gas tank idea

Funnyman141 · 05-10-2009, 08:04 PM

I was wondering if I could use a plastic 30 gallon drum for my gas tank since the one in my truck is rusting out (check 2000 & older 4banger) if I fabricated the drum holder and maybe recessed it into the bed a bit if it would be good or if there are any laws that would make it illegal
Thanks for any answers!

**wrecking-crew** · 05-10-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funnyman141

I was wondering if I could use a plastic 30 gallon drum for my gas tank since the one in my truck is rusting out (check 2000 & older 4banger) if I fabricated the drum holder and maybe recessed it into the bed a bit if it would be good or if there are any laws that would make it illegal
Thanks for any answers!

would be a good idea unless theres a law that says no

that idea brings back memories of a s**t brown rusted out 78 chevy.... had a plastic drum and it looked so weird(was just sticking up in the corner of the bed).

Funnyman141 · 05-10-2009, 08:19 PM

I haven't found one yet so I may just do it

it's just gonna stink to fill it up for the first time

but then I could take LONG road trips

**wrecking-crew** · 05-10-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funnyman141

I haven't found one yet so I may just do it

it's just gonna stink to fill it up for the first time

but then I could take LONG road trips

with a 2.3 with a 50 gal........you can pretty much cross likr 4 states until its dry

Funnyman141 · 05-10-2009, 09:02 PM

I know

and I've even drawn up some plans

now I just need a welder and some angle iron
oh and it was a 30 gallon drum

RustedRanger · 05-10-2009, 10:23 PM

I checked into this several years back and found that some fuel cells are not street legal because they are not DOT approved but I made my own tank using a 20? gallon steel drum but didn't have a torch to braze it shut and tried using gas tank repair putty to seal it......it leaked like crazy. It would have worked if I had done it right and brazed the lid on. I made a cradle using two pieces of wood with semi circular cut outs for the drum and used steel straps to mount it. I put it in the bed of a 70 Chevy truck that had the tank behind the seat and it leaked.

naford · 05-11-2009, 07:30 AM

2 problems I can see. The first is the gas is going to splash around quite a bit so you would need to some sort of a baffle to slow the splahing down. The 2nd is venting. You need some kind of vent to let air in as gas goes out. Also it wouldn't meet emmissions because of the vent.

I remember way back when my uncle the idiot put a hole in the gas tank on his van. He had a 5 gallion gas can that he stuck a hose in and used.

srteach · 05-11-2009, 08:06 AM

I wouldn't use a delivery drum as a fuel tank. Too much uncontrolled momentum, oxygenation increase and questionable structural integrity.
I designed and built a 75gal auxiliary fuel tank for my fathers' diesel pickup. He needed a specific size and configuration. Welding shop built it to specs, state DOT inspected it, we installed it and ran it. We couldn't direct plumb it into the system until it could work as if factory installed (fuel delivery and venting, containment in accident).

Check with the DOT inspector in your state for qualifications and rules for your state. You may have to run it as an "auxiliary" tank (as far as they know).

**Mark_88** · 05-11-2009, 08:22 AM

This is a bit off topic, but I lived near a farm where they had irrigation pumps...I was looking at one of them and noticed the fuel tank was actually the frame that the motor sat on...they used hollow channel steel for the frame and it was about six feet long and 4 feet wide on the outside edges...and about 8" channel...didn't get the capacity, but it could probably hold quite a bit of fuel...

These were built in Italy and I'd never seen a setup like that before...

oldmantruck · 05-11-2009, 08:26 AM

Some motor cycles do something similar with the gas and oil tank (buell to name one) (the hollow channel thing, not the oil drum thing) old time hot rodders used beer kegs

**AllanD** · 05-11-2009, 09:43 AM

I think it'd be a lot easier to retrofit a second gen plastic fuel tank and lines into the truck.

That's what I doid on my '87... but it isn't where I stopped

AD

Funnyman141 · 05-11-2009, 05:59 PM

for the vent I was thinking of using something that fed into the fuel recirculation unit and for the baffles I'm not sure yet but I haven't started. What would make a good cheap baffles?

lol

05-10-2009, 08:04 PM	#1
Funnyman141 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fort Madison, IA Year: 87, 94 Make: Ford Model: Ranger XLT, Ranger S.C. 4x4 Engine: 2.3, 4.0 Class: 2WD, 4x4 Used For: 87 is being driven, 94 is getting a motor/trans change Posts: 779 Rep Power: 11 iTrader: (0)	gas tank idea I was wondering if I could use a plastic 30 gallon drum for my gas tank since the one in my truck is rusting out (check 2000 & older 4banger) if I fabricated the drum holder and maybe recessed it into the bed a bit if it would be good or if there are any laws that would make it illegal Thanks for any answers!
	Tweet

05-10-2009, 08:19 PM	#3
Funnyman141 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fort Madison, IA Year: 87, 94 Make: Ford Model: Ranger XLT, Ranger S.C. 4x4 Engine: 2.3, 4.0 Class: 2WD, 4x4 Used For: 87 is being driven, 94 is getting a motor/trans change Posts: 779 Rep Power: 11 iTrader: (0)	I haven't found one yet so I may just do it it's just gonna stink to fill it up for the first time but then I could take LONG road trips
	Tweet

