Need an extra 20L fuel??

[BigRAWesty]

Well I got told this by a good 4x4'n friend with 2 patrols so I gave it a crack.
I got an extra 20ltrs but it's up to you on how well you do the job And tank size..

What I'm about to explain is very simple. All your doing is removing the air gap in your tank. Manufacturers usually give 30% expansion gap.

So the steps..
Step one, locate some way to get into your tank... In my 91 LWB GQ it's a simple matter of lifting the floor matting, remove the cover plate and carefully take out the sender unit.. Others may have to remove your tank..

This took a bit because my plug was a bit seized and they ain't very forgiving with length... But all the hoses and bolts came out very easy..

Next to find the breather line.. Mine was towards the rear . It should run next to the filler neck..
Now as you can't fit your head I the hole the whole lot is done by feel..
Once you find the line you can get to work.. Grab a 16mm ring spanner.. Slip the ring over the line (it's metal by the way) and straighten out the bend in the last 100mm of the pipe..
Once happy with that, feel along the pipe for a bracket.. Once found simple push or pull the pipe to flatten the bracket and push the pipe towards the roof..

I got mine within 2 mm of the roof.. The closer you can get it the more you will fit...

Clean all your seals and bolt it all back together..

Warning... I have been advised not to fill and leave the car.. As you are removing the air gap you should only fill to the top and then drive... Spillage may occur...

Happy modding..

[mudski]

Is this a gq thing? Becasue in my gu i fill it so until i see the fuel coming up in the neck....

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[BigRAWesty]

Both models, the fast fill allows rapid tank fill but then once it hits that breather the air has only one way out and that's the expansion breather which is slow or the fuel goes up the filler neck which triggers the filler nozel. .
That's why if you count to 5 you can get a liter or 2 in before you see it again..
But lifting the fast fill breather up then you remove that trapped air and get more fuel in..
In the gq if you can see the fuel in the neck it stays there.. that's why I say you have to fill and drive..

A few guys on p4x4 have done both main and sub and get a good amount extra in it by doing this mod.

[threedogs]

Is this a gq thing? Becasue in my gu i fill it so until i see the fuel coming up in the neck....

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Should only fill to the first click,,
it gets pretty cold down in fuel tanks and expansion is very real.
It could result in raw fuel spilling onto the hot exhaust, not ideal eh,,,lol

[BigRAWesty]

Not really an issue with the patrol as the exhaust and fillers are opposite sides..
In saying that, I have filled and parked a couple of times and never had an over flow..

[mudski]

Should only fill to the first click,,
it gets pretty cold down in fuel tanks and expansion is very real.
It could result in raw fuel spilling onto the hot exhaust, not ideal eh,,,lol
If i stopped at the first click i would be stopping way too early. Diesel foams up real easy so i just stop for 10 seconds or so to let teh foam go down then continue slowly for the last bit until i see the fuel in the neck or im satisfied will my fill up.
Exhaust is on the other side too and never had an issue with fuel coming out of the cap/ filler neck too from the result of my filling up techniques...lol

So basically Kallen the main tank is not 75Ltr capacity (as per fillup results) but 95ltrs...

[threedogs]

the manual says the main is 95ltrs

[BigRAWesty]

If i stopped at the first click i would be stopping way too early. Diesel foams up real easy so i just stop for 10 seconds or so to let teh foam go down then continue slowly for the last bit until i see the fuel in the neck or im satisfied will my fill up.
Exhaust is on the other side too and never had an issue with fuel coming out of the cap/ filler neck too from the result of my filling up techniques...lol

So basically Kallen the main tank is not 75Ltr capacity (as per fillup results) but 95ltrs...
From my findings on the gq my tank was 90 usable. But now it's 115 usable..

[threedogs]

Thats an extra 180k added to your range, so very handy
touring so you can miss the expensive spots and fill
where the price is reasonable

[the evil twin]

snip... so you can miss the expensive spots and fill
where the price is reasonable

You found a place in Oz that sells fuel at a reasonable price?????

Share damn you, share!!!!

[threedogs]

$1.16 here ATM thats reasonable say compared to Bruce at Rabbit Flat roadhouse lol
Other than the CSR I reckon thats about the dearest

[nissannewby]

$1 a litre up here currently.

[threedogs]

Wow,,,,,,,,, now thats a great price, is that everywhere
or with a docket 4c off

[mudski]

the manual says the main is 95ltrs
Hmm ill have to check my manual. Im sure mine said 75. But hey, my brain is patked in holiday mode who knows what I'm thinking.
This has got me intrigued. As i have never gone past 75l when filling up the tank, even when the needle on the fuel gauge cant get any lower. And thats filling it so i can see the fuel in the neck. So im wondering how this mod is going to give me extra capacity when i can see the fuel in the neck.
Something to look closer at when i get back and im not using my phone to look up things.

