D4 Fuel Tank Size

[rhinosm]

Raising that old chestnut, Fuel Tank Capacity.

After our recent Simpson Desert Trip, the question of fuel tanks was paramount.
I have a standard 83 Litre tank with a usable 67 Litres, just thought I'd throw that in.
I have resisted an aux tank, mainly because I don't want the spare hanging off the back, Its a personal thing.
But I have to say, it really gave me the sh@ts this time.
Travelling with 2 Toyotas with 140 & 180L tanks, it was really noticeable.
I carried and used 5 jerry cans from Oodnadatta to Birdsville.

I really like what a few people have done by custom making a fuel tank in 3rd row seat well.
I think I will explore that idea a little further, but it does have it's challenges.

[Ean Austral]

Raising that old chestnut, Fuel Tank Capacity.

After our recent Simpson Desert Trip, the question of fuel tanks was paramount.
I have a standard 83 Litre tank with a usable 67 Litres, just thought I'd throw that in.
I have resisted an aux tank, mainly because I don't want the spare hanging off the back, Its a personal thing.
But I have to say, it really gave me the sh@ts this time.
Travelling with 2 Toyotas with 140 & 180L tanks, it was really noticeable.
I carried and used 5 jerry cans from Oodnadatta to Birdsville.

I really like what a few people have done by custom making a fuel tank in 3rd row seat well.
I think I will explore that idea a little further, but it does have it's challenges.

Can I ask why only 67ltrs is usable in the D4 . Is that standard ?

Only reason son I ask is I had my D3 down to the warning light came on then drove about 30ks .think I put in 80ltrs. Is the D4 different to the D3.

cheers Ean

[RobA]

We get a shed load more than 67l out of ours for sure. According to the computer last year when we pulled in for fuel along the GRR we had 15km left and yet we put around 75l in so we are always light when it comes to what is left in the tank. I reckon when the computer says 0 km left we have around 5-10l

In our Prado we could always get from Oodnadatta to Birdsville via the long way, add 110km, using around 120l. That makes for a 770km trip rather than direct on the French Line for around 660km.

Not towing we plan on using around 11l per 10km crossing the Simpson and that is fully loaded and carrying 3x JC on the roof

Rob

[Bytemrk]

Ean I think maybe the D4 is a little more conservative on when the fuel gauge says you are out of fuel.

When mine says I'm empty I can get a about 72 litres in..... however - once I decided to see just how far past zero the car would go - so I kept driving it got to 50km past where it said I would run out and was still going when I decided not to push it any further.

I'm not sure how much it took that time as I simply pumped some across from my long range - but it proved to me the gauge is very conservative.

[scarry]

Mine takes 76l dead empty.
Your tank may be faulty,has happened to a few on here.

Small tank is a PITA.I hate the wheel hanging off the rear as well.

If i needed a bigger tank,wouldn't contemplate anything inside the vehicle due to fumes and smell.

I would do the following,larger tank under rear.

As i run LT tyres,i would not carry a spare around town,plugs and aircompresser would suffice,if needed.

Put a wheel on the roof rack for away trips.

Just my thoughts
Paul

[rhinosm]

I emailed Landcover and queried the tank capacity, reply below.
Easier said then done.

"The only way you can determine the full capacity for the fuel tank will be draining the tank and re fuel it again, the reason why is when you vehicle level goes down to 0 the reserve tank is not taking into consideration. Also to the 83 litres as the whole tank we have consider the size of the fuel pump and the safety valve to not overflow the tank."

Sounds fair enough but Easier said, then done.

[Ean Austral]

Mine takes 76l dead empty.
Your tank may be faulty,has happened to a few on here.

Small tank is a PITA.I hate the wheel hanging off the rear as well.

If i needed a bigger tank,wouldn't contemplate anything inside the vehicle due to fumes and smell.

I would do the following,larger tank under rear.

As i run LT tyres,i would not carry a spare around town,plugs and aircompresser would suffice,if needed.

Put a wheel on the roof rack for away trips.

Just my thoughts
Paul

i have a long range tank , wheel carrier on the back .it only ever goes on if we are going out of town . Carry a elcheapo tyre repair kit and compressor for town.
190 ltr capacity when travelling is trouble free travelling in my eyes.

cheers Ean

[rocket rod]

x2 for a long range tank and don't have a spare when in town. I guess you have to way up having a spare on the back against 5 Jerry cans. That's a lot of room taken up in the car or if they are on the roof it's 100kg up there!!!

[Milton477]

What about a diesel bladder? Anyone used one instead of jerry cans?
I have an 80l water bladder that sits on the floor in the passenger foot well that could just as easily be for diesel.

[Ean Austral]

I haven't used the spare wheel winder mechanism that these cars have, as our car had the long range tank fitted when we bought it. I know a lot of people don't like the wheel on the back , but to me its the best option by far. For me if I bought a 4wd and it didn't have it , that would be my first mod before anything else.

We have a camper trailer that has the spare underneath , and I always lower the spare and check it and give the winder mechanism and good clean and lube before we go anywhere. I have spent more than an hour on the ground trying to lower the wheel after a offroad trip , I was ready to hacksaw the chain after the Gibb River Road a few years back , and if I had needed it on the trip that's exactly what I would have done.
It was that full off crud it wouldn't move , and when it did it was little bit down little bit back up. I spent 15 mins laying / sitting on the side of the road trying to get the spare down on my Ford Ranger work ute , and that hasn't been on dirt in its life.

