Larger Capacity Fuel Tanks

[surf_city]

Just wondering if it is possible to have a larger fuel tank. I have one on my ranger that is 62 gallons but don't know if I could fit a 25-30 gallon tank in there. Thanks for the help in advance this will be for a 2010 JSW TDI.

 

[JSWTDI09]

I'm not sure where you would put it. There is another thread here about this. There is a company that makes a bladder type fuel tank that will fit in the spare tire well and about double your fuel capacity. However, there are ties when a spare tire is worth more than extra fuel.

How big is your bladder anyway - how many hours can you go without having to drain your "tank"? I'm getting old - I have a hard time making it as far as my fuel tank will go as it is.

Try reading this: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=305520

Have Fun!

Don

 

[surf_city]

I have to "empty" before I need fuel I was just wondering.

 

[jasonTDI]

All that extra weight is a DETRIMENT to fuel economy, stability, suspension life etc. Don't do it.

Plus it's a SAFETY issue unless a container is bolted down. But in a rear end shot you could be screwed.

 

[Abacus]

How big is your bladder anyway - how many hours can you go without having to drain your "tank"? I'm getting old - I have a hard time making it as far as my fuel tank will go as it is.

Try reading this: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=305520

Have Fun!

Don

Same here, but I'm young now and am never getting old.

I just drove to Florida from Maine, then to Kentucky, then back to Maine. I racked up 3,300 miles and fueled up 4 times, but I made a pit stop every 400 miles or so (roughly 7-8 hours of seat time).

I used to want a larger tank, but now I think mine is just fine.

 

[Scott_DeWitt]

Just wondering if it is possible to have a larger fuel tank. I have one on my ranger that is 62 gallons but don't know if I could fit a 25-30 gallon tank in there. Thanks for the help in advance this will be for a 2010 JSW TDI.

Not really. Fuel tanks now a days are molded to the chassis of the car. Fitting an auxiliary tank of appreciable capacity is an impossibility.

there is room for 5-6 gallons if you remove the spare tire however you'd be adding a fuel tank to the INSIDE of the car, meaning bad things can happen if you get rear ended or in a collision..

 

[Ski in NC]

I routinely carry one squat six gallon poly fuel jug on long trips. Adds 250mile to range. Not worried about safety, it's diesel and won't ignite. If I get hit hard enough to spill the jug, the car is toast anyway.

For local driving, the jug is out of the car.

 

[TDIMeister]

Meh.

 

[740GLE]

Not really. Fuel tanks now a days are molded to the chassis of the car. Fitting an auxiliary tank of appreciable capacity is an impossibility.

there is room for 5-6 gallons if you remove the spare tire however you'd be adding a fuel tank to the INSIDE of the car, meaning bad things can happen if you get rear ended or in a collision..

I thought the spare tire tanks used in grease cars can hold up to 10-14gal? the hardest part would be how you fill it and how it plumbs to the OEM tank.

I'd love to add another 10gal capacity, even thought i don't need to run through that much gas in one sitting, it'd just reduce the number of fill ups.

 

[Scott_DeWitt]

I thought the spare tire tanks used in grease cars can hold up to 10-14gal? the hardest part would be how you fill it and how it plumbs to the OEM tank.

I'd love to add another 10gal capacity, even thought i don't need to run through that much gas in one sitting, it'd just reduce the number of fill ups.

My point is your adding fuel to the inside of the vehicle. Diesel isn't as volatile as gasoline, but under certain conditions that can be satisfied in a severe collision diesel can ignite. But in all seriousness, who can sit on their ass for 600+ miles (8-10 hours)?.

 

[740GLE]

But who here regularly eats up 600 miles a week? It'd just reduce the time i spent standing infront of the pumps.

My grandfather bought a 77 300D new, he had a 25 gallon tank installed in the trunk flush with the back seats it was plumbed to the OEM tank so it'd syphon off, he had the car for over 23 years, had serveral accidents in it too (no rear ending thank god).

Placement of an extra tank in the spare wheel well probably isn't the best idea for safty, but it'd be the least intrusive.

If you could install at tank in the forward most area of the trunk (IE almost directly over the OEM tank) that'd be the best bet.

 

[meowguy]

But who here regularly eats up 600 miles a week?

You mean except MEOWGUY who clocks about 720 per week.

I have four five gallon jugs and one two gallon jug and I add fuel at home when the weather is foul so I don't have to stand out in the rain and snow to fill twice a week. An electric transfer pump is used to fill from the jugs. They are too heavy for this old man to lift.

Still loving this little car after 42,000 in 17 months.

 

[WEC4104]

Everyone seems to be questioning how long a person can sit in the seat and drive without a break. Given the issues with the HPFP and fuel quality, maybe the driving force behind a large tank is fueling up where you trust the fuel.

 

[leicaman]

But who here regularly eats up 600 miles a week?

Ah I do, often as a matter of fact. I think my 17.5 gallon tank on my Passat is just fine. Some weeks, I do only 300 and then there are 700 mile weeks.

 

[tedkidd]

My cummins dodge and e320cdi could both get 6-700 between fills and reserve light meant 100 miles. I miss that.

 

[Abacus]

But who here regularly eats up 600 miles a week?

