Ahhh yeah true, so much for a "plug and play" tank then!
LRA 40g Main Tank '05+ Install (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter GTV
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GTV
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- #102
I'm about 1500 miles in and things are going well... I think.
I left a week ago Thursday, full tank, it was about 100° and about an hour into my drive. I was fully loaded up and going slow up a dirt forest road and gaining in elevation. I pulled over and turned the truck off to wait for my group to catch up and take a leak. Hopped back in, turned the key and it would only run for a second or two before dying, like it was running out of fuel. Opened the cap and I could hear fuel boiling, first time I've experienced that. Felt the tank from below and it was definitely very warm. It took about ten minutes for the boiling to subside and the truck started back up and had no further issues. I really don't think this problem had anything to do with the LRA tank, just the combination of high ambient temps, high elevation and slow speeds. I may have had boiling in the past but never recognized it because I didn't turn the truck off in that moment. Nevertheless I plan to relocate the return line in the engine bay to minimize heat in the fuel system. I think this is a smart move for anyone on this forum, LRA tank or not.
Right after it started back up the fuel system did what I can only describe as a "burp"
A few days later, still running great, filled it up for the second time. Found camp that night next to a stream in the Caribou-Targhee NF in SE Idaho.
Started it the next morning and the idiot lights lit up! Damn. Luckily Carquest in Jackson lent me a scanner. I cleared the codes and they haven't come back.
I left a week ago Thursday, full tank, it was about 100° and about an hour into my drive. I was fully loaded up and going slow up a dirt forest road and gaining in elevation. I pulled over and turned the truck off to wait for my group to catch up and take a leak. Hopped back in, turned the key and it would only run for a second or two before dying, like it was running out of fuel. Opened the cap and I could hear fuel boiling, first time I've experienced that. Felt the tank from below and it was definitely very warm. It took about ten minutes for the boiling to subside and the truck started back up and had no further issues. I really don't think this problem had anything to do with the LRA tank, just the combination of high ambient temps, high elevation and slow speeds. I may have had boiling in the past but never recognized it because I didn't turn the truck off in that moment. Nevertheless I plan to relocate the return line in the engine bay to minimize heat in the fuel system. I think this is a smart move for anyone on this forum, LRA tank or not.
Right after it started back up the fuel system did what I can only describe as a "burp"
A few days later, still running great, filled it up for the second time. Found camp that night next to a stream in the Caribou-Targhee NF in SE Idaho.
Started it the next morning and the idiot lights lit up! Damn. Luckily Carquest in Jackson lent me a scanner. I cleared the codes and they haven't come back.
GTV
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- Thread starter
- #103
I’ve been holding off re-installing the most rearward Dissent skid plate until the LRA tank had been finalized (and I was chasing a transfer case leak- I was lazy and didn’t replace the crush washer on the drain, it’s solved now but don’t be like me, replace that washer). I read somewhere on here that Dissent skids and LRA tanks play nice together. I can confirm that is not the case. I’ve got about 1/2” to go up on the skid and it is fouling the front of the LRA tank.
The area in black is roughly the area that needs to be relieved.
Keep in mind I have a 1/2” body lift (and the tank comes up with the body), so I actually have 1/2” less to clearance than someone without a body lift.
I’m moving to NM in a few days so solving this will have to wait until I’m settled again.
The area in black is roughly the area that needs to be relieved.
Keep in mind I have a 1/2” body lift (and the tank comes up with the body), so I actually have 1/2” less to clearance than someone without a body lift.
I’m moving to NM in a few days so solving this will have to wait until I’m settled again.
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Man that's a bummer
GTV
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- Thread starter
- #105
Got kinda caught up on the move, decided I'd rather not pack the skid plate so I took a bite out of it. It's still too tight for my liking, I'll take at least another 1/4" out I'll probably cut the whole section out top to bottom and get it plated it but it’s good enough for now.
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Just read through everything. This is awesome. Huge props for taking the plunge and showing the rest of us that this is technically possible. Please keep us posted on what comes of the EVAP codes & boiling fuel issue.
