gravity feed aux tank filtered

[one8upcb]

I have an aux tank that is gravity fed through the filler neck and i was wondering if anyone has used an inline filter. Will it still flow? If so What kind? How often should you change it?

 

[wheatman]

i'm real curious about this too. looking at setting up a toolbox/aux tank from northern tools which is gravity fed.



do you have a backup manual cutoff valve installed? how has the gravity flow worked so far?



another thing been thinking of is installing a fuel pump between the aux tank and reg tank. this would be enough pressure to flow through filter and give a little manual control of fuel feed.



wheatman

 

[mcandies]

I use a cheap electric fuel pump and an electric valve to transfer fuel into my main tank, (both connected on the same switch). Pumping through a filter, it takes about 40 min. , while traveling 65 mph, to bring the main tank level up from 1/4 to full.

 

[jelag]

I own 3 trucks... all 3500's with tanks in the bed... . we tired this and found that once the filter had a month or two on it, the fuel wouldn't flow fast enough to fill the main tank... . We later installed an electric fuel pump with a 1/2lb back check valve so that the fuel can't siphon through the pump to the main tank...

We have a dash switch and turn it on... we've installed a small LED on the dash to remind the driver the transfer is going on... .

When it takes about 3x's as long to fill the tank from when we use a new filter we change it again..... We're using a filter about the size of the oil filter on the truck... . and it usually lasts us about a year... .

Our 04 has 240K miles and I'm guessing that 90% of the fuel has gone into the bed tank (130 gal), through the pump and filter to the main tank... . we usually empty the big tank and when the main tank is at 60% or so we stop for fuel...

The tanks in the bed are home made with a slight slant in the bottom and the port on the tank runs out the plastic plug in the front of the bed. . they are bolted into the front of the bed, on the top of the bed rail..... The fill spout is on the passenger side so we can pull into a card lock and fill both tanks at once... at the high speed nozzles... we set the main tank on slow and the bed tank on fast... The pumps are Holley Red Pumps, and fill the tank with a clean filter in 15 min or so.....

We bought the pumps at Summitracing.com and the 1/2 lb back check valve at the local hose supplier with the rest of the 1/2" pipe fitting..... might be 3/8" fittings... . don't remember... . the newest is now almost 3 years old...

Hope this helps... ...

 

[MMeier]

Just remember gravity fed tanks are a no-no. DOT does not like that, at least install a ball valve or something so it doesn't flow all the time.

 

[Scrappy]

Mine is gravity feed (for now) from the Aux. tank thru a manual ball valve (so I can change the filter) into a 10 micron fuel transfer filter with water separator, thru an electric valve then to the factory tank. it will transfer slightly faster than the truck can use it from the tank.

 

[jelag]

MMeier

We have 2 other trucks the same way, not dodges... we have a dot number and scale these trucks all the time and each has been involved in at least 3 inspections every year by the guys in the scale houses... . I understand what you say, but we've never been asked, or have they been checked past the point of dipping the tanks looking for red fuel... ... To be honest, most of the guys at the scale houses or the field commercial officers look for the easy stuff..... We travel OR, WA, ID, CA, AZ, UT, NV, MT, BC, Alberta

I've been grilled several times coming north on 95? from CA into Vegas and on to I-15, jump scales, inspections, etc... .

Just my 5 cents worth...

BTW, we run a large Navstar with 2 saddle tanks... each 100 gal... its has a pickup in one tank only and a cross over hose. (braided hose) that runs from the bottom of one tank to the bottom of the other tank... . actually about 1 in off the bottom using a side port in the tanks, with the same style hose at the top used to vent the tanks together... .

 

[GaryOwen]

Actually DOT regs say that gravity feed from a tank directly to the engine is illegal. Gravity feed from an aux tank to the main tank is legal.



Gary

 

[RDusch]

I gravity feed mine threw a 10 micron filter (Garber fuel oil filter ) with no problems for 25K miles now.

Rick

 

[Nate]

I plan on using the Fram clear filters like you'd use on a carb'd rig. Like $5 at Walmart for one with 3/8" barbs.



I'm not worried about filtering the tiny stuff, since the main filter will catch it.

 

[jelag]

Nate, some diesel fuels will attack polycarbonite housings..... your filter for the gas rig might melt and send junk into the good filter... I personally would do something else. . a nice $20 filter is a cheep price compared to the cost of the rest of the injection system...

 

[DHuffman]

I just got my 51 gallon aux. tank from Northern Tool. This install kit is on backorder, so I have some time to figure how I want to mount it.

