Fuel tank question

[Mex-Busnut]

Dear Friends,

We are about to have our external fuel tank for our generator built by our welder friend. My goal was to have at least 24 hours' worth of fuel. Well, because of the space I have available (it is going into the former OTR driver's side A/C blower compartment), it will probably be a whole lot more run time: 200 liters, or 52.9 U. S. gallons.  

See attached pictures:
1. Driver's A. C. blower compartment.
2. Emptied of its contents. It is just in  front of the former OTR A/C main unit compartment, which became our generator compartment.
3. The empty compartment.

My welder friend has quoted me a price for steel and another price for stainless steel, which would be U. S. $200 more. This would be for gasoline, not diesel. Will a steel tank have problems rusting out? It would be installed inn one of the previous OTR air-conditioner squirrel cage compartments above the vehicle's diesel tank, and under the floor. It would be totally protected from the elements.

Tank will have proper exterior gas cap, plus vent, by the way.

Will the gas inside make it prone to rust?

Thanks in advance!

[chev49]

if i were welding up one and had some stainless on hand, i would use that up. that being said, normal sheet steel will be fine, i havea twenty gallon  one i checked last summer that i welded probably in 1970 or so,and it just had a bit of rust..just be sure to make it larger than you think you need by about a third, and don't let it be empty all the time.

[Uglydog56]

My 56 Chevy still has the factory tank. Keep stabil in it and heet in the cold weather and you should be fine.

[Utahclaimjumper]

The dual fuel thing is going to be a PIA.>>>Dan

[Mex-Busnut]

The dual fuel thing is going to be a PIA.>>>Dan

Thanks for your comments, my friends. There is always a wealth of education on this board.

As far as being a "pain in the abdomen", for the moment, a gas-powered genny was the only thing I could get down here in Mexico within my limited budget. In the near future, when I can afford a diesel genny, this tank will add 50% capacity to my fuel system, which will allow me to load up on this expensive Mexican diesel at $2.85 per gallon before I head North of the border.

[TomC]

If you plan on switching to Diesel in the future, make sure you have a return line installed so that you don't have to drill a hole later (and the metal shavings that would fall into the tank).  I would also have a fuel gauge sending unit installed for a fuel gauge.  Course the cheapest is to have a sight tube instead.

When I was driving cross country truck, I had an Onan 6.5kw Emerald III commercial with a PTO shaft coming out of the end of the alternator that I powered my sleeper A/C with (using a standard belt driven A/C compressor). I had a 75 gal aluminum tank (the other 75 gal tank was for water, and 2-150gal tanks for Diesel). I can tell you it was a big PITA.  But-of course with going to RV islands at many truck stops-both gasoline and Diesel are available-so it may not be as bad.  When I was running the generator at night parked in a truck stop, I had a box fan that I would put next to the exhaust pipe to blow the exhaust fumes away from the truck.  Gasoline fumes are much more dangerous then Diesel exhaust fumes.  Running a stack would be another way around this.  Good Luck, TomC

[pvcces]

I understand that galvanizing is to be avoided with diesel engine fuel tanks because of possible damage to the injectors. I would think you could use any material that was in widespread use for that purpose.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey

[Dave5Cs]

Hey Steve you could at least send 130 gallons our way for that price WOW

[TomC]

Black Iron, Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Fiberglass are the usual materials for Diesel Fuel tanks.  Good Luck, TomC

[gus]

A steel gasoline tank will rust because gasoline attracts moisture. However, it will probably take longer than the bus will last! I just recently replaced a gas tank for a '63 TR4 that had rusted out. Supposedly a gas tank will not retain moisture if kept filled but I have my doubts about this old wives tale! It all depends.

Dual fuel is no problem, 4104s have dual 24 gal tanks as original equipment when AC was installed and my Honda gas genset never was a problem.