With my ambition to get the engine running I had to turn my attention back to the fuel tank. This has bugged me for weeks as to what I should do to try and prevent any fuel surge. However, whilst the car was away I fitted a central foam baffle and two pumps. With the car back on its stands I made up two spring steel tank supporting straps and fitted the tank. I am very pleased it all fitted as planned. With the previously made fuel filter mount it looks like this:
I made up two long bolts for the rear strap mounts so that I didn't have to fiddle trying to get the bolts in and out when removing the tank. These are simply some M6 studding and nuts with a dab of weld to retain them.
One way or another it will be a while before I know if it works. However, the engine start can't be fr away now!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Looks good, as long as the foam doesn't interfere with the fuel level floating arms.
ReplyDeleteMr IVA will want to see protection around the hoses as it drops down below the edge of the tank (ie bottom right of second photo).
Thanks Dave, I will put some nylon sleeve over both pipes. The foam is a solid mass and I have carved it so that the sender can move freely. If it moves we may have a problem however, I would be surprised. As it seems with everything to do with the car, time will tell!
ReplyDeleteAndrew - quick question? looking at the Bentley manual there's two types of fuel system, the one for the 318/320 has a fuel pump plus level sensor on one side, and just a level sensor on the other side. I think you've got, like me, the 328i setup which has a the pump and level sensor on both sides. There's a few extra hoses and connections - how do they all do together? There's hard plastic hose that seems to have come from within the tank - does that connect to anything?
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance,
Steve
Steve, my donor car had a single pump and level sender unit. I binned the level sender unit along with the pipes you mention in the bin.
ReplyDeleteI purchased a second pump unit. I obtained from a breakers yard a second set of electrical plugs to fit this unit. I have then added a second fuel pump relay to the cluster of relays on the GKD wiring loom. I have spliced the trigger wire from the DME for the original relay to also act as a trigger for the new relay. This new circuit is switched on the dash so that I only have the second pump running when the car is competing. The supply to the additional pump is fused.
With regard to the fuel level sensors, I have left the original sensor wires to the original pump and apart from changing the angles of the float unit it is as per the GKD loom.
On the second additional pump I have used the wiring for the old sensor unit.
With regard to fuel supply I have simply linked both pump units with a "Y" connector which then goes to the filter and then on to the fuel rail. I have added a simple banjo connector to the top of the tank for the fuel return.
I hope the above helps. As my car has not been used in anger yet I do not know if this set up will avoid any fuel surge but along with the tank baffle it should! I am not sure which tank you have.
If you have the new one you may not need to go to the lengths I have. If this is the case you may get away without a second pump. I would simply install both tank units and have the white one purely as a fuel level sender and fuel return. All the plastic hoses on the unit which would go inside the tank can be discarded as I think these are simply to move fuel from one side of the original BMW tank to the other.
Let me know if this helps, need further explanation. I am not sure where you live but I am happy for you to come and have a poke round mine if that helps.