05-10-2009, 09:02 PM	#5
Funnyman141 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fort Madison, IA Year: 87, 94 Make: Ford Model: Ranger XLT, Ranger S.C. 4x4 Engine: 2.3, 4.0 Class: 2WD, 4x4 Used For: 87 is being driven, 94 is getting a motor/trans change Posts: 779 Rep Power: 11 iTrader: (0)	I know and I've even drawn up some plans now I just need a welder and some angle iron oh and it was a 30 gallon drum Last edited by Funnyman141; 05-10-2009 at 09:49 PM.
	Tweet

05-10-2009, 10:23 PM	#6
RustedRanger Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Farmland IN Year: 1987 Make: Ford Model: Ranger XLT Engine: 2.9L Class: 4x4 Used For: Everyday driver Posts: 825 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (0)	I checked into this several years back and found that some fuel cells are not street legal because they are not DOT approved but I made my own tank using a 20? gallon steel drum but didn't have a torch to braze it shut and tried using gas tank repair putty to seal it......it leaked like crazy. It would have worked if I had done it right and brazed the lid on. I made a cradle using two pieces of wood with semi circular cut outs for the drum and used steel straps to mount it. I put it in the bed of a 70 Chevy truck that had the tank behind the seat and it leaked.
	Tweet

05-11-2009, 07:30 AM	#7
naford Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Year: 2002 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Posts: 653 Rep Power: 15 iTrader: (0)	2 problems I can see. The first is the gas is going to splash around quite a bit so you would need to some sort of a baffle to slow the splahing down. The 2nd is venting. You need some kind of vent to let air in as gas goes out. Also it wouldn't meet emmissions because of the vent. I remember way back when my uncle the idiot put a hole in the gas tank on his van. He had a 5 gallion gas can that he stuck a hose in and used.
	Tweet

05-11-2009, 08:06 AM	#8
srteach Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Year: 1999, 2001 Make: Ranger, F350 Model: XLT supercab, SuperDuty Engine: 4.0L, 7.3 Diesel Class: 4x4 both Used For: DD / light OR, DD Posts: 979 Rep Power: 14 iTrader: (0)	I wouldn't use a delivery drum as a fuel tank. Too much uncontrolled momentum, oxygenation increase and questionable structural integrity. I designed and built a 75gal auxiliary fuel tank for my fathers' diesel pickup. He needed a specific size and configuration. Welding shop built it to specs, state DOT inspected it, we installed it and ran it. We couldn't direct plumb it into the system until it could work as if factory installed (fuel delivery and venting, containment in accident). Check with the DOT inspector in your state for qualifications and rules for your state. You may have to run it as an "auxiliary" tank (as far as they know).
	Tweet

05-11-2009, 08:22 AM	#9
Mark_88 Einstein I'm NOT Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Uxbridge, Ontario Year: 1988 Make: Ford Model: Multi-year Ranger Engine: 2.3 Carbureted Class: 2wd Used For: Space travel Posts: 13,528 Rep Power: 78 iTrader: (0)	This is a bit off topic, but I lived near a farm where they had irrigation pumps...I was looking at one of them and noticed the fuel tank was actually the frame that the motor sat on...they used hollow channel steel for the frame and it was about six feet long and 4 feet wide on the outside edges...and about 8" channel...didn't get the capacity, but it could probably hold quite a bit of fuel... These were built in Italy and I'd never seen a setup like that before... __________________ Rome and my Ranger were not built in a day...
	Tweet

05-11-2009, 08:26 AM	#10
oldmantruck Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: State College, PA Year: 1994 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Supercab Engine: 4.0 Class: 4x4 Used For: daily driver Posts: 53 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	Some motor cycles do something similar with the gas and oil tank (buell to name one) (the hollow channel thing, not the oil drum thing) old time hot rodders used beer kegs
	Tweet

05-11-2009, 09:43 AM	#11
AllanD RBV Technical Advisor Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: East-Central Pennsylvania Year: 1987... sorta Make: Ford Model: Ranger Supercab Engine: '93 4.0 Class: 4x4 Used For: Roadtrip Warrior Posts: 7,184 Rep Power: 47 iTrader: (18)	I think it'd be a lot easier to retrofit a second gen plastic fuel tank and lines into the truck. That's what I doid on my '87... but it isn't where I stopped AD __________________ Gun Control - A theory espoused by some monumentally stupid people; who claim to believe, against all logic and common sense, that a violent predator who ignores the laws prohibiting them from robbing, raping, kidnapping, torturing and killing their fellow human beings will obey a law telling them that they cannot own a gun.
	Tweet

05-11-2009, 05:59 PM	#12
Funnyman141 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fort Madison, IA Year: 87, 94 Make: Ford Model: Ranger XLT, Ranger S.C. 4x4 Engine: 2.3, 4.0 Class: 2WD, 4x4 Used For: 87 is being driven, 94 is getting a motor/trans change Posts: 779 Rep Power: 11 iTrader: (0)	for the vent I was thinking of using something that fed into the fuel recirculation unit and for the baffles I'm not sure yet but I haven't started. What would make a good cheap baffles? lol
	Tweet

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode