Which filler goes to which gas tank?

The_Handier_Man1 · November 21, 2008, 02:55 PM

From: kimby (Original Message)
Sent: 7/3/2004 6:35 PM

I am trying to fill my 2 gas tanks...I have 2 seperate fills for each tank....The fills are fore and aft on side of rv near door..I am trying to fiqure out which fill is for the main tank and which is for the auxilliary tank....Thanks for any help...

From: 70winnie
Sent: 7/3/2004 10:34 PM

On mine, the fill closest to the door is for the "main" tank, and the one back from it is for the "aux" tank. Really, though, what matters is that you know which one to fill when the corresponding fuel gauge is on "E". So maybe you should fill one tank all the way full, then see which of your two gauges is on "F" and which is not... then there will be no question which is which. Assuming, of course, that the gauge is in working order!

From: weirdabago (Original Message)
Sent: 7/5/2004 1:40 AM

<HTML>Hi Kimby, ours is a 71 and the filler closest to the door is the aux, and the main is plumbed for the generator. My main tank has no sending unit so we fill both and run the main till she sputters then switch. our new genset is a stand alone so running the main out is not a problem. if you have the built-in generator the genset fuel pick-up doesnt reach the bottom of the main tank so you still have enough fuel to make an escape! Good luck and happy trails... The reply from 70winnie is probably the best solution, fill one, check gauges. Kerry/weirdabago

From: HeavyHaulTrucker
Sent: 7/5/2004 10:12 PM

You know, on my 1977, it is just the opposite. My right side tank, just behind the door, is the main tank and my auxillary tank is behind the rear axle between the frame rails. The main is a 30-gallon, and the aux is a 20-gallon which the generator also runs from.

When I get a chance (and the money, of course), I am going to have some custom tanks made -- a 50-gallon to replace the main, and a 60-gallon to replace the aux. There is plenty of space for them, especially the aux. Then I can go over 700 miles between fill-ups!

John

From: Liv42dayOK
Sent: 7/6/2004 12:59 AM

Basically, John, you want to double your fuel capacity. Is there a consideration for doubling the weight on that side and how it may affect handling and unbalancing the load on the suspension, or don't you think it will make a difference? - Sob

From: HeavyHaulTrucker
Sent: 7/6/2004 12:24 PM

Uhhh... I know, I could go find my ex-mother in law and have her sit on the opposite side? Seriously, as far as the front tank is concerned, I don't think that will be a problem; the difference will only be 140 lbs. I have the spare capacity on the steer axle (4500 lb rated, 3180 lbs actual full of fuel & holding tanks half full). As for the rear tank, I may have to cut that down to 30 gallons -- I am a bit heavy on the rear axle (7380 lbs, full of fuel & holding tanks half full). I have also been thinking of removing the "ditty box" on the back as a trade-off.

John

From: Liv42dayOK
Sent: 8/30/2004 9:44 PM

Currently you have 50 gallons combined (mine are 25/36). If you replace with 50/60gal tanks, that will be 110 gal, the difference being 60 gal. Gasoline weighs 6lb/gal x 60 gal = 360 lbs (total weight of 110 gals = 660 lbs). A bit more than what you estimated. Again, I don't know if it will really make a difference and, since you are a trucker who deals with loads all the time, the reason I'm going into this more is because I'd like to swap my aux 25 gal tank for a 36 gal main. All my heavy stuff: Stove, fridge & LP tanks are on the same side (no genny weight on other side - don't have one) and I really am looking at it as an imbalance safety issue as well as will it cause my passenger side suspension to wear-out faster than the driver's side?

You are used to driving a gazillion miles at a time so, I can appreciate the benefit you would gain by doubling your fuel capacity. Me, I prefer jaunts up to about 300 miles at a shot until resting for a couple of hours. Plus, I like to check my fluids at the same time. I know I can get more miles by getting my mpg up to par. Figure a 1.5 mpg increase on 50 gallons and that's 75 more miles per fill-up alone. At prices today, that's about $15 bucks or so saved each fill-up. But, as you said, the space is available so, for me, 11 more gallons would pull an estimated extra 80 miles... out west, that could be the difference of getting to the next station or making an embarassing call to road side assistance!

