Transfer Tank/Fuel System How To

[Evilsports]

Hi guys. Well I've searched all morning and haven't completely answered my question so I figured I'd throw it out there.

I'm getting a 110 gallon aluminum fuel tank for in the bed of my '06 F350 short box. I have a canopy on at all times so I'm gonna need to plumb the tank in. It's either that or 30 feet of hose, a pump, wiring etc etc which I won't do.

I called a local fuel shop here and ran it by them, but the fella wanted to look into it on account of the trucks fuel stock fuel tank being in his words "a sealed fuel system". He figured worst case scenario I'd have to remove the fuel cap on the truck while I filled it. Fair enough. Searching on the Org has told me that there are people with both gravity and pump fed auxiliary systems.

I'm looking for ideas on how to have this sucker plumbed in. I don't mind paying for an inline pump, but would rather go gravity if possible. If I go gravity fed though, I don't want to have to pull over and remove my fuel cap while it fills.

The tank I'm looking at already has a drain fitting on the bottom corner of it.

-Must be either steady filling on the go, or quick pump filling at a stop.

-Must be no chance of overflow or spillage. This is really important to me.

-Would like to be able to have it put together without ordering some specialty plumbing kit and computer. (Tranfer Flow or Northern Tool/RDs kits) Only because I want to get this done in the next day or two.

-Inline filter would be a big bonus, but not critical.

-Fuel gauge for the aux tank would also be a big plus, but not a deal breaker.

Thanks in advance for the advice! Kevin.

[purplehorn1977]

when i plumbed my old mans up i lave the cap on, I removed fill tube drilled and taped for a 1/2 fitting and then plombed that in 2 inches up from the bottom of the aux. tank install a shutodff there also.this way you wont have to worry about water. then fill the main tank and install the cap. fill the aux tank and do not remove the main cap or fuel will run out. hess been running it that way for over 3 years and doesent have to get fuel till the fuel gauge comes off full then he knows that he has approxamatly 25 gals left. we used an old semi saddle fuel tank to do this. i was going to wire the other sending unit up for him on a seperate guage but hea said that was good enough. the tank is a 130 gal tank.

[Evilsports]

I think I got her figured. Picked up all the parts I need today. From the drain plug on the bottom side of the transfer tank it goes like this:

3/8 NPT Nipple (long story here.. the threads on the plug for the drain of the transfer tank were some oddball 15.5mm metric profile which nobody in town had ever seen. I ended up drilling a 1/4" hole through the center of the drain plug and welding a bushing with normal pipe threads onto the back of it to cross over to a usable thread)


3/8 90 degree to point towards the back of the truck


16" of 3/8 steel braided line


Electric solenoid valve wired to my #3 upfitter switch


12" of 3/8 steel braided line going through the 1" hole drilled in the bed of the box


I will cut an 8" section out of the vent tube and insert
3/8" manual secondary ball valve
3/4 inch double barbed tee connection with heavy duty hose clamps securing it in place


Didn't really have any room anywhere for a filter. I could put one inline but it would mean I had to flip the transfer tank end for end and run line all the way across under the bed of the truck. Too much dicking around for me.