What Is a Fuel Swirl Pot and Why You Need One

If your engine ever cuts out during hard cornering, acceleration or braking, you’ve probably hit fuel starvation — and that’s exactly what a fuel swirl pot is designed to prevent.

A swirl pot (sometimes called a fuel surge tank) is a small aluminium tank that sits between your main fuel tank and the high-pressure pump. Its job is to make sure the pump always has a steady, bubble-free supply of fuel — even when the main tank sloshes around under G-forces.

Without a swirl pot, fuel can move away from the pickup during aggressive driving, leaving the pump sucking air. The swirl pot keeps a small, constant reserve of fuel (usually 1–2 litres) and circulates any overflow back to the main tank. The result? No air bubbles, no pressure drops, and no fuel starvation — just consistent performance.

For normal road cars it’s optional, but for track, drift, rally or turbo builds, it’s essential. If you’re running an external pump or converting from carburettors to EFI, it’s one of the smartest upgrades you can make.

At The Alloy Shed, our swirl pots are hand-built from TIG-welded aluminium, pressure-tested and designed for clean, reliable fuel delivery. Built strong, built in the UK — ready for any setup.