School Me: Excursion tank in my 7.3 Superduty

[FbOmRxD]

So I picked up an excursion tank to add some capacity to my truck in preparation for a road-trip this summer, using this tread as sort of a questions/what works best guide because there seems to be limited information on the net about these.

I only have the tank right now, no sending unit or anything along those lines.

Part of me wants to just use this tank to re-fill the stock tank while I'm driving, using a transfer pump. Fillrite and some other companies make decent 10gpm pumps that would be perfect for this application.

The other half of me says, "adding a pollak 6 port valve would be really easy as well" I've got an Airdog so that would act as a pre lift pump, and adding lines to that would be really easy. Few questions with this method though...
-Tank didn't come with a sending unit, and I can't seem to find the proper replacement for the tank...its out of an 03 excursion.

I've found a couple different P/N, PS-99, and PS-135 which is the correct one?
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/se...l+Sending+Unit)

-Adding a switch shouldn't be a problem to control the valve, is there existing wiring for it?
-Stupid question, but do I need to add a second gauge to get the level from the second tank?

I'll update this as I go so others can reference, but any help would be great!

Thanks

[Zaairman]

The Excursion tank will take the spot of your spare tire. I'd think you'd want a spare on such a long trip? I'd look into buying an in-bed transfer tank instead. You can usually find them on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks.

[rufushusky]

Originally Posted by Zaairman

The Excursion tank will take the spot of your spare tire. I'd think you'd want a spare on such a long trip? I'd look into buying an in-bed transfer tank instead. You can usually find them on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks.

^^^ agreed. An in bed tank will give you more capacity for far less headaches.

The only problem I am having with mine is getting rid of it...I just don't need it anymore but I ran one for three years in my dodge and never had an issue with it.

[FbOmRxD]

I'm on 37's, a spare won't fit anywise....I've got 6 of them so tossing 1 in the bed isn't an issue. I got the Excursion tank specifically for the reason that it fits where the spare goes, truck is a short bed, will be hauling a gooseneck, like my bed space, etc

Can we please limit this to a "tech" thread?....

[Term3]

Do you have the skid plate that the tank would have been scrapped to?

[FbOmRxD]

Originally Posted by Term3

Do you have the skid plate that the tank would have been scrapped to?

No but its not anything I can't make.

Nobody knows anything about sending units, or anything like that?

[dieselcrawler]

First off, I have no data to back this up...

However, common sense makes me think that you could install the excursion tank, using whatever mounting means you need to fab up to mount it, with the factory sending unit for that tank, and then both electricly, and fuel line wise, "t" into the wiring and fuel lines with a selector for each tank... as the dual tank on my dad's '82 chevy was, the dash fuel gauge read for which ever tank you were set on, hit the switch, it changed over to the other tank, and the gauge would move to the correct level for the tank selected... I'm sure there are relays out there with a 12v coil to alow the electrical part of the issue to be solved, and the mechanical valve/switch can't be too hard eather. Allied Electronic is a company I use for stuff like this for my electrical contracting company... phone 866-433-5722, check out the web site too....alliedelec.com , this one could be made to work, you would need one for each wire involved going to the sending unit: Omron Electronic Components G8JN-1C7T-DC12.

Good luck with your project, it's a great idea, with both tanks, and based on our fuel mileage, you should get about 700+ miles before needing to fill up... over 400 is easy in our Ex, and 300 can happen in my red truck, a super cab short bed. I like your idea, I may copy it, as I also don't carry a spare under the bed. (or at all for that matter... lucky I guess!)

[wildcatkit52]

I've been wanting to do that for a while too. Just now looked to see if it had been done yet. That's how I found your thread. I'll be watching your thread with great interest!

[FbOmRxD]

Originally Posted by wildcatkit52

I've been wanting to do that for a while too. Just now looked to see if it had been done yet. That's how I found your thread. I'll be watching your thread with great interest!

Ya thats exactly the purpose of wanting to start it....but it doesn't seem people are that "adventurous" on this site.

Haven't really made any movement, as far as I can tell the excursion sending units are somewhere around 300 dollars, to rich for my blood for this project.

My thoughts are either to run a cheap 10gpm transfer pump off a push button in the cab, push and just watch the gauge.

Or run a standard high flow fuel pump, splice into the filler below the stock tank breather. If i splice both the fill + breather for the 2nd tank, below the main tank, even if I "forget" to turn the pump off (as its going to be much slower) it'll just drain back to the second tank.

I'm really busy with work, and all my other little projects. But the plan is to try and spend some time on this sooner than later, at least getting it mounted in the truck.

[ajohansson]

Hope this helps...

As far as sending unit goes. In wire loom on drivers frame rail the black with orange stripe is the ground to the sending unit and the smaller 18 gauge yellow wire is the sending unit "power". Get a SPDT bosch style relay. hook the stock F350 tank power wire "yellow" from the sending unit to the 87a. Hook the power wiring from the excursion tank to the 87. run the yellow wire you cut that runs to the gauge to the 30 position. Put a switch in the cab to that will run power to the 85 on the relay. Ground 86 and ground both sending units. When you power the switch you have excursion tank. when its off you have stock tank. YOu could have that same switch power a seperate fuel pump for your excursion tank or have switch valves or what ever. see link for pics.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38333511/F350%20tank.pdf

spare tire mount.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38333511/go...re%20mount.pdf