I value your feedback, - Sob

From: cooneytunes
Sent: 8/31/2004 11:37 PM

Look under your Winnie, the big tank is your main, and the small tank is your reserve. The filler holes should line up with the tanks. If the small tank is toward the rear of vehicle, the filler hole will be the left one, and the one towards the front would for the main. Hope this helps......Timmy

From: HeavyHaulTrucker
Sent: 9/1/2004 2:32 AM

You raised some very valid points, and upon investigation, I am now finding that the only practical place that I can add "gallonage" is in the rear -- and that will pose a safety problem by taking weight off of the steer axle, making it hard to keep on one heading. The tank under the step takes up all available space there, so it can't be increased to any meaningful degree.
I could put in different holding tanks, and use the remaining space on the opposite side for an extra fuel tank -- that would be perfectly safe, and would still be well within the GVW rating of the chassis. But then I would have to dump every couple of days instead of once a week
I think that it will prove impractical to add fuel capacity on the smaller coaches; on the larger ones, there is extra room for a third fuel tank or larger fuel tanks. But everything under-chassis on the <27-foot coaches is packed together too tightly to leave any room for meaningful improvement in fuel capacity.
The reason that I want to increase fuel capacity is to cut the per-mile cost of operation by taking advantage of locations that have the really cheap fuel by being able to make it between them without having to take on any of the expensive fuel in between. I used to do that with my trucks (fuel stops selected based on fuel tax rate in the individual states); we would carry 300+ gallons, and only buy large quantities of fuel in states with low diesel fuel tax rates. In states that had a high fuel tax rate, we would only purchase enough to cover the mileage that we ran in that state. That way we did not have to pay the tax on fuel that we did not buy (yes, you have to purchase enough fuel to cover the miles travelled in that state, or the state would charge us the fuel tax for any that we were short.), and saved room for the "cheap fuel" in states with a low tax rate.

John

From: daved27c
Sent: 9/4/2004 11:53 PM

John and Sob;

You guys will have to explain this to me. My winne is 27 feet long. Therefore the body should be heavier then shorter Winnes. The added length of the chassis should make up for the added body weight(right??) If that is the case then am I safe carring a full load of fuel. My main tank(rear of winne) is 52 gal. My aux. tank(side) is 32 gal.(yeah I know 84 gallons at $2.00 per gal) I don't know what my winne weighs, or the weight per axle, but when you talk about making the steering unsafe with larger fuel tanks, you get me thinking.

Dave

From: Liv42dayOK
Sent: 9/5/2004 12:36 AM

I don't know about the length vs weight aspect but, your big main tank is in the rear so, I don't see any problem. What I was thinking about was increasing the capacity of both tanks on the side which has all the heavy stuff already, coach-wise, throwing the balance off to that side. - Sob

From: HeavyHaulTrucker
Sent: 9/5/2004 10:42 AM

If your winnie came with the larger tanks, then you are perfectly safe carrying a full load of fuel -- it was designed to carry it. We were discussing the pros and cons of increasing fuel capacity -- how it could be done safely, etc. A "factory standard" coach would not have a balance problem, though.

John

From: stevesro
Sent: 9/6/2004 9:16 PM

I have a 1984 Elandon and the Aux tank is in the front 30 Gals. and the main tank is in the back 60 Gals.

Steve
Santa Rosa, CA

From: Liv42dayOK
Sent: 10/1/2004 2:38 PM

HeavyHaulTrucker,

Here's a way to add those mega-capacity fuel tanks! Air bags. Since you can adjust the pressure side-to-side, you can safely compensate for the added weight! - Sob

From: cooneytunes
Sent: 10/2/2004 12:43 AM

Just remember, that the bags, will let you carry a little more weight and be much more stable......BUT.......never, never, never, go over your suggested gross axle weight, gross vehicle weight, or max tire and rim weight....The bags will stableize the body from bottoming out, and make the shocks work better, but they won't take the strain off your axels or wheel bearings, or tires.....Suggestion, get your Winnie's weighed, a wet curb weight, with full tanks of fuel, LP Gas, and Potable water. Now, add people and STUFF... You'll be shocked at how much weight your STUFF has . The wet curb weight on my D29-M500 chassis is, 12,300 LBS, Max Gross Vehicle Weight is 14,500.
So that only allows me approx. 2,200 LBS of persons plus other STUFF. Keep safe.......
Timmy

Which filler goes to which gas tank?

The_Handier_Man1