Belly Tank Build Diary

[Mike Brown]

I included a photo of the tank installed between the fuel tank and the engine ECU. 

[fordboy628]

Mike,
Duke and I will be watching with great interest your installation and use of the AEM data recorder. That is the same unit that Nathan Stewart suggested for us, Nathan said that it has 8 analog channels which may be enough for our use but being able to go with the CAN system certainly opens up lots of potential information. (Maybe more than we really need!)

Rex

Always be careful what you ask for Rex! 

YES!     Be careful of "Information Constipation" ! ! !    Gigabytes of "data" can overwhelm.     Make sure you have analysis software, and get familiar with using it.     Have a plan to rate data in level of relevance/importance.

Having given my warning, I'll also say this:   Data logging is probably the ONLY way you are going to gain insight into the dynamic conditions of the vehicle during a "run".     You need to learn how to "Verify & trust" the data from your system.

 
Datadrivenboy

[ggl205]

Mike, we do something similar with coolant recovery. Works like a charm.

John

[Mike Brown]

I have used Jaz fuel tanks for a long time however todays pump gas caused the seal on the cap to swell requiring prying to get the cap off.  Jaz sent me an O-ring seal verses the cup style seal at no charge.  This worked better but the cap seemed loose.  OK probably for water on the intercooler tank but I did not like it for the fuel tank.  While at the PRI I ordered a new cap from Jaz that uses the O-ring seal that seemed much better.  The mating portion of the cap is a machined aluminum ring verses the stamped steel.  The only difficulty is that the new cap requires a 1/16" larger diameter hole in the tank than the original.  I finally drained the tank removed it, enlarged the hole then spent way too much time cleaning the tank out before reinstalling it.  I hope this resolves the issues that I was having.  The photo shows the new style cap on the fuel tank and the old style on the intercooler water tank. 

[Tman]

I was at the PRI show and asked for some assistance at the AEM booth with the programming to make the LS oil pressure signal read correctly on the AEM logger and it turned out that I was speaking with Nathan.  What a small world.  He showed me how easy it actually was to do.  My logger is up and running. 

I used SFI45.1 roll bar padding from Jegs on the round tubes of my cage.  It was really stiff and prone to cracking when I installed it.  With the very little UV exposure outside it has turned brown and cracking more.  Any suggestions on a better SFI45.1 round roll bar padding? 

Thanks,

Mike Brown

Orange Aid tube padding  was SFI rated and far superior than that rock hard stuff. The guy that invented it actually told me you could pass the SFI testing with a 2x4 stud. Not my idea of "padding"  The company changed around and I had to dig the last time I looked for the product.

[Mike Brown]

I was at the PRI show and asked for some assistance at the AEM booth with the programming to make the LS oil pressure signal read correctly on the AEM logger and it turned out that I was speaking with Nathan.  What a small world.  He showed me how easy it actually was to do.  My logger is up and running. 

I used SFI45.1 roll bar padding from Jegs on the round tubes of my cage.  It was really stiff and prone to cracking when I installed it.  With the very little UV exposure outside it has turned brown and cracking more.  Any suggestions on a better SFI45.1 round roll bar padding? 

Thanks,

Mike Brown

Orange Aid tube padding  was SFI rated and far superior than that rock hard stuff. The guy that invented it actually told me you could pass the SFI testing with a 2x4 stud. Not my idea of "padding"  The company changed around and I had to dig the last time I looked for the product.

Thanks, I will look them up. 

[Mike Brown]

Mike,
Duke and I will be watching with great interest your installation and use of the AEM data recorder. That is the same unit that Nathan Stewart suggested for us, Nathan said that it has 8 analog channels which may be enough for our use but being able to go with the CAN system certainly opens up lots of potential information. (Maybe more than we really need!)

Rex

Always be careful what you ask for Rex! 

YES!     Be careful of "Information Constipation" ! ! !    Gigabytes of "data" can overwhelm.     Make sure you have analysis software, and get familiar with using it.     Have a plan to rate data in level of relevance/importance.

Having given my warning, I'll also say this:   Data logging is probably the ONLY way you are going to gain insight into the dynamic conditions of the vehicle during a "run".     You need to learn how to "Verify & trust" the data from your system.

 
Datadrivenboy

I am sure that I will have more data than I will know what to do with at first.  I three immediate areas that I would like data o.  My primary concern is wheel slip at speed.  I can't rely on a visual of the tach to know how fast I should be going verses actual speed.  The car is light at 2,800 pounds.  I hope to find out if I need more weight or more horsepower.  I an currently running a stock GM ECU which uses a MAF sensor.  I would like to eliminate the drag of the external air filter and plumbing but will need to see if the MAF sensor readings go crazy when I remove the air filter.  The engine is supercharged and intercooled.  If the intake air temperature gets too high the ECU will be pulling timing and horsepower.  Without logging this data I will never know what the ECU is doing. 

