Fuel cell

[ss chief]

Is it legal to put a fuel cell in the engine compartment of a super stocker?

[HandOverFist]

I see nothing to prohibit it...see General regs 1.5.

[FED 387]

nothing in the rules says you cannot---BUT I will bet ya the first time you show up at the track they are gonna change the ruling to it has to be in a rear location.---FED 387

[ATI Performance Products]

And I quote from Bruce B from NHRA....."There is not a rule that says you can't, but it doesn't say you CAN".....Therefore you can't do it without getting an Ok.....Just decide if you want to ask permission or beg for forgiveness.

[HandOverFist]

Plenty of fuel up front already...what's a little more? I would like to hear their reasoning if bounced.

[JHeath]

Why would somebody need a fuel cell in the engine compartment ?

[HandOverFist]

I ran a Chevy II at one time with a Hilborn injection system on alcohol with the fuel tank up front. Made sense with a belt driven pump. For a SS car I don't know other than carrying less fuel onboard and not having to overcome G-forces with a fuel column. Heck, I would even consider it on a Stocker if I knew it would fly by tech. How much fuel do we really need anyway...maybe two gallons at the most?

[ALMACK]

I've often wondered about the wording in the rulebook regarding fuel tanks and fuel cells.

Apparently a racer cannot alter the stock fuel tank for Stock Eliminator. (last sentence)

However, the stock tank can be replaced by an aftermarket cell up to a maximum of 16 gallons.
That's a big difference there. lol

From the 2014 rulebook:

GAS TANK
Must be correct year, make, and model for car used, with stock fuel
inlet and outlet locations. Must be in stock location; fuel line and
pickup may be resized. Fuel cell permitted; maximum capacity 16
gallons. If fuel cell is used, OEM gas tank must be removed, and a
firewall of minimum .032-inch aluminum or .024-inch steel must be
installed to totally seal driver compartment from fuel cell. Trunk floor
may be modified to accommodate fuel-cell sump. Where OEM gas
tank is in the trunk floor, area occupied by OEM tank may be
replaced with material equal to or heavier than OEM floor. If OEM

gas tank is used, it must remain unaltered.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by JHeath

Why would somebody need a fuel cell in the engine compartment ?

I would love to run a 1 gallon tank up front.
It would save on the weight (and cost) of the fuel line ( 3 feet vs. 14 ft.) from rear to front.

I have no problem adding 1/2 gallon (or so) of fuel between runs to top it off.

Plus the 1 gallon tank weighs less than a 5 gallon one.

[ALMACK]

This is from the Super Stock section in the rulebook regarding gas tanks:

GAS TANKS

Original stock-type fuel tank permitted; must be mounted in stock
location. Tank may be notched or sectioned for suspension
clearance or to fit narrowed rear-frame unit. If filler neck is relocated
into trunk, tank must have pressure cap and be vented to outside of
body. Trunk must be completely isolated from driver compartment
with firewall, minimum .024-inch steel or .032-inch aluminum.
Accessory tank(s) prohibited. Fuel cell permitted, minimum 3-
gallon, maximum 16-gallon capacity; may be mounted in trunk. Cool
cans, fuel blocks permitted. Only one fuel cell or tank permitted.

See General Regulations 1:5.