Aux Tank Experience?

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Nice!!
I see that you up-armored the bottom just as nicely you did on mine. Beautiful work!

My challenge for Cole now is to see if he can manage to actually whack the tank on something. —That thing is SO well tucked that despite massive bashing on everything else...I’ve yet to see anything touch my LRA! Amazing!

I shall keep trying...

Congrats, @indycole
Be gentle, Mark. He is young :)
 
I do believe Mark just called you out Cole!
Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers

Hehe... Nah...I still haven’t managed to hit mine!

**In other news...**
I finally found some of my own 24 install photos:

Slee bumper also stays in place no problem during installation...

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A couple of 30 second zips is all...

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Thing is a piece of modern art, and VH added my requested extra armor so well it looks like it came that way...
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Twin fill holes hidden nicely under the stock cap...

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Thing is so high and tucked, you literally have to TRY to see it...

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LRA via VH is just plain top notch all the way around. Thanks Georg, Ward & Co.
 
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Next week Slee will install a 40 gallon LRA tank in my 2016. My truck is pretty heavy so I expect with 60 gallons of fuel I will have an effective range of 675-700 miles. Next week I am also adding skid plates, a Trek Boxx Alpha, and extended diff breathers. :)
I saw them working on it! I would like to see in person when they are done to help decide between the 24 and 40, but please post some different photo angles to show the exposure of the 40.
 
I do believe Mark just called you out Cole!


Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers

Thanks for posting those ... I send you 4 questions on the install.
 
I'm going to get a 200 series as soon as I sell my FJ-60. My first mod will be the 24 gallon aux tank. I've been reading about issues with fill the tanks with the dual fill setup. Has anyone thought of or tried to make a dedicated fill for the aux tank? Something like on this Arctic truck.

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@indycole
I'm going to get a 200 series as soon as I sell my FJ-60. My first mod will be the 24 gallon aux tank. I've been reading about issues with fill the tanks with the dual fill setup. Has anyone thought of or tried to make a dedicated fill for the aux tank? Something like on this Arctic truck.

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California fume re-capture pumps are the worst...and yet I just videoed myself completely filling both my main tank...and then my 24 gallon sub...without even a SINGLE false pump-stop. $125 in fuel gulped down without a hiccup.

After having the 24 for 7 months or so now, I think some people’s initial reports of difficulties often have more to do with getting used to how to get a proper initial seal with the slightly-more-angled interior fill-holes.

When I first got it, it was more tricky. But I know what I’m used the initial angle thing now and its become a piece o cake.

Plus—Some individual pumps are finicky no matter what they’re filling—even with normal tanks. We all experience that. But a normal finicky pump encounter we’d otherwise shrug off to the pump...tends to instantly get blamed on the LRA. Human nature.

I’ll sum up by saying that my fill-ups are only slower now because I might be pumping 47 or 48 gallons at a time! :)
 
I’m thrilled with the 24 gallon tank and continue to recommend this mod without hesitation. Nothing’s more satisfying than putting $175 worth of gas in the truck. Like Mark said, CA pumps can be finicky with the main tank with or without the LRA. I’ve never had issues filling the 12.5 gallon (dozens of fills) or the 24 gallon (one fill).
 
@
II've been reading about issues with fill the tanks with the dual fill setup.

I know @steve578 first mentioned issues in this thread back in November on it. He also posted about it this month. @steve578, are you still having issues?

@fireball also mentioned the issue as did @Blasst and @TeCKis300. Any of you all still experiencing it?

@Markuson and @indycole - I didn't have any issues in the first month of fills (maybe around 7-10 total) on my 12.5, but my last fill up was frustrating. Going off every few seconds. I had to stand by the pump the whole time and then try not to overfill since I didn't know when it was actually full. I went to a pump I've been to many times before the tank install, so I know it's not the pump. The auxiliary tank fills fine, it's just the main that has issues. Hopefully, it's just a fluke, but I'll see on my next fill.

I emailed Georg last weekend about it to see if he had any insight as to what could be causing the premature stopping. I thought he might have some ideas on what to tweak or look out for to help the false stops, but I haven't heard anything back. I'm just thinking out loud here, but maybe a vent hose is pinched and not allowing for full venting? Just would be nice to know what to look out for as it is an issue that some of us are experiencing.
 
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@brasskey one thing of note is that my truck is not a daily driver so my fill patterns may be different. For example, if some venting/filter/emissions components get into a weird state that requires time to correct then I may never notice? I also had somewhat random issues filling the main tank since the outset with the truck (I bought it new) that still appear every now and then. I don’t recall having problems with anything outside CA, though.

In any case, if there is something systemic causing issues then it’s certajnly worth figuring out. I have experience you’ve suggested with a specific station near the San Jose airport. It’s weird. Maybe Georg/Ward can brainstorm with the LRA team sometime?
 
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@brasskey I always fill my main at the station first, with subtank either empties or having filled my main via transfer....then I fill the sub...

