Fuel Cell Foam Breakdown - Chapter II

Gang - check your fuel cells if you don't see that that foam has been changed. We fought two of our cars for three months - they'd run good one session, then about the 3rd lap of the second session, big engine break up - sounded electrical but PI said fuel pressure...PI was right...we swapped parts for two months - then ordered new foam from Fuel Safe (they say you should do this at 5 years - ours were almost 9 years old) and when we got into them they were a MESS. There's a filter inside the cells that prevents crap from getting to the fuel filter in the fuel line - that's what was faking us out...the in-tank filter was cloggin badly but our fuel filter looked ok - this cost us an engine gang, so check it out when you have time...not a huge job as Fuel safe guided us to cut the foam into workable pieces and voila - our cars are back on track and a blast to drive again....huzzah...we've ordered foam for the other cars too...we have Texas cars with 32 gallon Fuel Safe cells. They were VERY helpful at www.fuelsafe.com (http://www.fuelsafe.com) - ask for Bill - he stepped up and guided us through the process....

At the last track enent I started having the same problem as you discribe. I called Bill at Fuel Safe today he told me how to test the foam by pulling on it. I took the cell apart today and found the foam to be in good shape but there was some black residue on the filter. Bill said he would not run a filter in the tank. I removed the filter and cleaned the bottom of the cell.

David

sounds like a good plan - now watch your real fuel filter for junk...the residue is the first step....its a matter of time - these cells are only expected to go 5 years without new foam...I'm running into lots of guys who have had this happen with other cars...

It's possible that the alcohol in almost all todays pump gas could damage the fuel cell or foam.:dunno:

The foam was ok just had black suff on the filter.

I need to do this... how do you take it all apart to look at it? Just remove the center section in the top?

send your email to [email protected] and I'll get you the phone number for my guy that did it...

Sorry about being late to the party I meant to post this sooner than later.

David is right on about the symptoms and solution to the mysterious fuel pressure issue.

Other people might find a better way to replace the foam but this is how I did it. First and foremost make sure the main power switch is turned off and do this in a well ventilated place, if your gas tank is anywhere near full you will be pumping out a lot of gas.

Disconnect the feed, return and breather lines

Remove all 7/16th bolts connecting the oval top to the bladder.

Gently pull up on the whole assembly and set it to the side on top of the tank.

You may be looking at the inside of your tank right now thinking that it looks fine; just wait.

Drain the gas out of the tank

Pull the return line on the right, up. This should not be connected to anything.

Follow the feed line all the way down through the foam to the bottom of the tank, where you should feel a plastic box; remove it.

It should look like this

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/beefls1/IMG_3424.jpg

Start removing the foam, there will still be a lot of gas in it so be aware.

This is what I found after removing the foam.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/beefls1/IMG_3420.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/beefls1/IMG_3422.jpg

This is the filter that threw us all for a loop. It is connected to the pickup, inside the plastic box.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/beefls1/IMG_3418.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/beefls1/IMG_3415.jpg

In my opinion I felt that is was better to NOT replace this filter, so I did not put it back in after I took it out. I felt it would be easier to replace a fuel filter outside the tank. Do what you want with your cars.

After letting the tank dry out I vacuumed all the foam out and started replacing the foam; should look like this.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/beefls1/IMG_3419.jpg

With the first two cars fuel safe sent me foam cut into 6 pieces (3 per car). While it was the right size for the tank it was too big to fit in the hole of the bladder. After calling fuel safe, they said that I needed to cut it. I found a bread knife works the best. I ended up cutting the 6 foam pieces into 12 total (6 per car). You will find the foam in your car will be cut into a lot more pieces but I was able to fit it with only cutting it into 6.

Be sure to cut a recess for the flapper in the center foam.

Put everything back together how it came out.

Attach all hoses.

Make sure they are tight.

Fill with gas

Prime the pump a couple times to make sure there are no leaks.

Enjoy!

Stu - nice work...this is a huge service to all on the GTRA team...

Stu;
Thanks for the great procedure of changing out the foam. You make it look easy. I'm doing it next week as a preventative maintenance step on my #28.

Wow, my cell didn't look anything like that. My filter had alot of trash on it but nothing in the tank. I removed the filter in the tank replaced the outside fuel filter and fuel pump. When to the track this weekend and didn't have any fuel issues.

David

Well, my line does not have a filter on it -- just the garden hose connector -any issues without having a filter inside the tank?:

Pic:
http://www.dcazin.c4-motorsports.com/Panoz/IMG_6621.JPG

oops -- sorry about full resolution.

wow thanks for this post... my car has the box in there but the feed line and filter are not tied into it, just sitting in there. The return line has no hose in mine.

We had the Panoz at VIR last weekend. In the afternoon we started experiencing the engine cutting out briefly on mid RPM on the straights. We'd get a low fuel pressure alarm on the Pi. I'm assuming this is the fuel cell foam issue, but we havent checked it out yet.

One thing to try at the track so you dont lose any track time...we found this would only happen when 6 or more gallons of gas were out of the fuel cell. With a full tank, no problems. Just thought I'd pass along our experience. YMMV.

We had the Panoz at VIR last weekend. In the afternoon we started experiencing the engine cutting out briefly on mid RPM on the straights. We'd get a low fuel pressure alarm on the Pi. I'm assuming this is the fuel cell foam issue, but we havent checked it out yet.

One thing to try at the track so you dont lose any track time...we found this would only happen when 6 or more gallons of gas were out of the fuel cell. With a full tank, no problems. Just thought I'd pass along our experience. YMMV.

That sound more like a pick up problem than the foam breaking down. The pick up line may have a crack or hole in it that just below that 6 gallon point.

Understood - that's what we thought for a bit, but it got worse...then a full tank wouldn't help....we fried a motor by not figuring this out in time...the runs super lean on the low pressure....the big problem is that they have a filter in the cell that is preventing particles from getting you your regular fuel filter....it will clog, then unclog and work for a bit...my two cents...do the foam asap...

#42 had no filter in the tank. So, all of the cars may not have filters there. Either way, best to pull the tank apart and see what's going on inside of it.

If I where me, I'd get a spare fuel pump, replace the filter and check the tank.

We'll certainly check it for foam breakdown and any problems with the pickup and lines.

But I was just letting everyone know that if it happens at the track, try filling up the tank and see if that helps. We almost packed it in early on Saturday, but figured out the full tank trick and got to continue racing through Sunday.

Greetings to All ... I ran into the fuel starving / alarm sequence & found out my problem was the in-tank lines were rotted ... The blue line jacket was deteriated to the point of 3/16 chunks to a fine film simular to pool que chalk ... The lines were collapsing under load ; bad deal @ 120mph in corner 2 / BIR ; kept the rear end under me !!!
My foam was OK ; Cleaned up , cleaned in tank screen , changed fuel filter , new lines , go to Go ... :iceslolan

Paul M. Winship / GT-Ra # 37