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Best fuel line and wiring location?
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=12329		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Flipper_1938 [ May 12, 2011, 11:39 am ]
Post subject:  Best fuel line and wiring location?
What is the best place to run fuel lines from the rear of the car to the front? Same for battery cable (rear mounted battery).

The 3 choices to me seem to be in the tunnel, under the floor, or through the passenger compartment....all of which have potential issues.

If in the trans tunnel, how do you shield it from a drive shaft failure?
Author:  C10CoryM [ May 12, 2011, 12:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best fuel line and wiring location?
Yeah, there is no perfect location (other than in an armoured casing... but not with the electrical in the same one :mrgreen: ).

In most of our cars there is not enough power/traction to break driveline parts so I would say the tunnel is the best bet. Just a driveshaft loop, and good quality shaft and u-joints is what most people feel best. You could weld a thick tube inside the tunnel, and then run the fuel lines through it if you are concerned.

On a drag car where driveline failures are likely I wouldn't pick the tunnel. But on a lightweight sports car (where crashing or bottoming out are more likely) the tunnel seems safest.

Cheers.
Cory
Author:  Flipper_1938 [ May 13, 2011, 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best fuel line and wiring location?
This definetly won't be a drag car, but if it handles well, I could see it getting abused.

Anybody have neat ideas for conduit or shielding?
Author:  TRX [ May 13, 2011, 10:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best fuel line and wiring location?
I've used conduit to armor fuel lines. I've seen track debris snag a line a couple of times.

My plan for the RX7 I recently sold was to run conduit through the passenger compartment, welded at the firewall and rear bulkhead.

Topologically, the inside of the conduit is "outside" the passenger compartment, like the hole in a doughnut. Running the fuel lines through there would move them above the floor pan, where they would be less vulnerable, while keeping them outside, since some sanctioning bodies prohibit fuel lines in the passenger compartment.

I think I picked up the idea from some of the dirt track guys.
Author:  bremms [ May 27, 2011, 12:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best fuel line and wiring location?
I like the tunnel and you can armor it too. Fuel down low, electrical up high in the corners. I saw a fuel line get split by a driveshaft failure ( I warned my friend that
his driveshaft wasn't properly engineered) and sure enough it broke the back of
the trans apart at 70mph.. Luckily nobody was hurt but the center tunnel had to be
fixed. This was a Locost with a Volvo B20 but he isn't on the forum.
Author:  Warpspeed [ July 22, 2011, 4:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Best fuel line and wiring location?
I don't think you really need to especially protect fuel lines, or wiring, as long as it is not the lowest thing on the chassis, or within cooking distance of the exhaust.

In the event of a serious accident, I would rather have anything that may burn or suddenly burst into flames OUTSIDE of the passenger compartment.

So I run everything under the floor pan, maybe onto the side (or through) a main structural chassis rail.
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