Aux Fuel Tank

Jacquemo

New member
Any experience with Spare Tire Aux Fuel Tank like the one sold by The Sprinter Store or any other Aux fuel tank that is usable on Sprinter Chassis RVs?
 

Wrinkledpants

2017 144WB 4x4
Lots of people running around with the aero tank. 20 gallon on the driver side, or 14 gallon on the passenger side. Fill ports are in the wheel well (outside the van). It's a transfer tank setup at 1 GPM.

I do not know of anyone running a tank in the spare tire compartment. As of today, nobody in the US makes a full tank replacement with a larger one. There is a tank company overseas that makes bigger tanks.
 

sailquik

Well-known member
Have you considered the additional weight of the tank....mountings for the tank....and the weight of the fuel you will put in the tank?
Seeing that you have an RV, how much additional weight can you add before you exceed the GAWR of your RV.
Also, are you using the entire 26.4 gallon (100 liter) fuel tank capacity, or do you refill when the low fuel light comes on
with 25% (25 liters....6.604 US Gallons) left in your tank.
What sort of fuel mileage are you achieving and are you driving your Sprinter based V6/5 speed Sprinter in a manner that gets
you the best fuel mileage and longest interval between necessary fuel stops.
If you are getting 15 MPG you would be safe going 375 miles (1.4 gallons left in the tank) between fuel stops.
Guess the real question is why you feel the need to add fuel capacity?
Roger
 

Jacquemo

New member
Have you considered the additional weight of the tank....mountings for the tank....and the weight of the fuel you will put in the tank?
Seeing that you have an RV, how much additional weight can you add before you exceed the GAWR of your RV.
Also, are you using the entire 26.4 gallon (100 liter) fuel tank capacity, or do you refill when the low fuel light comes on
with 25% (25 liters....6.604 US Gallons) left in your tank.
What sort of fuel mileage are you achieving and are you driving your Sprinter based V6/5 speed Sprinter in a manner that gets
you the best fuel mileage and longest interval between necessary fuel stops.
If you are getting 15 MPG you would be safe going 375 miles (1.4 gallons left in the tank) between fuel stops.
Guess the real question is why you feel the need to add fuel capacity?
Roger
We do tank fills every 300 miles now with a 26.4 gal OEM tank. Usually we fill at lunch time and again when we put in for a night. not a big deal but sometimes we are forced to pay premium rates for fuel. With 60 gallons of fuel we expect to be able to keep our fuel cost down by $0.50 per gallon. On our Cross Country trips twice a year that saves a bunch of cash. We tow our Subcompact crossover and get 12 to 14 depending on terrain. We just think it might make sense but if cost is too restrictive I can do without. The Sprinter Store wants about $6,000 to do a complete install. That's a no-brain reject cost. If I could do it for $1,000 it would pay off in 5 years. now that I write this I'm not so enthusiastic now.
 
With the current backlash over [aluminum] trade wars, what is the cost? Years ago it around $1500 for the ACGB tank itself. It is a work of beauty and function.

Someone should make them here. Anyone? Arrow? Titan? Thanks to all here.
 

220629

Well-known member
... Now that I write this I'm not so enthusiastic now.
The 20 gallon tank Mr. Wrinklepants mentioned would get close to doubling your range.

Transfer of fuel using an electric pump is not an uncommon method for adding fuel capacity. It avoids messing with the OEM fuel system. That said, I don't know how well the MB fuel gauge programming would respond to fuel being added while driving. Use your trip odometer or other reminder.

vic
 

jbrownmxr

Member
The 20 gallon tank Mr. Wrinklepants mentioned would get close to doubling your range.

Transfer of fuel using an electric pump is not an uncommon method for adding fuel capacity. It avoids messing with the OEM fuel system. That said, I don't know how well the MB fuel gauge programming would respond to fuel being added while driving. Use your trip odometer or other reminder.

vic
I’ve the aero transfer tank. I love it and it works flawlessly. But....the gauge is recalcitrant. It won’t regiater a refill whilst in motion, and occasionally not sitting also. I think while parking the pump is too slow, so to get the gauge to reliably register a large quantity needs to be dumped for it to work. At first it anoyed me, buy, now it’s no biggie.
 

Wrinkledpants

2017 144WB 4x4
Just to update this, Agile is now selling the ACGB tank. I see they’ve added it to their website after having a “coming soon” for a tank replacement option.
 

Tiny Travels

2017 170"ext, 4x4, 2500
Just to add a data point:
I got a quote for the Brown-Davis replacement fuel tank that's 170 liters (~45 gallons).
Including the $800 in freight costs from Australia to Missouri, the quote was $1,618 US.

On the Brown-Davis website
, it's part number MBS07R2.
 

kcshoots

VanTripping.com
I too have been thinking about adding an aux tank or larger tank as I almost ran out of fuel after shunning the last fuel station with over half a tank only to run about 50 miles past empty until the next one. In the open areas the distances can be long between fuel stops and pricey to fill in rural areas. Here is an option I am considering due to almost all other areas taken up by water and electrical system components: https://agileoffroad.com/product/agile-28-gal-auxiliary-fuel-tank-mercedes-sprinter/

Pros: 28 extra gallons or more than double the range to about 800-900 miles
Same factory filler
Can decide when to transfer fuel between tanks
Benefit of choosing lower cost fuel ups and reduction of range anxiety in large spans between fill stations
Discreet and no need to add Rotopax and separately fill and transfer fuel from

Cons: ~$2000 plus $1200 for installation is very expensive insurance compared to other options or even a tow (I think even $2000 including installation is expensive)
Plus requires relocation of spare tire at ~$800+ for Owl Designs rear spare tire carrier or $1500-$3000 for rear bumper replacement with tire carrier
Adds another ~200 pounds of fuel plus weight of the tank, pump & hoses (estimated 50-100 pounds add'l), plus the spare tire carrier or rear bumper carrier (another 30 to 100+ pounds)
Factory fuel gauge & miles to empty range estimate likely won't be accurate until vehicle is turned off and factory tank level recalibrated
Requires thought as to when to transfer between tanks
Likely will slow down fill of both tanks to full then if just one large tank of same capacity
 

marklg

Well-known member
H
Also, are you using the entire 26.4 gallon (100 liter) fuel tank capacity, or do you refill when the low fuel light comes on
with 25% (25 liters....6.604 US Gallons) left in your tank.
Roger
My 2006 T1N low fuel light comes on when there is about one gallon left. Fillup after that was 25.5 gallons.

Regards,

Mark
 
B

billintomahawk

Guest
My 2006 T1N low fuel light comes on when there is about one gallon left. Fillup after that was 25.5 gallons.

Regards,

Mark
My '02 behaves the same.
Accurate and handy.

bill in tomahawk
 

Sunny&75

Active member
I paid $400 for swapping our stock tank with someone getting rid of their AGCB 48.5 gallon tank. I’m in Los Angeles.
 
What a score! I suspect some here would love to find such a deal.

I am one. Paying over 3 grand is tough.

Someone in the States needs to make one for us. Titan, are you listening? Military grade plastic tanks is one of Titans mainstays.

The ACGB tanks are a beautiful piece of work, as far as fuel tanks go. I saw one on the floor at Agile last year. It sold in no time. It didn't fit my T1N. Just as well, at that price.
 

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