Hey guys, finally started on my fuel system today. My fittings arrived so I was finally able to. I'm making 1/2" 316 stainless fuel lines for everything aside from firewall to rails as they will be in braid. First part of the project is my surge tank, it's made of 301 1/4 hard stainless as I can get it from work for free, I'm going to mount the pump and filter too it, and possibly the fuel cooler ( looking at running this one, just waiting for pay day http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/390341411...84.m1438.l2649 )

Anyways that aside I've started the surge, heres the pics.

 

Hmmn a setback. The mount the pump came with I'm just going to weld to the side. However I plan on securing the filter with dzus fastners with a sealed receptacle. However we have no stainless ones at work and I just tried to weld what I thought was a cad plated steel one to it, and it did not like it at all. Going to try sandblast a couple tomorrow and try again in the afternoon.

 

Went camping this weekend, hindered progress a little. Just did some more on it then. I gooped the back of the captive nuts and was worried about it breaking down with the welding, and it did, so I'm going to have to seal it internally at work tomorrow as it's leaking. My welds look pretty average, would normally grind them back and make them look pretty but it's going under the car so I'll probably just leave it. Should be able to do some of the plumbing for it after work tomorrow. Anyways heres how it looks

 

Pressurize it with air to test for leaks. I haven't built one of these, but if I did that's what I'd do. Though you may not want to exceed even as low as 5psi because of the extended thin walls.

 

Looks interesting, any particular reason you are pulling from the side and not the bottom?

 

Yeah I was already planning on giving it a pressure test, it held a couple psi which is all it needs as it dumps straight back to the tank. I'm actually pulling from the back of the tank as thats where the fuel is going to flow under accelleration.

Ran into a bit of a snag with it though, the mandrel bender at work has far too big a radius to make the pipes go where I need. So I'm awaiting pay day to either order a hand bender with a tighter radius, or see if I can purchase some mandrel bends from the stainless shop and weld em in.

 

Fill the tube with sand, cap each end, then bend it over a convenient form.

Alternately, freeze the tube with a solution of dish soap and water inside, then bend.

 

I've done the sand trick. Works well if you weld the caps on and pack the sand tight. How do you weld caps onto a tube filled with ice? Do you even worry about caps when its frozen?

 

Yeah I know the sand one, if you ever do that and decide to heat the tube make sure that the sand is dry. It's probably the route I'll end up taking if the bends here cost too much

 

Just drill a 1/8" hole in each cap to let the hot air escape while the cap is welded...then weld the hole.

 

That is brilliant, I'll have to remember that.