Try filling your main first...with sub empty...and see if it matters. I don’t know that it is the key, but it’s my habit now and I’m not seeing problems.

If it turns out this does help...simply get in the habit of routinely transferring while driving when you’ve got room in the main.

Give it a try.
 
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@brasskey I always fill my main at the station first, with subtank either empties or having filled my main via transfer....then I fill the sub...

Try filling your main first...with sub empty...and see if it matters. I don’t know that it is the key, but it’s my habit now and I’m not seeing problems.

If it turns out this does help...simply get in the habit of routinely transferring while driving when you’ve got room in the main.

Give it a try. I’m curious now.

On the same token, I’ll try reversing my description and see it I’ve hit on something that’s leading to success...or if it just works for me for some other reason.

Thanks @Markuson. On my last fill, sub was empty. I usually keep it empty unless I'm doing a trip, so I fill it the same way you do.
 
@brasskey one thing of note is that my truck is not a daily driver so my fill patterns may be different. For example, if some venting/filter/emissions components get into a weird state that requires time to correct then I may never notice? I also had somewhat random issues filling the main tank since the outset with the truck (I bought it new) that still appear every now and then. I don’t recall having problems with anything outside CA, though.

In any case, if there is something systemic causing issues then it’s certajnly worth figuring out. I have experience you’ve suggested with a specific station near the San Jose airport. It’s weird. Maybe Georg/Ward can brainstorm with the LRA team sometime?

Thanks @indycole for the feedback. This isn’t a daily driver either, but I do drive it at least 3-4 times a week. I’ll post back on how things go.
 
...
With left side drive...no diesels... 5.7 spec ONLY, it’s a whole different game for US blokes.

Is the reason the USA has no diesels have something to do with left hand drive? I always wondered why Toyota never put diesel into US spec vehicles, although you'd think they could work around anything related to the steering column side...
 
Is the reason the USA has no diesels have something to do with left hand drive? I always wondered why Toyota never put diesel into US spec vehicles, although you'd think they could work around anything related to the steering column side...

No.

It has to do with our emissions regulations, which have, in general, been stricter than other countries’ regulations. Emissions regulations now are such that diesels need urea injection and regen to pass. The complicated and expensive emissions gear significantly reduce diesel fuel economy.

Diesel engines cost at least $4k more to build than gas engines. Add in the fact that diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline in many parts of the country, plus the cost for urea, plus the increased maintenance costs for modern diesel, and they just don’t make economic sense.
 
It's probably useful to understand how pump nozzles works to detect "full". It's not specifically a CA vapor thing as I've experienced the same difficulty in AZ (and majority of states) where they don't have vapor capture. It's mostly a fuel flow issue due to the sharper angle of the main tank port, that's not as forgiving as the stock neck.

That said, once one finds the angle that works, it's okay. My stock Porsche is about as finicky as the LRA fill neck.

Pumps have a little vacuum sense port at the tip. It expects to pull in air with little resistance. The moment fuel, fuel splash, or a differential pressure interrupts the airflow there, it'll trip the pump off. I think we all know some particular pump nozzles are just overly sensitive and a pain.

It's all about finding the angle to put the nozzle at to get fuel to flow down the neck smoothly and avoid splashing or blocking that sense port. I've found the right nozzle angle for me is rotating the nozzle from 12 to 2 o'clock. And keeping the rear of the pump handle up to get a straighter shot down the fill neck on the main tank. Also can play with the insertion depth. Shallow seems to help.

The aux tank on the other hand doesn't care and fills better than the main tank ever did. I doubt this fill thing is a fill order issue as the tanks have separate vent lines.

Perhaps others can share how they position the nozzle to help fill smoothly.

 
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I think there’s more to do with it than just filling correctly. As I said before, last fills were fine, so I’m used to the new filler. Last full was not easy, but I didn’t change the way I fill.
 
I think there’s more to do with it than just filling correctly. As I said before, last fills were fine, so I’m used to the new filler. Last full was not easy, but I didn’t change the way I fill.

I’m sorry but I didn’t see an email from you or I would have responded. We’ve installed 6 or 8 of the 200 aux tanks here at the shop and have filled all of them after install.
Yes, the angle can be a little tricky but usually it’s not a big deal at all.
I’d suggest making 100% sure that your hoses are routed as per our instructions and that there are not kinks, obstructions or a hose got pinched.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
 
If anybody needs tech support for any of the products imported/distributed/sold by/from Cruiser Brothers or Valley Hybrids, there are multiple ways to get in touch with me:
Shop phone 209-475-8808
Email: georg@cruiserbrothers.com
Pm here on mud
FB messenger @ Cruiser Brothers
And as a last resort IF YOU HAVE AN AFTER HOUR EMERGENCY ( please respect the fact that I like my weekends as much as you do ), you can text my Cell Phone (650) 576-2023 and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
 

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