View Full Version : Want to add external fuel tank
paddyo
03-20-2011, 09:23 PM
I have an 09 Nomad and am thinking about adding an external fuel tank. The stock tank has a connector for breather hose near the top front of the fuel tank that is located underneath the speedometer housing. Would it be possible to attach a fuel line from the auxiliary fuel tank to this? I would have the external tank fill the stock tank by gravity feed and control the the flow of fuel from the auxiliary tank to the stock tank via a shut-off valve. The stock fuel tank cap appears to be vented. Once the fuel light comes on, I would turn the valve for the auxiliary tank and allow it to refill the stock tank. Is there anything else I need to be thinking about?
Cajunrider
03-20-2011, 10:25 PM
Give Daryl (audiogooroo) a shout. He has an external tank in his trunk.
AlabamaNomadRider
03-20-2011, 10:26 PM
Where would you mount an auxiliary tank? Not trying to be a smart a$$ but why not just stop at a service station before the low fuel warning light comes on and fill the regular tank?
Cajunrider
03-20-2011, 10:33 PM
Gene, if you ride desolate areas pulling a loaded trailer, one extra gallon of gas can get you out of a serious bind. I carry a 1 gallon plastic can on my trailer when I take long trips in unfamiliar territory.
AlabamaNomadRider
03-20-2011, 10:36 PM
He lives in Florida Mitch. I have driven a truck down through the middle of Florida and don't recall not seeing a station for a lot of miles. Just saying.
ringadingh
03-20-2011, 10:50 PM
The 99's have a small tank, your lucky to get much over 100 miles on a tank. Thats why Darryl added one on his bike.
Jared
03-20-2011, 10:50 PM
Where would you mount an auxiliary tank? Not trying to be a smart a$$ but why not just stop at a service station before the low fuel warning light comes on and fill the regular tank?
Cause he can!!!!! Why else????
I think Coach, who lives in Florida, also has one on his Nomad.
AlabamaNomadRider
03-20-2011, 10:53 PM
I guess that answers that. If he can then he should.
Top Cat
03-20-2011, 10:56 PM
Come on Gene.
Just 'cause he lives in Flori duh, doesn't ;) means he rides there all the time. Maybe he takes long out of state trips.
AlabamaNomadRider
03-20-2011, 10:59 PM
Maybe so Tim. I have just never ridden anywhere on the east coast that no stations could be found. I rode from Mississippi up to Massachusetts twice and never went many miles without seeing a service station. Now out west it is a different story. You could run out of gas out there.
ringadingh
03-20-2011, 11:11 PM
Filling the tank by gravity as you mentioned may not work in that application. You would have to fill the tank from the top and that would make it hard to hide the plumbing.
cactusjack
03-20-2011, 11:23 PM
The problem is adding a second tank to a fuel injected bike. Daryl's '99 is carbed. You would need to add a secondary fuel pump and/or some type of valve to switch between tanks. You can't count on a gravity feed from the second tank to the main.
paddyo
03-21-2011, 01:04 AM
<blockquote>Where would you mount an auxiliary tank? </blockquote>
I am planning on building a platform which will tie into the bolts at the top of the shocks and the bolts which hold the luggage rack to the sissy bar. The platform supporting the tank will attach to a permanently mounted brace which runs between the sissy bar supports and will be held to the brace with 3 bolts. The front of the platform will be supported by braces which slide between the top of the shock and the nut at the top of the shock. This way the platform can be taken on/off without too much trouble when my wife wants to ride. This will also put the weight of the tank/fuel closer to the center of the bike. I also do not think the luggage rack will support the weight of the tank and fuel.
<blockquote>Not trying to be a smart a$$ but why not just stop at a service station before the low fuel warning light comes on and fill the regular tank?</blockquote>
1) Because I like projects.
2) It will be useful to me on IBA rides.
3) When I ride solo, which is most of the time, it will let me go further between fill-ups.
<blockquote>Filling the tank by gravity as you mentioned may not work in that application. You would have to fill the tank from the top and that would make it hard to hide the plumbing.</blockquote>
I am planning on running the auxiliary fuel line under the driver's seat, up the backbone of the frame under the stock tank, and up to the breather connection under the speedometer assembly. The fuel line will connect with quick disconnect connectors which will not let fuel out when disconnected. When the tank is not on the bike, the auxiliary fuel line will be stored under the driver's seat.
<blockquote>The problem is adding a second tank to a fuel injected bike. Daryl's '99 is carbed. You would need to add a secondary fuel pump and/or some type of valve to switch between tanks. You can't count on a gravity feed from the second tank to the main.</blockquote>
I am thinking that as long as the bottom of the auxiliary tank is level with or above the breather connecter to the stock tank, the fuel will flow into the stock tank via gravity. I will have a valve on the auxiliary tank which will control the flow of fuel to the stock tank. I am only looking to refill the stock tank. I will let the stock fuel pump continue to supply fuel to the motor.
My main concerns: Will using the connection for the breather hose to connect to the auxiliary tank create any problems for the venting of the stock tank? Will it negatively effect the flow of fuel to the motor from the stock tank when the valve to the auxiliary tank is closed or the auxiliary tank is not on the bike?
