2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Aux Tank Gravity Feed Please

[Mundgyver]

Just bought an 80 gallon in-bed with tool box auxillary tank. I want to gravity feed but would like some info on how to accomplish this without overflowing the stock tank. I know someone has done this and has a schematic of how the tied in. Just want to get it right the first time so I don't have to worry about it. I like the idea of being able to just fill it and forget about it till I need to fill again.



Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

 

[JFaughn]

I think the simplest way could be to have a valve that you can control in the cab , and watch the gauge , there is a significant time delay at gauge when filling , I seen a pluming tee that goes into the fill neck of the stock fill neck , for input from bed tank .

 

[TyThompson]

I just have a valve that feeds into the smaller vent tube that comes up to the filler neck, then I just watch the guage then shut the valve off...

 

[WDaniels]

Mundgyver,

I did the same with a 113 gallon semi fuel tank. All I did was to pull out the rubber fill tube just above the roll over ball and cut the tube about a foot or so from the top where it mounts to the fuel door. Then I got a piece of copper tubing the same size OD as the ID of the filler pipe. I then drilled a hole 3/8 or 5/16 hole in the tubing,(think it was 3/8)then got a 3/8 copper tubing and silver soldered it on and made a gradual bend so it almost ran the same direction as the fill pipe. Held them on with alligator clamps(pipe clamps) and ran a 3/8 ID rubber tube from the tank down through an existing hole in the bed, along the bottom of the bed into the small tube. Then all you have to do is to make sure that your OEM fill cap is on tight and let the fuel gravity feed. It should not overflow. The OEM cap is designed not to let any fuel out in case of a roll over. By the way, this is the perfect time to remove the roll over ball also. Hope this helps.

WD

 

[Ragain]

When I first installed my aux tank I found that gravity feed wasn't a good idea. Somehow the tank would leak, probably from the roll over vent on the in-tank module. My line from the aux tank is connected to the aux port on the tank module. I use my lift pumps when they get weak mounted under the bed with an electric solenoid shut of valve. A lighted rocker switch mounted in the overhead console to control the transfer process. Then I set my alarm on my cell phone for 20 minutes to remind me to turn it off. (makes a huge mess otherwise!)

 

[RDHamill]

I'm thinking of using this

Diesel Install Kit for Auxiliary Diesel Fuel Tank — Fits Ford and Dodge Trucks, Model# 011025 | Auxiliary Fuel Tanks | Northern Tool + Equipment

hope it prevents any spills

good luck

 

[scotmartin]

Take a look at my pics in the reader rigs area. I had a home-made gravity system in my 99.

 

[Mundgyver]

Well, things change The 80 gallon tank with tool chest was too deep and interfered with my turnover hitch. Took the tank back to Wilco and went with my original thought and found I saved about $150 and I now have an aluminum diamond tank by Dee-Zee that holds 109 gallons.



I took the bottom left corner drain and attached a 1/4 turn 3/8ths ID ball balve to it and then ran that to a 3/8ths ID bulk head fitting and then routed to the outflow of the air-sep return line from my 150 gph FASS to the vent neck on the fill port. Works very well so far just feeding it in and then shutting it off.



This next week we will be going over to Salmon and back and I am going to just drive and leave the valve open and see how it handles that. I installed a locking gas cap for the big tank and one on the trucks tank. When the stock gas cap was on there was no leaking during static test. I will repeat this test before driving and then will try it while driving and see what happens.



I now have 143 gallons on board. The truck gets 21 to 22 mpg on the road, so in theory I have a 3000 to 3100 mile unrefueled range when empty.



I did manage to save 20 cents a gallon this last week when I did my first fill of 115 gallons. Oo. Chevron was 20 cents higher than Tarr was.



So this is just one more step in my prep for going to Alaska one of these days just to see the country. Maybe this year if I am lucky and things work out.



Thanks for all the inputs.

 

[ANicklas]

I've been toying with the idea of adding an in-bed tank... . does anyone have any experiences with them and stacks? I don't think they'd get too hot, but I'm not sure.