Spare on the back , easy on / off and makes a great holder for the rubbish bag or dirty clothes bag on trips.

Each for their own but I know what I prefer.

Cheers Ean

[BMKal]

I haven't used the spare wheel winder mechanism that these cars have, as our car had the long range tank fitted when we bought it. I know a lot of people don't like the wheel on the back , but to me its the best option by far. For me if I bought a 4wd and it didn't have it , that would be my first mod before anything else.

We have a camper trailer that has the spare underneath , and I always lower the spare and check it and give the winder mechanism and good clean and lube before we go anywhere. I have spent more than an hour on the ground trying to lower the wheel after a offroad trip , I was ready to hacksaw the chain after the Gibb River Road a few years back , and if I had needed it on the trip that's exactly what I would have done.
It was that full off crud it wouldn't move , and when it did it was little bit down little bit back up. I spent 15 mins laying / sitting on the side of the road trying to get the spare down on my Ford Ranger work ute , and that hasn't been on dirt in its life.

Spare on the back , easy on / off and makes a great holder for the rubbish bag or dirty clothes bag on trips.

Each for their own but I know what I prefer.

Cheers Ean

Couldn't agree more. The underslung spare wheel is a PITA (not only on Disco's) - and the space it took up is much better used with the addition of a long range tank. The OEM tank is OK for those who live in a capital city and use the vehicle mainly as a shopping trolley, but pretty useless for my requirements. It was the one thing I saw as second rate on an otherwise very impressive vehicle. [wink11]

[ATH]

I wasn't going to put an RWC on my D4 as I think it spoils the look but trying to use that stupid winder thing designed by some turkey at LR when you've got shelving etc., convinced me to do it.
So the big job today (and tomorrow) is fit the Rijidij RWC and then I'll think about a long range tank.
That was one good thing about our Prado and that was the 180ltr tank as standard. Why can't Land Rover equip their vehicles with something similar? We don't all live in Europe with a servo on every corner.
AlanH.

[DiscoMick]

We have a Mantec RWC on the back of our Defender which opens with the door and it's great. The long range tank gives about a 1000 km range, which is good, but I'm planning to also add a second tank.
I hate mucking around with 20 litre cans.

[rhinosm]

i have a long range tank , wheel carrier on the back .it only ever goes on if we are going out of town . Carry a elcheapo tyre repair kit and compressor for town.
190 ltr capacity when travelling is trouble free travelling in my eyes.

cheers Ean

Hi Ean
Which aux tank did you go with.

[Ean Austral]

Hi Ean
Which aux tank did you go with.

I am not 100% sure as it was already on the car when we bought it , all I know its 110ltrs and so far has been faultless.


I was 1 of the trial RWC from Rijidij which is an awesome bit of gear. I could see if I can see any labels on the tank if you like.


Cheers Ean

[shanegtr]

What about a diesel bladder? Anyone used one instead of jerry cans?
I have an 80l water bladder that sits on the floor in the passenger foot well that could just as easily be for diesel.
During my recent trip to Alice Springs one of the guys in our group had a 100L diesel bladder in his patrol. It sat in the footwell for the 2nd row passengers - which wasnt an issue for him as he was travelling solo anyway. Would be no good I think if you add passengers in the back. I think it looked like a good option and one thing I did like was that all the additional weight is forward for the rear axle. If I didnt have kids and had a vehicle that I wanted extra capacity for trips then I'd defiantly consider one.

[Grentarc]

Why can't Land Rover equip their vehicles with something similar? We don't all live in Europe with a servo on every corner.
AlanH.

Because our D3/D4s have a rear diff mounted up out of the way unlike a Prado?

[rsp]

I ran about 50+km on an tank showing empty on the Hume in the D3. I did not fill-up as I was close to home and the cost of diesel was much lower in Goulburn. However the Range indicator said I had around 60km left. One concern in those circumstances is that the first part of the NSW section of the Hume over the Vic border is the lack of any signs giving distances to service centres.

i have had the Rijidijk SWC now for around 2 years and cannot fault it. I got it as I had planned to install a LR tank, but then decided against it and used jerry cans, although more for insurance, when going up the Strzelecki track to Innamincka. As it stands I can now carry two spares if I need too.

it took a little while to get used to having it on the back, including the loss of the parking distance indicators, but by covering the one to the left of the carrier, they are now working again. That advice was on the UK D3 forum. Another concern, that fortunately I have not experienced yet, is having to lift the wheel that much higher off the ground to put it back on the carrier. One possibility could be to hang a bit of rope off the end of the Tradesman steel roof rack to help support the weight.

[101RRS]

That was one good thing about our Prado and that was the 180ltr tank as standard. Why can't Land Rover equip their vehicles with something similar? We don't all live in Europe with a servo on every corner.
AlanH.

No doubt fitting a long range tank is a help in any vehicle but be wary of comparing tank sizes in different vehicles - better comparing range on standard fill. My brother has a 200 series with 93l main tank and 45l sub tank - onroad and offroad my RRS with its 84l tank has greater range than the 200 series with its 4.5l engine vs my 2.7 - that 4.5 is a bit of a fuel guzzzler.

For sure you Prado has bigger tanks than the 200 series but Toyota is also moving to smaller tanks.