Dual tanks efi

[Bronco gold]

Has anyone tried using BC Broncos 6way gas valve to keep dual tanks? I'm asking because I have brand new tanks in my bronco and I'm installing an 99 explorer motor which is returnless, so I'm down to using them and the Bc bronco valve or for ease and less headache I'll be buying a new rear efi tank and left with a hole in at the aux cap location

 

[sykanr0ng]

The 6 port valves are made for return systems, that is why they have 6 ports:
One to the valve from the main and one returning
One to the valve from the aux and one returning
One from the valve to the engine and one returning.

What you need is a three port valve that is rated for the Explorer EFI pressure which is at least eight times what a carb engine fuel valve is normally built for.

 

[DirtDonk]

The valve is only one aspect of keeping two tanks. The pump setup is the other.
The electric valves "should" be capable of handling the higher pressures, but it would not hurt to verify. Syk has a good point, but they do make valves that can handle them, so finding one should not be an issue if the BC one does not work.
I have that same one made by Pollack (at least I think that's what BC used to sell) and am hoping it's good for that too.

But you will need to either be using a single external pump mounted somewhere down by the valve, have a pump in each tank, or use the aux tank as a reservoir and have a separate transfer pump to put gas into the main tank as it gets low.
I prefer in-tank pumps myself, so if you end up fitting one to the aux tank, let us know how you did it. I'm not sure I remember anyone doing that.
The aftermarket side tanks are not available from the manufacturers with in-tank pumps, but there is likely some way to do it that would work acceptably well.

But most people use the aux tank as a transfer tank I think.

Paul

 

[KeithKinPhx]

I kept my stock auxiliary tank but put in a 23 gallon tank with in tank EFI pump. All plumbing to and from FiTech is plumbed to the main tank.

The auxiliary tank has its own electric transfer pump and switch. It feeds into a tee installed on the breather hose on the filler neck of the main. When the main gets low I turn the pump on and move the fuel to the main.

 

[Steve83]

Click this & read the caption:


(phone app link)

Electric tank switching valves are not made for full EFI pressure. If you want to run that kind of fuel system, use the one Ford used for the type of tank you're using. If it has an FDM, the valves are built into the FDM head, so you simply Y the fuel lines, as this shows:


(phone app link)


(phone app link)

 

[englewoodcowboy]

The system can easily be done with the standard 2 way electrical switching valve. I have several units out in the field working flawless this way. As Steve mentioned the valves are not intended for high pressure but they will handle the return side. I am including a few pics of one install. When we switch the dash, it goes to a waterproof relay under the truck, In the Main position the relay is unstitched allowing power to the main tank. The return valve is unpowered and the Aux tank is also un powered. When you switch to Aux, the relay is energized switching the power from the Main fuel pump to the Aux fuel pump as well as to the electronic 2 way valve. The fuel pumps have built in check valves but I do not rely on them so in the pics you will see 2 red cylinders down stream of the pump, the one closest to the pump is a fuel filter, the one farthest is a one way check valve and there is one for each pump so whichever is off, the check valve closes and vice versa. Its actually very simple once you get your head wrapped around it and is just about the same way Ford switched their dual tank systems on the trucks. I have the system set to default always to the main tank if the relay fails etc.

 

[Mike Bernard]

On mine I have 23 Sherman with the internal pump and the aux tank has external pump that cam with the Sniper. The valve I used was Fuel Selector Valve 6 Port Groco in the same place as the stock valve.

 

[Bronco gold]

Those are some great ideas of the options that are available to keep the aux tank. Thanks for the info fellas.

 

[Broncobowsher]

What I did was pull fuel through the stock selector valve into a low pressure pump. Accumulator that the high pressure pulled and returned to. The return off the accumulator all ran back to the main tank.

In use, run the main tank. When below ½ tank change the selector valve to the aux tank. That would pull fuel out of the aux tank, feed the accumulator that the EFI loop was running off of, and return to the main tank. So a transfer pump.

So why not just use a transfer pump? didn't want to accidently leave it on and burn it up. With my use of an accumulator if I forgot to switch back to the main tank I would run out of gas as soon as the accumulator went dry.

I have a different non-accumulator setup in the works. Once I have it up and running and know it works I'll spill the beans on it.

With the transfer pump you do have to be a little smart about using it. Too much gas in the main tank and you will overflow it. Most pumps are not happy running dry for extended times, so have to plan for that as well. I had even though about using an orifice and a pressure switch on the transfer pump. Use the pressure switch to hold a relay energized to keep the pump running. Once the aux tank runs dry the pressure drops, pressure switch opens, relay looses it's hold and the pump turns off. But I would have to engineer a restriction that would flow enough to be useful but still small enough to make back pressure. This just looked like complexity in the name of simplicity that had a lot of parts to go wrong when there was a simple way around it.

 

[Bronco gold]

Ok so after reading the post replies we've gotten so far my one question is I've noticed everyone seems to have a return fuel line, I do not being a 99explorer to me it seems like I could just run an external fuel pump is this correct?

