Technical TANKS ALOT

Nearing the completion on the mock up of my roadster and I am messing around with the idea of a reserve fuel tank in the trunk. The cars main tank is a TanksInc 16 gallon unit for a 32 ford that now resides in the stock location in my 34 after some creativity with the welder. The problem is I had to remove at least 2 1/2 to 3 gallons of that tanks capacity in order to notch the tank around the Winters QC Champ rear-end. It is feeding a 471 blown 8BA with 3 97's that I do not expect much fuel economy out of and I plan to drive it (and rather not push it).

I have a 2.5 gallon moon tank that I have never used. I am considering mounting it in the trunk over the main tank and devising a method to dump the fuel from the "moon unit" (yeah, I went there) into the main tank from inside the car while driving. It would take the place of the section I removed from the main tank. That is what I am looking for your help and expertise with.

I know the rule, pics or it didn't happen,

The tank is in epoxy primer, I can still weld in a bung or fuel inlet in the back top corner where it is not visible from behind. and below the moon tank The moon tank doesn't take up a lot of real estate where it is. I am thinking two different methods;
1. an electric tank selector like on a boat with duel saddle tanks, gravity operated, or
2. an electric in-line fuel pump to transfer the fuel. (I am ***uming the electric pump would hold back the fuel until activated? Is that accurate?)
3. or mount the tank in the trunk and fill it with bourbon? Add a hand pump to dispense.

In options 1 and 2 I think a vent is required on the moon tank or like a pop bottle turned upside down, nothing comes out. I cant vent inside the trunk and the vent needs to be above the tank with a roll-over valve? Could I install 2 electric cutouts, one to open the fuel line and the other to open a vent, both wired to operate together from the dash? Then shut it off and close the vent when done?

I am hoping someone has an answer here so I can get this part of the project wrapped up. I suppose it is no different than having the tank on the front spreader other than the venting issue.

 

I wouldn't. But I'm a proponent of the KISS method. Don't worry about the missing gallon for the quickie notch.

 

I am a fan too

But even at 10 MPG that little tank would give me 20 miles in an emergency.

 

I like the whisky option.

 

I have a funny feeling that if I had added voting ****ons, the moon "shine" tank would be most popular on this site.

 

The inline 12v priming pump on my 32 feeds through the stock engine fuel pump on the Olds engine. I prime the carbs if it sat too many days, then the Olds pump draws through the electric.......so on my type of pump, it would not hold back the gas.
EDIT: depends on the height of the inlet and outlet, to prevent unwanted transfer of gas?

also, that moon tank is way too small for the effort IMO. Go bigger reserve tank?

 

Anything bigger and all I'm gonna get in that trunk is a tee shirt and a crescent wrench. Sounds like the electric pump alone wont work. I just don't want to regret this later when I have to weld on a tank that has had fuel in it.

 

when i put the extra tank in my tool box i just hooked up a electric fule pump to transfer the gas from that tank to the reg tank with no vent. hit the switch on the dash and watched the tank fill back up. top tank was 20 reg tank was 16

 

I'm pretty sure that tank wouldn't look bad up front? Line back, simple Valve hidden floor or elsewhere, tee in? I don't like fuel inside, Anywhere... Just me

 

Why not just put a hand operated valve on the Moon tank, when you run out of gas open the valve and let gravity drain into the main tank.

 

I don't think I would,even if you lost 3 gallons of fuel capacity your still going to have more gas than a stock 11 gallon tank. HRP

 

I am running an 11 gallon spun tank on my A with a five gallon fuel cell for reserve. I am using an electric tank switcher like a pickup with twin tanks uses. I have run this setup before and it is simple and works. I don't have a fuel gauge so the second tank is a must. I figure even at 10 miles to the gallon I can go 50 miles when I run out.

 

Thanks guys, I can always count on your help. ******, on your application you have a mechanical pump likely on the motor that is syphoning the fuel out of whichever tank you selected. I have an electric pump inside the main tank so I need to get that fuel from the moon to the fuel tank. Will gravity alone and no vent suffice?

HRP, my 442 rolls out a nice consistent 10 MPG if keep my foot out of it, the run to the beach from here is not possible on one tank in that thirsty damn olds and it holds 18 gallons. I have never owned a flathead no less one that is packing like this one, I think my 10 MPG is reasonable. I guess that is no different than my HD that gets a 100 to 120 miles to a tank. I guess I feel more comfortable with a reserve tank for the "oh ****" moments.

