Fuel hydramat

I'm burnt out losing fuel pressure on steep hills or way off camber climbing. Seems if I'm half tank or more I'll run into this problem. Has anyone ram one of the fuel hydramats ? Rather it be from Holley or somewhere else!! Also taking the pump out of the tank so I'm looking for a different fuel pump with a pressure regulator to mount along the frame rail…. I realize you get what you pay for when it comes to this. Please feel free to give me any input I would appreciate it. It's temporary going to be feeding a million horsepower sbc TBI lol… just keeping it going until this coming winter for an LQ4

I'm in for suggestions also, as I am putting my fuel system list together.

Any hydramat with a bosch 044 or walbro 255 pump will do all that you need/want. What will be important is how you install the hydramat in your fuel tank.

Make sure you buy a legit Bosch or Walbro unit, and not a china one. They will last much longer and operate better (less pressure drops under load etc). The real Bosch one is pretty pricey (min $150 + whatever fittings you need) but it's an absolute tank of a pump.

Make sure to install it with some rubber cushioning and run some good quality wires to it (I always recommend something like 12ga, better be overkill than sorry) and you'll be happy for a while.

I don't mind posting part numbers for you to order but it would be better if you give us a few more info on what fuel tank you have so we can help you pick the correct mat for your application.

The Holley hydramat flat works. I used a cross shaped one last time, something like 7" x 11", in a 15 gallon cell.

Bebop said:

Any hydramat with a bosch 044 or walbro 255 pump will do all that you need/want. What will be important is how you install the hydramat in your fuel tank.

Make sure you buy a legit Bosch or Walbro unit, and not a china one. They will last much longer and operate better (less pressure drops under load etc). The real Bosch one is pretty pricey (min $150 + whatever fittings you need) but it's an absolute tank of a pump.

Make sure to install it with some rubber cushioning and run some good quality wires to it (I always recommend something like 12ga, better be overkill than sorry) and you'll be happy for a while.

I don't mind posting part numbers for you to order but it would be better if you give us a few more info on what fuel tank you have so we can help you pick the correct mat for your application.

Click to expand...

Holy hell, thank you for the information. I pulled my fuel cell out over the weekend and removed the foam. It's roughly 16"x16" . But it's not completely open inside. It's got a partition in the middle of it. I'm not sure if that's a baffle of some sort but I'll get some pictures this evening after work

Bebop said:

Any hydramat with a bosch 044 or walbro 255 pump will do all that you need/want. What will be important is how you install the hydramat in your fuel tank.

Make sure you buy a legit Bosch or Walbro unit, and not a china one. They will last much longer and operate better (less pressure drops under load etc). The real Bosch one is pretty pricey (min $150 + whatever fittings you need) but it's an absolute tank of a pump.

Make sure to install it with some rubber cushioning and run some good quality wires to it (I always recommend something like 12ga, better be overkill than sorry) and you'll be happy for a while.

I don't mind posting part numbers for you to order but it would be better if you give us a few more info on what fuel tank you have so we can help you pick the correct mat for your application.

Click to expand...

It measures 16.5"x16.5"x9"
Like I said in my first post it's currently been feeding a 5.7 Chevy TBI(roughly one million hp at idle lol) but my LQ4 will be in this winter. So I'd like to find a pump and regulator that will work for both… Thanks again for your time and help

Soooo, you want an external pump system for your stock-ish LS engine, or any dead head rail TBI engine ?

Here's what to get FOR THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK PART :

(1) Walbro 255 fuel pump

(1) Wix 33737 fuel filter regulator

If you want to plumb everything with fuel injection rated hose, these 2 parts are enough. Get some hose clamps and go to town.
If you want to convert everything to AN fittings/hoses, AN6 for everything will be more than enough. For this you will need :

(2) Russel 670470 fittings to convert the fuel pump metric threads to AN6

(1) Russel 640940 fitting to convert the female 3/8 regulator outlet to AN6

(1) Russel 644123 fitting to convert the male 3/8 regulator inlet to AN6

(1) Russel 644113 fitting to convert the male 5/16 regulator outlet to AN6

Then you will need the corresponding AN6 hoses and hose ends but that's dependent on your vehicle.

This is how you plumb the regulator:



Make sure to wire your fuel pump with some 12ga wires and a nice clean system (good grounds, good relay, good crimps, etc). A 20amp fuse is good for this pump.

You can install the regulator as close or as far from the fuel pump as you want.

There are many other ways to get the job done. This isn't even what's in my buggy. But this is the simplest, cheapest, easiest way to get the job done while staying safe.

Do not buy the chinese copies of these parts, you'll save $80 but will have problems down the road, I can guarantee it.

If you have a fuel rail that has an integrated regulator (like the early vortec engines), you don't need anything that's related to the regulator. Just a fuel pump and that's it.

And you're good to go.

Now if you want to add a hydramat inside the tank, here is what to get.

(1) Hydramat that fits in your tank. The different options are here:

Given your tank I'd get the 16-100 if you can swing it.

If you want to save some money, I think the 16-101 would do the job.

Then you need a way to connect the hydramat from the inside of the tank to the bulkhead fitting that's on the outside of the tank and a solution to keep the hydramat from moving around in the tank.

For this I highly encourage you to use hard line plumbing because it will do both jobs at once. Move the fuel between the mat and the fitting and keep the mat in place.

Some people use submersible hose, but it'll leave the mat floating around inside and that's no good.

I buy all my hard line **** for the hydramats at my local Ace Hardware and it's super cheap too.