How did you guys get the line through the bed? Did you drill a hole through the side of the bed, or the floor?



Thanks

 

[rweis]

I just installed a local mfg tank (12wx18hx60l 55gallons). I pull my fuel off the bottom drain at the botom bottom bottom drivers side corner. I had them put the drain there so water would not accumulate under the drain port in the tank. I also have a RACOR 690T fuel filter / water seperator as the first thing out of the OEM tank going into the fuel system. With the extra aux tank I would definitely would want some way to filter water and particulates really well before it gets into the fuel system, yet not have to pump (electrical connections, switches etc)it through from the aux.



Then I went through the bottom of the bed because it is gravity feed. Don't forget to allow for a shutoff valve. I clamped the hose to the top of the bed bottom using those metal stainless steel rubber insert clip type clamps that you can put a 1/4" bolt in the mounting hole (the kind of ones you use to secure cable to a wall, just the metal ones not the nylon ones). You can use an extra clamp on each end of the shutoff valve to physically strap it to the bed so the valve stays put.



Make the hole big enough to pass the line AND fittings you are using. I also allowed room for a grommet to keep the hose from having mechanical interfearence with the sides of the bed hole. Remember you are opening up the bed protective paint cover to rust, so use some kind of a sealer to keep the hole edges from rusting before you put the gromet in. The hole becomes no small hole after it is big enough for the hose, fittings, gromet, so have a place that the hole can be big enough. I used a "step drill" and went to the about 1 1/4" step.



One thing to check FIRST is underneath the bed cross bed support structures and measure where they are. You do not want to start drilling holes in the bed to only find you are trying to mount your stuff right over a bed support member and have to work around that thing.



Knowing it is going to rain sometime in your truck's lifetime with this tank in the bed, make sure the water that goes down through the place the fuel line goes through the bed is not going to pour water on anything else (especially electrical) you may have mounted under there.



I have been having a problem on my 02 with the Vp44 0602 code if the OEM tank does not have any dead air space (ie the OEM tank is slam full). I only get the code if the aux tank has totally filled the OEM and the VP44 return line I have in the tank vent line is under the surface of the fuel. Once the aux is shutoff and the OEM starts to drain down and the VP44 return line in my tank vent line become uncovered (exposed to air) the code stops being set. It is repeatable, VP44 return line can not vent, sets 0602, Vp44 return line can vent, no code. I am going to go with the Northern Equipment check valve that mounts in the large fuel filler hose that will keep the OEM tank from filling slam full (ie only to the point of the check valve (which I will mount as close to the tank moulding as is physically possible)). That should take care of the 0602 problem as well as allow for same thermal expansion.



I think what is happening is I have some air comming through a fuel fitting somewhere, the VP44 is trying to expel that air but is working against the liquid fuel level and is not able to expel the air as easily as it should. When the VP44 return line can "see" air the code does not set. The code only happens at idle (800 rpm, ie the intermediary internal pressure of the VP44 is not really dumping fuel out the VP44 byass valve at a high rate) and not at any throttle advance at all. It also has a characteristic of running rough like an injector not opening / closing correctly. Vp44 return sees air, problem (0602 code) immediate stops happening. What I suggest is let the aux drain, but have a way it does not slam full fill the OEM, hence the Northern Tool check valve in the main fill line is how I am going to approach that.



Oh, also I think the shutoff valve needs to be designed for fuel (ie not the regular standard water ball valve from a plumbing supply because the fuel could deteriorate the nylon seal or o-rings). Auto parts stores have fuel shutoff ball valves designed for fuel.



I have run about 200 gallons through my aux and love it. I love shopping around for fuel and able to pickup 30 - 40 gallons when it is a little cheaper.



Just some thoughts,



Bob Weis

 

[Forrest Nearing]

mine is a 60gal tank/tool from Northern that uses their install kit (I believe)



it's got a ball valve right at the aux tank with the tank vent venting to the top of the aux tank. I need to vent the aux though, after a 1200mile trip, the factory poly tank was crumpled like a empty soda bottle! LOL



mine runs through a large filter and water sep. I really don't think they're necessary, but it doesn't hurt

 

[Nate]

I know a few other members on here/DTR are using the same filter I have, so I don't think it will be a problem. I'll keep an eye on it.

Nate, some diesel fuels will attack polycarbonite housings..... your filter for the gas rig might melt and send junk into the good filter... I personally would do something else. . a nice $20 filter is a cheep price compared to the cost of the rest of the injection system...