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Old 03-25-2011, 06:35 PM   #1
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Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

I have a 2001 E350 Quigley. It has the chopped 24 gallon tank. I really want to get a 50 gallon tank. I've read and searched all over this forum and online but I can't seem to find the right answers. Has anyone ever modified an existing diesel tank? Has anyone ever installed an aft axle tank? Please help.

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Old 03-25-2011, 07:21 PM   #2
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

I hear you, I have thought of both of your solutions. While pulling a boat in Baja, I've been caught running on fumes between Pemexes with my 31g (ridiculous) GM tank. Now I don't go without a spare 5g, at least, which seems like a waste environmentally and with respect to space.

In my van there is a void between the front of the tank and the transfer case. I haven't done the volume calcs but I imagine I could get at least 10 more gallons up front, but that probably would not justify the expense of replacing the tank entirely.

Alternatively, I contacted a company in Corona, CA called Aero Tanks about a tank where the old spare tire went behind the rear axle. http://www.aerotanks.com/ I was quoted $1100 for a 50g tank with a skid plate, but looking at their web site they now have a 30g aux tank for ~$900. I know the 50g is more bang for the buck but those last 20g would hardly ever be needed. I choked on the first price, but now with the differential in diesel price between Baja and CA (and yes, Baja has ULSD), I am seriously reconsidering.

Please post if you come up with a different solution. I've got to think there is an old junked fuel tank that would fit perfectly in the spare tire area, but I haven't gotten serious enough to come up with anything specific that fits yet.
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Old 03-25-2011, 08:11 PM   #3
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

TransferFlow used to make a 46-gallon midship tank for Quigley vans, but now they will only sell that tank to QuadVan and SportsMobile. At some point, Quigley changed their crossmember, and the larger tank would no longer fit. But I think that was in '03? So that tank should fit your van, but you would have to go to SMB or QuadVan for installation.

You can also install a 35-gallon rear tank from a cutaway chassis, or a 55-gallon if you have the extended van. QuadVan also does this for some customers, and if you are good with fabrication, fuel systems, and electrical it can be a DIY job.
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Old 03-25-2011, 10:54 PM   #4
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

Quote:
Originally Posted by webbmac
I know the 50g is more bang for the buck but those last 20g would hardly ever be needed.
I've got the 46, but a large bump in capacity between when the pump shuts off and how full I can get it if I want to spent the time, that means sometimes I can get extra in and sometimes I have extra to drive around with. Both options are phenominal-

If you have an extra several gallons you can confidentially pass up the next-to-the interstate station and head to town. I've seen 40¢ differences 3 miles away. I topped off before Death Valley and didn't have to fill up in the park.. quite a savings.

If you have an extra several gallons of space, when you find that cheap diesel you can max out on it.

So, you might do 30-35g fillups unless you find it cheap or are, say, going into the desert. Always filling the tank isn't necessarily using it to the best advantage. Nothing wrong with an aux tank either, heck all this talk is making me want a few extra gallons.
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Old 03-25-2011, 11:32 PM   #5
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

I'm going to have to do something with mine as well. It's a '92 Advanced 4x4 extended van (5.8 gas). Capacity right now can't be much over 20 gallons! With the lift and the giant top on this thing, that means stopping for gas before 200 miles at freeway speed!

I need at least 40 gallons, 50+ would be great for those occasional "expeditions".

I too am curious about what can be strapped up in the spare tire space. CarringB, can you elaborate a little bit on the 55 gal option? I bet my dad and I could DIY that project, especially if it's replacing the tank i have now, rather than trying to figure out how to combine them. Where does this tank fit, and by cutaway, do you mean like class C motorhomes and box vans?
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Old 03-25-2011, 11:55 PM   #6
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

Jage, good points. All the more prescient as we live so close to Mexico, where excellent quality ULSD (refined in the US) is available right now for about $1.50+ off So Cal prices. That's means CA is 50% more expensive than Baja right now. Pays off in 15 tankfuls (assuming I fill up down there). Makes up for it in Really makes amortizing the cost of that aux tank even quicker down here. I swear my van runs better on it, too. I will be deleting these posts if I have any injector problems, though!
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Old 03-27-2011, 12:06 AM   #7
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

Quote:
Originally Posted by TroySmith80
I too am curious about what can be strapped up in the spare tire space. CarringB, can you elaborate a little bit on the 55 gal option? I bet my dad and I could DIY that project, especially if it's replacing the tank i have now, rather than trying to figure out how to combine them. Where does this tank fit, and by cutaway, do you mean like class C motorhomes and box vans?
The 35 and 55 gallon tanks will fit behind the rear axle, just like it does in the E450 motorhomes and box trucks. (55 in extended van only). This requires removing the spare carrier, and adding a crossmember and support brackets behind the axle. For the 35 gallon the existing cross-memebr must be flipped around backwards, and in the case of the 55-gallon, relocating that crossmember further rearward and flipping it over.

Replacing the midship tank would sure make plumbing and wiring easier (just extend all the lines/wires). Just keep in mind this would alter the vans weight distribution more than just adding a tank. If adding the tank, it could be setup as a transfer tank, or as an aux tank using a selector valve and switch from the F-series. (or using an aftermarket universal one).

I though about doing a transfer setup for easier setup, but I'll most likely do the aux tank setup when I get a chance to do it, that way I can't be stranded by a crapped out fuel pump. Also, QuadVan said on my year van, it won't register being filled while driving, so using a transfer setup would be tricky, since I'd have to either do math (ouch) or briefly shut off the van to get it to register.

One note about the 55-gallon.... That's a lot of weight back there. A van with stock tires would have to pack light to compensate for that extra weight back there.
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Old 03-27-2011, 08:27 AM   #8
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb
it won't register being filled while driving
So if you start on a severe slope your fuel gauge would register incorrectly until you shut down?
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Old 03-27-2011, 10:22 AM   #9
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

Great info, thanks. My rear axle capacity is rated at over 6,000 lbs, and the current weight on the rear axles is around 3,700 if i remember right. So i've got quite a bit of capacity there. Although, you said it was the tires that would be the limiting factor, which is a good point. A good LR:E tire should yield about 7,000 for the axle as well. So the 341 lbs of a 55 gal tank doesn't seem to awful. Granted, it is behind the axle, so it's going to add more than 341 to the axle weight.

Anyway, if i were to go junkyard hunting for these 35/55 gal tanks, would i be looking only for RVs and boxvans, or are there other rigs these came on? I wonder if junkyard F-series tanks could be used easily, or for that matter, GM or Dodge truck/van tanks? I guess some time on my back with a tape measure may be in my future...
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Old 03-27-2011, 10:26 AM   #10
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Re: Modification of Quigley Diesel Tan?

If you go junkyarding, I'd only look at E-Series trucks. You can get all the brackets and hardware to mount the tank with minimal fabrication.

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