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Pahaska · 11-05-2004, 01:02 PM

I bought a 30-gallon in-the-bed tank for my Duramax. It fits nicely under the roll-up box for my Roll-N-Lock bed cover. I bought it from American Tank in Frisco, TX. It is beautifully welded diamond-plate aluminum. This will give me 56 gallons which is almost 900 miles if I keep my speed down to 60.

I drilled the holes and bolted down the tank this morning. Next step is to run all of the wiring for the switchover valve and the second level indicator. Then, the nerve-wracking step of cutting fuel and return lines to cut in the 6-way valve.

ctdair · 11-05-2004, 03:25 PM

What kind of tank , I am thinking of putting one in mine. I have looked at transfer flow and still weighing the cost. post web address if not transfer flow

diesel · 11-05-2004, 03:30 PM

John,

I have had my Transfer Flow OEM replacement tank with 56 usable gallons for two years now. You will enjoy both the time and distance between refueling.

With the extra capacity, you can always fill up at major truck stops without having to resort to "hole in the wall" fueling stations with questionable diesel. Ninety percent of my fuel comes from Flying J which is 70 miles from my home. I never have to make a special trip since I have to travel past them at least once a month. Clean fuel makes for longer engine life especially with the newer diesels.

I went with the Transfer Flow because I could not give up my truck box. I have a Cargo Bat which fits below my canopy and a Truck Vault which fits on the box deck. Above my canopy, I have a Kargo Master Ladder rack. The Cargo Bat swings down and I carry long objects in it. Seventeen foot 300 lbs capacity Big Boy Ladder, shovels, axe, snow shoes, chain saw, etc. I can be working or playing on a mountain, desert, or beach within a matter of two and a half hours.

As you can tell, I carry everything with me yet there is still room for my two German Sheperds. The ten month old black male is already bigger than the four year old sable female. I am trying to add airconditioning to the canopy for their comfort. A black truck, canopy and dog can get very hot very quickly.

We have a nine percent grade on a highway east of Shaniko, Oregon not far from here. The Allison's Tow/Haul button makes towing the thirty foot Classic a pleasure especially going down hill.

Have fun!

bake315 · 11-05-2004, 03:46 PM

Been mulling the Titan oversized tank put out by Supertanks, as a possible alternative to giving up useable space in the bed of the truck... Supposed to fit in place of the original tank with no mods....

Pahaska · 11-05-2004, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctdair

What kind of tank , I am thinking of putting one in mine. I have looked at transfer flow and still weighing the cost. post web address if not transfer flow

A transfer switch on the dash operates a valve under the truck so that it pulls fuel from the bed tank and the gagae reads the sensor in the bed tank. I am very pleased with the workmanship on the tank, the installation kit, and the instructions.

I just finished installing the switch. I buried it in the narrow unused slot to the left of the steering wheel. Pretty much out of sight and almost impossible to flip by mistake. I ran the wires through the floor grommet where the shifting cable goes through to the Allison.

They are at this
URL

74Argosy24MH · 11-05-2004, 06:37 PM

If your fuel line has a union try and put the transfer valve in there. It will save cutting at least one line.

John

Pahaska · 11-05-2004, 09:53 PM

I had a Nictane pre-filter installed. It is a big Caterpiller filter that was inserted between the old tank and the fuel cooler to give a lot better filtering than the GM filter in the engine compartment. I removed the extra filter today and reconnected the original fuel line between tank and fuel cooler.

I'll plumb the Caterpiller filter in after the 6-way valve so that it filters the output of both tanks; i.e. between the valve and the fuel pump. This should be quite easy to do since the Caterpiller filter is located right by where the new lines come out of the truck bed. I just need to put the new valve as far back as possible to keep the lines short.

I don't see any unions in that area, so I will have to cut lines. No big problem.

I do notice that fuel from the new tank won't go through the fuel cooler. I don't know whether this is a problem.

diesel · 11-06-2004, 11:40 AM

John,

Not going through the fuel cooler could be a major problem. A large portion of the fuel is used to cool the electronics controling the fuel injectors and then returned to the oem tank. The fuel cooler inconjuctiion with the remaining fuel in the oem tank is used to remove this heat. When you are getting low on fuel in the oem tank, there is less fuel to delute the temperature of the returning fuel, increasing the need for the fuel cooler. If you are only pulling fuel from the auxillary tank and the returning hot fuel is going to the oem tank, you should be fine since the fuel will be cooled when it is pulled from the oem tank. Just be sure you don't completely eliminate the fuel cooler. In my Transfer Fow tank, there is actually 61 gallons of fuel. Five gallon are not usable to the engine. This remaining fuel is to insure that there is at least five gallons left to help cool the fuel going to the electronics

Remember the Bosh Common Rail Fuel System is not like the old systems. These systems run at a much higher pressure resulting in high temperatures especially when pulling in the hot summer sun.

Pahaska · 11-06-2004, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diesel

John, Not going through the fuel cooler could be a major problem.

It does go through the cooler to both tanks. There were two pages of instructions stuck together and I didn't see the part where the cooler is plumbed. There is a U-shaped turn in the piping that switched the cooler to the tank being used.

Tarheel · 11-06-2004, 07:03 PM

In these set-ups does the aux tank resupply the main tank or is the fuel from the aux tank suplied directly to the system? I would love to have additional fuel aboard but I have a camper shell and haven't decided the best way to fill the new tank. 92 dodge pick-up

Pahaska · 11-06-2004, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarheel

In these set-ups does the aux tank resupply the main tank or is the fuel from the aux tank suplied directly to the system? I would love to have additional fuel aboard but I have a camper shell and haven't decided the best way to fill the new tank. 92 dodge pick-up

Each tank directly serves the engine fuel pump and the bypassed fuel is returned to the tank from whence it came.

brohloff · 11-06-2004, 09:58 PM

Just curious, do the newer Chev gas(as opposed to diesel) systems ('03 Serria 1500 to be specific) also use fuel returned to the main tank to cool injector electronics?

