Extending Range - Adding Aux Fuel Tank

I have seen a posting from someone that has a roof rack, some for bicyles and others use the rack for
things I don't recall. If you installed the roof rack and mounted one of the small pods on it, it could carry two, five gallon gas cans. It is lockable, it would stow the gas outside the car, the weight would in the center,
it would raise the Center of Grav. a bit. It would raise your car's drag. Weight and drag might take 2 to 4 MPG off your avg.

Remember each gallon of gas weights in at 6.8 lbs.

10 gals 68 lbs.
rack and pod 30lbs appox.
2 gas cans 4lbs

Total 102 lbs

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Apr 22 2007, 11:32 AM) [snapback]427799[/snapback]</div>

If you are after a permanent installation, it looks like a reasonable start. Plumbing would be a challenge but not that big of a deal. If you take out the small tire, you'll probably find some 'drain plugs' in the bottom. You could route tubing through one of them but you'll need an external 'storage' area for the hose. Locate the bolt holes used for the shipping fixture, the ones used for the receiver hitches, and you can mount a small box to hold the hose.

The fill remains a challenge. I'd prefer to have it out of the vehicle in some way that if there is a spill, nothing winds up in the cabin.

I'm assuming you're after price-shopping on the road. I used a 5 gal can with my VW MicroBus and that worked out great. It only gave me an extra 150 mile range but that was enough to make a difference. I'd recommend trying the gas can approach first, to see what sort of savings before going after a permanent setup. I do remember gas prices in the western high plains could be pretty ugly.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bwilson4web @ Apr 23 2007, 09:48 PM) [snapback]428750[/snapback]</div>

I'm a cheapskate, I admit it. But let's remember, we're talking a vehicle that gets from 45 mpg to 50+ mpg. So if you paid an extra 10 or 15 cents a gallon, so what?

How would anyone expect to save enough by buying gas at the cheapest locations to pay for the installation of an extra fuel tank? Do some math.

I once bought a cheapo car which had a non-standard fuel tank mounted in the trunk. Can anyone say "gas fumes?" Someone just about gave me the car, and I got rid of it two weeks later. Replacing the gas tank would have cost about 3 times what I paid for the car.

I'd drive the Prius and be happy with the excellent fuel economy. Bob's idea of a Jerry can is probably the best, if you really wanted to pinch pennies with extra fuel. But then you'd have to dodge a full Jerry can flying around the cabin should you ever get in a wreck. Is it really worth that risk to save a few pennies?

Just pay for the gas and don't worry about a couple extra cents here and there. In New York, we pay an extra 10 cents a gallon in taxes. Why worry about it? Check the fuel map to see what I mean, the one that shows gasoline prices nationwide.

Harry

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DFWPrius @ Apr 23 2007, 05:20 PM) [snapback]428619[/snapback]</div>

Well, that would be safer than carrying a can of gas in the car. But then the extra drag would cancel out any savings from buying gas 10 cents a gallon cheaper, so you haven't gained a thing...

Harry

 

Faith2Walk, you didn't answer my question: Does your employer pay for your gas?

 

Wow. That's one heck of a job ... what exactly does it involve,
and why so much driving?
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Apr 22 2007, 08:58 AM) [snapback]427772[/snapback]</div>

I know it's possible. I saw some pictures where the owner bought an A/C vent cover that has the shift knob, but the one from a Japanese model. That meant it replaced the vent cover on the right side of the MFD. They used the spot where the shift knob would go for the tach. I don't have a link, but it looked cool.

 

sorry to be blunt, but i think you are crazy for even thinking about it.

i must be dense, but in a car that gets a 3-500 mile range and you have issues because gas stations are 60 miles apart?

other than a professionally installed tank that would no doubt cost thousands, any other option would be incredibly foolish.


otoh, i would really like to know why you have opted to drive all these places? sure i can see running to the UP and what not, but a 1100 mile trip. you would rather spend 20 hours driving it? im not sure i would do your job for any amount of money. i like to drive and have taken several dozen car trips of 2000 miles or more including a 4500 mile trip to Alaska, but to do as part of a job?, no way... fly me or get someone else

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Per @ Apr 23 2007, 11:24 AM) [snapback]428337[/snapback]</div>

You do realize that the European gas tank holds the same amount of gas as the US ones? They just use a differt sized "gallon." You can look it up in the manual.


