making my plans to install a pump fed auxiliary diesel tank any suggestions

[szewczyk_john]

I am close to finalizing the purchase of a used 90 gallon tank combo currently being used to gravity feed a truck. I plan on running the line from the lower tank bung with a manual shut off valve to the underside of the bed. From there I will have an electronic valve, filter, pump then going t the main tank fill tube. Electronic valve will have its on activation switch as will the pump. Does anyone, who has a similar set up, have any advice or pictures of their install? Any comments or suggestions? fill line adapter kit from RDS seems like the best choice for that.

 

[porthole]

Anytime you have a pump without some sort of automatic shut off can lead to a mess.
Why are you choosing a pump over gravity?

90 gallons is a nice size, what is the factory tank?

 

[jnbhobe]

I have done the pump thing, it finally got me and I pumped 40 gal. down the drain. I now use gravity with a filter and a solinoid and RDS connection to the filler tube.

 

[JWalker]

Have a gravity fed system. Using the RDS filler neck adapter. Easy to install with the design of the new RAM dually fenders. Just watch the DEF line that runs with the fuel line. I think I have a few pics somewhere of the filler adapter install and the area I went through the bed. I'll try to dig them up when I get home.

 

[travelin2]

Gravity feed here too with Ford fill neck adapter. Keeps the OEM tank full. Ball check valve shuts off flow to OEM tank when full. Manual Ball valve on tank too.
If I choose to run with aux tank off when I do open ball valve OEM tank fills faster than I use when driving. Never a worry about the flow keeping up with usage.


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[Doublegranch]

I have had both gravity & Electric and no issue with either. I ordered a aux tank filler kit from Northern Tools for each Ram I owned that hooks into the main tank flow tube...not the over flow tube....it has a spring and plastic ball that presses upwards when fuel raises up into the fuel tube and shuts off any aux flow. It even stops the flow from when my electric pump is on and the main tank is full. I have never had any overflow on the ground and tested it many times in front of my barn. This is the same system I have had on three Rams and it works great...my new Ram is the first with the electric pump. I have 4 aux switches from the mfg on the dash of the Ram with one hooked up to the elec pump. I have forgotten a couple of times to shut the switch off and did not lose any fuel. I have the switches set to shut off automatically when the ignition is off and you need to hit the switch again after restarting.
The dealer installed the aux filler kit and it is close to the base of the main tank on the 16 Ram....it was up higher on the older Rams due to a different filler tube set up. I also have a manual shut off valve on the aux tank prior to the pump.

NOTE: by accident I found out the pump I have will allow gravity feed as well...If your main tank is full you can just hit the switch for a few minutes and shut if off and fuel continues to flow via gravity feed until your tank is low enough you will need to turn your pump back on to empty the aux tank. I learned this by error and called the MFG and they said yes the pump I purchased does not stop the fuel flow if you have enough head pressure from the aux tank. Long story short but if you don't want that to happen, release the aux tank fuel cap and pressure and it stops or turn close the manual valve shut off.

The pump I purchased was: Facet Cube solid state fuel pump $35.75, part # 40289 from AfterMarket LLC in Richardson TX...they have a web site.

Hope this helps...it may not be for everyone and perhaps others will have issue with it, but so far this has worked for me and it is nice driving down the highway and just flip a switch vs getting out and turning on or off a shut off valve....yet in reality with my other two Rams that really wasn't an issue!

 

[szewczyk_john]

Anytime you have a pump without some sort of automatic shut off can lead to a mess.
Why are you choosing a pump over gravity?

90 gallons is a nice size, what is the factory tank?

The tank is here . I found it used and getting to for around 75% off that price. only thing is it is coming out of a Ford and the tank bung for the feed line was installed facing the rear of the truck as opposed to facing the bed side of the truck. I guess the owner's Ford has a filler neck further back in the dually setup. This worries me some but I was thinking of mounting some sort of protection. I have also found to other used tanks but both are smaller, One is a 30 gallon combo and the other is a 40 gallon tank only and they are also more expensive. I thought that the pump system would end up being a safer bet but I could probably be talked out of it. I was thinking of just using an old diesel fuel pump from an older diesel system. they can be had pretty cheap and that would help pull the diesel through the filter making it faster to fill up.

I saw some posts on truck forums while researching this that claims the filtering makes gravity systems not work sometimes. I know that on the Ram I can install the "T" to the filler line way down the neck almost where the inlet valve would be sitting straight up vertical. There is a lot of room under there.

