Long Range Fuel Tank

[mayhem72]

Anyone have a long range fuel tank?
Which one? How many litres?
Is it worth the hassle?
I am keen, but am not sure I can justify the expense when Jerry cans are so much cheaper...:(

[miky]

Been covered many times.

Search is your friend ;)

[dullbird]

and it also really helps if you tell us what your going to fit it too ;)

[samuelclarke]

I've got a Long Range Automotive (http://www.longrangeautomotive.com.au/vehicles/lrover.html) (LRA) 125L tank...was fitted to my Defender when I bought it...it's great only having to fill up every 1100-1300kms :D

If I was on the market for one now I'd go for one of The Lone Ranger (http://www.thelongranger.com.au/defenderlongrangefueltank.html) tanks.

Only down side is a slightly reduced departure angle - I've got two small dents in my tank for some more extreme off-roading!

[dullbird]

I've got a Long Range Automotive (http://www.longrangeautomotive.com.au/vehicles/lrover.html) (LRA) 125L tank...was fitted to my Defender when I bought it...
it's great only having to fill up every 1100-1300kms :D

If I was on the market for one now I'd go for one of The Lone Ranger (http://www.thelongranger.com.au/defenderlongrangefueltank.html) tanks.

Only down side is a slightly reduced departure angle - I've got two small dents in my tank for some more extreme off-roading!

no so great when it is time and you have to pay for the fuel going in:D

[Michael2]

I would have been too tight to buy a Long Range tank. But fortunately my Defender came with a long Range tank and the rear panel sub tank, giving me 150 litre capacity. Now I can only recommend them

The benefits are :



You can pick up fuel at a known clean station before any trip, and if you have an account there, get your discount, and not worry about getting dirty fuel This for trips under 1500km
No smell of fuel on your clothes or jerry can stains on your shirt from refuelling on the side of the road
No unnecessary stops to pick up fuel and lose time. I used to stop to refuel the LPG on the SIII, while the guys in Defenders just kept going. A couple of stops with waiting for the pump, people going to the toilet or getting snacks etc, and you could be home an hour later than otherwise
Fuel up once a month around town.
No top heavy jerry cans
You can space your refuelling on road trips to pick up fuel at cheaper locations.

[justinc]

When I bought My RRC, it had a LongRanger 135litre tank already. Can't recommend them enough as I have since fitted a few to customers vehicles and they have a very strong construction. I however only fill it on touring duties, most of the time it is only 1/4 to 1/2 filled. This lasts me a month at least.

I would'nt prpbably be too quick to fit one unless you are touring a lot, it is a fairly expensive addition and rarely used around town. with the 80 odd litres of capacity in a Tdi defender, at 10 to 12 l/100km the range is pretty good. Add 2 jerry cans and there is your 120 litres for long trips. 900 to 1000km range.

At this point now I have a diesel engine, If I didn't have a tank already I probably wouldn't fork out for one unlesss I could justify its use. I could get 600 to 700km out of the factory tank capacity and seldom on our trips am I worried about no diesel fuel for more that 500 to 600km.

2 jerry cans would do me, I would just have to make a holder next to the spare wheel carrier...

JC

[samuelclarke]

no so great when it is time and you have to pay for the fuel going in:D

True! It's quite a shock to the wallet! :o Especially when fuel prices were high last year - on a trip down 4wding around Lithgow filling up cost me $230... :eek:

And slightly off topic...damn the current QLD government for dropping the fuel subsidy... :mad: :wasntme:

[Bundalene]

We installed 2 sill tanks - a huge effort but for our use well worth it as we get an excellent range - 1450kms + The pic below was taken on our last trip to the NT. The tank was by no means empty and we were towing our boat.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/disc5102.jpg/)

If you are unable to do the work yourself - quite expensive. Below is a link to our Defender sill tank project

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/76208-td5-defender-sill-tanks.html#post946147

Erich

[Narangga]

I can't see you smiling Erich?

I only smile when it gets below $1.70 these days.

I put a 4WDsystems 130l in the Defender and my advice is to go with the Long Ranger.:(

[PAT303]

Can I just add that many long range tanks leak and cause endless drama's over here from corrigations.I don't know if they are made stronger these days but the mounts have torn off many of them and I've seen many held on with ratchet straps and cursing owners.It's the reason I don't have one. Pat

[justinc]

Can I just add that many long range tanks leak and cause endless drama's over here from corrigations.I don't know if they are made stronger these days but the mounts have torn off many of them and I've seen many held on with ratchet straps and cursing owners.It's the reason I don't have one. Pat

Certainly I've seen the same after a trip to the Kimberleys etc. It was a very early Longranger in a RRC, one of their first, and when I rung them to ask about repairing it they were horrified to learn it was still in a vehicle, as ALL there tanks have been upgraded significantly at the bracket gussets etc quite some time ago to avoid this happening. I actually checked mine and it was quite a bit stronger in the bracketry department, and it was manufactured in 1994.