Hollywood, I originally bought that tank for the front but there is just no nice way to mount a tank tot he front of a 34 ford. It sticks out to far and it takes away from the one of the best looking grilles in the history of all things automotive. If I filled a can for emergencies it would go in the trunk so why not a permanent fix?

If Moonshine is correct (and with a name like that why wouldn't he be?) I have an in-line pump I use for emptying and filling tanks around the garage, that and a electric selector should dump the fuel from the dash without the need for venting. It is not like it is running on that tank (vapor lock) I just want the fuel transferred.

 

You cannot get the fuel from the top tank to the bottom without a vent. What you can do it vent the top tank and not the bottom and let it gravity feed the bottom tank as needed, the problem is that you will still be screwed when you run out of gas. If you run a splitter and try and gravity feed once you are out of gas it won't keep up with your pump. You could run one of those cheap pulse pumps with a solenoid valve and pump the fuel into your lower tank when it starts to sputter.

I don't run a mechanical pump but I do run my pump external. I just run my splitter between the tanks and the pump.

 

Ah, I think I get it. I think I will dump a 3/8" line input in the tank this weekend and figure out where to mount the pump and splitter solenoid without looking fugly . Thanks ******

 

Yea, man. You kinda went to the local ***** house, expecting to find a nun.

 

Just a thought but if you need to vent the small tank could you use a ventless cap and then run a vent line out of the tank and down out of the car? I'm not super familiar with the options of venting a tank but I do have a hose hooked up to the vent on my trunk mounted battery that runs under the car.

Then you have a vented tank with out fumes in the car, could even set it up to use a flaired hardline

 

As an aside it seems like a gas gauge that works would be the easiest option, maybe figure out how to wire an idiot light to a 1/4 tank lol

 

Nuns at the ***** house ey? ***** , *****

 

Along with others on the KISS theory. Stop by a Harley Davidson shop and check out their spare gas cans. They make a plastic spare that is triangular shaped and made to fit in a saddle bag and carried as a spare for the touring crowd. If you run out of gas just pour it into your big tank and get on down the road.

 

Billy
Just get a lifetime membership to AAA.

 

I already am on the waiting list for AA, what is the extra A for?

 

get the electric fuel tank splitter and wire it so when you split it turns on a pump for the moon tank ,shuts off the pump for the main tank , they used these on the 91 chevy pickups with EFI with dual pumps in the tanks .as long as your not running EFI a small facet style pump should keep it going ,and you can wire in a reminder light ( push me home light ) to come on when its switched to the reserve

otherwise your going to have to figure out how to rig a float drain ( like a carb float ) in the lower tank to refill it as it empties

 

Run two lines from the moon tank, one that goes from the top of main tank to the inside top of moon tank - a vent that displaces air between the tanks. The second line goes from the bottom of the moon tank, carries gas, has your valve.

Make sure your valve can be operated mechanically in a pinch.

 

I'd keep chugging along and worry about this later. This is a tangential distraction from completing your car.

There's fun ideas being discussed here , sure, but come back to this later when you're driving, not in mock-up.

That said, if range between fillup stations is a concern, Sportsman's Guide has new/NOS military jerry cans for less than $30/ea for the 5 gallon and around $25 for the 2.5 g's (which a pair of would be fairly easy to fit in the trunk).

 

^^^X2^^^^

 

Also, if you use a separate reserve tank or jerry cans in in the trunk, make a habit of USING and replacing that fuel occasionally. Some engines don't like this new & improved "gasoline" after it has been sitting around for a few months.

 

Built, I like the idea of the vent/equalizer line, I will employ it. I bought an electric valve yesterday, I will look for a good small pump and a mounting method to hide it.

Mountain, I have never been guilty of not turning over my fuel inventory fast enough but point well taken. I left the cork out of a bottle of bourbon the other evening and when I woke up the next morning it had evaporated apearantly, lessons learned.

Patmanta, I get that but this install will require the tank to be welded on to install the inlet line. right now the tank has never had fuel in it so welding is a simple matter plus after the tank is painted the welding of the inlet will require much more materials, prep and money. I know I will forget something but at least for now to get the inlet welded in the tank is wise.

 

That's my story. If I don't remember it, it didn't happen.