[threedogs]

No idea why yours would say 75 ltr for the main tank.
Would any one with this mod take a pic of the bowser next time you fill please
with total litres etc

[mudski]

No idea why yours would say 75 ltr for the main tank.
Would any one with this mod take a pic of the bowser next time you fill please
with total litres etc
Dunno John. Ill check it out when the boss comes back with my car. More than likely just a brain fart on my behalf.

[BigRAWesty]

So if you have modified the tank in any way, do you have to inform any authorities? I would think if you sold the Patrol and someone had a fuel spill and subsequent fire, you would be accountable.
I can't see it being any different to doing diy wiring and or adding a sub tank?
Unless it's a mod that changes a cars road worthyness I can't see it being an issue..

[BigRAWesty]

Hmm ill have to check my manual. Im sure mine said 75. But hey, my brain is patked in holiday mode who knows what I'm thinking.
This has got me intrigued. As i have never gone past 75l when filling up the tank, even when the needle on the fuel gauge cant get any lower. And thats filling it so i can see the fuel in the neck. So im wondering how this mod is going to give me extra capacity when i can see the fuel in the neck.
Something to look closer at when i get back and im not using my phone to look up things.


No idea why yours would say 75 ltr for the main tank.
Would any one with this mod take a pic of the bowser next time you fill please
with total litres etc


Dunno John. Ill check it out when the boss comes back with my car. More than likely just a brain fart on my behalf.
Did the utes run a 75 main in behind the cab???

[the evil twin]

Did the utes run a 75 main in behind the cab???

Sub not Main and thats what mine was... 90 main and 75 sub ( '99 U beaut Ute)

Now it is 145 Long Ranger Main and 75 Factory Sub

[BigRAWesty]

Sub not Main and thats what mine was... 90 main and 75 sub ( '99 U beaut Ute)

Now it is 145 Long Ranger Main and 75 Factory Sub
There ya go..
I have noticed the aftermarket tanks ( Lra, brown davis) don't have as much free space. So no point in moving the breathers..

[BigRAWesty]

Hmm ill have to check my manual. Im sure mine said 75. But hey, my brain is patked in holiday mode who knows what I'm thinking.
This has got me intrigued. As i have never gone past 75l when filling up the tank, even when the needle on the fuel gauge cant get any lower. And thats filling it so i can see the fuel in the neck. So im wondering how this mod is going to give me extra capacity when i can see the fuel in the neck.
Something to look closer at when i get back and im not using my phone to look up things.
If your filling to the click, letting settle, filling until click and settle etc etc your basically doing what this mod does but the mod allows it quicker lol..
Have you drained your tank when the needle is that low to find out how much you have left??

[mudski]

If your filling to the click, letting settle, filling until click and settle etc etc your basically doing what this mod does but the mod allows it quicker lol..
Have you drained your tank when the needle is that low to find out how much you have left??
But doing this is only to wait for the fuel to stop foaming up the neck.
Something just doesn't sit right with this.

[the evil twin]

You can fill the tank until the fuel level covers that breather then the increased pressure causes fuel to back up in the filler neck.

By moving the bottom of the breather 'higher' in the tank it means that the air can still escape freely so the tank will accept more fuel before breather is submerged and the pressure rises and forces some fuel back up the filler neck.

Personally, I am not a big fan of the idea but the factory tank does have quite a large air pocket esp compared to the LRA tank that I replaced it with

[BigRAWesty]

But doing this is only to wait for the fuel to stop foaming up the neck.
Something just doesn't sit right with this.
You'll be surprised how little foaming happens these days..
Again. I've never had an issue..

[mudski]

You'll be surprised how little foaming happens these days..
Again. I've never had an issue..
Not surprised. I see it every fill. Caltex seem to have the less foaming fuel though. But they are usually dearer so i put up with the foamkng fill ups...

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[the evil twin]

Not surprised. I see it every fill. Caltex seem to have the less foaming fuel though. But they are usually dearer so i put up with the foamkng fill ups...

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Vortex and Ultimate both have Anti-Foaming additives over and above 'run of the mill' distillates.
The other two main ingredients in the premium Diesels are detergent and lubricant.
I use Ultimate first choice (local BP is always cheaper than local Caltex) but when travelling I use either or.

[Family4x4]

How did this mod effect the fuel gauge? Does the needle go over full or does it just take a bit longer for the needle to move from full?