 

[rweis]

RDHamill -



I use that and would not recommend it. The fitting on the 1 1/4 filler tube is 3/8 od to fit the 3/8 id of the hose. BUT the id of the fitting is about 1/8 id.



I installed it before taking a 3000 miles trip towing 13k 5er last summer.



I found that with DD2's and a Smarty on #3 that the fuel feed from the aux bed would barely keep up with engine injector requirements. If I was empty then it would slowly, and I mean slowly, fill the tank. Took about 6 hours to fill the tank from 1/4 to full empty. Overnight sitting in the parking lot it would fill the tank. To make it functional, I had to fill the OEM tank, then fill the aux bed tank. That worked reasonably well.



If your injectors are much larger than DD2's I do not think the Northern filler would do it. ALSO, you can find the same thing on EBay from RDS (the manufacturer) for about $20 rather than the $80 from Northern Tool. Guess how I found that out?



Bob Weis



I do not have a tank seepage problem. I connect the roll over from the tank to the vent on the aux tank and have a atmospheric vent on the aux tank. DO NOT drill a small hole in the fill standpipe of the aux tank for a vent, when the aux tank is FULL it will slosh fuel out that 1/16" hole when you are going around the mountains back and forth and up and down. Guess how I found that out?

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I ran a 60gal gravity feed on my truck with 3/8" line. It would take a while to feed, but I T'd a vent line that vented the main tank and the aux tank. used a fuel filter laid inside the box (above the tank) this helped it fuel faster. I just opened the valve when I started driving, and it would keep up fine.



I drove from Phoenix to San Antonio non-stop. That's a pretty long haul w/ no RR breaks

 

[Mundgyver]

Wed this week we will find out how this set up works. I have a 715 mile drive ahead of me. I normally make this on about 31 gallons of fuel with no problem. I am going to top off everything as I begin the trip and see how it goes.



The fuel that is comming from the aux tank feeds into the air return line from the FASS air-sep port back to the fill neck vent line. I don't think this will pose any problems to drive and just leave the isolation valve on the aux tank open. But we will keep a watchfull eye on it this first run.



I did find one other interesting item this week. The questions is, is there anybody on TDR running one of these devices and if so, how do you like it



Turn Your Diesel Engine into a H



The theory is sound, it is the application that I am wondering about.

 

[rweis]

Seems like I remember a comment about OTR Class 8's using something like this. Reminds me of HS Chemistry Lab. Seems like a through web search is in order.



Bob Weis

 

[Mundgyver]

Gorilla Development LLC - Press



This is a company that makes a bigger one. I like the idea, but the expense is up there. They have some interesting videos.

 

[John - K5AWO]

Over 2 grand for a pickup truck model. Going to take a life time to get a break even point on fuel savings.

 

[Mundgyver]

The concept makes sense. The pricing is outragous though. For those who have a little time and skill with welding, here is an open link for a set of blue prints to build your own. Just pick your scale for size.



OS:Joe Cell:Blueprints - PESWiki



This is probably what I will do when I get my shop back in order this spring.

 

[tmees]

I have 2 ball valves. First mounted at the aux tank outlet in the bed. Second valve under the bed on the front leaf spring perch. The hose then "T"s into the smaller dia hose on the fill neck. The factory tank will drip if I leave the valves open all night and have the 100 gal aux tank full. I drive while the tank is filling and pull over to close one of the valves. This usually is about the time my wife needs to pit stop after our last stop for food/drink... .

 

[tmees]

I can make it from Portland,OR to San Diego and back without refueling.

 

[Mundgyver]

Nice how much fuel are you carrying? What kind of mileage are you getting?

 

[rweis]

I am in Chicago right now, and do not have my notes, but when I searched the Internet, there was a company that made a 2 cell, 4 cell, 6 cell and the $ was like $200, $240, $280. Others were like in the $1000 +.



The company that made the 2/4/6 cell also talked about 2 - 3 mpg gain which is possibly achievable. If I could get +2 mpg that = $320 / yr, +3 mpg that = $ 400 / year. Which seems reasonable.



I wonder about any characteristics of the higher btu with the smaller volume of diesel as far as lubrication of the cylinder walls, rings, etc.



Bob Weis