extended range tank for cheap - mud co-op

[FJ40Jim]

Decision time

OK, we have a few choices for tank. None of them are a direct swap, unfortunately.

First, there is the P30 StepVan Tank.

Pro: Cheap- $189 delivered.
40 gallon capacity.
One inch smaller than stock tank in L & W dimensions, and only 13-1/8" deep.

Con: It fills at the front corner, not the rear corner, like a FJ60.

Second, is the Ford PU Tank

Pro: Cheap- $150 plus postage.
38 gallon capacity
2" narrower than stock tank, allowing wiggle room for exhaust or fuel fill routing
Fills on center of side, closer to rear corner.

Con:
fuel pickup is at rear, requiring extended fuel lines and fuel gage wiring
13-3/4" deep, 5/8 deeper than the P30 tank.


The Burb tank is the same as the P30 tank, but the filler is up on top, which is an uphill run from the stock fill neck, plus it pushes the tank down away from the floor of the FJ60.

I am leaning toward using the Ford tank, and having the muffler shop s-bend a piece of 1-5/8 pipe to go from the Fj60 fill neck to the center side of the Ford tank.

Using the P30 tank would require welding shut the stock fill holes, and then weld in a new piece of 2" pipe at the rear corner to connect to the FJ60 fill neck. I actually would prefer the welded neck approach, but I am really trying to keep this as a "no welding required" project, so anybody can bolt it together at home.

P30 or F250 tank? Discuss amongst yourselves and then decide.

 

[theSherpa]

my $0.02 is use the Ford tank, as the scope here includes junkyard tanks, and we don't want anybody welding on used tanks if they don't have to. I happen to have a P30 tank I got on eBay cheap, so will probably still go down that route. a useful bit of "scope creep" would be for Jim to design and perhaps implement a skid plate, as these tanks (well, at least the P30) seem pretty thin-walled to me.

Jim, what do you plan to do for fuel pickup/sender...whatever is stock to the tank? is the Ford tank baffled at all? where does the stock fuel pickup lie in the tank in 3D (up/down/fore/aft/right/left)? I'm thinking of how well the stock tank does off-camber, which I expect we'd want to preserve.

that's probably enough from me !

Steve

 

[bridges]

I'd like to avoid learning how to use my new welder on a gas tank if possible...

I vote F250 tank.

 

[Mace]

Dam, can I send you some moeny to figure out which one would work the best in my 14" bobbed 60???

 

[Spook50]

my $0.02 is use the Ford tank, as the scope here includes junkyard tanks, and we don't want anybody welding on used tanks if they don't have to. I happen to have a P30 tank I got on eBay cheap, so will probably still go down that route. a useful bit of "scope creep" would be for Jim to design and perhaps implement a skid plate, as these tanks (well, at least the P30) seem pretty thin-walled to me.

Jim, what do you plan to do for fuel pickup/sender...whatever is stock to the tank? is the Ford tank baffled at all? where does the stock fuel pickup lie in the tank in 3D (up/down/fore/aft/right/left)? I'm thinking of how well the stock tank does off-camber, which I expect we'd want to preserve.

that's probably enough from me !

Steve

I agree with going the Ford route as well. I'm going to wait until I have a new rear bumper with tire carrier before going with the bigger tank, then I can have a 1/4" steel skid plate done up to protect the tank. Overkill, what's that?

 

[lovetoski]

I could go with either the Ford or the P30 tank, but note that either route requires "outsourcing" a step for those of us w/only bolt-up skills. With the Ford tank, the S-bend filler pipe needs to be fabbed, where with the P30 tank welding is required. I assume fabbing the S-bend pipe would be cheaper than the welding required on the P30 tank? Last thing, 2 gals more with the P30 means an extra 20-30 miles...

Like I said, at this stage I'm good with either option.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Mace, this Bronco tank would be good fit in the back of Bob.

You would pick up 2 gallons of capacity, but could lose a bit of clearance. Depends on how tall the truck ends up.

 

[FJ40Jim]

I could go with either the Ford or the P30 tank, but note that either route requires "outsourcing" a step for those of us w/only bolt-up skills. With the Ford tank, the S-bend filler pipe needs to be fabbed, where with the P30 tank welding is required. I assume fabbing the S-bend pipe would be cheaper than the welding required on the P30 tank?

Welding vs s-bend pipe:

Any muffler shop will bend up the required piece of pipe for a few dollars.

The welding would have to be done by the vehicle owner, or a weldor who is unconcerned about liability.

Easier to find a BillyBob's muffler shop than a skilled, but unconcerned weldor.

But I can do the welding myself, so for me it is easier to holesaw a 2" hole in the side of the tank, and weld in a stub of 2" exh pipe.

