Cruiser Brothers 12.5 LRA Aux Tank Install in LX570

[SQRRRL]

It was an idea that seems to work. The clogging Mini filter that came with the LRA kit has set me back some $$$$$.

 

[xtern0]

Re the 12.5 LRA Aux Tank: I test drove my rig with the newly installed Aux Tank (Thanks to Eric and the guys at Ed Martin, Toyota in Indianapolis!) to Michigan and back; put around 2k miles on it.

My thoughts: It lowers the spare a bit more than I expected...but then I drove it and realized I couldn't care less how much it lowered the spare. This is basically a game-changing modification/upgrade. Absolutely game-changing, even more so than when I installed an aux tank in my FJ Cruiser back in the day. I honestly don't think I'd ever own another 200 series without installing this, or a similar, aux fuel tank. As far as the larger LRA tanks, I, like many others, do not wish to put a swing-out/tire-carrier over a clamshell rear hatch and a rooftop spare is out of the question. Also, I simply cannot think of any situation where I'd need more than a 500 mile range.

Like most others, I also have a minor quirk: My fuel pump doesn't auto-shutoff, something about the sender not giving enough voltage to trigger the auto-shutoff. I'm told it will likely go away over time...I'm not optimistic. Somewhat annoying, but after reading what others have gone through, if that's the only glitch, I ain't complaining. The good news is that the pump does not "latch on", i.e., if you turn off the truck, the pump turns off and stays off. But if anyone knows a quick fix, I'm all ears.

LRA seems to have done a good job getting a decent sending unit into a very shallow, flat gas tank. Short of a gimbaled laser gauge or something, I'm not sure how one could get accurate readings with all that sloshing and limited float travel right on top of a rear axle. But...surprisingly, LRA mostly pulled it off. I put the sender/gauge through the paces and its a lot more accurate than I would have expected. I was also warned by Eric that the sender is sketchy when compared to a bigger tank's sender.

Install: I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I did not do the install, Eric's guys in Indianapolis did the install and I had back-to-back meetings so I couldn't even watch or stop by to snap pics. Most of my installed stuff was the stuff included with the LRA install kit, except there were some different bolts used by the installer and some additional stuff (like that rubber insulation, etc.). This particular mod and all the related posts gave me seriously bad vibes with nightmares of CELs, poor-fitting filler seals, squeaky installs, multiple tank drops, trial-and-error fitment details, hammering brackets into shape, custom drilling, etc. I've rebuilt and restored vehicles from the ground up and installed tanks of all shapes and sizes, but I decided to sit this one out.

Final Thoughts: The pump that comes with it transfers at about 1 gallon every ~2 minutes +/-, so it takes about 24-30 minutes to complete a full transfer with the LRA-included pump. I can see how this annoys folks; it feels painfully slow while I've been testing things out but I'm confident that once I get used to the tank I shouldn't care how fast its pumping. But I'll probably end up upgrading the pump to something a bit faster down the road, I believe there's a pump folks recommend on here that does ~1 gpm (Carter P4070), I've also heard of another pump with similar flow rates (and looks to be the same pump rebranded) sold under the brand name "Precision" (Precision E16048). However, other than convenience or combat zone, I see no practical benefit to a faster transfer rate and I'm not in a huge hurry. I also suspect that the upgraded pumps are quieter, since they appear to be rotary vane...so I'll probably have to drop the tank and fix that auto-shutoff problem if I upgrade since I might not be able to hear the pump. As far as whether to do the initial tank install yourself or not...well, read through this entire thread and decide for yourself; I know I didn't want to mess with it.

 

[Fisher23]

I replaced the pump that came with the tank after a few years because the pump cracked open and started leaking fuel.

 

[Julian73]

Re the 12.5 LRA Aux Tank: I test drove my rig with the newly installed Aux Tank (Thanks to Eric and the guys at Ed Martin, Toyota in Indianapolis!) to Michigan and back; put around 2k miles on it.

My thoughts: It lowers the spare a bit more than I expected...but then I drove it and realized I couldn't care less how much it lowered the spare. This is basically a game-changing modification/upgrade. Absolutely game-changing, even more so than when I installed an aux tank in my FJ Cruiser back in the day. I honestly don't think I'd ever own another 200 series without installing this, or a similar, aux fuel tank. As far as the larger LRA tanks, I, like many others, do not wish to put a swing-out/tire-carrier over a clamshell rear hatch and a rooftop spare is out of the question. Also, I simply cannot think of any situation where I'd need more than a 500 mile range.

Like most others, I also have a minor quirk: My fuel pump doesn't auto-shutoff, something about the sender not giving enough voltage to trigger the auto-shutoff. I'm told it will likely go away over time...I'm not optimistic. Somewhat annoying, but after reading what others have gone through, if that's the only glitch, I ain't complaining. The good news is that the pump does not "latch on", i.e., if you turn off the truck, the pump turns off and stays off. But if anyone knows a quick fix, I'm all ears.

