In Half 1 of Hidden Property, we lined the design and set up fundamentals of Holley’s HydraMat gas pickup system. Now I’ll present you ways I put in one within the gasoline tank of my massive block-powered 1969 Nova. It isn’t a tough course of, nevertheless it does require some planning and persistence. Let’s get to it.
The Tank
The method started with deciding on a brand new gasoline tank. I selected a metal tank that may be a useless ringer for a manufacturing line tank. Summit Racing presents one from Auto Metallic Direct that’s just about an identical to mine. The gameplan right here was to construct a gas supply system that wasn’t seen on the surface of the automotive. This isn’t my first rodeo at constructing a tank with hidden pickups, nevertheless it was undoubtedly my first try utilizing a HydraMat as the idea for the gas system.
I spent fairly a little bit of time figuring out methods to get the large 15 x 15 inch sq. HydraMat within the tank. It was clearly a lot too giant to suit via the sender gap within the tank–my forearm gained’t even. Apart from, I wanted loads of room to entry and set up the pickup and return plumbing together with an exterior excessive move vent.
My answer was fairly easy: minimize an entry gap within the prime of the tank and seal it with piece of metallic and a fuel-safe gasket of some kind. I used a baseplate gasket for a Holley 4500 Collection Dominator carburetor to do that. The within dimension is sufficiently giant that I can attain contained in the tank to hook up the fittings, heart the HydraMat, and so forth. I used the gasket as a template to chop a gap within the prime of the gasoline tank and to make a canopy plate out of 0.090-inch thick aluminum. I drilled a sequence of mounting holes across the outer edges for mounting screws.
Tank Fittings
I mounted the fittings for the pickup, pump return line, and vent close to the highest of the tank on the ahead wall. It’s doable to do that as a result of the exterior gas pump I used (a Weldon A600 from Summit Racing) is designed to tug a primary. It’s no completely different than a inventory tank association the place a mechanical gas pump attracts gas out of the highest of the tank from the pickup within the sender meeting. The concept gained’t work in case your gas pump must be gravity fed.
I used a -10AN chrome steel bulkhead becoming for the feed line and -8 AN stainless fittings for the return and vent strains. Set up consisted of chopping appropriately sized holes with gap saws, including a set of stainless bulkhead nuts on the within to retain the fittings, after which TIG welding the bulkheads to the surface physique of the tank. Reducing and modifying the tank for the bulkheads and the entry panel didn’t take that lengthy. However, cleansing the filings out of the within of the tank was pure drudgery.
Some might query the necessity for a vent line, however I take advantage of one. A inventory system which doesn’t transfer large volumes of gas depends on a tiny gap within the gasoline cap for venting. Novas and different vehicles with low-mounted filler necks and vented gasoline caps are infamous for spewing gasoline out the again if you get on the throttle. By utilizing a separate high-capacity vent and a non-vented gasoline cap, my automotive doesn’t gush uncooked gasoline out the again on acceleration.
Putting in the HydraMat
The HydraMat replaces the sending unit meeting as a gas pickup, however I wanted the sender to activate the gas gauge. I modified it by chopping off the unique gas pickup tube from the sender meeting and capping the road. The float and sending unit nonetheless operate as regular so the gasoline gauge works.
If you happen to do that in your tank, hold the placement of the sender and the float in thoughts when determining the place to put the HydraMat. Given the float location, I mounted mine barely offset to the passenger aspect rear of the gasoline tank. This ensures the sender float doesn’t get tousled with the gas pickup line on the prime of the HydraMat.
Putting in the HydraMat contained in the tank was subsequent. I rolled it right into a tube form and thoroughly inserted via the entry gap within the prime of the gasoline tank. I taped off the perimeters of the with lots of duct tape so the comparatively sharp edges of the opening wouldn’t slice the HydraMat—or my arm. You may unfurl the HydraMat as soon as it’s within the tank and modify the placement by hand.
As talked about in Half 1, the HydraMat is held in place with uncommon earth magnets on every nook. I selected to put in the magnets earlier than it was put in contained in the tank. I believe it’s simpler than putting in them after it’s inside–you is likely to be shocked at how tenacious 4 little magnets could be. I did use a giant wood dowel to slowly coax the HydraMat into place.
Gasoline Line Plumbing
My setup requires two gas strains contained in the tank–one for the gas pickup and one for the gas return. You need to use fuel-safe hose for each of them.
My HydraMat has a big 1/2-inch NPT becoming (most are smaller). The feed line runs from that to the -10 AN bulkhead becoming. That required a size of 5/8-inch diameter hose. There aren’t lots of choices for hose that dimension that may stay submersed in gasoline, so I used Tygon tubing. It’s a yellowish versatile plastic hose that’s suitable with most fuels, together with people who include alcohol.
(EDITORS NOTE: Summit Racing presents Pacific Coast Engineering (PPE) submersible gas hose in 5/8-inch diameter that may work for carbureted purposes).
The return line was made utilizing 1/2-inch Tygon tubing. I directed the return line away from the gas pickup level. It’s additionally a good suggestion to maintain it submerged in gas if doable. If it’s left broad open, the spray raises havoc with the gasoline within the tank, mainly aerating the gas provide.
I used Earl’s Efficiency Tremendous Inventory Hose Ends for the pickup and return strains. They’ve a barb finish that’s pushed into the hose. I secured the hose to the fittings with a pair of chrome steel hose clamps on every finish. Listed below are the fittings I used:
• Pickup Line: 90-degree -10 AN becoming with 1/2-inch to -10 AN adapter on the HydraMat outlet, -10 AN straight becoming on the bulkhead
• Return Line: straight -8 AN becoming on the bulkhead
The availability (feed) line from the tank to the Weldon electrical gas pump is -10 AN stainless braided hose. The return line from the stress regulator is -8 AN hose. As a result of the HydraMat acts as a prefilter (earlier than the pump), you solely want a gas filter after the pump. I used a giant Holley HP Billet Gasoline Filter.
With all the strains contained in the tank put in and double-checked, I put the highest inspection plate on the tank. This setup requires a non-vented cap that matches very tightly on the filler neck. You may need to attempt a few completely different caps earlier than you discover one that matches correctly.
As soon as full, the system is all however invisible from the surface. Does it work? As talked about in that first article, Heck ya! Gasoline stress is completely secure all through the RPM vary. It doesn’t spew gasoline out the again and it’s doable to run the automotive exhausting with a quarter-tank of gas or much less. Take a look at the accompanying photographs to see how I did it.
-10 AN Earl’s Tremendous Inventory fittings. The hose was secured to the tubing with double chrome steel hose clamps on every finish. The -8 AN return line makes use of 1/2-inch tubing and one Tremendous Inventory becoming. The road merely lays on the tank ground. (Picture/Wayne Scraba)