And does the Dodge Cummin's used returned fuel to cool injector electronics?

bob r...

Tarheel · 11-07-2004, 07:08 AM

Just trying to get the picture straight in my head. I understand the supply to the engine from the Aux tank, but don't readily see the drawback of resuppling the main from the aux there by avoiding runing extra lines. My simple approach although it may be flawed would be to put a valve in the drain/ resupply line and open it when the main was low and close it when the main was refilled. If gravity isn't working then a small transfer pump could do the job. Obviously this is a flawed approach, but without knowing the system better I don't see how. Can anyone help me with my logic?

Pahaska · 11-07-2004, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarheel

If gravity isn't working then a small transfer pump could do the job. Obviously this is a flawed approach, but without knowing the system better I don't see how. Can anyone help me with my logic?

Gravity flow would be a bit difficult without cutting into the pickup bed. The transfer valve is probably cheaper than a pump would be and there is no chance of overflowing the main tank. Albeit, there is a bit more plumbing in the version I have, but it is simply rubber fuel lines.

The gasoline version of the same tank I have has an in-tank pump and costs almost $400 more than the diesel version that relies on the OEM pump.

diesel · 11-07-2004, 10:58 AM

Brohloff,

The Bosch High-Pressure Common-Rail Fuel Ijection System is used only in the newer diesel engines. Fuel pressures in this system run as high as 23,000-psi. The system and its associated electronics are attached to the engine which results in a great amount of heat generation.

As I recall, the fuel pressure for gassers run between 51 and 100 psi and a rather simple control system that does not subject the controling circuits to extreme heat. Cooling is not required for gassers.

Pahaska · 11-07-2004, 02:01 PM

I have the transfer valve mounted and mostly plumbed. I haven't cut into the return line at the fuel cooler yet and I need another piece of 7/16" fuel line to finish plumbing in the Caterpiller filter.

I ran into town and the several places I tried don't carry 7/16" fuel line. Most places were closed, it being Sunday. I'll have to go back to NAPA in the morning.

Unfortunately, the almost 5-year-old battery in my Buick picked this afternoon in town to short a cell, so I don't even have a vehicle that runs at the moment. I'll have to take the wife's car in the morning to get a new battery and some fuel line.

The shot is of the mostly plumbed valve. The shiny stuff on the frame is diesel fuel that spilled when I cut the supply line. I have the two return lines and one line from the Cat filter to install and I need to hook up the rest of the wiring. Should be done by noon tomorrow.

Tarheel · 11-07-2004, 03:15 PM

I'd love to see a piping diagram of your system. No matter how I install it I will have to cut a hole in the cap or side of the bed for filling, the cap is permanent as far as I am concerned. Then I would have to drill a hole in the floor or the side of the truck bed for the fuel lines.

Pahaska · 11-07-2004, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarheel

I'd love to see a piping diagram of your system. No matter how I install it I will have to cut a hole in the cap or side of the bed for filling, the cap is permanent as far as I am concerned. Then I would have to drill a hole in the floor or the side of the truck bed for the fuel lines.

The kit requires a 1 3/4" hole in the side of the bed, about 6" below the top of the bed and right under the forward stake pocket. The hole is grommeted and there are 3 lines and the fuel gage wire that go through it; a feed line, a return line, and a vent line.

The thing that makes my installation a bit more complex is the Cat filter that I have mounted ahead of the wheel well. The feed line comes out of the valve and has to go to the Cat filter and then back down to the cut feed line. Nice thing is that I was able to cut the feed line only once instead of twice. It's hard to cut the lines because you can't swing the tubing cutter a full circle. This also leads to an arm bath in diesel since the line doesn't separate cleanly and it takes some time to separate it and get plugs on the ends.

I went back out and finished all of the plumbing except the 7/16" line from the Cat filter that I have to buy tomorrow. I also finished all of the wiring except for 2 grounds and finding a switched wire behind the dash to power the valve.

I also spent almost an hour trying to get the battery out of my Buick Regal. I have never seen anything like it. I had to take off the brace strut, partially disconnect the main fuse panel, and wiggle the battery out on end. Thank goodness it is a sealed battery. There wasn't a clue in the manual.

Pahaska · 11-08-2004, 04:54 PM

I spent a frustrating time trying to bleed the system. When I disconnected the Caterpillar filter a few days ago, I opened the bleed on the filter so that as much fuel as possible would run back into the tank. Guess what? I forgot that the bleed was open. I pumped until I was blue in the face and all I got was bubbles.

Once I closed the bleed, it was no time at all until the beast started.

The only thing remaining is to find a switched wire somewhere to tie into the switch. I did find an always hot wire and used it to test the switchover. The gage follows the tank in use and it runs nicely on both tanks (once I finally got it bled).

Anyone out there have any good ideas concerning where I can find a switched wire; one that it hot only when the key is on? I even tried removing the radio, but the wires are too tight to get behind it. I'll even fish a wire into the engine compartment if necessary.

john hd · 11-08-2004, 05:53 PM

john

this may not be an easy task, most of the accessory wiring in modern chevys run through the body control module. basicly, a computer controls all of the switched loads in the truck. you can confirm this by noticing any accessory light or device will turn itself off after 20 min. dome light, radio, headlights etc.

what you may want to do is run a fused line directly from the battery. you might save yourself alot of trouble trying to figure the system out. it is complex to say the least, try adding a set of fog lamps to a stock truck!

john