Fiat Coupe Club UK

Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot?

Posted By: godders

Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 28/04/2019 10:03


After a rather excellent track day at Goodwood (definitely a Coupe circuit), I now realise, as people say, once you start tuning you are on a never ending slippery slope.

I now find with just under 1/2 tank of fuel on long fast right hand bends I’m suffering fuel starvation (fuel presumably moves to left of tank away from fuel pickup).

As I’m getting close (300BHP) to the maximum capacity of the standard fuel pump, I’m thinking a swirl pot of some sort should be on my list.

I’ve searched the site for Swirl+pot and all that comes up is details on the standard unit in the fuel pump/sender.

So .... does anyone have any recommendations, advice or suggestions of what I should be doing to prevent this fuel starvation and is a swirl pot the way to go?

Thanks guys

Sg
Posted By: magooagain

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 28/04/2019 13:30

I'm told a 300hp coupe doesn't need an upgraded pump,but I have around 300 and I have an upgraded pump and don't suffer any fuel problems on track.
Mine is a Walbro 225 with the wiring mod.
Posted By: Scuderia

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 28/04/2019 14:51

I've never had surge on a track, even when the light is on!
Posted By: knight7660

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 29/04/2019 20:59

Ive had Surge a few times at Cadwell and Brands on the long left handers before i fitted the Swirl Pot. Id suggest getting an externally mounted one if you can because you do get some fumes in the car some time if the car is left in the sun, doesn't bother some people but it does to me.
Posted By: knight7660

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 29/04/2019 21:00

I have spoken to Joe a few times about how to mount outside and on my next phase of build mines going to be underneath
Posted By: godders

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 30/05/2019 16:36

"outside" where would you mount it outside?

I'm thinking of this:

https://www.racinglines.com/store/fuel-system/fuel-swirl-pots?product_id=1508

And mounting in the boot, OS, snuggly against the boot floor and wheel arch.
I'm a tad surprised the Joe and Scuder's have never had problems - clearly not trying hard enough laugh

Sg
Posted By: knight7660

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 30/05/2019 20:27

Originally Posted by godders
"outside" where would you mount it outside?

I'm thinking of this:

https://www.racinglines.com/store/fuel-system/fuel-swirl-pots?product_id=1508

And mounting in the boot, OS, snuggly against the boot floor and wheel arch.
I'm a tad surprised the Joe and Scuder's have never had problems - clearly not trying hard enough laugh

Sg



Not pushing hard enough was my thinking as well wink im sure Joe is fast being a very seasoned track goer now
Posted By: JohnS

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 28/06/2019 12:15

I used to have an external swirl pot in the rear wheel well along with a Bosch 044 pump, the in-tank pump was just used as a lift pump. That would remove the risk
Posted By: Nigel

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 04/07/2019 06:57

You don't need a swirl pot at 300bhp - I don't have one at nearly 500 (although I can suffer a bit of starvation when the tank is less than a quarter full).

Simply uprate your in-tank pump and do the wiring mod if you haven't already
Posted By: godders

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 06/08/2019 15:30

Thanks for the responses JohnS and Nigel.

I've already undertaken the wiring Mod, I'm not really sure uprating the in-tank pump will solve my problem, if the pump cannot draw fuel, irrespective of how powerful it is, the same issue will be occur.
To your point Nigel, I think its usage of the car, in very long very fast right handers on circuit, I'm pulling quite significant forces, the fuel moves to the left of the tank and the fuel pickup is on the right-hand-side of the tank - hence the issue I see.

I've really only experienced this as I've undertaken the next set of suspension enhancements and ... am now able to really push the track tyres hard.
I would also add, that on most tracks I do not see this issue, however on certain tracks I do and want to avoid damaging the engine by subjecting it to any fuel starvation.

Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks

Sg
Posted By: magooagain

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 06/08/2019 19:27

I imagine if you are going to install a swirl pot you will need to put in an uprated pump. So it may be an idea to try the uprated pump first and see how you go.

Perhaps with Nigel's car and mine it's all about the Osrav suspension keeping us flat.
I have used mine on a very tight circuit in the past and have had no problems. Maybe I'm just slow.
Posted By: Countrycruising

Re: Fuel starvation - Swirl Pot? - 06/08/2019 19:38

Originally Posted by magooagain
I imagine if you are going to install a swirl pot you will need to put in an uprated pump. So it may be an idea to try the uprated pump first and see how you go.

Perhaps with Nigel's car and mine it's all about the Osrav suspension keeping us flat.
I have used mine on a very tight circuit in the past and have had no problems. Maybe I'm just slow.


Yes that's the plan, I'll be fitting the swirl pot with an 044 pump so there's no chance of the engine suffering fuel starvation again, which does happen quite a lot on track, just that people don't realise until it's too late, det det bang cracked piston!
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