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Fuel Cell Foam care

J

j-c-c-62

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So I was talking today to a fuel cell rep about his foam handling E85. In the conversation he mentioned that the toughest issue for foam was a wet/dry cycle, and said I would be much better advised to leave fully fueled during long storage periods, and before getting the car running again, to dump/flush the fuel (in my case transfer proportionally to a tow vehicle, etc) and start with fresh fuel.
I have never heard that before. I like it if it works.
Only problem is with that I would prefer not to have e85 sitting in the rest of the system for long periods. I guess that would mean flush/fill with straight pump gas before storing?
 
That's what I'd do. 1 step better would be leaded or race fuel.
 
j-c-c-62 said:
So I was talking today to a fuel cell rep about his foam handling E85. In the conversation he mentioned that the toughest issue for foam was a wet/dry cycle, and said I would be much better advised to leave fully fueled during long storage periods, and before getting the car running again, to dump/flush the fuel (in my case transfer proportionally to a tow vehicle, etc) and start with fresh fuel.
I have never heard that before. I like it if it works.
Only problem is with that I would prefer not to have e85 sitting in the rest of the system for long periods. I guess that would mean flush/fill with straight pump gas before storing?
Click to expand...
Dump anything with E85 alky !
It’s corrosive to aluminum ….and many fuel lines ….
Replace with VP race gas with Seafoam
Additive !!!
Probably get 6months + storage value .
Then Dump It into the street car & replace with more VP race gas/ the non alky kind!

Long term E85 Is nasty to your fuel system in a hot Rod IMO……
 
That all makes sense. The key question here I did not ask the rep, is just keeping it "wet" the goal, or keeping it wet with a consistent fuel the key to maintaining the foam?.
I suppose I could plumb in a pair two way valves past the cell to ease purging the system with non alcohol gas exclusive of the fuel cell
 
j-c-c-62 said:
That all makes sense. The key question here I did not ask the rep, is just keeping it "wet" the goal, or keeping it wet with a consistent fuel the key to maintaining the foam?.
I suppose I could plumb in a pair two way valves past the cell to ease purging the system with non alcohol gas exclusive of the fuel cell
Click to expand...
Probably a good idea .
Fyi
Fuel cells I’ve encountered here in the desert
Where everything including gas evaporates it’s so dry with foam seem to disintegrate.
That’s probably why it’s a good idea to keep em wet …..

Maybe a materials engineer will chime in .

ByTheWay, foam can be removed & replaced!

And the beat goes on & on …..
 
I leave the fuel in mine over the winter. Renegade Pro 114. In the Spring it goes to the track with that fuel. Car always runs just as well as with fresh fuel. Done it for 13 years. Same foam in the tank. Just had the carbs apart for jetting. The are like new inside. When we ran E 85 in my sons car everything was drained and then run on gas. The carb still had to come apart for cleaning every spring.
Doug
 
Last edited:
I ditched the foam in my fuel cell as with my dad’s car. But I run 112 race gas so it’s not corrosive like E85 or methanol
 
Similar but different: a few years ago I read an article in Race Car Engineering about Toyota's LMP cars. One year they had a hard time getting any speed out of them, kept crapping out etc. What they found was that the current fuel being used for that series, kind of an E85 but their spec, was causing the foam to disintegrate. Plugged up the fuel system filters, valves, regulators etc. Seems that type of fuel, along with the junk out here with the CARB additive package, is extremely rough on systems.
 
I am also an avid reader of RCE, I must have missed that. However I might have one possible safe guard with this issue, as I am using a 15? micron Hydramat filter PU, the downside unfortunately is that it is reportably not cleanable once it traps any (foam) debris. I toyed with the idea of mounting vacuum meter on the inlet side of the electric fuel pump which would give some early indication a problem was starting to arise.
 
I always leave my fuel cell full with Turbo blue on the street., or VP NO2 on spray. (when the car is together and running anyway). Even over the winters. I just shut the pump off and run the bowls and lines dry everytime I park it over night or longer. Never any issues. The cell foam is at least 15 years old now. It probably would not hurt to change mine out soon, just because.
 
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