap, that would be the large square you see in the middle of the trunk floor, the other two holes are for access to the pickup and return/vent."

If I'm interpretting the above correctly that sounds like a great set-up. But I also was looking for how others accomplish the more traditional approach of mounting the can up under the floor from underneath as it would appear to require less fabrication. There's a top view of this type of install at http://www.rotaryperformance.com/pages/page4.html. But it doesn't show how the can is supported under the floor.
 
Can someone fwd some pics to me as well, or post links to them here? I'm in the process of mounting a fuel cell in my 84 ITA car.

Thanks
Carl
 
Carl,

You'll see I reposted the general question as a new topic in the Tech Talk section since my question is not unique to the RX-7.

Larry
 
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