Fuel Tank Foam

[Plimmer]

What do you guys think of fuel tank foam? The sponge like material you put in your fuel tank to reduce sloshing around of the fuel. You can buy blocks that you stuff into the fuel tank. Might need a lot to be effective on the Stang.

Reason I ask is because I think i "ran out of fuel" when I really had a quarter tank left. Car spluttered and then once I pulled into the pits and restarted it ran fine.

Stuff like this:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rci-7050a

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[sldghmr]

This is a very interesting point you bring up....I've yet to drop the tank, but it looks like it is double humped?? Would you just have to put foam in one side?? And I wonder how much gas/space the foam takes up? I guess would need to figure out how much gas I'm burning in an average session (I'm sure it would be less than 15gal! right?) If our tanks are double humped, I'm guessing they run a hose from the fuel pump inlet side over to the other tank?? I've yet to hear of anyone talking about double pumps....

 

[Plimmer]

Haven't thought it through yet. I'd probably go in through the fuel pump opening under the rear seat and pack it with the foam till all the space is taken up. I used some on a bike before and it's sort of like a sponge / mesh sponge and doesn't take up much space. I would ignore the other side of the tank. Need to find someone who knows if this is possible, might be baffles in the tank already.

Just wonder if some of the hard core road race guys have done it?

 

[chedder]

I have used it in the past in our race cars, works wonders. I track my 15 regularly and down below a quarter tank no problem. Pulling 1.28g on 295 Michelin Cup2's. Eibach suspension. Wonderful Porsche/BMW killer.

 

[apex15stangPP]

I've had it happen on some roval tracks with the Mustang. I have noticed it doesn't like anything below a 1/4 tank for track use.

 

[Optimum Performance]

Scary when it shuts off on the exit of a high speed blind corner....ask me how I know. I refuel after the second session everytime.

 

[Anthony@HTM]

I recommend always going out with a 3/4 tank of gas minimum.

 

[Brewddha]

I consistently get fuel cut at 3/8 tank coming out of turn 7 at RPM (track formerly known as MAM). Had the same thing with my previous two RX-8s. It's a long, long sweeper that just keeps going and going and you really load up the car in it. I can get 2.75 sessions before it happens generally - usually right at the tail end of my third it'll start, and that's when I pit. No idea if this stuff will help, never tried it, but would love to know if it does help.

 

[Brent Dalton]

I'm sure it would help. I think a better solution would be to add a surge tank. I have a ATL fuel cell in the rx7. With just foam, I couldn't get much below 1/4 tank. Once I added the surge tank, it'll run all the way to almost empty. Obviously foam is easier to try first, but I'd keep the surge tank in mind for down the road.

 

[Brent Dalton]

I consistently get fuel cut at 3/8 tank coming out of turn 7 at RPM (track formerly known as MAM). Had the same thing with my previous two RX-8s. It's a long, long sweeper that just keeps going and going and you really load up the car in it. I can get 2.75 sessions before it happens generally - usually right at the tail end of my third it'll start, and that's when I pit. No idea if this stuff will help, never tried it, but would love to know if it does help.

Good to know there are some other S550 track guys around. Hope to see you at RPM sometime.

 

[Brewddha]

Good to know there are some other S550 track guys around. Hope to see you at RPM sometime.

Likewise - haven't seen any other S550s at the track yet, would be great to see another. :cheers:

 

[402]

:amen:

I consistently get fuel cut at 3/8 tank coming out of turn 7 at RPM (track formerly known as MAM). Had the same thing with my previous two RX-8s. It's a long, long sweeper that just keeps going and going and you really load up the car in it. I can get 2.75 sessions before it happens generally - usually right at the tail end of my third it'll start, and that's when I pit. No idea if this stuff will help, never tried it, but would love to know if it does help.

I assume you mean 6. I don't have enough grip yet to hit fuel cut even at 1/4 tank... Next time out it will probably be a different story.

 

[Brewddha]

:amen:

I assume you mean 6. I don't have enough grip yet to hit fuel cut even at 1/4 tank... Next time out it will probably be a different story.

Ah hell, yes I mean 6. I don't know why I said 7. I probably have 1000 miles or more on track there, you'd think I could get that right. :doh:

I'm mostly stock, but running NT-05s in a square setup which no doubt gives me quite a bit more loading there than stock. Still have some suspension mods to do, so it'll only get worse I guess. Or I hope anyway, if I've done it right.

Hope to see you there sometime. Will probably be up there for at least one more Fast Friday before the year is up, hopefully with a couple of upgrades.

 

[402]

Ah hell, yes I mean 6. I don't know why I said 7. I probably have 1000 miles or more on track there, you'd think I could get that right. :doh:

I'm mostly stock, but running NT-05s in a square setup which no doubt gives me quite a bit more loading there than stock. Still have some suspension mods to do, so it'll only get worse I guess. Or I hope anyway, if I've done it right.

Hope to see you there sometime. Will probably be up there for at least one more Fast Friday before the year is up, hopefully with a couple of upgrades.

I will be doing mostly track rentals until I start TT next year. Still fairly new to this but it's nice having my mechanic is an instructor out there.
My shop will be doing track rentals out there one day every month next year if you guys are interested.

 

[ddozier]

Just wanted to add another data point to the fuel starve issue. I have been doing shake down test on my track only build at our local track, Gateway Motorsports Park. It is a left hand roval and I have to run at least 3/4 tank to avoid fuel starvation at the end of the banked left hander coming onto the main straight. The banked portion of the track is immediately proceeded by another tight radius left hander. Since the fuel pump is located on the drivers side of the car it appears the repeated left hand turns force the fuel to slosh over to the passenger side of the fuel tank and is trapped there until you do another right hand turn to slosh it back.

I have been thinking about solutions to the problem and have a few ideas, non of them have been tested but here is what I am thinking.

1. Place fuel cell foam in the fuel tank but only at the center hump of the tank that arches over the driveshaft. I am thinking of using at least an 8" tall block of foam and compressing it down to fit in the area above the hump, it will be about 3" tall once compressed, so I am hoping it stays pressed against the top of the tank and the hump. I am hoping that if the foam is compressed it will slow the sloshing of fuel from one side to the other but still allow for a full tank of fuel, although it will likely take a little longer to get a full fill.

2. Fuel transfer pump placed on the passenger side of the tank and attached to the fuel sending unit already installed in the tank. This pump would simply pump fuel from the passenger side to the drivers side all the time to keep the main fuel pump with the most fuel possible all the time.

3. Add a surge tank in the trunk and move the OEM fuel pump assembly to the surge tank and add another fuel hat and fuel pump in the OEM tank to feed the surge tank.

4. Fuel cell with a proper baffle, integrated surge tank, and fuel cell foam.

I am going to start with option 1 and see how that works.

Dave

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