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Fuel tank in bed of truck

Dixie_Flyer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Okay I just bought a used 2016 Ford F250 short bed with a 6,7 diesel engine. Just discovered it has a 26 gallon fuel tank, Thinking about buying a 30 gallon tank from Tractor Supply and placing it in the bed behind the cab. It sits below the bedrails so it won't interfere with the fifthwheel.

My son told me to run a fuel line from the tank to the vent tube at the filler neck with a cut off valve in the line and when I want fuel to go into the factory tank just open the valve and it will flow in by gravity.

My question, has anyone done this? It seems to me the vent tube is there for a reason, stopping it up with fuel may cause some issues.
2016 Ford F250 King Ranch Crew Cab 6.7 Power Stroke
2015 Montana Model 3611 with 4400 Pullrite Hitch.

Wife Sue
Pets: Rainbow Bridge: Bart, Old Fella, Levi, Charlie, Mama, Hobo, Izzie, Peaches. Others Suzie, Dixie.

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue
25 REPLIES 25

Passin_Thru
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 100 gallon. buy it cheap and run 1300 miles. Just refuel from the pump and I have to Pee before I need fuel anyway. It will mess up the computer and the fuel ga reading if you hook it into the filler and it has to be pressurized as fuel tanks now are pressurized.

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
Dixie Flyer wrote:
I installed the tank yesterday. It was a bit more to it than I anticipated, but got it done. I put fuel In it only twenty gallons to see if I had any leaks, so far so good.


MFL wrote:
With these newer vehicles, even using an aftermarket fuel cap can have an adverse affect. Many others add extra fuel tanks, so there's got to be a way.

Not a wt cop, but you may want to see what's left for RAWR/max tire load, before adding heavy tank of fuel.

Jerry


I got to go with Jerry, Not a weight cop, BUT don't exceed the capacity of your rear tires.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

Dixie_Flyer
Explorer II
Explorer II
I installed the tank yesterday. It was a bit more to it than I anticipated, but got it done. I put fuel In it only twenty gallons to see if I had any leaks, so far so good.
2016 Ford F250 King Ranch Crew Cab 6.7 Power Stroke
2015 Montana Model 3611 with 4400 Pullrite Hitch.

Wife Sue
Pets: Rainbow Bridge: Bart, Old Fella, Levi, Charlie, Mama, Hobo, Izzie, Peaches. Others Suzie, Dixie.

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

Dixie_Flyer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Got my tank today, arrived in excellent shape, no bumps to dents no bruises. nothing broken or missing. Now to install it.
2016 Ford F250 King Ranch Crew Cab 6.7 Power Stroke
2015 Montana Model 3611 with 4400 Pullrite Hitch.

Wife Sue
Pets: Rainbow Bridge: Bart, Old Fella, Levi, Charlie, Mama, Hobo, Izzie, Peaches. Others Suzie, Dixie.

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

austingta
Explorer
Explorer
Trailblazer87 wrote:
I have a 60 gallon RDS tank in my 2016 Chevy. I just gravity flow from the in bed tank into the truck tank. The install kit had me cut 1 1/2" out of the filler kneck. Don't cut the vent line unless you want a mess! I just let it free flow as I drive. After about 100 miles the truck says it's out of fuel and the fuel gauge goes to empty then the CEL comes on. Once the in bed tank is empty everything goes back to normal. It lets me go a very long way having 96 gallons of diesel on board. I ran from Saint George, UT to Fresno, CA without fueling with my 31' Toy Hauler. Empty the truck got me from Fresno to Denver and still had a couple of hundred miles to go on the tank. Well worth it to me.

My brother has one in his 2014 F250 and says the gauge just reads full to whole time the auxiliary tank has fuel.


That happens to me as posted above. It seems to be a GM thing.
Frank Brooks Austin TX
2018 F 150 King Ranch max tow package with 3.55 gears
Published towing weight limit 13200
Payload per sticker 1464

Trailblazer87
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 60 gallon RDS tank in my 2016 Chevy. I just gravity flow from the in bed tank into the truck tank. The install kit had me cut 1 1/2" out of the filler kneck. Don't cut the vent line unless you want a mess! I just let it free flow as I drive. After about 100 miles the truck says it's out of fuel and the fuel gauge goes to empty then the CEL comes on. Once the in bed tank is empty everything goes back to normal. It lets me go a very long way having 96 gallons of diesel on board. I ran from Saint George, UT to Fresno, CA without fueling with my 31' Toy Hauler. Empty the truck got me from Fresno to Denver and still had a couple of hundred miles to go on the tank. Well worth it to me.

