Question: best fuel temp

[Mike L.]

My LML does not have a fuel cooler. Guess it's time to resume this project. Going to put a couple of Kennedy pumps on it with a fuel cooler.

 

[niteflite1287]

Subscribing.
Got a question for the guy who mounted one in the stock location, I would go back and grab your name but I'm on a satellite phone based dial up internet connection shared between 30 or so users so page load times are in the minutes. My location also precludes looking at the underside of my truck since it’s around a 1000 mile swim to my truck from here and I’m not really feeling that one right now so I’m just trying to get some ideas sketched out on paper to finalize when I get home. Anyways my question is what size/model cooler did you use? I’m interested in mounting a upgraded fuel cooler but unfortunately I can’t mount MikeL’s setup since there is a AirDog II and a PacBrake compressor on the frame rail already. So I’m thinking the OEM location might be my best bet.

 

[lotsofmiles]

My LML does not have a fuel cooler. Guess it's time to resume this project. Going to put a couple of Kennedy pumps on it with a fuel cooler.

Did you put one on the lml? Any results?

 

[LWATSON]

My LML does not have a fuel cooler. Guess it's time to resume this project. Going to put a couple of Kennedy pumps on it with a fuel cooler.

Where is Loslobos? I remember you and him working hard on this project years ago.

 

[malibu795]

so searching for ideal fuel temps i stubbled on to this.... i have a 60gl saddle tank that has black linx on it, doesnt excatly help disipate heat , while the truck never limped from fuel temps i noticed i got better mpg on the first 1/2 of the tank vs the 2nd 1/2 and the truck would always run better after topping off. what scared me one day last summer was opening the tank to fill and having steam like vapors coming out of the tank... FWIW flash point for diesel is 140-145*F. i just checked the temp when i got pulled into the hotel tonight the pump part of the lift pump was 110* surface temp the hot side of the cooler is 98*, air temp was high 80s to low 90s today.. tank surface would get hot to the touch when i was filling then cool off after i was done..
so i bout a tranny cooler from jegs. mounted it horizontal to the ground under neath the tank. tank sits cross frame behind the cab. i put this on in april this year.. i dont recal mpg increase but i dont have different power levels between entering and leaving a fuel stop.

this the back of hte truck with out the tool box.. the cooler hangs between the two frame rails the trank is mounted on on the DS rail

 

[SgtKilroy]

Mike, per your suggestion about a year ago I got a big heat sink cooler to replace my factory cooler. It will be mounted along the frame where an AirDog is typically mounted. I'm doing this in conjunction with a 36 gallon fuel cell I got and will be mounting it where the spare tire used to be. Hopefully it'll work out. I know it has a huge surface area to dissipate heat from. I'm also doing a remote oil cooler and adding a 4094vvt, so I don't know how much that will affect the results but I'll make sure I post them. I have one of the bluetooth dongles and a smartphone app, but it should read accurately from the computer. No V2.
It's this cooler but with 3/8NPT in and out. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-13265/overview/

 

[malibu795]

james,

i currently run the cooler in said link... one thing to note i cruise at ~24,000lb rail pressure vs most trucks are about 6k less.... so i naturally have more heat put into my fuel... my avg fuel temp is 160* running down the road.. with the range from 140-180*... before i could easily hit 200* on a grade... now i might see 190*
http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/60346/10002/-1
this is the exact same cooler minus the fan..
http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/60383/10002/-1
i plan on adding this to said 1st link and plumbing in a series should bring me down closer to 100*

 

[SgtKilroy]

So it only dropped the fuel temp 10*? What do you mean horizontal to the ground? Your frame and cooler are parallel?

 

[malibu795]

sorry worded it wrong cruising i dropped almost 30* horizontal to the ground as for max on a grade i'd have to look a max fuel temps i know it was above 200*

 

[SgtKilroy]

Do you mean perpendicular? With a tube and fin cooler mounting it horizontally would be really ineffective without some way to divert airflow into the cooler. Mike L told me to try that heat sink cooler about a year ago and I have some high hopes for it based on material surface area and cost. I can't really add a fan to it but it should have the ability to remove a lot of heat. Especially on long drives which is where these coolers really seem to be paying dividends.

 

[malibu795]

currently i'm grossin 25,000 via V2 the following temps are
iat 50c
ect80c
ftemp 61c
aat 55
i let the truck high idle to cool the fuel tank of it was 80c when i got of the freeway
i haven't been able to switch my v2 to sae yet..

 

[malibu795]

running down the rd its
49
87
80
54
same order running665-68

 

[malibu795]

so with the new truck i monitors fuel temps... stock system was avg range as 160-190*F.. since i not useing the red truck i pulled the oil cooler off it redid the brackets and did this...
B&M 70274 29k cooler
http://www.jegs.com/i/B&M/130/70274/10002/-1
fan is a 10" proform rated @ 1000cfm
http://www.jegs.com/i/Proform/778/67010/10002/-1

fuel temps have dropped to 110-130* mpg avg tank to tank picked up ~1mpg from 11.5 to 12.5
lift pump is this.. i have ~30k on the one in my red truck
http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/15913/10002/-1

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

Anyone have an idea of how much temp is increase when pressurized in the rails?

 

[juddski88]

What? The temp sending unit is on the return side just after exiting the high pressure system. So as in accurate as the sensor is to some standard, its value minus ambient would give you your answer right?

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

Well if you've measured the fuel temps before cp3 you'd see that the temps get about 180 just idling. I haven't really paid any attention to logging return temp. But the best thing to do to keep fuel temps in control would be to reroute the fuel lines. Do away with the hard lines running through the valley etc. I am going with a custom distribution block over this winter. Just was curious if anyone's ever done the math on temps increase as pressurized

 

[SgtKilroy]

My fuel cooling/fuel tank project is coming along. I now have a 36 gal fuel cell where my spare tire used to be and the heat sink cooler mounted on the frame. I still have to work out something clever for the fill neck, but we'll see how it goes.
Pics:
Crossmember is out! Thanks SawzAll!

New crossmembers welded in, tank mounted, AD relocated, and new fuel cooler installed. Got rid of the factory cooler completely.

Another look.

I'm really hoping to get some better MPG between the aluminum fuel tank, and the fuel cooler.

 

[malibu795]

looks good:thumb:

i picked up a 27gl aux tank (175 for tank, sending unit straps) off a 08 C&C that i'm going to mount same location. like to have one 50-60gl tank instead of two tank system.. ~700.00 and they can make one that takes the GM sending unit.. figured 30x26x16 would be ~60g
http://www.fleettruckparts.com/Fuel...lon-Milgrade-Aluminum-16-x-22-x-26-Both-Sides
with the crossmember tied into the rear shackle hangers.. i have to think about the new crossmembers pluss i got the IBC modul back there as well

 

[juddski88]

Well if you've measured the fuel temps before cp3 you'd see that the temps get about 180 just idling. I haven't really paid any attention to logging return temp. But the best thing to do to keep fuel temps in control would be to reroute the fuel lines. Do away with the hard lines running through the valley etc. I am going with a custom distribution block over this winter. Just was curious if anyone's ever done the math on temps increase as pressurized

So your basically just questioning the effectiveness of a better cooler because it may heat up to the same temp in the rails regardless? Correct?

 

[SgtKilroy]

That sounds awesome Adam. Question for you though. I put a 0-90ohm level sender in my new tank instead of the factory sender. But it only reads full. Any idea what's wrong? I've tried switching the wires but it's the same result.