LRA seems to have done a good job getting a decent sending unit into a very shallow, flat gas tank. Short of a gimbaled laser gauge or something, I'm not sure how one could get accurate readings with all that sloshing and limited float travel right on top of a rear axle. But...surprisingly, LRA mostly pulled it off. I put the sender/gauge through the paces and its a lot more accurate than I would have expected. I was also warned by Eric that the sender is sketchy when compared to a bigger tank's sender.

Install: I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I did not do the install, Eric's guys in Indianapolis did the install and I had back-to-back meetings so I couldn't even watch or stop by to snap pics. Most of my installed stuff was the stuff included with the LRA install kit, except there were some different bolts used by the installer and some additional stuff (like that rubber insulation, etc.). This particular mod and all the related posts gave me seriously bad vibes with nightmares of CELs, poor-fitting filler seals, squeaky installs, multiple tank drops, trial-and-error fitment details, hammering brackets into shape, custom drilling, etc. I've rebuilt and restored vehicles from the ground up and installed tanks of all shapes and sizes, but I decided to sit this one out.

Final Thoughts: The pump that comes with it transfers at about 1 gallon every ~2 minutes +/-, so it takes about 24-30 minutes to complete a full transfer with the LRA-included pump. I can see how this annoys folks; it feels painfully slow while I've been testing things out but I'm confident that once I get used to the tank I shouldn't care how fast its pumping. But I'll probably end up upgrading the pump to something a bit faster down the road, I believe there's a pump folks recommend on here that does ~1 gpm (Carter P4070), I've also heard of another pump with similar flow rates (and looks to be the same pump rebranded) sold under the brand name "Precision" (Precision E16048). However, other than convenience or combat zone, I see no practical benefit to a faster transfer rate and I'm not in a huge hurry. I also suspect that the upgraded pumps are quieter, since they appear to be rotary vane...so I'll probably have to drop the tank and fix that auto-shutoff problem if I upgrade since I might not be able to hear the pump. As far as whether to do the initial tank install yourself or not...well, read through this entire thread and decide for yourself; I know I didn't want to mess with it.

I actually believe that the 'stock" pump is suffering from too much voltage drop when using the wiring from LRA. They claim that the wiring is 3mm (ie 12 AWG) however it measure out as 18 and the LRA/Apexus switch wiring is 20AWG. Using the 18 I calculated a 4% voltage drop plus whatever losses the the switch .. early another 1%... she a 12V input would give 11.4V to the pump Using my wiring of a 12 AWG air from battery to relay and from relay to pump along with the LRA switch running the relay I calculated a 1% drop or 11.9V at the pump. Real life I get a full transfer in about 15 minutes.

 

[CharlieS]

I actually believe that the 'stock" pump is suffering from too much voltage drop when using the wiring from LRA. They claim that the wiring is 3mm (ie 12 AWG) however it measure out as 18 and the Apexus switch wiring is 20AWG. using the 18 I calculated a 4% voltage drop plus whatever losses the the switch .. early another 1%... she a 12V input would give 11.4V to the pump Using my wiring of a 12 AWG air from battery to relay and from relay to pump along with teh switch running the relay I calculated a 1% drop or 11.9V at the pump. Real life I get a full transfer in about 15 minutes.

Mine pumps fine, but is definitely not speedy. Couldn't you just use a relay triggered by the LRA wiring if the voltage drop is a problem?

 

[Julian73]

Mine pumps fine, but is definitely not speedy. Couldn't you just use a relay triggered by the LRA wiring if the voltage drop is a problem?

Yes that's what I did, however I'm also pointing out that the LRA supplied paired power/sensor wire is not 12 gauge (3mm) but rather a very small 18 gauge.

 

[MikeDeadly]

I've dug through all the tank install threads that I can find and am still in need of some help.

For you guys that did your own install, how are you mounting the charcoal canister filter? I know it can be removed (but I'd like to keep it), and I see where it is located, but not HOW it is physically attached to the inner fender. There was no real mention of how to mount it in the instructions...

Thanks,
-M

 

[CharlieS]

The main charcoal canister stays in place and ends up above the aux tank. There is a little black plastic box that you relocate to behind the fender. I just flattened the mounting strap from 90 deg to 180 deg (flat) and mounted to with a bolt. I think I reused an existing threaded hole, but there is some chance I installed a nutsert. It has been a while.

For some reason, I think I may have ditched that box later and just gone straight to the vent filter...

 

[TeCKis300]

I've dug through all the tank install threads that I can find and am still in need of some help.

For you guys that did your own install, how are you mounting the charcoal canister filter? I know it can be removed (but I'd like to keep it), and I see where it is located, but not HOW it is physically attached to the inner fender. There was no real mention of how to mount it in the instructions...

