2 gallon fuel tank (...a get outta jail card)

[Butcher]

I know I certainly would not maintain the tank and if/when I ran out of gas, I would just be putting varnish in the tank. I have only ran out of gas once, 35 year ago. Not bad considering I drive a VW 20-30k a year with a broken gas gauge.

It's a great idea, but not for me.

[bobbyblack]

Love your tank, Sodo!!

I've run out in my 2wd, got my GF to bring gas, she's such a sweetie I'd agree running a tank dry was baaaaad, even 5 gal added took 15 minutes of swearing and images of silt having plugged up my intake or filter.. Blah!!! Finally sputtered to a start, took another 4 or 5 minutes of sputtering til I could power up onto the highway confidently. Last weekend, another super close call, had come out of the underground car park at her place in Minneapolis, it sputtered as I crested the ramp top. Made it 4 blocks to a gas station I'd never wanted to use before. Just scary. Sometimes running out of gas in a city is way worse than out on a trail.

Leaves me thinking again about our ridiculous gas tanks, and no warning lights. I'd seen it touch orange inbound to the city, but the 5 car crashes in 12 blocks of city traffic ( usual freeway exit was closed ) in unfamiliar area of city had completely wiped my thought of needing gas!
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[Sodo]

[Gruppe B]

[Abscate]

Just a side bar. 12 psi doesn't sound high, but it is. At roughly 14.7 psi, that means the gas is boiling (loosely put)

If it is reaching 130 under the car (?) and the tank is vented, it is going to be emptying itself pretty quickly.

You guys in the desert might want this for range protection, back East where gas is everywhere, probably not.

The implementation and workmanship on the pictures is very good, top shelf.
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[Abscate]

[Gruppe B]

[Abscate]

Yikes.

No.
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[Sodo]

That's Diesel enroute to Ushuaia.
A completely different subject than "2 gallon fuel tank (...a get outta jail card)"
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[B.O.B.Wanders]

I am very jealous of your fabrication skills, Sodo. That looks like a very practical solution. I like it.

I went a simpler, more traditional route. Initially I tossed in a 2.5 gallon plastic gas can under the back seat for camping trips, but did NOT like the idea of gasoline inside the vehicle from a safety perspective - I think it's against DOT regs or something as well - and didn't like the idea of a plastic can in the hot sun if stored on top. The only time I've ever used it was to give some gas to a fuel-challenged traveler in a rest stop.

I found some 10L (2.64 Gal) NATO spec GELG Jerry cans online: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-NATO-Jerry-Can-10-Liters-2-64-Gallons/221712223762. Note: these are sold as "not for fuel use" and marked as such. From the ad: "Due to US regulations these are sold for storing non-potable water and other non-fuel liquids. Not for fuel use. But outside of the US these cans would be perfectly acceptable for fuel storage.". Wavian sells one that is short and squatty, but these GELG brand cans are dimensionally just like the 20L/5Gal NATO cans but smaller all around.

Hypothetically, if one were to put someting other than non-fuel in them anyway, two cans (~5 Gal) will fit nicely in the luggage rack with a couple of folding camp chairs and a come-along (in an old heavy duty chair/tent bag). I like the low side-profile. They are only a half-inch or so taller than the depth of the luggage rack and can (hypothetically) be seen from the ground by tallish folks, but not obvious. Add a cable and lock to prevent any casual snatch & grabbery. I can (hypothetically) take one for shorter local trip where services are likely within 30 miles from anywhere, or both cans if we are heading out west (Next Services 4,234,000 Miles). Another benefit of the smaller can is that, even full, it is only around 10 lbs. and not too difficult to lift up to - or down from - the roof. I would (hypothetically) use a combination of nylon straps and bungees to keep them secure. Your mileage may (hypothetically) vary.

Rick
_________________
83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[Sodo]

I've finally mounted the 2-gallon tank.

Tank is not bolted to the mounts. It just 'slips in' and nests tightly. And lifts out, no tools. I'll probably add more security when I think of a good way.

Here's the mounts. 1 x 1/8" angle steel with adhesive EPDM rubber pads.

I used rivnuts, wetted first with Permatex Ultra-gray

Here's the forward mount.
Now all that's left to do is run outta gas....
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[SyncroButter]

Sodo, your fabrication skills are truly impressive! Nice solution!
_________________
Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle

[tjet]

I like it. Want.

I did the noganav idea (link below). I bought a Mercedes gas can from uk ebay

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651253&highlight=

Here's mine installed. I also adapted a spare tire lock to secure it.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1902644

BTW, if you're going to keep fuel in it, see if you can get some avgas at your local small airport. It has much longer shelf life then automotive gas (years vs months)

[E1]

Great job! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Has "new product" written all over it. If "tooled," Ahem, as a tool carrier, I'd be all over it as first-priority in the Now.

Yeah, the plastic jugs on the roof spook me. A gas shower in a rollover would be really bad -- not that anyone rolls over and stuff.

Goodonya!
_________________
1984 Westfailure/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." — Colin Chapman

[Sodo]

Heres a pic I found somewhere of the classic 'red cans ontop'. Westy VW buses often had the red-can.

My 2-gallon aluminum tank hides better in the westy cargo rack.

[dobryan]

10% ethanol gas stays in my home generator for many months, sometimes a year or more. I add Stabil to every fill and have never had an issue... knocks on wood.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[Sodo]

[michaelbteam]

I found out the hard way that when the gas gauge on my Syncro finally hit the bottom of empty, it was accurate and the van died. Incidentally, and luckily, my tank must have been pretty clean, since the van started right up with a gas transfusion.
I carry a two gallon Rotopax, wrapped heavily in reflective foil bubblewrap, bungeed in my luggage rack. I use it up every six months.
I understand this is questionable, but the Rotopax has been solid and leakproof so far. Thoughts or opinions, anyone?

[Abscate]

They also could be steps into the van at the slider door

Two blocks of C4 on the side would make a nice slider door step

The same two blocks of C4 on end , and the tank across them, would make a nice two person seat at the campfire. Very cozy
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[dobryan]