Thread: Disco TD5 Long range Fueltank, replace main or sill

Good Morning All.
Has anyone successfully fitted a Land Rover Discovery 1999/2005 - Long Range TA56 Auxiliary Fuel Tank from the Long Ranger tn conjunction to the OEM 95l tank?

The reason I am asking is that the manufacturer states that it has to be used in conjunction with their main tank and it is not clear to me why it is so. The filler location is original filler used with "T" Section, which is supplied in the kit and it uses gravity to feed to their main tank. About the only logical uneducated explanation I could come up with is that there is an additional feeding hole coming into their main tank from the auxiliary tank.

Your feedback is much appreciated.

I just searched that part number, and came up with this link, thought I'd post it up for others, as that's the tank I was thinking of earlier in this thread when we were discussing this very possibility.

:: The Long Ranger :: Land Rover Discovery TA56 Technical Section

I haven't done it obviously, but I can't see any reason why it won't work just fine with an OEM tank, especially seeing that photo of the filler setup. The only catch would be that you'd need a low pressure electric fuel pump to transfer the fuel from the outlet at the bottom, up into the main tank somehow.

Looking at the way it's plumbed, if you just pump it straight up into the filler pipe, you'll just keep pumping it around in circles back into the side tank. If I were doing it, my inclination would be to modify the main T-piece by drilling a small (8mm) hole in it, and then inserting a piece of 8mm steel tubing into it that then runs along inside the filler hose into the main tank. Leave enough sticking out to attach the hose from your pump, and braze/weld the tubing where it goes inside the T-piece.

Obviously with this setup, as with most sill tanks, you'd want to turn the transfer pump on a fair bit before the low fuel light comes on, as it'll take a while to transfer it all. If you mount the pump to the body without rubber insulators, and use one of the pumps that tick (diaphragm style?) you'll be able to hear the ticking of the pump speed up once it's emptied the side tank.

You could also do the transfer pipe inside the filler neck in cruder ways if you wanted, drill and tap, use some brass barbs and just run a piece of fuel hose inside the filler neck.... Or maybe hack into one of the breather pipes, although I probably would try to avoid that...

Have you priced the tank up at all? I'm curious as to what they cost, even though it's something I'm pretty unlikely to do for a long time...

Looks like it would be easy enough to plumb in using your method.

It would also be a nice area for a custom water tank, possibly on the opposite side?, have not looked into it, just a thought

Thanks for that. I wonder if is another breather on the aux tank as the information states that the fuel is fed into the main by virtue of gravity.
The installed prices are as follows:
130 $1474.00, 3 hours labour
33 $841.00, 2 hours labour

Originally Posted by rstevensen

Thanks for that. I wonder if is another breather on the aux tank as the information states that the fuel is fed into the main by virtue of gravity.
The installed prices are as follows:
130 $1474.00, 3 hours labour
33 $841.00, 2 hours labour

If you have a look at the lower of the two photos in that link, that little hose is how the side tank fills the main, and indeed works via gravity. Until the fuel level gets down below that hose, you will be effectively emptying both tanks at the same time. Once the level gets below that hose, the side tank is empty.

That hose is where you'd need to attach the electric pump if retaining the OEM tank, as the OEM tank doesn't hang down low enough for that setup to really work, even if you were prepared to drill holes in your plastic fuel tank...

Pricing is not too horrible either, really... If you only needed the extra 30L, you'd be insane to get the replacement main over the side tank IMO...

FWIW, if I had that setup with both tanks and was heading out woopwoop, I'd seriously consider fitting a tap to that hose, which was turned off until I needed the extra fuel - in case of damage to one or other of the tanks, could potentially save yourself 60L or more of fuel should you puncture the side tank. And even if you punctured the main, at least you've still got 30 litres to hopefully get you out of trouble if you can fix your leak...

Updates for everyone's benefit. After making a decision to go with a sill tank I learnt at the 11th hour and 59seconds (ready to install) that the mounting is not compatible with the arb side steps. After some soul searching and finance calculation I made the decision to go with the main tank replacement. As such I may have an oem fuel tank going up for sale cheap soon.

So the sill tanks wont fit with any steps or just arb steps??

Just my 2 cents, I have fitted a long ranger recently, I havnt added the quarter guard tank yet, just the main replacement for now, this way I have two stainless water tanks down my sills which I carry my water in