Aftermarket diesel fuel tanks are selections that are often less expensive than fuel tanks purchased from the original manufacturer of a vehicle. While it is true that you can derive great savings from an investment in one of the many aftermarket diesel fuel tanks, you will need to be careful about your fuel tank selection.

Not all aftermarket diesel fuel tanks are made of superior quality. You can shop online for aftermarket diesel fuel tanks if you are seeking monetary savings with your purchase; as you shop, you will need to have your truck make and model information available and, if possible, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) part number of the fuel tank you require. You will also need to know the actual dimensions of the tank you need.

Aftermarket diesel fuel tanks can be purchased for the purposes of replacing an existing fuel tank on your diesel operated vehicle. When you are shopping for a new tank there are specific features you should demand.

First, a fuel tank needs to be manufactured out of high quality, durable steel materials and the steel has to be a minimum thickness in order to ensure the longevity of the tank you are buying. If the aftermarket diesel fuel tanks you are looking at do not have a 12 gauge minimum steel thickness, then you need to find a different resource where you can buy your aftermarket parts.

When investing in aftermarket diesel fuel tanks you’ll need to do your homework; you have to find out how the parts manufacturer handled the manufacturing process. The tank should be thoroughly tested before it is put on the market for sale; if the tank has not been pressure tested you can end up with an aftermarket diesel fuel tank that has leaks. Also, if you are ordering your tank from an online seller you will have to wait for the tank to be shipped to you; this is an important thing to think about since getting the wrong tank can end up keeping you from fixing your vehicle promptly. You should buy your tank from a seller that provides you clear information about tank dimensions so you can get a tank that fits properly. If the tank has manufacturer defects when it arrives, you will want to have a return policy in place to ensure you can either get another tank or your money back. You will want to work with an aftermarket parts distributor that offers a liberal return policy or some kind of satisfaction guarantee.

Some diesel operated vehicles will operate with more than one tank; the second tank serves as a backup and is controlled by a switch located inside the vehicle. If you are ordering aftermarket diesel tanks you might want to think about ordering both tanks instead of one tank. You can store the second tank in a safe place until the secondary tank requires replacement or you can replace both diesel fuel tanks at the same time. You might even be able to derive extra savings for ordering more than one tank at a time.

Aftermarket diesel tanks are made of stainless steel or aluminum materials. Tanks made of aluminum materials are light and resistant to corrosion. As you look for a tank, choose a company that offers you mechanical or technical drawings of the tank; this gives you a clear sense of tank design, construction, and dimensions. In some cases, you might require a custom made diesel tank and you will have to hire a company to fabricate one for you. There are companies that can make fabricated rectangular, D-tank, and cylindrical tanks that you can custom order to your specifications. In addition, when you are in need of a quality tank you will want to question the type of coating that the aftermarket diesel tank has; for example, a tank quoted with a powder coat or enamel-based coat of paint with rust resistant proprieties will play a huge role in the tank’s longevity.

Finding Diesel Fuel Tanks Online

Even more, fuel can be stored using “Toolbox” fuel tanks. These are large auxiliary diesel fuel tanks that mimic the look of a truck bed toolbox, though indeed they are usually a plastic tank within a steel or aluminum shell.

For a more original equipment look, many diesel fuel tanks can be purchased that only replace the existing fuel tank with a larger aftermarket model.

The other primary use of adding more capacity to your fuel system is to allow fueling of diesel equipment at remote sites. Most farm machinery and heavy equipment operate using diesel fuel. With an auxiliary diesel fuel tank, you can refill these vehicles in the field, or at the work site, without the ordeal of hauling many smaller tanks or moving the vehicle to a location where diesel fuel can be pumped directly. This is accomplished with a small pump and fueling nozzle attached to the auxiliary tank itself.

Differences Of Diesel Fuel Tanks

There are two primary types of auxiliary diesel fuel tanks in service today. The first, gravity fed, operates simply by mounting the auxiliary tank higher than the primary tank and allowing gravity to determine the flow of fuel. The limitation is the rate of flow. As the tank becomes closer to empty, pressure forcing the fuel out decreases, which limits the fuel output. The upside is simplicity. With the exception of a valve to turn fuel flow on and off, gravity feed systems have literally no moving parts.