Thanks,
-M

Mine is in the fender near where I installed the pump. Tie wraps

 

[MCtree]

Slight change of subject:
My LC is in the shop due to me flooding the charcoal canister.
In talking to Slee, who installed it, I guess I flooded the canister when I accidentally left the pump running when the main tank was full (for like half an hour).
The first shop I took it to here in Houston, my usual oil change and maintenance place, looked at it for a couple of days and then decided they didn’t want to mess with dropping the aux tank to get to the charcoal filter.
The second shop has now been working on this for 7 business days. Frustrating that Slee said it should only be a 3 or 4 hour project.
But apparently the “manifold” was damaged somehow and they needed to order a new one.

My point:
It sure would be nice if the design allowed for easier replacement of the charcoal filter. Perhaps someplace where one doesn’t need to lower the aux tank?
And heck, if I’m dreaming, how about some place higher where running the pump too long doesn’t damage anything.

And while I am grumbling here, I will still say that the 24gallon aux tank is still my favorite mod I’ve done to this 200. By far.


Edit: in my haste to whine, I missed that this thread was about the 12.5gallon tank. So my apologies if I’m off target for this thread.

 

[CharlieS]

It isn't that big a deal to drop the tank. I mean, it is a handful of bolts, sensor wires and a fuel line. If you have a lift, and something to hold the weight, it is kind of easy.

You could relocate the canister, but it is bulky so you need a large space. Someone, maybe @bloc put his in the engine bay. My 80 has it in the engine bay, so Toyota is probably on board with this location..

 

[bloc]

Someone, maybe @bloc put his in the engine bay.

@grinchy did, IIRC. My only concern would be stuff that is different from an 80 like the built-in pump not liking the underhood temps..

But I agree dropping the tank is easy as long as it's mostly empty and you don't have to deal with corrosion.

 

[MikeDeadly]

Mine is in the fender near where I installed the pump. Tie wraps

So one vote for the zip-tie method. Anyone else?

 

[CharlieS]

So one vote for the zip-tie method. Anyone else?

The bolt method is too elegant?

 

[SQRRRL]

Slight change of subject:
My LC is in the shop due to me flooding the charcoal canister.
In talking to Slee, who installed it, I guess I flooded the canister when I accidentally left the pump running when the main tank was full (for like half an hour).
The first shop I took it to here in Houston, my usual oil change and maintenance place, looked at it for a couple of days and then decided they didn’t want to mess with dropping the aux tank to get to the charcoal filter.
The second shop has now been working on this for 7 business days. Frustrating that Slee said it should only be a 3 or 4 hour project.
But apparently the “manifold” was damaged somehow and they needed to order a new one.

My point:
It sure would be nice if the design allowed for easier replacement of the charcoal filter. Perhaps someplace where one doesn’t need to lower the aux tank?
And heck, if I’m dreaming, how about some place higher where running the pump too long doesn’t damage anything.

And while I am grumbling here, I will still say that the 24gallon aux tank is still my favorite mod I’ve done to this 200. By far.


Edit: in my haste to whine, I missed that this thread was about the 12.5gallon tank. So my apologies if I’m off target for this thread.

Your transfer switch should be able to set a timer. It will shut off pump 5 minutes after aux tank is empty. Sorry to hear about the canister failure. Didn’t Slee set this up for you when they did the install?

 

[MikeDeadly]

The bolt method is too elegant?

It's not too elegant, I am trying to figure out HOW to bolt it. Most of this install is self explanatory, but getting this filter bolted up is not clear. The instructions say to flatten the original bracket and re-install. That's it...

And what I am asking is how some of y'all have done this.

 

[CharlieS]

I posted a picture of my original install above.

 

[MCtree]

Your transfer switch should be able to set a timer. It will shut off pump 5 minutes after aux tank is empty. Sorry to hear about the canister failure. Didn’t Slee set this up for you when they did the install?

Yes, Slee set it up so the transfer pump turns itself off when the aux tank is empty.
But what I did was start the transfer pump while the main tank was 3/4 full, so there was no room in the main tank to take all the gas from the aux tank.
I believe in this case the fuel overflows the main tank via the inlet under the cap and then back down the aux tank’s inlet. So it can then be pumped back into the main tank in a nice loop.
This is the equivalent on squeezing the gas pump one more time after the initial click and doing it 1000 times.

It’s my fault for letting this happen, but it would be nice if the pump also shut off when the main tank is full.
Or if the canister was higher than the inlet so leaving the pump running didn’t damage anything.

I need things proof for my level of dumminess.

 

[MikeDeadly]

I posted a picture of my original install above.

I honestly didn't see it. My bad.

Thank you. I like that method better than the zip-ties. :-D

 

[CharlieS]

For programming the after run, here is a screen shot from the manual. It only takes a minute or so. Once you select your after run time, just leave it alone and it will beep a few times and return to normal running mode.

You can program this switch to do all sorts of stuff including turning on and off automatically based on the level
of the main tank.