It might be possible to find a couple of off the shelf exhaust elbows at the FLAPS that could be conected w/ rubber hose to make the necessary bend(s). That would make it more of a bolt-on deal. I've also seen race fill necks made w/ large copper plumbing soldered together.

 

[FJ40Jim]

my $0.02 is use the Ford tank, as the scope here includes junkyard tanks, and we don't want anybody welding on used tanks if they don't have to.

I agree, welding on used tanks is scary. But the ford 38gal. tank is not an OEM part that will be in the junkyard. It is an aftermarket upgrade. The 40 gal 'Burb tank is gonna be ina junkyard somewhere, though for $180 I'm just gonna have a brand new one delivered to my shop. Not worth the time to scrounge a dirty, rusty tank.

I happen to have a P30 tank I got on eBay cheap, so will probably still go down that route. a useful bit of "scope creep" would be for Jim to design and perhaps implement a skid plate, as these tanks (well, at least the P30) seem pretty thin-walled to me.

Yes, they are all pretty thin. Skid plate will be the last step, after design validation.

Jim, what do you plan to do for fuel pickup/sender...whatever is stock to the tank?

Carve up the ford sender & pickup unit to install the Toyota sender.

Or else make a round plate from scratch w/ the requisite feed/return/vapor pipes and the Toyota sender.

is the Ford tank baffled at all?

It better be. 30 gallons sloshing around freely could really develop some inertia.

where does the stock fuel pickup lie in the tank in 3D (up/down/fore/aft/right/left)? I'm thinking of how well the stock tank does off-camber, which I expect we'd want to preserve.

Center bottom, in a small sump.

 

[High Desert]

No weld. BEND AND BOLT would go with my tool and skill level...

I do not weld, the weld shop i ues gets $75. hr(+),...kinda blows the deal for a non-welding kinda guy..

 

[Spook50]

Carve up the ford sender & pickup unit to install the Toyota sender.

Jim, how deep is the tank compared to the stock 60 tank? If it's much deeper, the Toyota sender might not have a long enough arm to reach all the way to the bottom and give an accurate reading.

Check yer PMs!

 

[Mace]

Throwing a extension on the sender arm would not be a big deal. Should be fairly easy actually.


Jim, the tanks I am trying to fit right now is only 15 gal, so 25 would make me much happier

I wonder if the fuel feed for the bronco is similar to the fuel feed on a mustang...

Hmmm..
I need to go home and measure how much room I have.

 

[High Desert]

Jim, how deep is the tank compared to the stock 60 tank? If it's much deeper, the Toyota sender might not have a long enough arm to reach all the way to the bottom and give an accurate reading.



The MAF tank comes with a extension for the stock float lever, you weld it on and go for it. According to the site, the ARB longranger, not available in US so ARB fwashington says, comes with the same deal to use the stock gauge system

 

[Spook50]

The MAF tank comes with a extension for the stock float lever, you weld it on and go for it. According to the site, the ARB longranger, not available in US so ARB fwashington says, comes with the same deal to use the stock gauge system

So it sounds like it might not be too difficult to extend the float arm on the stock sender then. That'd be nice, once we figure out a measurement that'll work for it. Any ideas how to find out exactly how long to make it?

 

[calfj60]

I just plan to lenghten or modify the Autometer sender I bought off eBay for 30 bucks...Model 3262....Can't wait to see how this all pans out....Jim thanks again for taking this project on...

 

[Mace]

looks like I need a 16 x 30ishx12" tank..

I might move the rear axle forward a bit..

 

[Spook50]

I just plan to lenghten or modify the Autometer sender I bought off eBay for 30 bucks...Model 3262....Can't wait to see how this all pans out....Jim thanks again for taking this project on...

Did it fit your 60's tank and was it compatible resistance-wise?

 

[calfj60]

I am runnin autometer gauges....I like them better than stock especially with the new 350

I have no gas gauge until I drop the tank and don't see any reason to drop the stock tank unless I am replacing it with something bigger...so it all goes hand in hand....

 

[FJ40Jim]

OK, the votes are in.

Tomorrow we will order the Ford 38gal gas tank.

Thanks to everyone who has given up their beer money to support this crazy idea.

 

[Spook50]

I am runnin autometer gauges....I like them better than stock especially with the new 350

I have no gas gauge until I drop the tank and don't see any reason to drop the stock tank unless I am replacing it with something bigger...so it all goes hand in hand....

I'd like to do up a custom gauge cluster with all Autometer gauges, but at this point it wouldn't be a wise move with my money, and with the amount f work I'd need to do to make it look stock.