Straight from my Excel program, which is what I use to log all my fuel and mileage data, going back many years when I bought the car. Over the lifetime I average:

Miles driven/week....724

I work 30 miles from home and go to the White Mountains in NH one or two times a month for climbing/hiking. The rest of the time it's just general errands, visiting my g/f, and whatever else happens during the week. It's why I own a TDI. I fuel my car once a week, and am glad it will go 800-850 miles to a tank. It sucked when I only had my Isuzu Trooper, which got 18-22 mpg, but I was traveling more then. That now has 340,000 miles on it and is still going strong down in Kentucky.

Meowguy: sucks living in the state with the longest commute in the nation, but what are you going to do?

 

[meowguy]

Straight from my Excel program, which is what I use to log all my fuel and mileage data, going back many years when I bought the car. Over the lifetime I average:

You do know you can send SMS text messages to Fuelly.com right from the pump.

 

[Abacus]

I have never seen that site, thanks!

Just signed up.

 

[BlueGraphite'10TDI]

I drive over 600 miles a week. 4x a week from Casa Grande to Tucson. I-10 all the way, one of the most dangerous highways around... so I hear. I do wish the tank had a few extra gallons. I usually only get 3 trips on a tank, Ive only ever had a 600 mile tank once.

 

[Kriesel]

You do know you can send SMS text messages to Fuelly.com right from the pump.

I love fuelly, but I still use an excel sheet so I can do other crazy things with the graphs and such...

 

[Fixmy59bug]

It'd just reduce the time i spent standing infront of the pumps.

Not really.....

Say you spend 5 minutes per week filling up your 14.5 gallon tank. And say you do this 4 times per month. That is 20 minutes.

But, If you double your fuel capacity, it will now take about 10 minutes to fill, but will occur half as often.

So you are not really cutting any time out of filling. You are theoretically only saving the time of driving up to the pump (assuming your normal filling station is in your normal driving route) which would only equate to maybe 10 seconds per subsequent visit to the filling station.

BUT, your vehicle would have to haul MORE weight when your larger tank is full which may equate to less fuel economy.

 

[trbonium]

Fuel Tank Cavern not completely filled anyway?

Picked up a 2010 Golf TDI 6 speed last week.

When I got home couldn't resist throwing it up on the lift. Was a little surprised at the way VW did the tank... it looks like they could have added a few more gallons if they had just been a little clever with the exhaust shielding and more creative with the shape of the tank? Anyone other than me notice this?

Adding a few more gallons hardly compares to adding even one passenger, considering that diesel weighs in at approx 7.15 pounds per US gallon. It'd take 7 extra gallons to equal a 50 lb passenger, and that's only when the tank is totally full. I'd think that as hardly an impact to the stellar overall mileage?

I'd much prefer an aftermarket tank from a reputable company if I was going to do this, and preferably one that's of the same durable plastic like the factory tank, to avoid rupture in the event of an accident. I think some of the full size truck tanks are made from steel if aftermarket? I see them advertised in Diesel Power Magazine.

PS - gotta love the golf ball dimples on the plastic underpans for aerodynamics - ha ha golf dimples for a Golf.... LOL!

 

[740GLE]

Not really.....

Say you spend 5 minutes per week filling up your 14.5 gallon tank. And say you do this 4 times per month. That is 20 minutes.

But, If you double your fuel capacity, it will now take about 10 minutes to fill, but will occur half as often.

So you are not really cutting any time out of filling. You are theoretically only saving the time of driving up to the pump (assuming your normal filling station is in your normal driving route) which would only equate to maybe 10 seconds per subsequent visit to the filling station.

BUT, your vehicle would have to haul MORE weight when your larger tank is full which may equate to less fuel economy.

You ever fill up and wait for the foam? with a larger tank, I'd only wait for foam half the time, so it would be a time savings, not a whole lot but, it'd be worth it to me.

 

[TDIMeister]

Looks like a muffler or resonator used to be in that gaping area in trbonium's car. Did you buy it used?

 

[trbonium]

Used? Yes. Modded? No, that's all factory.

Diesel's don't need much of a muffler and as you probably know the muffler is at the back.

Someone else here wanna back me up to this point?

 

[tedkidd]

Not really.....

Say you spend 5 minutes per week filling up your 14.5 gallon tank. And say you do this 4 times per month. That is 20 minutes.

But, If you double your fuel capacity, it will now take about 10 minutes to fill, but will occur half as often.

So you are not really cutting any time out of filling. You are theoretically only saving the time of driving up to the pump (assuming your normal filling station is in your normal driving route) which would only equate to maybe 10 seconds per subsequent visit to the filling station.

BUT, your vehicle would have to haul MORE weight when your larger tank is full which may equate to less fuel economy.

Yeah, and hanging drywall is pretty fast too. But that doesn't include mud, sanding, painting, cleaning up. If I hired you for a job it would be bid pricing, definitely won't be based on a time estimate!!

Not sure where you fill up, but for me it may mean paying first - 3 minutes. Pumping - 5 minutes. Paying - 3 minutes again. Did you wait for the pump? Do you log your fills? Oh yeah, unless you live with a geanie, you have to GO to the station, 10-20 minutes.

My other cars had 100 mile reserves, somehow seemed more likely to pass a diesel station. Rather than having to go out of my way. Think another 5 gallons would be great!