[Mike Brown]

Mike, we do something similar with coolant recovery. Works like a charm.

John

I like your coolant recovery tank.  I thought about a square tank but then thought about all the welding and then realized that I had some 4" OD 1/8" wall aluminum laying around. 

Mike

[ggl205]

Mike:

That vented square aluminum tank is an oil puke tank. The round black plastic Maroso tank is for coolant recovery.

John

[fordboy628]

Mike,
Duke and I will be watching with great interest your installation and use of the AEM data recorder. That is the same unit that Nathan Stewart suggested for us, Nathan said that it has 8 analog channels which may be enough for our use but being able to go with the CAN system certainly opens up lots of potential information. (Maybe more than we really need!)

Rex

Always be careful what you ask for Rex! 

YES!     Be careful of "Information Constipation" ! ! !    Gigabytes of "data" can overwhelm.     Make sure you have analysis software, and get familiar with using it.     Have a plan to rate data in level of relevance/importance.

Having given my warning, I'll also say this:   Data logging is probably the ONLY way you are going to gain insight into the dynamic conditions of the vehicle during a "run".     You need to learn how to "Verify & trust" the data from your system.

 
Datadrivenboy

I am sure that I will have more data than I will know what to do with at first.  I three immediate areas that I would like data o.  My primary concern is wheel slip at speed.  I can't rely on a visual of the tach to know how fast I should be going verses actual speed.  The car is light at 2,800 pounds.  I hope to find out if I need more weight or more horsepower.  I an currently running a stock GM ECU which uses a MAF sensor.  I would like to eliminate the drag of the external air filter and plumbing but will need to see if the MAF sensor readings go crazy when I remove the air filter.  The engine is supercharged and intercooled.  If the intake air temperature gets too high the ECU will be pulling timing and horsepower.  Without logging this data I will never know what the ECU is doing. 

Mike,

In a word, YES.

Drivers simply have "too much to do", (say . . . self-preservation . . . .), at speed, to be reliable readers of gauges and be expected to report back the readings.    Data logging of gauge readings, or even a cheap Go-Pro camera aimed at the gauge panel, can solve that problem.

If the throttle body opening and/or the MAF sensor location is perpendicular (approximately) to the air-stream or so, without the airbox/filter/etc, expect issues with the sensor.   Any large fluctuations in pressure or flow at the MAF sensor are going to cause you problems.    And you are correct to think you will need data to resolve said problems.

I realize that this is a simplistic answer, but, some sort of low drag ducting to your inlet should resolve your issue.    You need to get Woody interested to help you solve this.

 
F/b

[Mike Brown]

I added a drain to my intercooler tank.  I machined a bulkhead fitting from stainless steel and used 1/4" ball valve.  I use a garden hose to drain the water tanks by installing a garden hose thread to 1/4" npt adapter.  As insurance against a leak I install caps over the garden hose output. 

[Mike Brown]

I use an open trailer to haul the lakester around.  I had a tonneau cover made to cover the cockpit.  I did not want to use snap bases with the long sheet metal screw protruding out the back.  I tried #6 button socket cap screws but the snaps did not fit well over them.  I machined the #6 button head screws into a flat head.  My Haas lathe has a feature that allows you to select the angle, ID or OD and when you crank one handle the other handle moves appropriately to cut the angle you programmed.  So I turned the button head screws into flat heads that worked great. 

[Mike Brown]

A photo of the tonneau from the rear. 

[ronnieroadster]

A photo of the tonneau from the rear. 

  All the years I trailed my lakester on an open trailer I just covered everything with a nice custom fit car cover the material used was boat canvas . Each time i modified the body design the cover was updated to continue form fitting the race car. Every time we took the car out for a race event it would always rain this luck with the weather continued with our long trips to Bonneville the cover has withstood everything thrown at it very happy with the material used.
 Ronnieroadster

[Rex Schimmer]

When Duke and I got ready to go to Bonneville last year Duke bought a roll of shipping plasstic, about 20 inches wide and we wrapped the car from the nose to the back of the canopy. That stuff sticks to itself pretty well and it kept the car clean all the to and from the salt. It looks like we probably have enough to do at least one or two more trips. Not as custom as your cover or a custom tonneau cover but seemed to work well.

Rex