E30 stock fuel tank -> fuel cell?

Hey guys,

I'm going to need to redo my fuel setup for the turbo and I was thinking of an Aeromotive fuel cell but the stock E30 tank is in a nice location. The only problem I have is when it gets below 1/4, after long hard right handers, it starves. With the turbo, that'll be sayonara. Instead of the fuel cell, I was thinking of buying a new tank, filling it with foam and putting a pump into each side. I was wondering what you think? Or better yet, if this "has been done", and someone has documented it has being done, I'd love to see some ideas.

Thanks, D

that is interesting. My Ti has the tank under the rear seat area ad it has one pump but two senders and pickups? I have a spare, I wonder if it would work for you

I'm converting my car to an 89 tank, with two pumps. Supposedly that will fix the starve problem.

Can't speak for whatever other alternatives are out there, but in Spec E30 if you want to run a fuel cell it goes where the spare tire is. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that has one. The stock one is in a better location. No need to mount the fuel cell there. I don't want all that weight hanging that far back.

I remember rumblings of fuel starvation somewhere around there, but only by a couple people. What year is your E30? Oil starvation with the M20 seems to be more common across the board.

Thanks for the input guys!

I've seen a replacement tank and it looks pretty easy to add a 2nd pump. It's been suggested to me to add a 1L surge tank, so the 2 tank pumps pump into the surge tank, and the main feed is from the surge tank. I guess I don't need to do the foam then...?

The car is an 87 eta but it has an S52 receiving a GT35r. Part of the tank change is upping the capacity... the eta tank doesn't last very long lol! That's part of the reason I don't want one of those spare tire fuel cells. It's in a crappy location and I don't dig the idea of having to refuel so much.

D

Tommy Suddard wrote: I'm converting my car to an 89 tank, with two pumps. Supposedly that will fix the starve problem.

I thought it was pre-88's that had two pumps? My 3/88 has the one in-tank pump.

z31maniac wrote: I thought it was pre-88's that had two pumps? My 3/88 has the one in-tank pump.

Yeah, that's the case. The early cars (like mine) have a prepump and the main pump hangs over the fuel filter on the driver's side.

Neither one helps my problem because there's still only one pickup, on one side.

D

Yeah, BMW really put the fuel in a great spot... I run foam with two pickups in my factory tank. I do bitch and moan everytime I need to align the rear trailing arms... w/o a tank its really easy but... its weight in the right place at almost no cost.

If I did a cell (I am planning it for after the rest of the car can keep pace) I would probably cut and gut the rear seat floor to keep the weight low and in front of the subframe on the pass side... if you cheat forward you can still fit 15 gal and fire system placed nicely to offset driver weight when balancing. If you need to run a pass. seat for instructing... they just have to sit close to the front or up high. No tall folks.

BigD wrote:

z31maniac wrote: I thought it was pre-88's that had two pumps? My 3/88 has the one in-tank pump.

Yeah, that's the case. The early cars (like mine) have a prepump and the main pump hangs over the fuel filter on the driver's side. Neither one helps my problem because there's still only one pickup, on one side. D

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I'm going from a pre pump and a main pump to two post 89 in tank pumps, one on each side of the tank.