Or am I just crazy?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Apr 22 2007, 10:58 AM) [snapback]427772[/snapback]</div>

I don't have the reference handy by Hobbit posted a technical description of tachometer installation for the Prius recently. You might "PM" him (or he might spy this note.) There is another approach I've been thinking about:

Frequency counting DVM

You might be able to score a frequency counting DVM that could measure ignition pulses from the engine ECU. You'd have to multiply the frequency by two, the ignition fires every other rotation, but it might be an affordable way to get started. After you get a 'hang' of the sweet spot, you'll have a nice instrument to use for other 'things.'

Bob Wilson

 

tach: http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/tachack/
.
Relevant to the subject "Extending Range" simply because if you
drive in the sweet spot RPM as much as possible, you'll get more
range without the "mad max" pair of 55-gal drums sticking out the
back of the car...
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Apr 24 2007, 08:32 PM) [snapback]429444[/snapback]</div>

I think the tank series is risky:

http://priuschat.com/the-gas-bladder-exposed-t31545.html

Bob Wilson

 

Faith, thanks for clarifying the job info. I can see why you want to save fuel cost. But if you're not reimbursed for actual fuel costs, won't rising fuel cost eventually end up becoming a pay cut?

I would NOT let that $350 guy touch your Prius under any circumstances! NO NO NO! He has no idea about the bladder system, the extensive fuel-vapor leakage tests the system does, etc. He's thinking it's just like a big ol' pickup truck.

There's not going to be an easy way to have the aux tank feed the main tank, unless you remove the filler from the main tank. But that won't work, because vapor is supposed to go up the filler to the capture system.

 

Faith, i can now more understand your position. i am fairly familiar with your area and its economic woes are monumental. (i left that area after the 2nd major rounds of auto layoffs. that was nearly 800,000 UAW ago so, its only gotten worse) also, the UP is legendary for high gas prices and its been that way since waaay before the first oil embargo.

but said it once and will say it again. your best bet is to go to a reputable mechanic who can completely redesign your current tank and replace it. now what kind of computer hell this will cause, i dont know. what you should really do is nothing. enjoy what you have. take advantage of every cheap gas opportunity you see, even if you have 8 bars left.

 

I guess I'll be the voice of optimism here. This is not difficult, we've been doing this type of thing with diesels for decades. There are several established companies in the diesel community that build kits to add an additional fuel tank to your vehicle. In diesels, these are used to run straight vegetable oil (SVO). The kits include a tank, fuel lines, fuel filter, fittings, and the switches and solenoids to switch from one tank to the other. The SVO kits also include heaters to keep the SVO from gelling and clogging your fuel lines and injectors.

Check out www.greasecar.com Their kit for my car, a 2003 Jetta Wagon, is $995 and includes an aluminum 13 gallon fuel tank that fits in the spare tire well. They may be able to mix and match to find something that will work for you.

Of course this doesn't make sense, cents?, financially. Even at a savings of $0.20 per gallon you would have to purchase 5000 gallons of fuel to pay for the price of the kit. At 45 mpg that is 225,000 miles of driving.

It makes more sense when you can run on free waste SVO from a fast food joint. Then it is only 3000 miles to break even.

 

I hate to say this but it almost sounds like there might be a business opportunity . . . shipping gasoline to that area and reselling it. Get a couple of rail tankers full of gas, park them in the heart of the most expensive areas and then sell discount gas directly from the tanks.

Bob Wilson

 

Heres what I did,
I went to our local farm store and purchased a 15gal. Sprayer tank it was on sale 59.99
7' of 1/4" hard line
A ball valve for spraying, came in a 2pk. 7.99
A pack of sprayer clamps, you can use regular hose clamps up to 4.00
2' of 1/4" gas line 2.35

The tank comes with accessories to plug the drain hole and tether the cap to the body, aswell as alligator clamps for power. It does not come with a good sealing lid that's where the 2' of gas line comes in. cut it down to fit in the inner ring then slice it in half long ways to make it fit the lip for a seal.

I hooked the clamps to the 12v battery and routed the wires under the rug to between the seat and tank.. do the same with the hard line and rout it through the breather hole about 1" deep in the lid. And run it between the crack in the body and bumper.
Cut the sprayer line about 7 to 8' and put one end on the pump using supplied hose clamp put a valve on the other end using the sprayer clamp or hose clamp, then about 5 to 8'' on the other side using g another clamp. The shorter hose is what will go in the filler line on car tank .
Then fill the tank..
The first use you will need to dispose of about a pint of gasoline as the pump contains liquid from testing.

Good luck
I estimated I will have approx. 2000 +- miles per full fillip of both tanks