Article Comment: Long Range Fuel Tanks

Hi Roachie,
Just about to take delivery of a 2015 Denali,..... can I ask where you sourced ur 215 litre poly tank, I'm assuming it is a replacement tank not an auxiliary tank.
Does it hang down further that the original tank?
Thanks in anticipation
Tony

I don't see no drain plug as a big issue. I agree with Peter a drain plug could be added. I will leave it as is till I get some bad fuel which may not happen, and in the meantime I do not have to worry about a drain plug coming out and losing fuel. If I get bad fuel I will drill a drain hole and fill it with a screw or whatever and make a more permanent plug when I get to civilisation.

Fuel gauge works like other big replacement tanks , takes a couple of hundred K's to move off full
If you have a computer with DTE , it will no longer be accurate.

The only thing replaced is the tank. The original pickup, filter and gauge are used. The gauge still works but takes a lot longer to come down. Typically the gauge does not move until you have done 200+ k's and when the warning light comes on you still have 200+ k's left.

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Fuel gauges indicate the height of fuel in a tank. If the new long-range tank is of similar height to the one it replaces then the properly transferred gauge will still correctly indicate the height of fuel in the tank. Some tanks are irregular in shape so the gauge indication may not be truly proportional to the volume of fuel, only the height.

If the gauge does not indicate 100% when the tank is full, or does not move down until some fuel is consumed, then it has not been set up correctly. My gauge reads close to correct at zero and 100%. ARB did a good job.

As you say Jackolux, the DTE would require recalibration for a tank volume change. This may be difficult if the tank shape is irregular.

The idea with long range tanks is top empty them and then fill with say 20L.
Bend the sender so that is lights the dashboard empty light at this level. Doesn't really matter how full it is, just know when you are coming close to disaster.

My Longranger water.diesel tank has around 300Km before the gauge even notices anything is gone. It has a built in water tank that stops the gauge getting right to the top.
Its not a problem as you quickly learn what range your tanks give you. Just make sure you know when its becoming empty.

I don't think there'd be a lot of weight difference between the aluminiumised steel and poly.
Beside my Longranger, I have a 60lt Boab Dolium extra tank on board, its weight is fairly substantial as they are quite thick walled.

The poly ones are less than half the weight of steel. I have a D-Max and don't see the tank position as any issue. I looked to covering it with a bash plate, but in the end did not as I did believe the effort was worth it. They are very strong and I have never heard of one being broken. The big advantage as I see it, apart from the weight, is being plastic it cannot suffer metal fatigue. The welds on the steel tanks have been known to open up.

I've fitted one of the ARB poly tanks to my BT 50. Original tank was 80ltrs, new tank 140 ltrs, dry weight variance is only +8kg.

I have no concern with regard to sharp rocks cutting into it, they are well made. Have a look at ARB's videos, driving over one of the tanks with a vehicle and belting it repeatedly with a sledge hammer.

I have addressed the distance to empty issue by using a scangauge.

Hi
I am interested also in putting in a long range fuel tank in which would be a ford ranger.
I am concerned about the the fuel gauge and the fuel computer -- LT/100, distance covered , distance to empty.
How is it going with the BT 50?
Here is a couple of articles from a new ranger site.


long range fuel tanks

Postby Boots » Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:25 pm
Still waiting for my frontier tank to arrive. Not overly concerned about trip computer any more. Did some serious 4WDing today with some steep climbs and descents. Played merry hell with the trip computer and the fuel gauge. Around 1/4 of an hour or so going down hill and the gauge went from around 1/2 full down to 1/4 full and stayed there for ages, then when I was going up the other side, the litres per 100 Kms average went from 14.5 to over 17, as you would expect. Trip computer then told me I had 129 Km to empty (with half a tank). Then I had a long mostly downhill drive out of the high country and 90 of Kms later, I still had 129 Kms to empty. I must admit, I hadn't paid much attention before I started looking at long range tanks, but it seems like the trip computer is fine on hwy or relatively flat roads, but chucks a wobbly in the steep stuff.

And then concerns on what is left in the tank.

I have had the brown Davis 145l tank for a few months now.
Every time it says it's empty it can only take about 120litres leaving approx 25 to 30 in the tank.
Has anyone run their ranger until fuel cutoff on any of these?
Any one done any modification?
Any feedback please.

You'll possibly be able to get the computer recalibrated to the new tank size, but probably best to just learn your vehicle tanks new little idiosyncrasies.
Eg a few tests on fuel used until the needle is on full (for my tank it's 400km and 40lt used), then what's in the tank at various stages, particularly when on say 1/4 tank, when fuel warning light comes on, and empty on gauge.

Lachie, the only way to resolve the DTE that I'm aware of is to use an aftermarket gauge, I'm using a Scangauge.

If the tank to on board computer algorithm could have been redone it would have been according to the ARB guy who heads up the Fronier tanks.

The Frontier tank for the BT 50 and PX Ranger is 140 ltr capacity, but again from direct conversations with Stewart from ARB's Frontier tanks the best that they achieved in testing was 132 usable ltrs before the computer senses low fuel and goes into limp mode.

I have set my Scangauge on a DTE of 128 ltrs. Still a lot better than the original tank where it might have been possible to get about 72 usable ltrs.

This usable capacity of the Frontier tank is similar to my previous experience with steel long range tanks in other vehicles.

With my old 100 series I had two tanks so did not get to concerned when one was getting low. At the first splutter just switch to the other tank. With my D-Max and one 140 lt tank I will carry a 5 lt container of diesel so I can get the full range out of the tank. I am of the school that likes to run my tank right out on a regular basis so I do not get a build up of water and other contaminants, they are filtered out on a constant basis. I had not thought of the newer vehicles going into limp mode if fuel is low. I need to find this out as I will be out in the deserts later this year because your carrying capacity is not important, its your usable capacity that important.

Another idea I am thinking about or has been suggested to me is a secondary tank in either a slim tank under the tray or one in the tray..

http://www.enmachind.com.au/product-category/poly-rv-accessories/rv-4wd-diesel-tanks/
Lachie

Lachie, the second tank has a lot of merit, separate tank in case one does leak or contamination.

I was concerned about weight distribution between front and rear axle and also if the tank was to be positioned behind the rear axle - I didn't want that weight there if I could avoid it, which in my case it would have been as I have a water tank under the tray at the front.

A second tank is a very good idea. I would not be overly concerned about weight distribution as most of the time it will not be full. I would normally keep about 100 kilometres of fuel in it so you can get the full range of your main tank without fear of being stranded. You only fill it right up when outback when you need more range. Use it up first and if your at all worried about weight distribution, just take it easy until it is down to about 100 km's left. Does not have to be that big, but it is very comforting knowing that should the main tank run out, you know how many kilometres you have left. I have one 140 lt long range tank but I always carry a 10 litre container of fuel for just in case situations. Its just a cheaper way of having a second tank.