Auxilary Fuel Tank "2005"

[NStates]

I have installed an auxiliary fuel tank on my 2005 Dodge Ram. It was on a 1997 prior to this installation. Since the fuel systems are different do I need to change the installation?

I have installed it as it was on the 97 but would be interested in any input from others who have made a similar installation.



Norm

 

[OHale]

I have installed an auxiliary fuel tank on my 2005 Dodge Ram. It was on a 1997 prior to this installation. Since the fuel systems are different do I need to change the installation?

I have installed it as it was on the 97 but would be interested in any input from others who have made a similar installation.



Norm

Whether your old tank is a gravity-fed system or a pumped system (like the TransferFlow) is the most important difference. Your 2005 has an in-tank fuel pump so if you have a gravity-fed bed tank you can't tie it directly into your fuel system via a transfer valve because you don't have a lift pump to suck from your aux tank.



A TransferFlow will transfer fuel to your stock tank so that would work with your 2005. If you buy a bed tank like an American Tank they will sell you one with an in-tank pump to push fuel to your engine when you switch to your aux tank. If your old tank is gravity-fed only you will need to add a pump to push fuel to your engine.



Somebody please correct me if I have this wrong!

 

[puebla]

Keep it simple fellas, how about gravity feeding the fuel to the stock tank, that simplifies the tank install by eliminating an extra gauge and an extra fuel pump. I installed my tank in my 05 CTD QC 3500 4x4 NV5600 this exact way. I drilled a 1/2 inch hole into the metal portion of the fuel filler neck and then threaded the hole, then screwed in a 1/2 inch fuel nipple, soldered it and connected it to a valve and the tank via a small drainplug that is located on the bottom of the drivers side of the tank, most aftermarket tanks have a small drain in that location. The bed tank keeps the stock tank topped off. I can leave it open and the stock tank never overfills.

 

[OHale]

Simpler than that would be to use the aux fuel fitting already on the tank, no drilling or parts required other than a piece of hose and a clamp.



The subject of the legality and safety of running a gravity-fed system into the stock tank comes up on the TDR from time to time. Here is just one thread I found in a quick search.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...5&highlight=legality+fuel+line+stock+tank+aux

 

[scotty1]

I am running a small Carter from a top pick up tube on the in bed tank to the filler as described above. In Canada [eh] and some states, gravity on a commercially registered truck is against their laws. I have a gate valve inline too. When I see the factory tank fuel gauge low, I flip the switch in the truck to move fuel to the factory tank.



I am running this on an 04 that has the in-tank retro fit from Dodge.



I am also looking at taking my fuel from the in bed tank and then moving fuel from the factory tank to it after it cools from the return line. The fuel in these trucks gets REAL hot and it messed up the entire in-tank assembly on my truck, plus it messed up a few of my fuel filters and caused the truck to run poorly when the pick up tube melted and was closing shut. Then it broke down and I was sucking air and losing pressure/fuel supply. Sorry to be off topic... I will go to my room but this is something that is happening to a few of us.



A fuel cooler is looking good too. I might mount one up front off of the return line and see if that helps.



fuel temps over 180 is too high for efficiency and for some of the plastic tank and components.



Time to go and try re plumbing now.



Scotty

 

[OHale]

Hi Scotty,



Very interesting information in your post. I hadn't thought about fuel heat. My American Tank (40 gal. ) is under the tonneau and it gets rather hot under there in the summer. It does have a fuel return and I plumbed the vent line into the factory aux fuel fitting because the vent line would drip diesel when the tank was fuel and it was hot.



When you write that the heat messed up your in-tank assembly do you mean the pumpless assembly before you had the in-tank set up or your Dodge-supplied in-tank assembly? I ask because I thought the retro fit in-tank assembly was supposed to greatly improve pump cooling. I am still debating whether to go ahead and buy and spare lift pump and refuse the in tank converson or just 'go with the flow' (pun intended. )



Thanks,

O.

