Ascinder's 1-Ton VX... Cont'd

[Ascinder]

ooouuu this would be nice
http://www.geartechhd.com/gallery/di...?album=3&pos=7

Aside from the Atlas, that's pretty close to what I'm running. Once done, This powertrain will be nigh indestructable. At this point, I'm more worried about twisting the frame of the VX than anything else. BTW, progress pics inbound

[Ascinder]

So lately I have been trying to sort out loose ends and put out little fires on my VX build. I have been focusing my energy on the fuel system and all its inherent complications. At first glance a fuel system seems simple. Gas just has to make it from the tank to the engine right? Wrong. Not even touching on emissions systems, the fuel setup is a veritable nightmare with a steep learning curve and a lot of pitfalls. I'm about to lay some of them out here:

Putting in a new tank, there are a lot of considerations if you are looking at things from a long term completed perspective. What I mean is that I like to step back from whatever I'm working on and think: "Hmm I wish would have thought of that when I was first building this!", and then build it that way in the first place. A good way to do this if you're lazy like I am is to listen to and learn from the regrets/observation of others who have gone before you. I like to listen to desert racers and rock crawlers because not only have they been there, done that, but their vehicles end up in the weirdest situations imaginable under the most severe conditions. So here we go.



These are a pair of Sprague aircraft accumulators. They hold 50 cubic inches of fluid each and have a floating aluminum o-ringed "puck" inside that has pressurized air on one side and the fluid on the other. They act as an emergency reservoir of whatever fluid they are set up for. If/when the system looses pressure the compressed air acts as a spring and forces the fluid back into the system. These things are no joke. They are good for 3000 psi worth of pressure and can save you from a spun engine bearing when you are off camber, or from losing your steering if you blow a line, or even from fuel starvation when your booster pump out sucks your supply pump. But I'll get to all that....







Apart from being fun to look at, the engine has been coming along too. I have installed a lot of components lately that will go unmentioned in this post, but are time eaters that have hassled me at every turn. The original fuel system was returnless, meaning that the fuel pump just supplies pressurized fuel to the rail and it stays there until the engine sucks it down. Well, that's evidently good for emissions, but bad for an engine running hot and hard in the desert heat. Basically the fuel gets heated up by the pump (which relies on the fuel to keep it cool) and then gets sent to the rail where ambient engine heat causes it to vaporize and lock up the system. At the king of the hammers race they were eating fuel pumps and vapor locking engines like crazy. So the fixes were to run a return style system instead which circulates the fuel out of the rails and back into the tank where it has a chance to cool. So I swapped over to billet fuel rails that enable this and a fuel pressure regulator at the engine instead of inside the tank. I also installed 50 lb./HR injectors in place of the stock 28 lb. The fuel pressure regulator is adjustable to allow me to dial in the Bosch"044" racing pumps’ output to usable levels. It is also vacuum sensitive so it automatically lowers output at lower rpms and raises it at higher ones. I also have an emergency ace in the hole. I got a fuel cooler block that is powered by CO2. Basically, the fuel runs through it and the CO2 runs through it parallel and chills the fuel. Gimmicky, but effective.

Fuel pressure regulator



Bosch"044" rally pump next to the stock VX pump



Cry02 fuel cooler



So all of this is getting stuffed into the tank mentioned earlier in this thread, which BTW is absolutely awesome in its construction. The steel is THICK. This tank holds six less gallons than the stock VX tank, but is much heavier. The welds are also nearly seamless and are a work of art.





There will be a 100 micron billet inline filter just outside of the tank before the pump. It has a stainless steel element that is cleanable and replaceable. Just before the fuel rails is a large 10 micron fuel canister.





In addition to using the stock Vehicross fuel filling port for normal fueling, I picked up an aluminum filler port that will be mounted to the other side of the tank and used for Jerry can refills (which are a PITA on the stock opening). The new port is almost three inches across at the port and around seven or eight inches at the flange, and has a rollover/slosh valve built in.



One of the other fuel issues people have is that typical racers use fuel cells which are basically a steel box with a rubber bladder inside which holds the fuel. The problem comes in when your fuel is going all over the place inside and sloshing everywhere. It is practically impossible to effectively baffle the inside of a rubber bladder, but inherently necessary for obvious reasons. My fuel tank has a single center baffle which I feel while helpful, is not up to the tasks I will demand of it. Many people use fuel cell foam as a baffle, but it inevitably breaks down sooner or later, clogging your fuel pickups or filters, or pumps in the process. Other guys have tried wiffle balls since the PVC they're made out of is fuel resistant. They still tend to break down eventually though due the additives in normal gasoline not to mention ethanol, and plastics shed a kind of slime/gel into the tank which clogs pickups too. I had a great idea though. Since my tank is stainless steel and my fuel line is going to be stainless steel hard-line, why not use these little buggers as an anti slosh measure. 100% stainless, lightweight and affordable. They don't break down and are totally inert to fuel and/or additives.

