Plastic or aluminum fuel cell

brokenparts · Apr 6, 2011

I ditched my propane set up in favor of fool injection and now I need a fuel cell. Which type do you guys prefer aluminum or plastic and why?

Not Jobless · Apr 6, 2011

I've had all three...

Plastic - pretty durable but they warp from the sunlight

Aluminum - off the shelf tanks have a tendency to crack at the welds due to flex. They're also noiser if mounted next to the pump or have an in tank pump.

Metal w/inner plastic - the safest and most durable, also required by a few of the offroad orgs if you're going to compete.

CHOP SHOP · Apr 6, 2011

My cell is a stainless steel one I got from Coors brewing.

sarg · Apr 6, 2011

plastic, they are cheap and dont leak or crack it only took two aluminum cells for me to figure they all crack sooner or later...:looser:

Binder · Apr 6, 2011

I would (and do) use plastic over aluminum but the steel shielded plastic ones like Not Jobless said are the best.....and most expensive.

Corey Y · Apr 6, 2011

Most off the shelf aluminum units will crack the welds from the fuel sloshing around. I have made a couple custom ones with baffles that work better.

Why are you ditching the propane?

TRG4runner · Apr 7, 2011

Haven't used but one of those but my plastic one has given me no problems. :awesomework:

Bunk1 · Apr 7, 2011

I had a plastic and it leaked at the bulkhead fitting from day 1. Eventually went alum and had no issues over 2 years of use. Running pane now.

Totalled · Apr 7, 2011

Bunk said:
I had a plastic and it leaked at the bulkhead fitting from day 1. Eventually went alum and had no issues over 2 years of use. Running pane now.

Was it a JAS brand cell?

jeffs_62 · Apr 7, 2011

The aluminum ones have a hard time at the welds, from expansion and contraction all the time. I also have a plastic one, but am always looking for one of those old school beer kegs.

hlb3 · Apr 7, 2011

I have had a few different Summit brand plastic fuel cells over the years and they have all been great, never leaked or anything, but the top on all of them have bowed in a little bit, but it never really bothered me that much.

brokenparts · Apr 7, 2011

Crazy Daze said:
Most off the shelf aluminum units will crack the welds from the fuel sloshing around. I have made a couple custom ones with baffles that work better.

Why are you ditching the propane?

A few reasons..

1. My cruiser (fj60 wagon) still has its top and I had originally convince myself that I could "vent" the propane tanks sufficiently enough to store them in the cab. I probably could have made it work but I think it would have always been in the back of my mind.

2. Filling the tanks would have been a pain in the ass. Not too mention finding a propane station open at night after night wheeling would suck if I didnt want to trailer the cruiser.

3. Not enough CFMs for my big block. The 425 would have really struggled to keep up on long WOT assaults in the sand or mud (yes, I do enjoy sand and mud on occasion). Going to dual mixers/vaporizers starts to intrude on the simplicity of the propane.

Thanks guys for the help on the cell question fellas :awesomework:.

bobbed_84_toy · Apr 7, 2011

I ran a plastic cell for a while now. If you go this route you should tighten the lower fittings before you put any gas in it, mine leaked at first. The top sagged, and the cap has always been a pain in the ass to remove.

I'm switching to aluminum, we'll see how it holds up.