 

[scotty1]

The only difference between the in-tank assembly of the 04 and the 05 trucks is/are the lift pump inside the assembly in the tank for the 2005 trucks. To components that were distorted and looked melted was the entire outer shroud of the assembly and the internal plastic parts such as the pick up tube. The pump in-tank may be cool for awhile but I bet it gets warm in that tank when the fuel temp gets over 180F. I wonder what the temp is on a pump outside the tank?



The heat is coming from the injector pump return line more then heat build up in a fuel cell. If anything, the larger fuel cell or tank would/should help to dissipate this high heat situation. Add a defective pressure relief and the temp goes up even more... at least that is what we encountered on my truck on long drives.



I noticed that while towing and the truck sat overnite, it took about 1 hour on a full factory tank before it started to sputter. Everytime I filled up if it was under 1/2 full I had the steam rolling out of the factory tank. If I topped up the heated fuel, I had the sputter in about 45 minutes. What we determined was happening is the temp of the fuel in the tank reached a point that started to compromise some of the plastic components. Initially it looked like the pick up tube was getting sucked almost shut when it was softening up from the heated fuel. Then it distorted so bad it opened up at the top of the tank and I lost fuel pressure/power and fuel supply to the point it felt like the truck was falling on its face under throttle.



On part of the trip I was stopping more often for my wife as she is pregnant and I had to help eat the cravings... :-laf Each time I topped up the tank and I had less of the sputter or stumble until I got back down the road for about an hour.



There was a post here from someone saying that some people have obviously not seen the coiled, floating pick up tube these tanks have. Well, I had nothing like that in my tank. Not sure where they got their info from on that unless a different supplier made them for Dodge.



I think the hot fuel is doing more of the harm then poor fuel to the lift pumps.

I also think that adding power could be contributing or amplifying the problem.



My dealer knows what I have been using for power and the symptom did not change irregardless of what combination I used. Stock or not.



If my memory serves me correctly [not always the case] The majority of these lift or pusher pumps have plastic internal parts. correct?

 

[OHale]

Hi Scott,



I know very little about the retro- pusher pumps regarding their internals. A hard nylon could be a good thing as opposed to a metal that could corrode or pick up deposits, but like you say, such high heat is a bad thing indeed.



I have been inside the tank of my '95 (sold) and it did have a coiled pick up tube but it did not float, it was anchored to the bottom of the fuel sending assembly. I looked at the shop manual for my '04. 5 but it didn't show any internal details on the fuel tank module, just the external fittings. From what you write I am now curious as to whether or not I have a floating pick up or not.



You must have had some incredible heat in your tank! I should look up what temp diesel vaporizes, but to have vapor it must have been super hot. Also the fuel pickup, if made of standard nylon or tygon shouldn't melt until a very high temp. It sounds like you must have been getting fuel temps over 200 F. I would think at that point the tank would be hot to the touch. Thanks very much for the information!



Your wife must be a very kind person. Many pregnant wives will boil over before a fuel tank will as their pressure relief valves don't always operate normally while pregnant. :-laf

 

[scotty1]

Yes the tank was VERY hot... scorching hot the one time I reached under to see if it was actually that hot to have steam coming out of it. I had a friend point an infra red thermometer at the tank one time and it registered 180F outside the tank! This was before I had any stem too. He felt his infra red was defective until he put his hand on the tank. The tank had 1/4 fuel in it.



My wife says that as long as I do what I am told when it comes to cravings, the pressure relief valve will stay intact.



Actually its a lot easier then I have heard from other dads-to-be.







I wonder what the pressurizing of the fuel by the CP3 raises the fuel temps too? Anyone know how to convert pressure to temperature in diesel?



If the fuel is recirculating and getting heated over and over, there must be a residual effect that gets the temps up there. Maybe that is why the 3rd gens are not netting the big mileage claims that DC initially was boasting about with the common rail?



Scotty