Cajunrider
03-21-2011, 05:07 AM
Sounds like you have a plan paddyo. The only thing that I'm thinking may be a problem without a secondary pump is my tank pressurizes from the engine heat. The gasoline warms up and flashes off more vapors resulting in the whistle from the fuel cap. Do you have the same issue with the '09.
Gene, I nearly ran out of gas on the Natchez Trace. That isn't very far from Florida or Alabama.
Gene, if you ride desolate areas pulling a loaded trailer, one extra gallon of gas can get you out of a serious bind. I carry a 1 gallon plastic can on my trailer when I take long trips in unfamiliar territory.
If you look at my luggage rack, you will see a one gallon gas can. This is my security blanket when riding in remote areas.
Short of welding an intake tube to the bottom of the main tank, I could not come up with a practical solution to piping in an auxillary tank.
I have an 09 Nomad and am thinking about adding an external fuel tank. The stock tank has a connector for breather hose near the top front of the fuel tank that is located underneath the speedometer housing. Would it be possible to attach a fuel line from the auxiliary fuel tank to this? I would have the external tank fill the stock tank by gravity feed and control the the flow of fuel from the auxiliary tank to the stock tank via a shut-off valve. The stock fuel tank cap appears to be vented. Once the fuel light comes on, I would turn the valve for the auxiliary tank and allow it to refill the stock tank. Is there anything else I need to be thinking about?
You have probably already check this web site. If not, it may be offer additional information.
Sorry, forgot to add the site.
http://www.tourtank.com/Install.html
ponch
03-21-2011, 12:14 PM
Sorry, forgot to add the site.
http://www.tourtank.com/Install.html
That's the one I was going to tell him about...Also, these people will enlarge your stock tank. I have seen the vulcan 800 extended to 5 and 6 gallons. http://www.freewebs.com/cycleart/
These guys make an aux tank for the 1500: http://www.gmanindustries.com/shop/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=43
ponch
03-21-2011, 12:18 PM
Oh yeah, then there is this: http://www.rotopax.com/
Popular with the adventure touring crowd.
ponch
03-21-2011, 12:25 PM
<blockquote>Where would you mount an auxiliary tank? </blockquote>
I am planning on building a platform which will tie into the bolts at the top of the shocks and the bolts which hold the luggage rack to the sissy bar. The platform supporting the tank will attach to a permanently mounted brace which runs between the sissy bar supports and will be held to the brace with 3 bolts. The front of the platform will be supported by braces which slide between the top of the shock and the nut at the top of the shock. This way the platform can be taken on/off without too much trouble when my wife wants to ride. This will also put the weight of the tank/fuel closer to the center of the bike. I also do not think the luggage rack will support the weight of the tank and fuel.
<blockquote>Not trying to be a smart a$$ but why not just stop at a service station before the low fuel warning light comes on and fill the regular tank?</blockquote>
1) Because I like projects.
2) It will be useful to me on IBA rides.
3) When I ride solo, which is most of the time, it will let me go further between fill-ups.
<blockquote>Filling the tank by gravity as you mentioned may not work in that application. You would have to fill the tank from the top and that would make it hard to hide the plumbing.</blockquote>
I am planning on running the auxiliary fuel line under the driver's seat, up the backbone of the frame under the stock tank, and up to the breather connection under the speedometer assembly. The fuel line will connect with quick disconnect connectors which will not let fuel out when disconnected. When the tank is not on the bike, the auxiliary fuel line will be stored under the driver's seat.
<blockquote>The problem is adding a second tank to a fuel injected bike. Daryl's '99 is carbed. You would need to add a secondary fuel pump and/or some type of valve to switch between tanks. You can't count on a gravity feed from the second tank to the main.</blockquote>
I am thinking that as long as the bottom of the auxiliary tank is level with or above the breather connecter to the stock tank, the fuel will flow into the stock tank via gravity. I will have a valve on the auxiliary tank which will control the flow of fuel to the stock tank. I am only looking to refill the stock tank. I will let the stock fuel pump continue to supply fuel to the motor.
My main concerns: Will using the connection for the breather hose to connect to the auxiliary tank create any problems for the venting of the stock tank? Will it negatively effect the flow of fuel to the motor from the stock tank when the valve to the auxiliary tank is closed or the auxiliary tank is not on the bike?
You may find this article informational: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634878&page=4
While the RT's stock tank is plastic, there is something to be gleaned here. This guy wants to do IBA stuff too. I would think 7.1 gallons is enough, but he's shooting for over 11.
I have the perfect solution....... In Flight Refueling......
ponch
03-21-2011, 01:03 PM
It's the one downside of some touring cruisers: fuel capacity. Even the HDs have 6 gallon capacity. I think Kawasaki was a little short sighted with 5.3 gallons.
It's the one downside of some touring cruisers: fuel capacity. Even the HDs have 6 gallon capacity. I think Kawasaki was a little short sighted with 5.3 gallons.
I fully agree.
paddyo
03-22-2011, 04:08 PM
Sorry, forgot to add the site.
http://www.tourtank.com/Install.html
That is the site from which I am planning on getting my parts. I am now thinking that I may be able to put the 5 gal tank on my luggage rack. It looks like it will be strong enough to handle the approx. 40 lbs of the tank and fuel. This will also be more convenient when my wife rides with me.
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