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Look at this 17 gallon reserve fuel tank in my trunk!

Started by WrightSounds, 26 November 2012, 12:06 PM

WrightSounds

Quote from: andyatcrux on 27 November 2012, 03:42 PM
When diesel shot up to $4.60 here I was getting the B99 for $3.99 and will be getting a $.50 tax credit per gallon.

Andy, what is the .50ยข/gal tax credit about? Is it for using Biodiesel?

WrightSounds

Just read about it on the SeQuential site. Very cool.

ZCarFan

Hmm...  short of an apocalypse, I don't think it is necessary but looks well-implemented.  When I was a bit younger, 500 miles in one shot was easy, not so much now. :)  My LeSabre would do just about that far on a tank though. 

Casey

I have a very similar tank I pulled from a junk yard.  It's not pointless at all.  In many parts of the USA, diesel stations are much harder to find than gasoline.  Besides which, I'd rather go to a station as infrequently as possible, and then get stunned looks from the cashiers when I prepay with cash and they see that it actually takes $200 in fuel when I come back for change. :P

If you don't drive that much, these also can make a lot of sense as you can fill up whenever the ever-fluctuating gas prices drop, and just skimp by on a few gallons when they're high.

Mine does not have a separate filler cap though - it just fills when you fill the main tank by gravity - there's a ventilation tube that comes from the top center of the tank to a hole drilled behind the regular fuel door.  I don't think you should need  to use the extra cap to fill yours - just loosen it to allow air to escape while filling the main tank - gravity will take care of the rest.

Casey

Quote from: wbrian63 on 27 November 2012, 07:46 AM
17 gallons of diesel = 121 lbs (267kg) of additional weight to haul around as well.

...which won't make a lick of difference to fuel economy or performance in a 4,000lb car anyways.  I once loaded a couple *thousand* extra pounds (at least) in my first Mercedes diesel (a 1976 W115 240D) and took a 2,700 mile drive.  No observable drop in fuel economy at all, just a little sluggish when I headed up the steep Rocky mountains...  I averaged 42 miles per gallon on that trip.

Besides which, it'll help balance out the normally front-heavy car.  Remember an OM617 is even heavier than an M117.

WrightSounds

Hey Casey,
What would you do to remove the tank? I started a thread but haven't got any responses: http://forum.w116.org/interiors-and-exteriors/tips-for-removing-auxiliary-fuel-tank-from-trunk/

I unfortunately don't get a lot of time with the car since my wife drives it to work Mon-Fri and I work weekends. She gets home late, it's dark, raining, etc, so I don't have much time (or light) to check things out myself. And when I do have time it's very short lived with plenty of spousal-pressure. Like when i tried to change the light bulb under the gear shifter... "Do you really want to try that now... we're leaving in 45 minutes" says wifey.  :(

I feel like just pulling it out and capping the two hoses and being done with it. Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated!

Casey

Quote from: WrightSounds on 15 February 2013, 12:52 PM
What would you do to remove the tank? I started a thread but haven't got any responses: http://forum.w116.org/interiors-and-exteriors/tips-for-removing-auxiliary-fuel-tank-from-trunk/
[...]
I feel like just pulling it out and capping the two hoses and being done with it. Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated!

I have no idea, without being able to see how it's installed better.  But in short, if you truly don't want it, I'd be trying to get the car back to stock as possible.  Probably the hoses are spliced under the car - on the one I removed, the line that came out of the fuel strainer on the main tank (accessible from the bottom of the vehicle) was spliced in to a hose coming from a hole cut into the bottom of the trunk.  So that would mean getting a patch of metal welded in to fill that hole, along with the holes drilled in the sides of the trunk to mount the auxiliary tank to the chassis, and replacing the line that comes from the bottom of the tank with a new one that did not have the splice.  Forgive me but it's been a long time since I've been under a diesel tank, and I know that the setup is different - on the gas models a short hose comes out of the strainer and goes into a fuel filter and pump.  I forget how the diesel setup looks. :/

Anyways if you get under the car and get some pictures of the bottom of the tank so I can see what's going on, I might be able to give better advice.

Are there extra holes drilled into your main fuel tank?  If so I'd just go to a junk yard, find a replacement, and replace the whole tank.  Really not that hard of a job.

WrightSounds

Thanks Casey. My wife is supposed to be home early (meaning some daylight left) so I'll get some photos of it. I do think you're correct, though. I'll post pics as soon as I can.

thanks!

WrightSounds

Ok, I have removed the auxiliary tank from the trunk. I replaced one fuel hose that the auxiliary tank was spliced into. I have my trunk back, and access to the vacuum reservoir thing (that IS leaking), but better yet I have a 17 gallon auxiliary tank for sale  :)

Does anybody have an idea of market value for something like this? I know it's rather desirable, especially in the veggie oil world. This is the only thing similar I've found so far: http://www.ebay.com/itm/17-Gallon-RCI-Fuel-Cell-Gas-Tank-Aluminum-Heavy-Duty-Street-Racing-NEW-RCI-2171A-/290915948182?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43bbf11696&vxp=mtr

If anybody has purchased or sold one of these I'd love to know for how much! And if anybody in the Portland, OR area is interested, send me a message!

Thanks,
Matt