Fuel swirl pots: opinions on safety!?

[lockwood77]

Looking at some heavily-track focused FDs, many run fuel swirl pots to prevent fuel starvation under high lateral forces, which makes sense from a technical point of view.

However, the result is running fuel into the cabin, as the tank and pump is usually fitted in the boot. Apart from the noise and smell (well, there was in Gurj\'s old car when he took me out anyway!), this would make me nervous, as a rear-end shunt or other kind of nasty accident that ruptured a pipe or the swirl pot would mean petrol in the cabin and probably the inevitable...

Am I talking rubbish, or would I be right to be concerned driving round with one in the boot? :confused:

[HaywardRotary]

Yes you are right to be concerned.
It is wise to do these fuel systems properly and have them completley isolated from the cabin.
Regards
Carl

[lockwood77]

As I thought! I have seen ones that look like very nice workmanship in closed aluminium boxes etc., but it doesn\'t really change the fact that they\'re in the cabin and I doubt they are air-tight, so leakage could occur.

Carl, what sort of solution is possible on an FD that keeps the whole thing "outside"?

[arrouk]

there is some space if you remove the charcoal filter. other option is to fit it all into the spare wheel well with an open vent to atmosphere and sealed from cabin with an aluminium sheet over the top.

hth matt

ps totally agree with not fitting it all in the cabin, the last thing you want is pressurised petrol in the cabin.

[shaunwil]

I remember reading about this a long time ago on rx7club. Its an in tank setup.

http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=682991&highlight=tank

Shaun

[gsb876]

The other way is to seperate the rear end of the cabin with a see through plastic sheet which would cut the smell an reduce danger which was my idea but never got round to it sadly.

[lee mills]

http://www.mazdarotaryparts.com/bfd-fs004-mrp-exclusive-custom-made-fuel-swirlpotsb-775-p.asp
 
Hope this helps

[AtomicRex]

We do an in-tank solution.
 
The problem you get with fuel swirl pots is it can only be 1.5 litres. Now with 2 1680cc injectors....how long do you think it is going to be before you drain a 1.5 litre swirl pot on full chat?? Proof of which is that TonyC has said he is still getting surge issues, and is now looking to run one of our tanks.
 
Its good to see that Clive has developed a swirl pot that is mounted out of the car. As most swirl pots are stuck in the boot and in the event of an accident would certainly split off resulting in fuel being sprayed about the inside of your car.
 
The swirl pot is conventionally filled from the same point...and so when the tank gets below 1/3 of a tank you still get starvation. Ours fills under braking as well as cornering, and is 3 litres. In theory you should be able to run your tank down to 5 litres. The tank is filled so to reduce slosh. And we mount the fuel pump internally too, as the Bosch doesn\'t like to draw uphill the lower you can keep this the better.
 
The cost of the conversion is £581.55, if you want a new 044 pump add another £110 on that. This doesn\'t include lines, as it will depend whether you want rubber or braided lines.
 
It does include an electronic fuel probe, as a conventional probe wont work very well in a foam filled tank. And all of the electrics pass through an hermetically sealed connector. We have replaced all of the plates with custom aluminium covers too.
 
Tony will be able to certify its worth when he tests it prior to the first race.

[lockwood77]

That\'s great info from everybody, thanks.

I guess the bottom line is that if you\'re on a trackday and remember to keep an eye on the fuel gauge, it shouldn\'t be an issue, but I can see how when racing it is more important.

Is there any benefit to a swirl pot if it is filled from the same point as the usual route?

[BlitzBoy]

We do an in-tank solution.
 
The problem you get with fuel swirl pots is it can only be 1.5 litres. Now with 2 1680cc injectors....how long do you think it is going to be before you drain a 1.5 litre swirl pot on full chat?? Proof of which is that TonyC has said he is still getting surge issues, and is now looking to run one of our tanks.
.

where was Tonys swirl pot mounted? mine is external in the wheel arch with two bosch drawing from it and i have had it on full chat at long lengths of time with no issues, maybe the lift pump was not up to it perhaps?

[Timmy]

Feed do a nice intank collector, i read it lets you get very low on the tank.

[AtomicRex]

We can sell the in tank collectors on their own, but to be honest you need to b4stardise the tank so thats why we do the conversion. On a long left hand bend you will get surge, also through chicanes you will get slosh. Running less than half a tank on a track day was always a no no....we ran the standard tank with 2 pick ups and even that had surge. This was using facet lift pumps so it certainly wasn\'t the pumps where the issue lay.

[Tim_B]

Interesting thread as I\'ve been thinking about getting a swirl pot too.

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on a fuel tank baffle instead, e.g. http://www.neweraparts.com/Default.aspx?tabid=54&CategoryID=116&List=0&Level=a&ProductID=195

Any good? better or worse than swirl pot?

[rx jamie]

i run a swirl pot in the boot of my car. i love the smell and the noise, my cars totally stripped of everything for the track and the pump whirring just reminds me what kind of car im driving lol

i just sectioned of the rear of the car using polycarb sheeting and sealed it.

[RobMatthews]

a question-how long do you thing a peice of pollycarb is gonna last in an accident or a problem resulting in a fire?have you got a pic?