You'll need :

(1) 3/8 MIP to 3/8 compression fitting
(1) 3/8 compression to 1/2 FIP fitting
(1) 3/8 aluminum hardline (sold in like 4ft lengths)

The second fitting is 1/2 FIP on one end since this is the most common bulkhead fitting that's used in a fuel tank (AN8). If you have a AN6 you should use a 3/8 FIP. If you have a AN10 you're ****ed and need a reducer since 3/8 compression to 5/8 FIP isn;t available. But I highly doubt it.

If you're doing it right, it should look like this when you're done.







Any questions, just ask.

Also, I used a 90 degree 3/8 MIP to 3/8 compression fitting in my exemple because it packages better, but it's up to you to use whatever works. Use common sense.

I've been running the same pump/filter/reg combo with a mat that Bebop posted for pretty much the life of my buggy so far and love it. So much so that I'malso running the same setup on my wife's 5.3 yj. Really the only thing I do differently is run my lines out of the bottom of the tank via bulkhead fittings. I had always heard that electric inline pumps push much better than they pull so I try to let gravity help out as much as possible. That said, a shutoff valve is nice to have in case you need to swap pumps with fuel in the tank.
Here's the setup on her yj. That open fitting on the filter/reg just runs up through that hole in the floor and into the top of the tank for the return. This way nearly all of the components are situated back by the fuel cell and it's just that single 6an line running up to the fuel rails. These pumps are also fairly cheap and used by lots of people so the chances of someone having a spare for you, or needing one from you, are good.

This is fantastic! Thank you for this write up. I posted a question about fuel delivery and was directed here. Did not disappoint!

The information provided in the above posts is spot on. Good job guys. I run the Bosch 044 with the corvette regulator filter installed with the -6 AN fittings, braided fuel line. I made sure my pump was close to the tank and downhill from the outlet so it is gravity fed. I used the walbro fuel pucks in my tank and so far no problems. I originally did not have a shut off valve in the feed line but after I lost a pump and had to change it in the field I put one in right at the tank. I am feeding a LQ9 with a cam, 92mm TB and sparkplugs that add atleast 200 HP at 2rpm.

Bebop said:

Now if you want to add a hydramat inside the tank, here is what to get.

(1) Hydramat that fits in your tank. The different options are here:

HydraMats

www.holley.com

Given your tank I'd get the 16-100 if you can swing it.

Holley 16-100 15" x 15" HydraMat®, Cross

The amazing HydraMat® is Holley's patent pending design that solves the problems associated with traditional fuel pick-ups in stock fuel tanks as well as racing fuel cells. During hard cornering, acceleration, stopping, inclines, and low fuel conditions fuel runs away from the fuel pick up which...

www.holley.com

If you want to save some money, I think the 16-101 would do the job.

Holley 16-101 15" x 8" HydraMat®, Cross

The amazing HydraMat® is Holley's patent pending design that solves the problems associated with traditional fuel pick-ups in stock fuel tanks as well as racing fuel cells. During hard cornering, acceleration, stopping, inclines, and low fuel conditions fuel runs away from the fuel pick up which...

www.holley.com

Then you need a way to connect the hydramat from the inside of the tank to the bulkhead fitting that's on the outside of the tank and a solution to keep the hydramat from moving around in the tank.

For this I highly encourage you to use hard line plumbing because it will do both jobs at once. Move the fuel between the mat and the fitting and keep the mat in place.

Some people use submersible hose, but it'll leave the mat floating around inside and that's no good.

I buy all my hard line **** for the hydramats at my local Ace Hardware and it's super cheap too.

You'll need :

(1) 3/8 MIP to 3/8 compression fitting
(1) 3/8 compression to 1/2 FIP fitting
(1) 3/8 aluminum hardline (sold in like 4ft lengths)

The second fitting is 1/2 FIP on one end since this is the most common bulkhead fitting that's used in a fuel tank (AN8). If you have a AN6 you should use a 3/8 FIP. If you have a AN10 you're ****ed and need a reducer since 3/8 compression to 5/8 FIP isn;t available. But I highly doubt it.

If you're doing it right, it should look like this when you're done.

View attachment 124174

View attachment 124175

View attachment 124176

Any questions, just ask.

Also, I used a 90 degree 3/8 MIP to 3/8 compression fitting in my exemple because it packages better, but it's up to you to use whatever works. Use common sense.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this info man. I been struggling with fuel issues off camber and I spent too much money on a hair brained idea that didn't work so now I've spent double to fix my problem. Just ordered my mat tonight

Hard to beat a hydramat for the cost and simplicity, no doubt.

Heard some issues with hardcore race use (trophy trucks) and very high HP engines but nothing that should apply to us.

Everyone I know with one loves it.

Bebop said:

Hard to beat a hydramat for the cost and simplicity, no doubt.

Heard some issues with hardcore race use (trophy trucks) and very high HP engines but nothing that should apply to us.

Everyone I know with one loves it.

Click to expand...

Just to make sure I get the right fitting. I purchased the 15"x15" square mat. It has a 1/2 npt fitting so I will need a 1/2 mip to 3/8 compression right ?

That is correct.

not sure how much pony power you have, I have a E8248 pump mounted below the tank. Then running the walbro pickups in each corner with hard line....works ver well, but more complex to make than the hyrdramat.

Ok another dumb question. Lowe's didn't have any aluminum tubing but had copper. Will copper work or will it bend too easily and possibly move around and possibly break off over time ?

I can only tell you from experience with the AL tubing unfortunately. Maybe another local place has AL tubing ?