Well, I've made it through the summer with my heated fuel system without any explosions or vapor lock. My truck has consistantly gotten about 11 mpg (sometimes as high as 12 mpg) and I've enjoyed better performance at about 9600 ft elevation.

That was until a week ago. (You can see the specs on my truck in my signature.) I began by removing both check valve/vent valves from the top of the gas tanks. Then I got a hold of a 3/4" x 1/2" 90 copper elbow and a 1/2"x3/4"x1/2" copper tee. Finding affordable heater hose was the tricky part. For instance, NAPA wanted $3 a foot. Anyway I found a good supply for a reasonable price: <A HREF="http://doityourself.com/store/6304588.htm"/A> 5/8 heater hose</A> <p>
Then, using a couple of ball peen hammers, I flared the end of the copper pieces so that they would stay in the gas tank. After losing two gas tank seals in the tank, here is the trick for getting the copper piece in the seal - use a hanger to lower the copper piece down into the gas tank with the seal, then seat the seal and then, carefully, pull the copper piece up through the seal. I fashioned the hanger so that it hooked around the bottom edge of the copper elbow, for example, and then, with a twist and a pull, it would release and I could pull the hanger out.

I have two tanks, so I started at the rear tank with the elbow, then to the midship tank with the tee and from there, up to the oil breather hose that empties into the K&N air cleaner.

Since my initial runs, I have replaced the yellow with the weakest (blue) springs on the same metering rods (.73-.47 Edelbrock) and I'm noticing better response, but I haven't filled up to quantify the results. Now, for the initial results...I had a full tank and drove to Kremmling through Frisco and Silverthorne and back to Breckenridge. No steep climbs. Its a two-lane highway, but I did get up to 70 mph. I drove 107 miles and used 6.3 gallons to fill. I was a bit over-zealous in topping off the tank, so 17mpg is a very honest claim. Since that highway drive, I've done some in town (by Breckenridge-Frisco-Silverthorne standards) and got 15.5 mpg - still a huge improvement over my consistant 11mpg. I would imagine you EFI guys will notice even better results than my archaic carb system.

I did try hooking the vent hose up to the intake manifold, but that will require some diligent carb adjustment to make work. (It ran rich under throttle and I completely closed the idle screws.) You also will need to vent your gas tank somehow, too - the vacuum may implode the tank (mine is an after market poly tank - the metal midship tank seemed unfazed.) My gas cap has an aluminum label plate that I bent up and drilled through, then folded it back down. I did this after the Kremmling run, too.

My next plan is to tap into the oxygen sensor hole in the cat and run that to the gas tank like blowing a straw into a drink. I'm hoping that this will do two things: aid in vaporization and help force more vaporized fuel into the air cleaner. It would be better if I could get it to work through the intake manifold system, though. That way you wouldn't smell fumes after you shut it off.

I look forward to hearing your results.

 

Del, what kind of fuel are you using in your truck ? Does it contain any alcohol or MTBE ? You have a 351W, right ? what model carb are you using ? DF

 

let me get this straight.. you are going to vent exhaust gasses into your fuel tank?

dale

 

When you vent the exhaust gases to the tank let me know before you start 'er up. I want to be there to see how big a crater you leave.

 

Could you maybe go over the whole system.

Just from your post above, I have no idea what you have done and how it could help.

 

You sound like a candidate for the Darwin awards.

 

Sounds like he ought to be driving around with Explosive decals and not let inside city limits.
Jimmy

 

you are joking right exhaust gas breaks down fuel plus you will be changing your fuel filter on a monthly basis

 

More hydrocarbons will be added to the fuel making it pollute even more and and probably effect the molecular structure of the gasoline. Plus it will want to evaporate much faster being heated by the exhaust.
It sure doesn't sound sane to me.
Jimmy

 

At least he's trying, not to mention we have to see something else on the news besides murders.........

 

True, It would make a different headline, that's for sure.
Jimmy

 

Hey all,
I wonder what kind of flowers he/her would like around the grave site! 1 less member...DAMN!
__________________________________________________ __
‘90 Ranger XLT: 2.3L, EEC-IV, EFI, DIS, 2wd, Mazda 5sp 127K/mi

 

I don't think that adding any exhaust fumes from the cat to the tank would increase the risk for explosion in the gas tank but if the increased pressure pushing fumes up to the air intake could possibly cause an explosion under the hood. You might get fumagated also.

I take that back. The heat being put into the gas tank could cause the fuel to heat up beyond the flash point. Might be risky

Scott

 

the first idea was a good one but not the suicide plan

 

are you going to crank this truck up remotely? hope you have insurance