fuel cell in E30

[Wanganstyle]

My interest is purely autocross. I have trouble with the stock tank leaning out on right sweepers with less than a full tank. I'm thinking of installing a 3 gallon drag racing tank.

use the early in tank 5psi feeder and out of tank high pressure pump setup, build a small holding box for fuel to get in and leak out slowly out of a model airplane gas tank or a milk jug (not kidding).

the other idea would be to run a swhirl pot mini collector gas tank in the back seat and have a high pressure pump in it; swap out the in tank pump for a low pressure unit.

The fuel rail could also be converted to return less using the E39 M5/ e46 M3 FPR setup+ 3.5 or whatever FPR regulator of your choice (the s54 and s62 run 5.0 bar) and a M54 rail

[djjerme]

Just use the early E30 dual pump setup (internal/external).. It's what I have in my PRO3 car, and have never had a lean out/fuel starvation issue.

[greg1333]

ATL makes two different sizes of Well Cells.. they fit inplace of the spare tire.

http://www.stableenergies.com/ATL-Saver-Well-Cell-BMW-M3/productinfo/ATL-M3/

Not sure what class you are running, but in some classes the size and location of a aftermarket fuel cell is restricted.

[91Saleen#15]

If your class does not require more than standard fuel load the original tank works quite well and is less troublesome to install (its already there hopefully)

My interest is purely autocross. I have trouble with the stock tank leaning out on right sweepers with less than a full tank. I'm thinking of installing a 3 gallon drag racing tank.

[GT BMW E30]

can you guys use the factory extended fuel tank for the trunk? I have one or two in storage.

[Wanganstyle]

I haven't gotten that far yet. The new car is running. I've raced it 3 events so far. Sorry, I didn't make a build thread for it. The car has a OBDI modified s52 in it with fidanza flywheel and ZF tranny. The diff is an OSGiken which is made for an E30/M3 and supposedly has problems running in an e30 diff. I had no difficulties installing it, but I might have stumbled onto the solution when I used a rear end out of a 535is e28 that had the 3.25 gears that I wanted. I converted the car to 5 lugs with Ground Control e36 stuff, and used spacers to adapter the wheels to 10.5 inch wide Speedlines from a C5 Z06. I'm running 315 Hoosiers in the rear and 285s in the front. The grip seems to be outrageously good, so much so that I snapped a ball joint in the front control arm during the test and tune the last time I ran the car. I replaced the control are and finished the event without further incident, so maybe it was just a defective ball joint. The car has had the fenders trimmed significantly so that it can sit lower over the wheels, and I've installed Ireland Engineering camber and toe-in plates in the rear. So, one of the next things to do is to finish the gas tank install.

You snapped a ball joint due to running offsets/tire sizes not originally intended by the engineers who designed the E30 chassis. Not to say this is not FAST on a stop watch.....just seen this happen in many japanese cars also-

No issues with OS Giken units for E30; direct fit into the place of any open or clutch LSD unit (Viscous LSD cars (ix) need to obtain open/clutch type stub axles)

I have built them for OS Giken Sponsored E30 S54 GTS4 cars (NASA).

Running a fuel cell cost a lot more then people think if they want to race in sanctioned events. SCCA states that if you aren't using the stock tank in the stock location the tank or cell has to be FIA rated. Start adding that up and what you need, foam filled bladder lined tank with steel blast canister, surge tank, pickup pump and hp fuel pump, braided lines and fittings. I was about to do it until I realized running an 18 gallon cell was going to run me a little over $2k.

No thank you, went and bought another stock tank haha.

We run a 22 gal FIA rated cell with external bosch motorsports pump, foam filled and anti surge item internal - not external. its pure race only and easy to manage- since its FIA rated the rear bulkhead behind seats can be cut to have easier access to rear items/routing/etc. We needed a cell for more capacity so there was no choice. PITA to drain to store etc- If your racing purpose requires one or its advantageous to adapt the car for one due to capacity then the added weight/cost/complexity is worth it.

