Description
WHAT IS A FCST?
The Fuel Cell Surge Tank is a drop-in fuel pump system for Radium Engineering’s popular fuel cells or any cell that uses the industry standard 6×10 24-bolt fill plate bolt pattern. The FCST is designed to protect EFI vehicles that experience fuel starvation. It is NOT a glorified trap door box with baffles. It features a true dual-chamber fuel tank utilizing a single lift pump and up to 3 surge tank pumps all packaged inside the fuel cell. It provides all the benefits of a traditonal external fuel surge tank without safety concerns and plumbing complexity.
IS THIS COMPATIBLE WITH MY FUEL CELL?
To install a Radium Engineering FCST into a fuel cell, the following criteria must be met:
1. The cell must have the industry standard 6″x10″ 24-bolt flange opening.
2. The opening must be on the top face of the fuel cell (i.e. not a side face).
3. The cell depth must be at least 7.7″ (196mm) measured from the outer top face to the internal bottom face.
HOW IT WORKS
A lift pump scavenges fuel from the bottom of the fuel cell and pumps it into the 2 liter surge tank. Inside the surge tank canister, up to 3 EFI fuel pumps can be used to feed high pressure fuel to the engine. If the lift pump starves, the volume inside the surge tank canister will keep the surge tank pumps fed and the engine supplied with fuel. The return from the pressure regulator is also routed to the surge tank canister to help keep it full.
As shown in the images, there are three fill valves integrated to the bottom of the surge tank. These 1-way FKM Viton fill valves are sealed shut unless the fuel level in the cell rises above the fuel level in the surge tank. If this happens, each fill valve opens and sends 355LPH of fuel (1065LPH total) into the surge tank until fuel level reaches an equilibrium.
Excess fuel in the surge tank simply overflows back into the fuel cell. This dynamic sequence is all done inside the safety of a fuel cell.
FEATURES FOR 20-069X-XX FCST
Over the years, Radium Engineering has continued to refine the FCST into a robust and highly functional piece of hardware.
-Merged single 10AN ORB female threaded outlet. All pumps use check valves that prevent back-flow for multi-pump applications.
-One-way fill valve located on the bottom of the canister that allows fuel in, but not out, keeping the surge tank full.
-Multiple fuel pump options including gerotor, turbine, and brushless DC motor pumps.
-Hermetically sealed high-current stainless steel electrical studs capable of handling all pumps.
-Simplified servicing features eliminating nylon sealing washers and fuel cell retaining brackets.
-Full CNC aluminum construction with anodized surfacing for superior corrosion resistance.
-Fuel compatibility: leaded and unleaded gasoline, methanol, ethanol, E85, etc.
-Dynamic safety vent valve with rollover protection and fuel fill shut-off.
-Optional fuel surge tank level switch and diagnostic LED failsafe port.
WHATS IN THE BOX?
The following comes standard with every FCST variation configured per part number
-8AN DSV (dynamic safety vent) valve
-6×10 24-hole FKM Viton gasket
-6AN male return fitting (other sizes can be utilized)
-8AN male pump out fitting (other sizes can be utilized)
-Fuel level sensor block-off plate
-Fuel level switch block-off plug
-FKM Viton 1-way fill valves
-Stainless steel mounting hardware
-Insulated anodized aluminum acorn nuts
-Electrical power wire ring terminals
