Fuel station as aux diesel tank

[RokNDmax]

Anyone use their aux fuel tank in their toyhauler for diesel for the tow vehicle ? Any reason you wouldn't ?

Looking into taking the hauler up to Alaska and want to extend my range/save some money buying black gold where it's cheaper.

TIA

[christopherglen]

Don't assume the tanker that delivered diesel this week to your corner station wasn't hauling e85 last week. Don't assume the pipelines from the refinery to the tank farm are dedicated to a certain blend or type of fuel. It is normal for a small amount of just about everything to be mixed in with motor fuels. That said, pump out all you can, add a splash of the new fuel, pump it out (lather rinse repeat) and you will have a fraction of a cup of the old fuel in the tank and pump diluted into (in your case) 30 gallons of diesel. I would dump a bottle of fuel treatment into the tank (just for giggles and extra lubrication_.

[midnightsadie]

might try a marine fuel tank. theres lot of them on craigs list.

[Halmfamily]

Keep your eyes on craigslist for a used auxillary tank. I pulled a 50 gallon one out of my old F350, sat too high and fiver would clip it. Sold on Craiglist is less than one day for $200 and he drove three hours to get it.

[Ivylog]

I've had a aux fuel tank (100+ gallons) in my PUs for the last 50 years. While it mainly has diesel in it, I put gas in it too. When switching I park so the tank's pickup is on the low side so I get most of the fuel out of the tank and then put in the other fuel. While the above post is correct about it being Kerosene, I've used gas in my summer diesel during the winter.
OP, doubt you have a hose long enough to reach your truck, but I'd do it and not worry about the little bit of gas in the diesel on the first tank... just get as much as possible out of it first. For the Nay Sayers you could put a couple gallons of diesel in first and then pump it out and save for starting fires... treating this mixture like it's gas when lighting it.

[colliehauler]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
Hi,

Most toy haulers use the fuel tank to run the generator. If you have a completely separate fuel system for the toys, it might be possible. However once you empty out 'most' of the gasoline, there will still be some in the tank. Also when you empty out 'most' of the diesel, there will be some still in the tank.

Have you heard of 'winterized' diesel fuel? That is when they add a little unleaded gas to the diesel, and it is thinner for winter use in very cold country. You are cautioned not to burn it in a truck in warmer areas. So filling up with winter blend in Colorado, then driving to AZ and towing is not really all that well advised. I would also not recommend taking along a 18 gallon diesel mixed with 1 gallon of unleaded to Alaska, then put that into the truck while towing in warm weather (above 50F).

As for the 1 gallon of diesel fuel, mixed into 18 gallons of unleaded fuel? Probably will hurt a catalytic converter, so don't go adding that to a car. But a non-smog equipped ATV or motorcycle will not care to much. Might smoke a little, look a little like a 2 stroke, but should run fine. The octane rating will be boosted a bit too - say 87 unleaded will become around 95 octane. So it will burn slower.

Why take a chance? To save $2 a gallon on 18 gallons of fuel? That is $36 dude! And at what point along the route will you change from the $3 diesel from Seattle to add this to the truck, and when will you refill with $4 diesel on your return trip? Are you sure you will avoid filling with $5 diesel fuel someplace?

Fred.

Winter blend Diesel is mixed with kerosene not gasoline.

[MarkTwain]

RokNDmax wrote:
Thanks.

TH has two tanks, one for the genny, one for toys. Toys being quads and sometimes UTV. The second tank is 30 gallons. Besides saving money, I'd like to extend the range of the truck. Was pricing aux tanks today and they are spendy.

That being said, some good points made and that's why I asked, 🙂

Look at "Transfer Flow" auxiliary tanks. 1-530-893-5209 in Chico Ca. I currently have a 60 gal. aux tank that fits in the same place my original factory tank was located.This my 3rd. Transfer Flow tank over he years. Have never had a problem:) They will ship your choice any where and give you the name of a business in your area that can install it for you or if your in Chico, they will install it for you in one day. Depending on my road conditions and my driving habits I can drive approx. 550 miles on 1 tank:)

[Old-Biscuit]

Winter blend diesel.......

Since the 1990s car makers began selling only direct injection diesel engines - these will not withstand any gasoline portions in the fuel as the high pressure in the injection device will ignite the gasoline early on possibly destroying the injectors.

Winter blend is done using No. 1 fuel (kerosene) with No. 2 fuel (diesel)

So you really don't want to swap types of fuels (gas/diesel) using same tank.

So you really don't what to

[Y-Guy]

Golden_HVAC makes some great points.

I'd be more inclined to pick up 3 or 4 yellow portable diesel cans if you need to carry extra fuel.

[RokNDmax]

Thanks.

TH has two tanks, one for the genny, one for toys. Toys being quads and sometimes UTV. The second tank is 30 gallons. Besides saving money, I'd like to extend the range of the truck. Was pricing aux tanks today and they are spendy.

That being said, some good points made and that's why I asked, 🙂

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

Most toy haulers use the fuel tank to run the generator. If you have a completely separate fuel system for the toys, it might be possible. However once you empty out 'most' of the gasoline, there will still be some in the tank. Also when you empty out 'most' of the diesel, there will be some still in the tank.

Have you heard of 'winterized' diesel fuel? That is when they add a little unleaded gas to the diesel, and it is thinner for winter use in very cold country. You are cautioned not to burn it in a truck in warmer areas. So filling up with winter blend in Colorado, then driving to AZ and towing is not really all that well advised. I would also not recommend taking along a 18 gallon diesel mixed with 1 gallon of unleaded to Alaska, then put that into the truck while towing in warm weather (above 50F).

As for the 1 gallon of diesel fuel, mixed into 18 gallons of unleaded fuel? Probably will hurt a catalytic converter, so don't go adding that to a car. But a non-smog equipped ATV or motorcycle will not care to much. Might smoke a little, look a little like a 2 stroke, but should run fine. The octane rating will be boosted a bit too - say 87 unleaded will become around 95 octane. So it will burn slower.

Why take a chance? To save $2 a gallon on 18 gallons of fuel? That is $36 dude! And at what point along the route will you change from the $3 diesel from Seattle to add this to the truck, and when will you refill with $4 diesel on your return trip? Are you sure you will avoid filling with $5 diesel fuel someplace?

Fred.

[trail-explorer]

Not sure I'd want to be switching from one fuel to another in the tank.