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Rover Accessories D90 transfer fuel tank

3K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  midturtle 
#1 ·
On Ebay, I just bought a Rover Accessories extra fuel tank that fits up under the passenger side between the frame and the door sills. Gas is transferred by an external fuel pump into the main tank's overflow line via a tee junction. When your regular tank gets below 1/4 full you hit a switch and the pump transfers the gas into the overflow line and re-fills your regular tank. Seems very straight forward, but before I cut into my tub side to install the filler I thought I'd better ask if anyone has had any experience with this unit. Since I'll be using it with a 300 TDI is there any issue with the fuel being diesel?
Thanks for your help and taking the time to read all this.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Prefit the tank before you cut. Some of us found the tank rests below the lowest point on the frame. Others seem to have no issues. But good to be sure before you cut.

Make sure you line the tank cutout up with your existing outlet. Nothing worse than have one filler lower than the other.


And if you are really clever, you'll research a Toyota Land Cruiser factory option filler neck that gave the user the option of filling two tanks from one single neck(meaning no body cutting). But I only learned of that part some time after making the cuts for my aux tank. Bummer.
 
#3 ·
I was watching that same tank on Ebay - the only thing that stopped me from bidding on it is that I just finished mounting the ex-Range Rover air tank for my onboard air system under the seat box where that fuel tank fits.

Please be sure to post some pics of how that fits up under there - I'm still curious to see how it fits.
 
#4 ·
Rover Accessories transfer fuel tank

David, thanks for the Toyota Land Cruiser idea. Any idea where I might go to find out more info? I tried a few searches and came up with nothing.
Jack, it will actually be a month or so before I mount the tank but I will take pictures. There is another tank on EBay now starting at $250 but it doesn't have any of the rest of the kit.

Follow-up Post:

I did a better search and found info on these dual filler necks. It is very nice setup if it fits. Here is one site:

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/technical/tz_fuel.htm
 
#5 ·
JackW said:
I was watching that same tank on Ebay - the only thing that stopped me from bidding on it is that I just finished mounting the ex-Range Rover air tank for my onboard air system under the seat box where that fuel tank fits.

Please be sure to post some pics of how that fits up under there - I'm still curious to see how it fits.
Yup, I was watching too. I almost bid, but then decided not to. I knew someone from the Source is gonna get a good deal. Yeah, let's see the set up after you install! Thanks.
 
#6 ·
I also have one of those RA tanks. Mine required a little more frame modification than the design called for, but that's loose Rover tolerances for you. Assuming you don't go with the TLC dual-filler, you may be able to get your two fillers at the same height, but I think RA intended the auxiliary filler to be lower than stock. I had a bodyshop do the bodywork and painting for me.

For the pump switch, I took one of my many partially-functional headlamp switches, and mounted it in the blank on the right side of the steering column. I wired it to the unused "gas pump" instrument cluster indicator lamp (which helps remind me to turn the pump off).

All in all, the RA auxiliary tank is one of my favorite and most useful mods.
 
#9 ·
Rover Accessories transfer fuel tank

I found the Toyota dual filler neck at Spector Offroad for $150. Thanks again David.
Here is their website, but I had to call them to find the part. www.sor.com

Trevor, thanks for the pictures. I looked at your pictures and it seemed like the tank would be vulnerable as it seems to stick down below the sliders. Have you had any problems with it?
Also, looking at the tank I bought, it appears to have a little heavier metal on the bottom, but I wonder if it is thick enough if you come down hard on a rock (which I'm prone to do). Or, should I add some 3/16th steel plate. Any comments/experiences.

Thanks, Clark
 
#10 ·
Trevor Tarr said:
Here are some pictures of the completed install, showing both front and rear mounting points, on my very dirty truck.

I think I`ve seen your rig on the 110 a few times, including today around lunch time. I`ve been considering the RA tank, but I was kind of hesitant because from all the pics I have seen it looks like it hangs kind of low. Would you mind if I were to take a look at it in person some time?
 
#11 ·
cdb said:
I found the Toyota dual filler neck at Spector Offroad for $150. Thanks again David.
Here is their website, but I had to call them to find the part. www.sor.com

Trevor, thanks for the pictures. I looked at your pictures and it seemed like the tank would be vulnerable as it seems to stick down below the sliders. Have you had any problems with it?
Also, looking at the tank I bought, it appears to have a little heavier metal on the bottom, but I wonder if it is thick enough if you come down hard on a rock (which I'm prone to do). Or, should I add some 3/16th steel plate. Any comments/experiences.

Thanks, Clark

Sweet, I look forward to seeing it in action in a d-90.