 

[porthole]

Most of the tanks I have seen have the bung at the rear.
No issue for my install. I have a bronze 3/8" pipe "street el" coming off the tank to keep it close to the sidewall.

Mine
Tank - street El - gravity capable solenoid - 1/4 turn ball valve 90 degree fitting down through the bed.
From there I used some marine grade fuel line I had and plumbed it to the inline Tee.

So far Titan is not making a tank for the 2017 long beds, although that may change with some pressure form the suppliers.
2017 Fords have a bigger fuel tank now, 48 gallon (last was 37).

If and when I get a new truck this time I am thinking about having a tank made. I figure if I make it to my specs it would cost more then a mass market tank, but less then a Titan, and I will be able to max out the size for my purposes.

 

[silver_2000_tj]

Hello,

Went through the steps of installing a RDS 60 Gallon tank a few years ago. The hardest part was putting the filler neck back into the truck. There is a rubber connector on top of the frame below the bed where the line goes to the tank, which can be separated. Once you complete this and drill out the 3 rivits by the filler door the whole assembly can be dropped out. Connect up the Aux line to the main filler line (I connected mine to an electronic solenoid along with a manual switch) The total project took about half a day, and so far no issues and one of the best upgrades I have done. The best advise I can give is take your time connecting the filler line back between the frame and bed. It’s not easy to get to and you bust your knuckles and drop many, many 4 letter words.

My only complaint is that I used a 3/8 inch solenoid valve and should have gone to a 1/2 to move more fuel quicker form the transfer tank to the main tank.

 

[porthole]

My only complaint is that I used a 3/8 inch solenoid valve and should have gone to a 1/2 to move more fuel quicker form the transfer tank to the main tank.

I wouldn't sweat that.

Fuel is gravity fed, there is very little head pressure going from 3/8" to 1/2". 1/2" may seem to be a lot better (approximately 25% bigger), but you are still limited to the 5/16" hose and 1/4" fittings.

Most of us on the forum have found that the gravity flow seems to be about the burn rate when towing.

 

[travelin2]

I wouldn't sweat that.


Most of us on the forum have found that the gravity flow seems to be about the burn rate when towing.

I used to run my OEM tank down then open my aux tank. When I did the gravity feed was always faster than fuel used i.e. I could watch the fuel gauge move toward full when driving. Now I only fill my aux tank unless the aux tank is empty and I've used fuel from my OEM tank then of course I fill both.
No error codes and the message center records all fuel used.


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[212Pilot]

I also have the RDS Gravity feed kit on my 2017 Chevy Silverado. The only problem I have had is if I open the ball valve on the aux tank before the main tank draws down some (1/2 tank) the main tank stays full and it throws a code, check engine light, and fuel gage does to Empty. By waiting for the main tank to draw down to half, it keeps the main tank refilling but doesn't throw the fuel sensor code.

 

[porthole]

I used to run my OEM tank down then open my aux tank. When I did the gravity feed was always faster than fuel used i.e. I could watch the fuel gauge move toward full when driving. Now I only fill my aux tank unless the aux tank is empty and I've used fuel from my OEM tank then of course I fill both.
No error codes and the message center records all fuel used.


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Was that gravity through a 1/4 turn valve or through an electric valve?

- - - Updated - - -

I also have the RDS Gravity feed kit on my 2017 Chevy Silverado. The only problem I have had is if I open the ball valve on the aux tank before the main tank draws down some (1/2 tank) the main tank stays full and it throws a code, check engine light, and fuel gage does to Empty. By waiting for the main tank to draw down to half, it keeps the main tank refilling but doesn't throw the fuel sensor code.

Not a problem with the Ford's

 

[travelin2]

The stock ball valve that came with the tank and inline kit for the OEM tank fill tube


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[porthole]

The stock ball valve that came with the tank and inline kit for the OEM tank fill tube


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That will dump faster then the solenoid valve.

 

[yukonjackman]

I run a Fass pump on my aux tank to fill the main when needed, an added benefit is it gets me a time to stop to rest for a few minutes to top off the the main tank.

 

[kbbagshaw]

I used to run my OEM tank down then open my aux tank. When I did the gravity feed was always faster than fuel used i.e. I could watch the fuel gauge move toward full when driving. Now I only fill my aux tank unless the aux tank is empty and I've used fuel from my OEM tank then of course I fill both.
No error codes and the message center records all fuel used.


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Same here. No issues and would not want to haul without the aux tank again. Love it!