If your class does not require more than standard fuel load the original tank works quite well and is less troublesome to install (its already there hopefully)

[IronFreak]

Running a fuel cell cost a lot more then people think if they want to race in sanctioned events. SCCA states that if you aren't using the stock tank in the stock location the tank or cell has to be FIA rated. Start adding that up and what you need, foam filled bladder lined tank with steel blast canister, surge tank, pickup pump and hp fuel pump, braided lines and fittings. I was about to do it until I realized running an 18 gallon cell was going to run me a little over $2k.

No thank you, went and bought another stock tank haha.

[91Saleen#15]

Richard, did you ever end up installing a fuel cell. I'm gutting my car to run in FP next season. I'm planing on running a 5-10gal cell in the spare tire well and some sort of side exit exhaust where the factory tank was. Do you have a build thread for your Prepared car?

I haven't gotten that far yet. The new car is running. I've raced it 3 events so far. Sorry, I didn't make a build thread for it. The car has a OBDI modified s52 in it with fidanza flywheel and ZF tranny. The diff is an OSGiken which is made for an E30/M3 and supposedly has problems running in an e30 diff. I had no difficulties installing it, but I might have stumbled onto the solution when I used a rear end out of a 535is e28 that had the 3.25 gears that I wanted. I converted the car to 5 lugs with Ground Control e36 stuff, and used spacers to adapter the wheels to 10.5 inch wide Speedlines from a C5 Z06. I'm running 315 Hoosiers in the rear and 285s in the front. The grip seems to be outrageously good, so much so that I snapped a ball joint in the front control arm during the test and tune the last time I ran the car. I replaced the control are and finished the event without further incident, so maybe it was just a defective ball joint. The car has had the fenders trimmed significantly so that it can sit lower over the wheels, and I've installed Ireland Engineering camber and toe-in plates in the rear. So, one of the next things to do is to finish the gas tank install.

[smahala1286]

Richard, did you ever end up installing a fuel cell. I'm gutting my car to run in FP next season. I'm planing on running a 5-10gal cell in the spare tire well and some sort of side exit exhaust where the factory tank was. Do you have a build thread for your Prepared car?

[squidrope]

Strange cell location

We are thinking about cutting out the passenger rear seat. we'd then mount the cell in front of the rear subframe and a couple inches above the pass side footwell. Has anyone seen or have an opinion on that?

Thanks

[priapism]

Seems to me the stock location is pretty much ideal. If you put a cell behind the rear wheels you get a pendulum effect. The stock location is low and in the center of the car.

[!kid]

Hear this link should be of some use for you.

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=27889

[TobyB]

not surprising with that much spring in back- yeah, I found that the 22x9.5 Goodyear cantilevers
made the 2002 something much more responsive than a go- kart...
What it DOES kill is top speed, from all the rolling resistance and drag.
Which matter not at all to autocrossers.
However, the lap to get temperature would be a much bigger issue.

t

[91Saleen#15]

with that much tire, you lose turn in but increase grip. It must be a high speed autox track.

Not sure what you mean by losing turn in.... Drivers who try my car out usually end up taking out the first slalom cones until they get used to how quick the car turns.

[91Saleen#15]

The car is a 91 318is. The engine is a 95 M3 with a ZF 5 speed. The suspension is pretty much all Ireland Engineering.... camber plates, coil overs, Bilsteins.... The springs are something like 750 in the front and 850 in the rear.... I'd have to look to remember what they are exactly, but that's pretty close. I haven't done the toe-in and camber adjustment in the rear because I can't lower the car that much with the tires sticking out.

I'm building the next car right now (89 325is) and improving on all the things I'd like to change on this car. I've already installed an S52 converted to OBDI for more power, and the fenders will be radically chopped up to get the car as low as I can. I think a 3 gallon plastic tank in the trunk will be an improvement even though it moves a little weight to the back . Currently the car leans out in right sweepers if the tank is less than 3 quarters full so I'll probably be dropping 70 lbs or so by going to the smaller tank. Also, the next car will run in a prepared class, so all of the glass and interior will be pulled. The hubs will be converted to 5 lug and I will try to run some Z06 wheels that I have that are good for 295s in the front and 315s in the rear. Everything I have read says you can use the chevy wheels on BMW 5 lugs, but if not, I'll have Spin Werkes make some more wheels for me.