 

[Broncobowsher]

The Explorer returnless still has a pressure regulator. It just happens to be built into the fuel tank. The return never leaves the gas tank. Are you planning on running the fuel pump module out of the Explorer? If you plan on running any of the aftermarket pumps there is still a pressure regulator and a return line into the tank. It just won't be on the engine.

That is why we keep talking about a return line, because there will be one.

 

[Steve83]

If it's a mechanical returnless system, the regulator is incorporated into the pump, and it dumps gas back into the tank. If it's an electronic returnless system (with a Fuel Rail Pressure sensor), there is no regulator anywhere; unneeded fuel is never pumped.

 

[Bronco gold]

I ended up finding some info on tanksinc.com with using an adjustable regulator and I can run my return off the regulator and back to the tank since the fuel rail on the 99 explorer only has an inlet.

 

[DirtDonk]

Why are you going to the trouble of adding return lines to a returnless system?
Have you checked to see if that will mess with fuel delivery pressures at the fuel rail?

Paul

 

[Bronco gold]

Dirtdonk, if I was keeping my existing stock tanks, how else am supposed to run the fuel ? This fiasco is a headache at this point and if my body was not painted and done I would've welded up the aux tank hole and just used a different rear main tank system and saved the tanks for one of my other broncos.

 

[OX1]

I kept my stock auxiliary tank but put in a 23 gallon tank with in tank EFI pump. All plumbing to and from FiTech is plumbed to the main tank.

The auxiliary tank has its own electric transfer pump and switch. It feeds into a tee installed on the breather hose on the filler neck of the main. When the main gets low I turn the pump on and move the fuel to the main.

Same here, didn't see the point in all that hardware for a second tank, when
it's easy enough to just transfer gas to the main tank. I did put in stock
switch for dual gas guage setup, so I know when to shut off transfer pump.

 

[DirtDonk]

Sorry, I missed Bronwobowhser's comment about running a return line due to you wanting to run an external pump, and ignored your detail about the adjustable regulator as a return source being an acceptable substitute.
Sorry for adding some confusion to the discussion.

However, I'm still wondering how the computer would handle the different setup if it's expecting to control the pump.
Do you know if the '99 Explorer handled fuel by controlling the pump output directly, or was there a bypass/dump of excess pressure/flow back into the tank internally?
Maybe I'm making something of nothing. If so, sorry 'bout that. I just thought the changes might cause some drama when it came time to run it.

Sounds like you've been doing your research though, so if it's an acceptable practice to use a different pump and return lines with the '99 stuff, then you're in business.

Paul

 

[AZ73]

I installed this valve on my dual tank set-up. It's actually off a 80's GM I believe. It's only rated for about 50 lbs if I recall so I use a Carter low pressure electric fuel pump from my 23 gal tank to the valve. The aux tank is gravity feed to the valve. After the valve I run a Bosch high pressure pump to the Holley Sniper. The tank switch on my dash controls the valve and the valve controls the sending units, although I run 2 fuel gauges. I re-wired it to turn off the Carter when I'm using the aux tank. I had to fabricate a bracket to mount it to the frame because of the weird mounting angle and the fact that I mounted it reversed so the tank intakes faced the rear.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2932670&postcount=159

All those people who just used a transfer pump can't run different fuel. I can run 87 in the main tank, and 91 (or 100) in the aux tank. My Holley controls the distributor and automatically bumps up the timing with my switch in tanks. Adds some HP and Torque when needed while keeping driving expenses down when not.

 

[ttkelly]

This is my plan! Now i need a bit of help on the parts

I am upgrading to a Sniper Fuel injection system and adding a 23 gallon tank. Like those on this thread i wanted to keep my aux tank. For my use the two independent pumps, as outlined by englewoodcowboy, with selector is exactly what I am after. When ordering my parts from Wild Horses they didn’t have the components for this “dual system” set up. Specifically the check valves, waterproof relay, Y connector etc. I started to poke around on the summit catalog and it is soo massive i am having a hard time putting the full list of components together. Does anyone have a list of parts already complied I could use? Any help would be appreciated. I did buy a second rail mounted pump form WH as well as the low preasure electric selector valve for the low pressure return.
Thanks in advance!

The system can easily be done with the standard 2 way electrical switching valve. I have several units out in the field working flawless this way. As Steve mentioned the valves are not intended for high pressure but they will handle the return side. I am including a few pics of one install. When we switch the dash, it goes to a waterproof relay under the truck, In the Main position the relay is unstitched allowing power to the main tank. The return valve is unpowered and the Aux tank is also un powered. When you switch to Aux, the relay is energized switching the power from the Main fuel pump to the Aux fuel pump as well as to the electronic 2 way valve. The fuel pumps have built in check valves but I do not rely on them so in the pics you will see 2 red cylinders down stream of the pump, the one closest to the pump is a fuel filter, the one farthest is a one way check valve and there is one for each pump so whichever is off, the check valve closes and vice versa. Its actually very simple once you get your head wrapped around it and is just about the same way Ford switched their dual tank systems on the trucks. I have the system set to default always to the main tank if the relay fails etc.

 

[sykanr0ng]

http://products.pollakaftermarket.c...-valves/light-truck-6-port-motor-driven-valve

6 port valve, the do not exceed pressure is 65 psi