Fuel Cell, foam or no foam?

I picked up a 64 dart I'm going to be setting up for some bracket racing. Since I have to replace the gas tank I figured I just go to a fuel cell, about the same price and already has a sump. Do I go with a cell with or without foam? please give me your guy's input, advantages/disadvantages.

I know the foam is supose to help with sloshing but have heard that it deterioates over time causing clogs and will need to be replace.

This is basiclly a strip car with a bit of steet use.

Thanks,
Gary

Have had foam in mine forever and see very little in the filter plus helps w/slosh...........

I ran the foam in mine even with E-85.. had
in there for about 10 years.. a cheap cell
will have cheap foam in it and will break
down after time.. if you dont run the foam
I would at least look into some baffles to
slow or stop the slosh.. and the slosh can
be noisey.. I did a lot of noise work back
at Chrysler to make tanks quiet

I've been researching this topic also and there are so many varying opinions about the foam. Some say no problem others say its the worst thing to do, maybe as said above it depends on the quality of the cell/foam.

My plan it to go no foam or remove the foam from the cell and run an efi in-tank pump to a carb using a bypass regulator. I'm also planning on using this deal from tanksinc to provide a baffle system for hard acceleration:
http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/page/p...=prod/prd84.htm

Anybody else doing this? I'd love some feedback if this is a good/bad idea. Not to hijack but thought the OP might be interested also.

thanks,

Steve

I have had two fuel cells with foam in them. One is still going strong after many many years. The other broke down in about 3-4 years and clogged filters etc. If I were going to put in a new cell, I would not worry about it. If the cell is old, I would watch it closely. To be safe I always put my filter on the output of the cell and before the fuel pump to keep it out of my carbs should the foam break down.

Mine has had foam for 5 years, no breakdown. Never found any foam in the filter.
Doug

Jim, I bought mine new in 1975, has foam in it. Never broke down, still using it. Just get one. It will live longer than we do.

Didn't think about the noise from sloshing

and thanks for the link to tanksinc, some good info there.

Sounds like foam with a good filter is the way to go. oh and it will be a new cell so no issues there.

Thanks for the feedback.

Per Magnafuel, no foam.

What I learned was the foam should be removed for methanol. Most racing fuels won’t bother it. I’m not sure about Q-16. I run methanol in 2 cars and have removed the foam from both.

Had a cell w/ foam in the Camaro (5 sec 1/8 mile, SBC N/A, drag only), but it started breaking down after a couple years. Removed it at that time and been that way ever since w/ no trouble.

I have a 20gal aluminum fuel cell with the foam and now thinking about it, it would only hold about what? 5gals of fuel.

You might want to read up on the foam. Here's a fuel cell foam supplier who supplies to the US military. Their foam is 98% void, meaning you lose 2% of the volume to the foam.

Anyway this stuff looks like its cutting edge material.

http://www.ksrfoam.com/Fuel_Cell_Foam_Kits.php

R.

Thanks for the link, this cured my curiosity.

No FOAM....Been there, done that....No FOAM!

Part of the problem with foam is you have no way of knowing how much fuel you have in the tank. No fuel gauge ( unless you go outside the tank with a clear tube ) and you can't visibly see the fuel level. So you use a stick to check the fuel level. Stick goes right in to the foam. Not good! You break the foam up just a little bit, and your dead meat.

10 years no problem with a summit brand cel, VP C-12, and E85.
I think its really hit and miss from what I have seen

Looking at the offerings on Summit's page they do show cells with foam and a sending unit.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/jzp-251-116-01/overview/

I stand rejected.

After being in 2 accidents and one big fire that burned me and the dragster to the ground I say use the foam. Much safer especially if your gonna drive it on the street where someone could rear end you and the cell is in your trunk.

Guys, thanks for all the input.
Currently I'm thinking foam, now we can extend this post by asking another Q,

Plastic or Aluminum cell?

I'm leaning towards plastic(black) with foam. Pro's/Con's?

If it matters, pump gas/race gas mix, no E-85.

Plastic - no foam.