JC

[sclarke]

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7565/disc5102.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/disc5102.jpg/)



Try $2 per litre at Camerons Cnr and $1.80 at Innaminka....

County was using about 120 litres a day.....

[dullbird]

Clarkie we paid $2.40 stop yeah whinging :lol2:

[sclarke]

Clarkie we paid $2.40 stop yeah whinging :lol2:

Where???? UK??

[dullbird]

no on our kakadu trip last year....unfortunately we choose a great time to travel when we were having the price hike dramas...

[Bundalene]

The photo was taken at Augathella (Qld) less than 3 weeks ago.

Fuel at Gapuwiyak is $2.10 per litre, but we (thankfully) didn't need to fill up there because of our range.

[andrew e]

The photo was taken at Augathella (Qld) less than 3 weeks ago.

Fuel at Gapuwiyak is $2.10 per litre, but we (thankfully) didn't need to fill up there because of our range.

how much was petrol?

[Bundalene]

Petrol is not available in Gapuwiyak. Opal fuel is used instead and was $2.20 per litre.

[PAT303]

You should all stop your complaining,I was chatting to a couple in woolies that just drove thier V8 cruiser over with van from NSW and they were useing 18ltrs per hundred driving at 80k'/hr max speed!!!.The nulaboring was very loooong.I'm driving back to NSW next friday in the L322,it gets 32mpg(9ltrs/100) at 120k's/hr. Pat

[Reads90]

Well my 110 came with a long ranger tank under the drivers seat. I use it all the time. The car is the misses car and when i fill it up she just uses both the tanks untill it is empty and then get me to fill it up again .
I love it and will always use it and from now on all my defenders will have one. Makes life alot easyer. BTW my 90 also has a long range tank too

Here is a pic of my 110 and you can see the tank under the drivers door.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/01/598.jpg

[JamesH]

I have a sill tank under along the rail on the drivers side and I don't know who made it but it looks a lot like Longranger. There is a second fill point drilled through the body just before the rear wheel arch. Maybe I'm misunderstanding but when people say the filler is under the drivers seat that sounds to me like a p.i.t.a and a loss of very useful spare parts storage.

I know they are expensive but I love having a full size auxillary tank. It enables you to bypass the expensive fuel prices between major centres when on a long run. And while this has never been an issue I always switch tanks when i have another 100 at least left in case I pick up dirty fuel somewhere or something goes wrong with one tank.

They are a luxury because on my trips to the interior i travel with a Defender without the auxillary tank and they manage OK. A 22 litre jerry of diesel is their spare and on economic terms it's hard to argue. It's a rare sight for me to see them need to stop and top up out of the jerry even out whoop whoop. Generally fuel is within 800km. They have a truck cab though the jerry is not in the cab with them and they DO look longingly at me as I park under a tree and wait for them to fuel up at some horror cost while I fill up in Broome, Kunnie, Canarvon etc at the best prices.

If you can afford it, get one (I'm glad mine was already on because frankly I can't afford one) but if you can't or have other priorities don't stress about it, little bit more planning on fuel stops and you'll be fine.

[Huwmungus]

I did a trip recently in a 300 tdi defender to the red centre and oodnadatta track, dalhousie etc. Towing a tent trailer. averaged about 450 - 500 km from a tank, around 17L/100. Always seemed to be stopping for fuel. Don't know how anyone gets 10-12 L/100 touring - must all drive at 70km/h in fifth (I used the cruise control a bit - foot to the boards 90-110km/h depending on terrain). Best I seem to get running local (around town and a hilly drive to a major town close by) is 12 L/100. I'll definately be fitting a long range tank before my next outback trip. We travelled with a Patrol (180L capacity) which only filled every second time - and got the cheaper fuel stops! Got about the same economy though.
I have a long range tank in my work Ford Ranger (130L) and get about 950 -1000 km from a tank. Very Handy when driving around the countryside (and even handier that they're paying to fill it up!)

So in summing up - if you just do short trips and round town, the normal tank'll do (doesn't cost as much in one hit to fill) - if you plan to do some longer trips and otback touring, get the long range tank, cause you're gotta spend the money on fuel anyway so you may as well be able to pick and choose where to buy it a bit without having to stuff around handling and carrying jerry cans (I lost the hose out of mine while filling at one stage and covered myself and some of our gear with diesel - took days to get the smell out of me!!)

