multi tank selector problems
 

Hi Can any one help please??

We are planning a trip to Africa for 6-8 months starting this November. We are having trouble with our fuel tanks at the moment.

We are driving a series three land rover with a V8 engine. We have three fuel tanks and need a selector switch so that we can use each tank individually.

Any advice would be much appreciated . . .

Sam

I've been using a 3 tank selector from a Cape Town hydraulics company called Hyflo. There must be similar gadgets in the UK. This selector is just a brass tap with 3 inputs and an output with a 2 inch long lever. It cost about 15 quid in SA.

A pricey option (150 quid!) is to get an aircraft fuel tank selector from a manufacturer such as Andair. See:
http://www.andair.co.uk/system/index.html

I am quite interested in hearing about the best option for such a project since I plan to do the same on my old series III.
My plan was to just connect them all together by using "T" junctions and having a good return system. You can find these "T's" in any plumbery shop. Wouldn't such a system be sufficient ? If you have tried it and it didn't work please let me know.

Thank you !

Hello Nicos,

There's no issue with several gravity fed extra tanks permamently connected to the main tank (such tanks connected on the non-permanent basis are caled jerry cans), except that when the main tanks develops a leak your extra tanks are useless. Another point is that if you happen to fill up with bad fuel, all tanks get a share of it. All these problems can be avoided by independent tanks connected via a distribuition valve.

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Roman (UK)
www.overlandcruiser.info

that was our reason for wanting seperate tanks, petrol may be cheep out there but and you can afford if need be to waste one tank if its contaminated but to lose three a lot of money also if you are low on fuel in jerry cans it could leave you stranded some where . . .

We will look in to the Sa company as 150 is too expensive. . .as impressive at that web site looked 150 can be better spent if we can get one cheeper.

Hi

The simplest option is to use the Land Rover two way valve as fitted to military Series 2's and 3's. Military land Rovers had two tanks and one change over tap, you will have to use two taps. The first one to switch between main and Aux tanks, the other to switch between the two Aux tanks. The Part number is 526783 and PA Blanchards 01430 872765 have them listed at £29.50 each. They are not rare and I have seen them at LR shows and auto jumbles. Also check out the Military sections of the LR magazines websites. The best I have found is the LRO.com forum for bits such as these. If you do go this route, ask for the conection pipes as this will save you a lot work finding the correct unions.

Hope this helps.

Mick

Andair in the UK advertise in the LR magazines, and make high quality (aviation quality!) fuel taps, some nice stuff there, a bit pricey but you get what you pay for!

[ The Part number is 526783 and PA Blanchards 01430 872765 have them listed at £29.50 each. They are not rare and I have ]

I have seen problems with these switches leaking

Have a look at eurospares, they have a solenoid operated switch over valve (with or without return) i've had one of these for 4 years now and it works great - you would need 2 to switch between 3 tanks though




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Rich
LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'

Yip, I've had two of the landy ones and both leaked despite extensive efforts to stop them. The best I have managed is to stop the 2nd one leaking externally, but it leaks internally between tanks.

No idea what milage I get as a result ;-)

FWIW, we use two big tanks in addition to the standard 110 fuel tank. Both the big tanks gravity-feed into the standard tank via a pair of taps. I run the standard tank to empty, and then spend a few minutes filling it from another tank, and close the tap again. We don't have guages on the other tanks, but we could have. To avoid overfilling problem, we sealed off the filler neck of the standard tank, and so fill via the other tanks (there are breather pipes from all three tanks to one of the filler necks).

Advantages: Simple, standard pipework, no bother about complex valves and fuel return lines. Fuel is metered tank by tank. Bad fuel can be isolated. Leak in one tank doesn't lose all (unless taps left open).

Disadvantages: Auxiliary tank(s) must be fully above the standard tank. Filler neck on standard tank may need to be extended or sealed off.

Hi, I am planning a trip for next year to afica and have fitted to under seat tanks. The system I use is taken from a jaguar XJ6 which has two fuel tanks each controled by its own pump and from there into a single fuel pipe to the engine. easy system to fit and costs next to nothing, also gives you extra fuel pumps. easy and works very well.

Has anybody come up with a different/better solution than the ones above - ideally easily available in the UK?

I have two tanks in my 110 TDI but the LR brass switch has always leaked and needs to be replaced (it's for petrol, not deisel), ideally with something without anything electrics, and a return to the same tank.

(was there another good posting about this subject here?)

Many thanks

I wrecked/dismantled a SIII with three fuel tanks a few years ago, it had a three way brass tap mounted on the inside of the seat box with a lever which came through the seat box to select that various tanks, between the drivers legs!!. The tap looked like an LPG bottle changeover tap, so maybe someone like Calor will have an idea and the seals will be hydrocarbon resistant. The previous owner had also wired up each tank with a fuel sender which could be selected by a 3 way switch on the dash.

"t had a three way brass tap mounted on the inside of the seat box with a lever which came through the seat box to select that various tanks, between the drivers legs!!"

That's what I have now, but only between two tanks. Is a nice non electronic setup but the brass taps are designed for petrol not leaky deisel so I would like something to replace it with....