Curious to hear how the process goes for @J1000
Will likely be ordering one for my 2006 LC if @J1000 is successful in replicating your install process.
I do not have a body lift, so this means that ultimately the tank will sit 1/2” closer to the ground/lower than the frame rail. Is that accurate? Do you foresee any other clearance issues relating to my lack of body lift?
I have AHC intact and would prefer to keep it that way. Do you happen to know if this would adversely affect me installing the tank?
Curious to hear how the process goes for @J1000
Will likely be ordering one for my 2006 LC if @J1000 is successful in replicating your install process.
I do not have a body lift, so this means that ultimately the tank will sit 1/2” closer to the ground/lower than the frame rail. Is that accurate? Do you foresee any other clearance issues relating to my lack of body lift?
I have AHC intact and would prefer to keep it that way. Do you happen to know if this would adversely affect me installing the tank?
I have an earlier LX with 40G LRA, and heavy steal armor all around including bumpers, rockrails, under carriage and full roof rack and ARB drawer, yadda yadda, and the AHC hasn't complained one bit (caveat: I am running non-AHC springs in the back).
Excellent to hear! Was more thinking of AHC lines that run down the frame physically getting in the way in some fashion, but either way sounds like that’s not the case!
You could use some stout spacers on the back bolts of that skid to give yourself a little more breathing room...like the spacers that come with a diff drop for the OEM skid.
GTV
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- #113
Without a body lift the tank will fit as LRA designed it to fit. I have AHC and they had AHC Down Under as well so that shouldn't be a worry, but you should really contact them and get the info straight from the horse's mouth.
If I get a little time early next week I might be able to chop off the rest of it at my buddy's place. I don't want the skid hanging under the tank at all.
Have the EVAP leak codes stayed away after clearing? Do you feel like you’ve arrived at a permanent solution with the transplanted filler neck?
GTV
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- #116
So I've made it down to Santa Fe. My LC did awesome as usual but there were some minor tank related issues.
I got a fuel burp again. This happened during mild highway driving with a full-ish tank.
IMO this is why the filler on the OEM tank faces towards the right rear and the filler hose turns back towards the left. The physics of this design makes it much harder for fuel to find its way back out. While there's a lot more welding involved to swap the entire OEM tank top over I believe it's the right way to go. It also will reduce the chance of damaging the fragile internal EVAP components and retain the path for the OEM fuel lines to pass through (the LRA extended fuel hoses work fine but they are pretty hokey, IMO). @J1000 this is what I'd do if I were you.
The check engine light trio also came back on but I've ignored them and the truck has performed flawlessly, even at high elevation. I got 14.8, 15.0 and 13.9mpg (wheeling in the San Juans) on the journey south. Not bad considering I was loaded up with two people.
I don't know why they are coming on (likely something I did) but it's a minor thing, I'll get a code reader and clear them when it happens, seems to be roughly every 1000 miles or so. I did notice a small fuel leak where the rubber fill hose meets the tank while I was filling up the other day, maybe it's as simple as that.
Even considering the extra work involved to fit the LRA tank to a late 100 I think it's totally worth it if you like to put miles down. It has exposed the next weakest link in my chain though and that's proper food storage. We had to stop and put ice in the Yeti nearly every f'ing day!
I got a fuel burp again. This happened during mild highway driving with a full-ish tank.
IMO this is why the filler on the OEM tank faces towards the right rear and the filler hose turns back towards the left. The physics of this design makes it much harder for fuel to find its way back out. While there's a lot more welding involved to swap the entire OEM tank top over I believe it's the right way to go. It also will reduce the chance of damaging the fragile internal EVAP components and retain the path for the OEM fuel lines to pass through (the LRA extended fuel hoses work fine but they are pretty hokey, IMO). @J1000 this is what I'd do if I were you.
The check engine light trio also came back on but I've ignored them and the truck has performed flawlessly, even at high elevation. I got 14.8, 15.0 and 13.9mpg (wheeling in the San Juans) on the journey south. Not bad considering I was loaded up with two people.