[allanj]

I wonder if diesel would explode with static electricity when filling up a jerry can like the lady did when filling one at a Sydney Servo last week.

I have heard of a 60 series burnt out at the cape because the guy was filling up from a jerry can and had a 3 way fridge just around the corner from the filler, pilot light :confused:

But it was probly a petrol

[SVX37]

I have a 45L one under the rear right wheel up under the guard. Purchased from OL. I love the extra range, and you save time by not filling up as often around town which is an added bonus of saving time. I did not want the hassle of pumps with the sill type sub tanks and you do lose some departure angle by replacing the original take with a Long Ranger. Then there is the problem of the OE towbar is you have one or want one fitted.

[George130]

I didn't fit them but I have the long ranger 127liter main tank and the the 39 liter side tank. Great when full but can be scarey to fill.

[austastar]

I wonder if diesel would explode with static electricity when filling up a jerry can like the lady did when filling one at a Sydney Servo last week.

I don't think diesel can be ignited by a spark at normal temperatures.
I'm happy to be corrected on that.
I know petrol will, cause we use a piezoelectric gas gun to light the Coleman stove.

cheers

[George130]

I did a trip recently in a 300 tdi defender to the red centre and oodnadatta track, dalhousie etc. Towing a tent trailer. averaged about 450 - 500 km from a tank, around 17L/100. Always seemed to be stopping for fuel. Don't know how anyone gets 10-12 L/100 touring - must all drive at 70km/h in fifth (I used the cruise control a bit - foot to the boards 90-110km/h depending on terrain). Best I seem to get running local (around town and a hilly drive to a major town close by) is 12 L/100. I'll definately be fitting a long range tank before my next outback trip. We travelled with a Patrol (180L capacity) which only filled every second time - and got the cheaper fuel stops! Got about the same economy though.
I have a long range tank in my work Ford Ranger (130L) and get about 950 -1000 km from a tank. Very Handy when driving around the countryside (and even handier that they're paying to fill it up!)

So in summing up - if you just do short trips and round town, the normal tank'll do (doesn't cost as much in one hit to fill) - if you plan to do some longer trips and otback touring, get the long range tank, cause you're gotta spend the money on fuel anyway so you may as well be able to pick and choose where to buy it a bit without having to stuff around handling and carrying jerry cans (I lost the hose out of mine while filling at one stage and covered myself and some of our gear with diesel - took days to get the smell out of me!!)

I get11.5 out of my TD5 loaded or empty. I love the range on the tanks for the daily run. Only have to fill it every 9 to 10 days:eek:. I choose to fill at the 1200km mark though so I know there is still a good reserve still.

[JamesH]

I did a trip recently in a 300 tdi defender to the red centre and oodnadatta track, dalhousie etc. Towing a tent trailer. averaged about 450 - 500 km from a tank, around 17L/100. Always seemed to be stopping for fuel. Don't know how anyone gets 10-12 L/100 touring - must all drive at 70km/h in fifth (I used the cruise control a bit - foot to the boards 90-110km/h depending on terrain).

I got some high twelves and a low 13 once in my 300Tdi and looked underneath and saw moisture. Turned out it was the filler hose down to the (rear) tank. So I was leaking out the top of the tank and still managed to keep it under 14.

I have no experience with towing on long trips (I load it up though) so that is the only thing stopping me from adamantly telling you something is amiss. 17l/100:eek: I'd want to be towing a gooseneck up the beach before I accepted that figure. And as for getting the same economy as a Patrol, mate, that is just cruel. :(

[Bearman]

I don't think diesel can be ignited by a spark at normal temperatures.
I'm happy to be corrected on that.
I know petrol will, cause we use a piezoelectric gas gun to light the Coleman stove.

cheers

Definitely wont ignite like that. It would have to be a petrol one. You can throw a lighted match into a can of diesel and it wont ignite - atomise it and its a different story...........Brian

[Bushie]

You can throw a lighted match into a can of diesel and it wont ignite .....Brian

You can do the same with a can of petrol - It's just a lot trickier to get it past the explosive bit into the part that's too rich :o:o:o:o:o


"PLEASE DON"T TRY THIS AT HOME BOYS AND GIRLS"

Martyn

[numpty]

Beat me to it Martyn. :D

[philco]