There are 100 of these in the box



Here's one up close:



To help with the angles and off camber situations of crawling and high G's in the desert, I got three of these snowmobile fuel pickups. They work on the principle of spraying something like water through a screen door, where the moisture gets trapped in the screen. When they are exposed to air the fuel trapped in the screen makes it so the screen sucks shut so your fuel pump isn’t gulping air when you are climbing a steep hill or are on the side of one. Pretty cool and very effective.



The screen is also a 10 micron fuel filter.

[Ascinder]

I also nabbed a protorque series starter which is smaller, lighter, more powerful, and clockable.

Protorque under stock starter



Adjustable mounting



The oil filter on the engine was changed to a remote mount setup to increase capacity and accessibility of the oil system. One of the Sprague accumulators will also be plumbed into this system to run as a pre-oiler at startup and accumulator during use.



I replaced the crank pulley with a 25% underdrive pulley which will give more horsepower, but run all the accessories slower. They make an overdrive pulley for the alternator that I will install here shortly so it spins at normal speed. So what's the point then? Well, I plan on using an industrial equipment hydraulic pump instead of a dinky power steering pump to power the hydraulic ram steering and the hydroboost system. Those pumps don't like high RPM, so I have a big pulley for them and the small underdrive pulley, and presto, everything is happy. Here's a shot of a similar hydroboost setup to what I'm running and a LINK to some info on them:




Hydroboost brakes beat the snot out of vacuum assist brakes for a great many reasons, and with a cammed motor like mine, they are even more important for good consistent braking over a large rpm range. My hydroboost is on the way and came out of a 2008 GMC Sierra 3500 truck, what can I say, it fits the theme of the build. Also, upgrading the size of all the brakes on the VX makes this a must have mod. Here are a couple pics of said brakes.









The first pic is of the rear calipers which are factory rebuilt with new ceramic pads and painted with caliper paint. The second pic is of the front D60 caliper which I had to wire-wheel and strip of all of the paint and crud, then paint. The third pic is of a 14 bolt wheel hub I had to strip down and paint, then press in new wheel studs and brake rotor. Here's what these used to look like:

[LittleBeast]

Wow, wow, wow. I feel like I am watching an episode of "VX Dream Make Over"!!!!! Amazing stuff indeed. I am pretty sure we are all green with envy, and can't wait to have the means to do something like this as well. Thanks for the photos and update, much appreciated

[phines]

Wow, wow, wow. I feel like I am watching an episode of "VX Dream Make Over"!!!!! Amazing stuff indeed. I am pretty sure we are all green with envy, and can't wait to have the means to do something like this as well. Thanks for the photos and update, much appreciated

Yes. Exactly what he said. Awesome man!
________
Naruto advice

[SlowPro48]

You got that right. I feel like such a loser everytime I peruse this thread. All this progress and eye candy... and I'm just trying to figure out when I'll have time to change a timing belt and how I'm going to afford a new set of Terra Grapplers before I hydroplane into an oak tree...

Ascinder you rock man! I can't speak for everybody but I for one am living vicariously through you and several others on this board who are able to flat out git er done.

Alright - back to my lame little life. Trying to figure out how to hotwire a pocket bike for the nephews. Hey it's easier than finding the key...

Carry on, my hero!

[ZEUS]

Beau, I really wish you would put some thought into all of this... I mean you can't just go into a build like this so haphazardly! HAHAHAHA! Thanks for the updates - I have to admit I am using you as inspiration to get my projects moving again... and my work on AWOL has been inspiring a guy here at work to get his K5 mods going again.

Just think, after you warp your frame - all you have to do is build a tube chassis then you'll be done - nothing to it! LOL

[LiquidVX]

Very much nice!

[Ldub]

Wow, wow, wow. I feel like I am watching an episode of "VX Dream Make Over"!!!!! Amazing stuff indeed. I am pretty sure we are all green with envy, and can't wait to have the means to do something like this as well. Thanks for the photos and update, much appreciated

Yes. Exactly what he said. Awesome man!

You got that right. I feel like such a loser everytime I peruse this thread.
Ascinder you rock man! I can't speak for everybody but I for one am living vicariously through you and several others on this board who are able to flat out git er done.


Carry on, my hero!

Times about eleventy BILLION....

GO BEAU ! ! !

[Scott Harness]

I just started reading this thread!! WOW! WOW! WOW!
I'm going to get in my VX now...WHIMPY WHIMPY WHIMPY

[Ascinder]

Thanks for all the support guys, trust me, I need it. It's a looong road ahead with this project. I am hopefully getting the new HMMWV wheels soon and all the bracketry for the suspension links within the next couple weeks. I just ordered over a hundred AN fittings for the fuel, coolant,air,hydraulic, oil, etc systems. It's going to be like Monster Garage once the rest of this stuff starts showing up

[Triathlete]

Looking good. Looks like you are definately doing it right!

Going to have it done for Moab!

[RamAirZ]

Your project is looking awesome! That LSx motor just makes me drool!!!!!!!

[Ascinder]

The mailman came today and he brought with him a motorhead's wet dream......

[ZEUS]

I feel blue.