I don't know why they are coming on (likely something I did) but it's a minor thing, I'll get a code reader and clear them when it happens, seems to be roughly every 1000 miles or so. I did notice a small fuel leak where the rubber fill hose meets the tank while I was filling up the other day, maybe it's as simple as that.
Even considering the extra work involved to fit the LRA tank to a late 100 I think it's totally worth it if you like to put miles down. It has exposed the next weakest link in my chain though and that's proper food storage. We had to stop and put ice in the Yeti nearly every f'ing day!
thanks for reporting back. Looks like an awesome trip.
Are you suggesting something along these lines? When you refer to swapping the whole tank top over? Apologies for the sloppy mockups. Just trying to get a general idea.
Seems like it might be tough to find straight lines to cut that could easily be welded to the flat surfaces at the top of the LRA tank.
The left hand side of the first two photos for example, has an indent where it looks like a tank strap goes. This would be tough to mate to the flat surface at the left side of the LRA tank.
Kinda hard to tell from photos though. Would have to have the tanks in front of me to measure some things.
Is there any room above the LRA tank when mounted in the truck? Wonder if this would cost you much more capacity loss.
Are you suggesting something along these lines? When you refer to swapping the whole tank top over? Apologies for the sloppy mockups. Just trying to get a general idea.
Seems like it might be tough to find straight lines to cut that could easily be welded to the flat surfaces at the top of the LRA tank.
The left hand side of the first two photos for example, has an indent where it looks like a tank strap goes. This would be tough to mate to the flat surface at the left side of the LRA tank.
Kinda hard to tell from photos though. Would have to have the tanks in front of me to measure some things.
Is there any room above the LRA tank when mounted in the truck? Wonder if this would cost you much more capacity loss.
GTV
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- #118
Yes, thanks for making those images. But I'd cut out in pretty much the same way as I did before, just neater.
When you have them in front of you it's easy to see where the OEM tank rests against the body crossmember, right behind the sending unit. Those "pads" need to be at the same height as the top of the LRA tank. The EVAP doohickeys actually mount higher, the top of the tank where they are located is domed up above the height of the crossmember. Keeping that whole system high and in the air gap is key to volume, so I think volume will be better than lowering the fill like I did. Will it be easy, no. But that way literally the only difference will be the volume of the tank. And all of your OEM hoses should work, you'll only need to modify the sending unit.
Gotcha. Yeah, gonna be a bit of a tricky fab job. I'll probably have to find someone who actually welds professionally to help me with it.
Is there some degree of wiggle room in the filler neck? I assume there is since your attachment ended up being at a different angle than the original.
What about the sending unit? Does that need to be located in exactly the same spot, or is there some wiggle room there too? referring to both the bottom of the LRA tank where it rests as well as the space above the tank there everything connects.
If those two things have the flexibility to move about a few inches I imagine the fabrication would be much easier.
Excited to see how the install goes for @J1000 hopefully he keeps us posted!
Hoping to tackle this in the near future.
Is there some degree of wiggle room in the filler neck? I assume there is since your attachment ended up being at a different angle than the original.
What about the sending unit? Does that need to be located in exactly the same spot, or is there some wiggle room there too? referring to both the bottom of the LRA tank where it rests as well as the space above the tank there everything connects.
If those two things have the flexibility to move about a few inches I imagine the fabrication would be much easier.
Excited to see how the install goes for @J1000 hopefully he keeps us posted!
Hoping to tackle this in the near future.
GTV
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- #120
The rubber joiner on the filler has a slight bend to it, it gives room for error.
I didn't really pay attention to the area around the sending unit access hole but my intuition is that there isn't a lot of room to move around. I would take precise measurements on the sending unit extension though as the height might be slightly different. If the sender moved too low (which I doubt it would) it could interfere with some internal baffling but that would be easy to trim away.
There's no moving anything a few inches. Space is tight. A good fabricator can do it though, luckily steel is very malleable. There's going to be some tricky areas I'm sure but it can be done.
