93beater

how to install a auxillary fuel tank in the bed, the 1 i will be puttin in is small but much needed. im a broke teenager so it will have to be gravity flow... and i'd like to do it without droping the tank.. if anyone has pictures it'd be much appericated!!

BearKiller

I wouldn't never ever not in a life-time trust any of those "gravity flow" or "transfer flow" set-ups where the fuel from the big tank just dumps into the little tank; they are just a recipe for a disaster and possibly a big EPA clean-up bill plus fines.


The proper way to add an auxilliary tank is to have a draw-straw through the top of the tank and a MANUAL tank-selector valve.

For convenience, you can add a second valve to switch the return lines; or, if you are an alert individual that doesn't try to drive while texting, you can live without the return-line valve and just draw from the stock tank until nearly EMPTY, then switch to the big tank and it will FILL the small tank while you are running on the big tank.

When the small tank gauge nears FULL, just switch back to it and so forth and so on.


WeatherHead is the tank-selector valve of choice; try to avoid one with a plastic "ball", a steel ball is preferable.



I mount manual fuel-selector valves through the floor in the area between the driver and door where they are easily accessible, while being out of the way, right alongside of the MICO-LOCK and Vernier Throttle.

93beater

well a lot of the people around here just run a gravity flow line from big tank in the bed to the tank under the bed and put a petcok to turn it on and off..... and just turn it off when the stock tank is almost full... that way nothing would overflow and the tank is registerd. its not illegal to my knowledge... ? but i really do agree with you and it sounds like your set up would work awesome.. do u have any pictures and maybe an estimate of how much all the parts will cost? how hard is it to do??

Santaclaus

Northern Tools has a contraption that goes in the filler hose and control the flow of fuel in to the tank. A friend of mine that delivers trailers uses one and swears by it. He runs the fuel from the aux. tank to a filter under the truck ( valve on each side ) then to this device. Only fuels the aux. tank. Mike

BearKiller

Sorry, no pictures.

Cost is only whatever two manual selector valves, some barbs, hose, and clamps would amount to.

You could probably go first class and use all JIC fittings with Push-Lok hose and not spend over $100.


If your truck still has the rusty metal hard-lines along the inside of the frame, these would need be completely replaced with rubber lines; no big deal and they probably need replacing anyway.


You just mount the valves wherever you want, such that the operating lever ends up inside the cab where it is easy to access (the lever comes off the shaft, you poke the shaft through a tiny hole, then reinstall the lever.).

You route a RETURN line from each tank to the RETURN valve; then, from the bottom port of the valve, route the main RETURN line to the engine, such that switching the valve switches flow of fuel from one tank to the other.

You then do the same for the DRAW lines.

I always orient the valves and lines such that when the FRONT tank is selected, the little pointy end of the lever is pointing forward; that way forward always means FRONT tank.

BearKiller

A big advantage of plumbing the tanks as I describe is, should a situation occur that dis-ables either tank, you can just run on the other tank until the problem is fixed, without completely dis-abling the truck.

For example, should a tire or the drive-shaft sling something into the factory tank and knock a hole in it, you would still be able to drive the truck by simply turning the valve to another tank.

Bob Beauchaine

My Aero in bed aux tank and the main are run through two manual valves. One is for fuel flow the other is hooked up to return line. I have them positioned under the drivers side floor right next to the seat. I can switch them on the fly if needed. I've also wired the fuel senders from both tanks through a SPDT switch so I can read fuel level in each tank as I use it. The system has worked great for the past 7+ years.

Since I've got a bed cap on I've installed a fuel door from a first gen so that I can fill both tanks from outside and on the same side.

Bob

BearKiller

I have also got the two factory gauge-senders controlled by a toggle, oriented such that flipped forward is FRONT and rearward is REAR.

The big auxilliary has a seperate gauge all it's own.


My set-up is basically what you have done, with the exception that I have three tanks.




I take it you mean that you have the filler-neck and fuel-door mounted in the topper as if it were mounted in the bed-side, right ??

That is some slick thinking.

bgilbert

How does broke teenager and auxillary fuel tank even relate? How does a broke teenager afford to fill up a 30 gallon primary fuel tank AND an auxillary in bed tank? Sounds to me you should take the money needed for the extra tank and plumbing it and just put it in your stock, primary, 30 gallon fuel tank. Unless you're trailer pulling across the country I just don't see how you can afford to fill up more than 15-20 gallons at a time. Just my broke opinion.

Bob Beauchaine

Yes on the topper mounted fuel door. The junk yard cut out a 1' section with the door and filler neck in the center. The rest was all fabrication. The color even matched my truck color.

Bob

BearKiller

Once it's FULL, it don't cost a cent more to run around with plenty of fuel than it does to always be on EMPTY.


A big fuel tank is just like a bill-fold, once you get two hundreds in there, they just seem to multiply on their own. (NOTE: this won't work with plastic money; it has got to be good old American green.)

bgilbert

We should always keep plenty of fuel in our tanks, at least 1/2 tank IMO. We should never treat them like we would do to a 93 Camry and run it til the low fuel light comes one. What I do is treat the 1/2 mark at empty. When the level gets to half, I fill up. Costs less, and you don't have to worry about the issues associated with low fuel in the tank.

This is all local driving btw. Over a long run I wouldn't stop every 1/2 tank. That would be where a bigger or additional tank would come in handy, JMO.

93beater

i am broke, but when me and my buddys are travlin to rodeos in my truck we hate havin to stop and fuel up sometimes i will only get 8 mpg due to lots of hills haulin rear cause were late and a 6 horse gooseneck trailer loaded... it becomes a pain in the rear! and sometimes its better to put all the fuel money we have in before we spend it at the bar!! the fuel tank is also for purposes like fillin my tractors, friends trucks etc... i have the tank tested and have the set-up im goin to be using figured out, will post pics when done! thanks for all the help fellas

BearKiller

Well, that explains your situation of financial embarrassment.

Broke and rodeo in the same sentence go together like ice goes with cold.