I did a trip to Gove last year with the family and had to stop every 500 or 600 ks for fuel in my 130 Tdi 300, it was good to stop and have a stretch but we had a problem when coming down the track back to the main road, the vibrations from the corrugations had caused the 2nd skin on the tank to wear holes in the tank as rust had pitted between the 2 skins, I did not realise until we got to Mataranka at 4.30pm and filled up with 75 litres of diesel, it started to pour out so I went to willys workshop and asked him if he had any empty containers, as he was closing up, he did and gave me 3 to drain the tank, he said he was too busy to fix it for me but i could pull out the tank and he would solder it for me the next day, and i could do it at the back of the workshop.I thanked him. As we needed to camp the night we went to the north end camp ground and i made a funnel to catch the dripping fuel with a container under and there it stayed till morning, The next day i drove over to willies workshop and drained the tank, pulled it out, seperated the 2 skins, then willy sand blasted it, soldered it, I put eurothane mastic all over the solder between the 2 skins, rivited them together then put the tank back in, then the plastic pick up broke off the side as i was puting it in so willy gave me some pipe of the right size and we glued it back in, fitted everything and put the fuel back in, with the drain plug screwed in, pumped some fuel through the line and she started almost start away. Took me the best part of 5 hours as it was a first for me, and Willy was a wealth of information. I asked him how much for his time expecting to pay hundreds but i almost fell over when he said $70.00, happy to recommend his place for any repairs to any one. He had even shouted me a pie at lunch time, I and the family were so relieved that we didn't have to find another tank and get it freighted there to fix the truck, we really enjoyed our swim at the springs, great town, great people, my family had a good time at the museum, and the the park reading about the history of the area.
So after all that, i do think a long range tank is a good idea but if you cant afford to spend the pingers on a permanent 1 then look at alternatives like the following link, it holds 100 litres, and costs $695.00 as a 130 owner i am thinking these tanks are a better alternative and will build my tray on camper to accommodate this type of diesel storage for long distances and it boosts your load to 180litres so even better than a 130 permanent tank. Something to think about, ohh by the way the repaired tank is still in my truck, I use it every day, http://www.silvanagcess.com.au/cgi-bin/silvan/search_name_call.cgi?no=982&prod_div=3

[Disco44]

True! It's quite a shock to the wallet! :o Especially when fuel prices were high last year - on a trip down 4wding around Lithgow filling up cost me $230... :eek:

And slightly off topic...damn the current QLD government for dropping the fuel subsidy... :mad: :wasntme:

Yes I agree with you. Aren't those robbing oil companies having a ball up here now.Just compare what they were charging when prices to them were much higher virtually the same is being charged now per litre.In 3 years or so maybe we can get our revenge at the ballot box.Cheers
Disco 44 ( once a Labor voter)

[Chenz]

My 200 TDi Fender had a 120 litre tank when I bought it and I love it. The only thing is that the sender unit and the fuel gauge have a running battle.

When full the needle reads above the full line for about 300klms. It then goes down to zero in the next 200. It then goes back to about half and wobbles around for the next 200 or so. Then it goes back to zero and the fuel light goes on only to go back up again to around a 1/4 tank which is when I start to watch it as it usually means that it is getting low.

The only time I ran out of fuel was in Curawinya NP with the Numpties and Bushie last year after doing 997 klms along the Madigan line and down through Birdsville. I sort of did it on purpose to see how far it could get and I had three jerry cans to fill her up to get me to the next bowser.

If you have the opportunity get a long range tank - a great bit of gear.

[eksjay]

The other advantage of a long range tank is that if the bowsers are out of action particularly due to extreme heat situations [desert conditions], it is never a problem.

[Bigbird]

Diesel is far more volatile than petrol only when its hot,petrol puts off a vapour and is very dangerous but diesel doesnt produce a vapour,why are all fire engines petrol???because if they were diesel and the fuel tanks get to hot while fire fighting they will explode,you can boil petrol but you cannot boil diesel,try this, leave a 5 ltre jerry tin of diesel in the sun for a hour undo the lid and tip it over now go throw a match at it,you think petrol goes off!!!well your in for a big shock it goes off like a bomb,i worked in a large mobil fuel station chain and we had a lot of safety videos and demos to attend and so many people thought diesel was harmless.:eek:

[austastar]

Our local fire truck has just been replaced (ACCO V8 petrol) with a Canter 4wd diesel, and Tas Fire Service are replacing petrol pumps on the Toyotas now with diesel fuelled pumps.
I think I would rather be refuelling a diesel pump with naked flames (new or old) any where within the local vicinity.
cheers

[Disco44]

I was a pro fighter in Qld for over 30 years.When I started back long ago all we had were petrol.The number of engines that were replaced ( blown up ) were many indeed. I do not know of one fire appliance in Qld that is still petrol powered. I was one of 22000 who fought the Jan 1994 fires in NSW and still back then all appliances ( and we came from all Australian states )were diesel.
The thread stating fire appliances using petrol appears misguided maybe overseas not in oz.
Cheers