My brother has one in his 2014 F250 and says the gauge just reads full to whole time the auxiliary tank has fuel.
2004 31' Toymate by Automate
2016 Chevy 2500HD Duramax

Wife and 2 dogs for travel companions, Blue the hound, and Ruger the Wonderhusky

lawnspecialties
Explorer
Explorer
I PM'd Dixie Flyer. But those who ask this, it has never posed a problem for me. My "miles to empty" status will adjust. The example I gave was if it starts at "400 miles to empty", it will go maybe 75 miles or so and then when there's no change in the fuel gauge, the miles to empty will go back up to somewhere around "400 miles to empty" again.

I have never had a problem with two Super Duties (2011 and 2015) with RDS tanks and a gravity feed system.

austingta
Explorer
Explorer
It is, sometimes, an issue. I have installed a small fuel pump and an electric solenoid valve in line in mine to mitigate the problem. Also a nice green illuminated switch to turn them on in the overhead console.
Frank Brooks Austin TX
2018 F 150 King Ranch max tow package with 3.55 gears
Published towing weight limit 13200
Payload per sticker 1464

Dixie_Flyer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Question? My 2016 Ford has a computer that reads fuel mileage and distance to empty. Reading the instructions on the Auxiliary Diesel Fuel Tank Installation kit it warns, "If the gauge does not move off full when traveling it will go to empty after you have traveled the range of the full tank. To prevent this from happening you can use the manual shut off valve or install an in line pump to control the flow of fuel so that the gauge will work more normally"

Anyone have any issues with their Ford F250 0r F350 with the OEM gauge not working properly due to the extra fuel in the auxiliary tank?
2016 Ford F250 King Ranch Crew Cab 6.7 Power Stroke
2015 Montana Model 3611 with 4400 Pullrite Hitch.

Wife Sue
Pets: Rainbow Bridge: Bart, Old Fella, Levi, Charlie, Mama, Hobo, Izzie, Peaches. Others Suzie, Dixie.

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

Dixie_Flyer
Explorer II
Explorer II
I just bought a 32 gallon low profile tank that will fit in the bed of my truck between the fifth wheel hitch and the cab. That will give me 56 gallons of diesel. That will get me about five hundred miles down the road between stops. I am pleased with my purchase, now to get it all hooked up.
2016 Ford F250 King Ranch Crew Cab 6.7 Power Stroke
2015 Montana Model 3611 with 4400 Pullrite Hitch.

Wife Sue
Pets: Rainbow Bridge: Bart, Old Fella, Levi, Charlie, Mama, Hobo, Izzie, Peaches. Others Suzie, Dixie.

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

Bionic_Man
Explorer
Explorer
I have the RDS 60 tank/toolbox combo. Gravity feed. Installed in my truck when I bought it in 2012. Works fantastic.
2012 RAM 3500 Laramie Longhorn DRW CC 4x4 Max Tow, Cummins HO, 60 gallon RDS aux fuel tank, Reese 18k Elite hitch
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 QC SB 4x4 Cummins HO NV5600 with Smarty JR, Jacobs EB (sold)
2002 Gulf Stream Sea Hawk 29FRB with Honda EV6010

2naEagle
Explorer
Explorer
Just get what ever RDS tank you want and the gravity feed kit. I had the 60gal with took box on my 2008 F350 CCSB and a 50gal with tool box in my 2017 F350 CCSB. They work great. Just do a search on Aux Tank and you will find days of reading. You can go as elaborate or as simple as you want.
2020 F350 Limited CCSB SRW
2017 North Point 315RLTS
2021 Jayco Greyhawk 29MV

austingta
Explorer
Explorer
lawnspecialties wrote:
I love using an auxiliary tank. I'm on my second RDS.

This is what flows mine. Both tanks, both systems. Never a problem. Leave it on or go back and forth. Makes no difference.

Install Kit


That's what I do. I have a small pump and cut off valve, but the rollover valve in the kit is all you need. Lately, I just let it continue to fill and when the main tank starts to drop...that's when you know the aux tank is empty. I installed a nice autometer gauge for it but you don't need one.

One time my tank did get overfilled and it caused the computer to read dead empty, but it didn't cause an actual problem.

I love it.
Frank Brooks Austin TX
2018 F 150 King Ranch max tow package with 3.55 gears
Published towing weight limit 13200
Payload per sticker 1464

azdryheat
Explorer
Explorer
I've got a 91 gallon tank in the bed and plumbed it to gravity feed into the main fuel inlet hose with the supplied kit. No problems in three years.
2013 Chevy 3500HD CC dually
2014 Voltage 3600 toy hauler
2019 RZR 1000XP TRE