Homemade fuel cell
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Lead Driver
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From: Senoia, GA
Homemade fuel cell
I am looking into putting a fuel cell in my 'crawler/trail rig but I am not too keen on dropping $400 on the table for an aluminum box that holds gas! I have come up with a few ideas but I wanted to see how creative you guys are! I am looking into getting a 25 gallon keg (i pay for the keg and my friends will get the beer). i have also heard of folks using a tractor trailer saddle tank and mouting it in the bed. Right now, just to be able to drive it around, I have a marine style 5 gallon portable tank! seems to be working good but it isn't quite enough....I am scared I will run out. I really like the keg idea but I am not sure yet how I will hook it up! Let;s see what you can come up with.
-cutts-
-cutts-
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I built a keg tank years ago it was only about 13 gal or so -it worked great and looked cool I welded a regular old filler cap fitting on it and used a fuel pickup from an early bronco if I remember correctly, the original hole in the side had a kind of chamber around it that i mounted the pickup in -I got a flat O-ring at the parts store the size of pickup flange and used about 4 sheetmetal screws to clamp pickup to keg- the chamber the screws went into was separate from beer/fuel, so there was no leakage. the bronco pickup worked just right for that keg and I never did starve the pickup line. I didnt use the fuel gauge because it was easy enough to look into fill port. I'm planning on using that keg on my current project bronco--- what are you building?????
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From: Chatsworth, CA
Where do you plan on putting this fuel cell? Mounting location I mean. I would look into getting a plastic fuel cell and take out the foam because over time the foam breaks down and clogs the fuel filter. I haven't priced them but I'm sure they are alot cheaper then the aluminum jobbys.
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From: Senoia, GA
72 half cab EB 302/D20/3 on the tree/D44/Ford 9" (in my gallery, the green one)
I am gonna mount it in the bed right in front of the tailgate for easy access and so I can mount a bench seat in the rear.
thanx wyld.....that's the info I am looking for!
dbhr, is there a way i can get the plastic lining out w/o using the carb?
-cutts-
I am gonna mount it in the bed right in front of the tailgate for easy access and so I can mount a bench seat in the rear.
thanx wyld.....that's the info I am looking for!
dbhr, is there a way i can get the plastic lining out w/o using the carb?
-cutts-
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From: Auburn,Al
Originally Posted by 95-F-350-4x4
Where do you plan on putting this fuel cell? Mounting location I mean. I would look into getting a plastic fuel cell and take out the foam because over time the foam breaks down and clogs the fuel filter. I haven't priced them but I'm sure they are alot cheaper then the aluminum jobbys.
the poly cells arent much cheaper, and they suck, they fade bad in the sun, and they eventually start sagging and the crack.
after drilling a nice hole in my gas tank, im glad i went with a fuel cell, i got a 20 gal aluminum unit for like 200 bucks with fittings and junk
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From: Chatsworth, CA
Originally Posted by 85351ho
the poly cells arent much cheaper, and they suck, they fade bad in the sun, and they eventually start sagging and the crack.
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Post Fiend
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From: Oregon
I always liked the "keg cells" myself also. Work well and look cool. Heck, you could always use two if you wanted. Be cheaper than tracking down a tig and welding up your own alum plate. Eventually, thats what I will do, because I want to design a large capacity one thats sumped/baffled. When I build my trail only rig though I'll just use a keg.
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I had no problem with plastic liner in mine.- another option is swap meets, I have seen some good deals on used aluminum cells/tanks at swap meets and one more that just struck me- a combine tank- I live in Iowa so they are plentiful here with a lot of variety- we took one off a JD combine a couple of years back and put in the front of the bed on a buddys truck.
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From: Cheney, Wa
well god dammit i'm drunk don't you people read your jc whitney's
they have a 33 gal. tank.......that or summit has a cell that's 32~ish gall. yeah i'm thinking about doing both mostly the second for mounting reason's the 33 gal. hangs alittle low......depending on your lift.
they have a 33 gal. tank.......that or summit has a cell that's 32~ish gall. yeah i'm thinking about doing both mostly the second for mounting reason's the 33 gal. hangs alittle low......depending on your lift.
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From: Senoia, GA
Originally Posted by Franken-Truck
If you could afford to fill it, how 'bout a 55 gallon oil drum? There are also various sizes of propane tanks floating around that could be cleaned out and used.
-cutts-
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From: Virginia Beach
Oh, thats easy! Just put it in place of your passenger seat 
Or cut it out some to make it into a seat Or you could just mount the axles to it and drive it around!
Ok, real idea. Cut out a middle section to however big you need, and weld both ends back together. Viola! A "pancake" fuel cell!
Edit: I was thinking of your full size when I mentioned the drum, forgot about your EB. Abut think of the . . . . weeks you could spend out there on one tank lol.
Or cut it out some to make it into a seat Or you could just mount the axles to it and drive it around!Ok, real idea. Cut out a middle section to however big you need, and weld both ends back together. Viola! A "pancake" fuel cell!
Edit: I was thinking of your full size when I mentioned the drum, forgot about your EB. Abut think of the . . . . weeks you could spend out there on one tank lol.
Last edited by Franken-Truck; Jun 10, 2004 at 03:55 PM.