[BigRAWesty]

How did this mod effect the fuel gauge? Does the needle go over full or does it just take a bit longer for the needle to move from full?
The needle stays at the full line for the first 150 odd k's..
You can fiddle with it if you like and stretch and re adjust the float but it's not needed really

[BigRAWesty]

Ok so I've done this with the gu today.
Main only atm.. have to drop the sub to do that one..
Anyway..
Gauge showed a little over 1/4 tank on the gauge, it was 85mm full and I syphond out 26L of fuel with.. the tank depth is 310mm but the lowest the float will go is only 280 from the top.
So I'll assume that when the gauge is empty we still have 10L of fuel left in the tank....
So we'll call it 15L of usable fuel in the tank atm and I'll fill it tomorrow to see what capacity I get..
Anyway here are a few pics
I the first 3 you can see the fast fill is about 50 ish mm from the roof..
The gu had 2 brackets..

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/73.jpg
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/74.jpg
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/75.jpg

And the finished job..
Fast fill is touching the roof..
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/76.jpg

Will let yas know how much I got extra..

[BigRAWesty]

Well fill is done..
85L to fill so that makes it now a 110L tank..
So about an extra 125K range at 16L/100..

[Covo71]

So I am probably a bit dopey. The 16mm ring spanner isn't undo anything, you just used it to bend the pipe? Hard to see in the pic but it looks like the pipe runs flat along the top. How far does the pipe go past the 2 brackets it is welded to?

[BigRAWesty]

Yep. Ring over the end and try flatten the last kink a little.
You don't have to do that, it'll just mean the pipe end is a bit lower..
The pipe tip is about 70 odd mm past the second bracket..
There are 2 brackets. One is just flat steel and the other has a small brace but a good squeeze sorts it..

[Throbbinhood]

Is this dangerous? Can the fuel run out of the breather or something?

[BigRAWesty]

Is this dangerous? Can the fuel run out of the breather or something?
The only way fuel can come out the tank
Is via the feed line or filler caps..
And a bloke with more brains than me did some Calcs on deisel expansion..
From memory he said every 100L expansions was only a little over 100m ls from 0 to 40 degrees..
So yea.. the space given by nissan is huge..

[Throbbinhood]

So there's essentially no risk to this then, moreso if using ULP?

Any way to do this without removing my draws? Lol!

[BigRAWesty]

Yep.. drop the tank lol

[pjhsv]

For people waiting for fuel to settle after a click, I tend to take both caps off and alternate between the main and sub with every click until they are both full.

[Wizard52]

Both my GU and my son's GQ utes leak fuel from cap or breather when filled to max and parked in sun so we have to drive using both tanks to avoid problem.
This only happens when we take time and fill to max when going on extended trips.

[BigRAWesty]

Both my GU and my son's GQ utes leak fuel from cap or breather when filled to max and parked in sun so we have to drive using both tanks to avoid problem.
This only happens when we take time and fill to max when going on extended trips.
Is this with fuel stayung visible in the neck after filling?
I haven't had any spill with the gq nor now the gu..

[nissannewby]

Both my GU and my son's GQ utes leak fuel from cap or breather when filled to max and parked in sun so we have to drive using both tanks to avoid problem.
This only happens when we take time and fill to max when going on extended trips.

Used to get the same filling bothing tanks up in mackay. The heat was enough to cause a constant drip from the fillers until it cooled or level dropped. This is only filling to the cut off so only one click of the pump.

[threedogs]

Im thinking this may have safety issues attached, EG draw/fill up with cold fuel from the tanks at Birdsville
then go inside and have a session on the beer, you'd have fuel dripping everywhere IMO.
Im leaving mine STD if I want 20ltrs Ill fill a jerry can, sorry but thats just me.
OOI what if something happens in an accident and it catches fire the insurance will see your fuel lines all
re arrange , Nah sorry again, not enough Pros and too many Cons

[Bacho86]

Saw this on FB... so not sure if it's real or not

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2016/03/353.jpg



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[BigRAWesty]

Im thinking this may have safety issues attached, EG draw/fill up with cold fuel from the tanks at Birdsville
then go inside and have a session on the beer, you'd have fuel dripping everywhere IMO.
Im leaving mine STD if I want 20ltrs Ill fill a jerry can, sorry but thats just me.
OOI what if something happens in an accident and it catches fire the insurance will see your fuel lines all
re arrange , Nah sorry again, not enough Pros and too many Cons
a few have done calcuations of fuel expansion..
The amount fuel will expand from zero degrees to 50 doesn't even fill the filler neck in volume..
But I can't explain why a few have issues??
It's simple enough to reverse the mod if your not happy, just bend the pipe back down.. lol..

I'm a happy chappy. .