At least you are running diesel which is slightly less volatile.

You might consider getting a tank made that is less vulnerable. That is the route I went.
 
#12 ·
cdb said:
I looked at your pictures and it seemed like the tank would be vulnerable as it seems to stick down below the sliders. Have you had any problems with it?
Clark, I haven't had any problems. The inboard edge of the tank sits right about at frame level. The outboard edge does hang a bit below my sliders. But they're also the Safari Gard sliders that replace the sill panel, and sit up pretty high.

cdb said:
Also, looking at the tank I bought, it appears to have a little heavier metal on the bottom, but I wonder if it is thick enough if you come down hard on a rock (which I'm prone to do). Or, should I add some 3/16th steel plate. Any comments/experiences.
Charles at Rover Accessories didn't feel that any additional plating was necessary. I did consider having something made that would tie together my Rockware frame sliders and the SG rock sliders, but ended up not going that route.

Trevor

Follow-up Post:

oldscratchggf said:
I think I`ve seen your rig on the 110 a few times, including today around lunch time. I`ve been considering the RA tank, but I was kind of hesitant because from all the pics I have seen it looks like it hangs kind of low. Would you mind if I were to take a look at it in person some time?
That must be me. My truck isn't very stealthy.... I drive the 110 to and from downtown every day. I'd be happy to give you a look at the tank in person. The D-90 is generally in Altadena at night, and downtown L.A. during the day, so there or anywhere in between would make for a convenient rendez-vous. Send me a PM and I'll shoot you my phone number.
 
#13 ·
Trevor Tarr said:
Here are some pictures of the completed install, showing both front and rear mounting points, on my very dirty truck.
That looks very exposed. From the angle of the first picture, it looks like the tank would hit before the slider would.
 
#14 · (Edited)
dmarchand said:
Looks like you found it Clark. I don't have any vendors for the toy part but I'm sure a toyota forum would be of service. Should be plenty of room for the filler neck and you could run the line along the frame rail I would imagine.

As far as cutting, just like anything else, take your time and you can get it right.
Dave....not 100% sure as I've never personally touched the damned thing But the Toyota dual filler is not a really good fit for the RA tank conversion. I did a some reasearch into that part after installing your (custom)tank and detemmined that the lowest part of the filler was too low to effectively fill the secondary tank (I think).

That... and adding a complicated part that could only be found used, overseas, just didn't seem like a good idea.

As far as cutting....have somone else do it , much less stress :grin
 
#16 · (Edited)
dmarchand said:
Just saw your reply Matt. I think you could cut and weld at least an inch or more out of the mid section and another inch or more at the double ends. But ignoance is bliss in this regard :) . We never tried it so hard to say.
Yup...that might work.

I still like the double fill if done right. Hell..it's only the tub. I'm not scared any more, in fact I have to cut one into the 90 thats in the shop right now...which is a direct result of customer seeing yours. (your 90 that is)

He wanted the tank in stainless...I said no (getting better at that) and am building it in aluminum w/ a 10mm thick bottom.

he also asked how you keep it (the 90) so clean ;)
 
#18 ·
I'm curious about the advantage of the additional complication (and failure point) of an electric transfer pump vs a simple mechanical 3-way valve for the fuel supply line. I suppose it makes sense if there's no fuel level indicator for the Aux tank, but if you always use it first, and keep your main tank in "reserve" then you probably don't need to worry about the fuel level.
 
#19 ·
Transfer tank

I have used this RA tank set up as has my brother on his D90. I fabricated a split neck filler so both tanks fill from the original filler neck and no body cutting was required (did not know Toyota had such). Glad to send a few pics if interested.

I tried wiring an indicator light to the "fuel" light on the instrument panel but it was already 12v hot, as if activated by a grounding switch when low on fuel. Not sure how to wire in a swith that turns "on" the transfer pump and yet "grounds" the indicator light. Open to ideas? What I did was wire it into the top left "blank" panel. Very happy w/ the extra capacity!!!

Jim
 
#20 ·
oldgreentrucks said:
I tried wiring an indicator light to the "fuel" light on the instrument panel but it was already 12v hot, as if activated by a grounding switch when low on fuel. Not sure how to wire in a swith that turns "on" the transfer pump and yet "grounds" the indicator light. Open to ideas?
I encountered the same issue, and have to admit my solution involved some butchery. I physically cut the circuit traces leading to the fuel lamp. As I recall, I had to run a bypass wire around the lamp in order to leave the remaining circuit intact. Then I wired the now-isolated lamp to the fuel transfer switch.
 
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