estate fuel return
Turbo Mini Forums

I'm going to turbo my clubman estate, just because i have a spare engine doing nothing!
But was thinking about how to run the return?
Would i be able to use the drain hole in the bottom of the tank as a return?
Would it be better to use the drain hole as a feed and return into the original feed?
Or i could 'T' the return into the feed before the pump?
What would be the best option?
All opinions would be helpful...

““A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.”” - Jeremy Clarkson

The easiest and best option is to 'T' into the feed to the pump. This achieves two things:

1) It returns the fuel without having to butcher anything.
2) It effectively increases the size of the feed from the tank. This is useful as the 6mm outlet can be restrictive.

Also the van tank outlet is halfway up the tank and you will likely end up with the injection pump having to 'lift' the fuel a bit, which they don't like. Having the return t'd in allieviates this problem.

Finaly the van tank is prone to surge, and again injection pumps don't like to run without fuel, so the t'd in solution again helps.

When I injected mine I changed to a swirl pot with two pumps arrangement. But this shouldn't be necessary with a carb.

Edited by wil_h on 19th Jan, 2012.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

That sure is the easiest option, i'll only be running on 4 psi so i guess it will be fine.

““A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.”” - Jeremy Clarkson

any photos of the swirl pot and pumps available on this board or else where?

Or other van estate installations?

Have a search, there is a thread with diagrams of the whole set up etc, from about 9 months ago. I remember because I asked why a lift pump needed to be used and I think wil h posted it up.


Edit- this is the thread but the diagram doesn't load on my phone so don't know if its still on there http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=427385

Edited by wez on 24th Jan, 2012.

one day boost will be mine!

Thanks for that thread, but I think there is another one with with pumps and swirl pot located fore of the estate fuel tank.

This is underneath my Sabre Sprint, which is a bit like an estate. It has an estate tank.



This is a schematic of how it's all piped up.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

Great, thank you, is that a commercial swirl pot or one of your own fabrication?

Most seem to be set up to mount at the bottom

I got it off eBay and asked the seller to put the bracket on the top. I,ll see if I can find the link. It was cheap too.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

Where is your return from the swirl pot to the tank? I don't see it in the picture. Or does it go through the boot floor?

Jean

http://www.jbperf.com/

Yeah. it's on top. Goes through into the boot then a pipe to the filler neck. You can see it on the schematic.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

This was the swirlpot. I just asked the bloke to put the mounting on the top. no extra charge

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alloy-fuel-swirl...39&cmd=ViewItem

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

Thank you very much!!!
If he does custom then no reason that outlet could not come off the side as well.
I am thinking it could go into the tank or filler neck in an easier location on an estate without coming through the floor.
Terry

Edited by tmsmini on 24th Jan, 2012.

i have a estate tank i just got a surge tank welded in the end! works perfect for me.

look down the page, im running injection though.

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=433509




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Edited by NickG on 13th Mar, 2012.

Nick:
Do you have a picture of it installed?
Terry

I had the same problem on my estate.
Wasn't convinced that a T-piece would do a propper job..so i went on.
I made up a return fuel line towards the tank.
From engine bay,under the car towards the tank.
Just before the tank the pipe is going to the inside of the car and ends on top of the fuel tank.
Used the hole where the {UK} fog light loom is going through.
It's a 6mm [inside diameter] pipe.
It's on top of the tank located and welded on a nut on top of the tank.
Inside the tank there is a piece of pipe welded in ,so the return fuel doesn't splash inside the tank wich causes fuel damps, so it's flowing back now.
Also the fuel pick up pipe inside the tank is changed aswell as the outlet pipe on the tank is changed.
Made a new exit hole [bigger nut] so a 8mm pipe is attached now.
Wanted to keep the original look,and also wanted to convert back to original spec's if i ever wanted it...

Pic's say more than a thousend words.

Here you can see both pipes in the engine bay.
Left one,inside the stainless steel, is the return.





Under the car,return fuel line and brake line.



Come in and get out location in the back.
Only way i could get it out of sight,and still be able to use the spare wheel compartment.



I used this 2 holes for going in and out the body. [wrong side of the car,but it's the only pic i hade as an example]
Welded in a piece of steel tube inside the big hole for preventing it to bend the fuel line and also for making cornering a bit more easy with the pipe.



This picture shows what i mean. [yes it's me '-]

It's a little car .... eating big money

Keep the info coming lads - I'm just about to start my tank conversion.
I'm using MPi lines which includes the charcoal cannister - is anyone else incorporating one of these?

sorry for the late reply but ill get a photo tomorrow.

it is all in and fits no problems, not even that low. perfect

I have seen someone put a Fiat(?) pump with integrated swirl pot into a tank.
Don't remember who it was but that is my plan anyway.
This would eliminate need for external swirl pot and two fuel pumps; however need to check pump pressure of such an item.

Edit: Damn foreigners trying to write something in English..

Edited by Yo-Han on 13th Mar, 2012.

Dazed and Confused....

Like this:

Dazed and Confused....

On 24th Jan, 2012 wil_h said:
This is underneath my Sabre Sprint, which is a bit like an estate. It has an estate tank.



This is a schematic of how it's all piped up.

Team www.sheepspeed.com Racing

I think that will be fine.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

www.twin-turbo.co.uk

The gentleman who made Wil_H's now has a separate listing for custom swirl pots:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Custom-made-alim...=item35d9835f26

When I contacted him over a year ago, he was not offering customizations at the time.
Terry