Powered pump systems, on the other hand, never have issues with flow. They utilize a small, usually electrically operated, fuel pump in line between the auxiliary fuel tank and the vehicle’s fuel tank (or the pump nozzle for external fueling). The addition of moving and powered components does increase the complexity of the system and increases the opportunity for failure to occur. The installation will also be more complex since the electric pump will need to be wired to the vehicle’s electrical system for power. The method of turning fuel flow on and off can be controlled either by an electric valve, which offers simple push button operation or by manual valves. There are again tradeoffs with either.

Manual valves offer positive operation in that you can be sure of the position of the valve. They are also less prone to failure than their electric counterparts. However, manual valves are usually located on the pump itself, meaning that you must exit the vehicle to engage or disengage the diesel fuel tank. Electric valves allow a greater convenience as they can be operated by the push of a button, often within the vehicle itself, so there is no need to leave the vehicle to engage the auxiliary diesel fuel tank. However, there is the need to wire the button or switch to activate the pump. Also, electric valves are more prone to failure than mechanical ones.

Features To Look For

While auxiliary diesel tanks may seem similar, they vary in more than dimensions. Most tanks use an electric valve to operate the system, turning fuel flow on and off. A valuable safety feature is the use of dual valves. In this configuration, if an electric valve fails, there is a fallback, or failsafe to prevent fuel from flowing unintentionally. Baffled tanks increase in importance the larger the tank is. Baffles are structural parts of the tank which break up the large single space of the tank into multiple, smaller sections. This reduces the effect of shifting liquid within the tank.

Shifting liquids can affect the stability of the vehicle, especially in larger tanks where the fuel itself can weigh hundreds of pounds. Filters and Water Separators are a feature that is very beneficial as well. These are usually inline between the tanks. They will keep sediment from either clogging or contaminating the fuel in the primary tank. Water separators will absorb any moisture that has entered the tank along with the fuel and will prevent it from building up in the primary tank.

A fuel transfer controller is a more complex version of the fuel valve switch. This will allow the system to automatically turn on the auxiliary diesel fuel tank’s pump when the primary tank becomes low. It will also shut off when the primary fuel tank is full. To ease the removal of the diesel fuel tanks, some retailers offer sliding racks that allow the tank to be slid to the end of the truck bed for removal.

How To Clean Fuel Transfer Tank?

Paying a professional to clean fuel transfer tanks is very expensive. For you to save some of your precious money, you should do it yourself. However, be reminded that cleaning it is not the same as cleaning your dishes.
Also, remember that you will need to get cleaning chemicals to get started on cleaning your fuel tanks. In addition, using water as your cleaning agent is useless since gasoline will only float on it. However, you can mix some muriatic acid and hot water together if you do not want to use a cleaning agent.

Before Cleaning Your Fuel Transfer Tanks

Before you start the cleaning process, you must make sure that it is completely empty. To be 100% sure that you will not encounter problems while you are emptying the tank, you can try to check out the manual that came with it. If you lost that manual, you can search on the internet for a digital copy; however, make sure you look for the right manual.

Cleaning Your Fuel Transfer Tanks With Hot Water And Muriatic Acid

After emptying the tank, fill half of it with hot water. Afterwards, you can proceed in adding one half gallon of muriatic acid inside the tank. If the muriatic acid did not fill the tank completely, add more hot water inside it.

You must wait for at least two hours for your muriatic solution to settle down. After two hours have elapsed, remove the solution from your fuel tank. Make sure you do not just drain the mixture in your sink or drain.

After emptying the tank, you will need to wash it once more using water. And then, you should clean it inside and out.

Cleaning It Further Using Fuel Tank Cleaner

Before you use the tank cleaner you procured, read the instructions first. By the way, I almost forgot to tell you that for you to avoid any incidents with the chemicals you are going to use, wear some thick rubber gloves. Also, make sure that you do the cleaning in an open space since the fumes of the chemicals you will use are harmful to your respiratory system.

So once you understand the instructions on the cleaner and if you have already taken the precautions, it will be the right time to proceed with cleaning your tank. Repeat the cleaning process until the tank is very clean. You can check the cleanliness of the tank by filling it water and draining it. When you do not see any signs of gasoline anymore, it will mean that your tanks are good to go.

Waiting Period

If you have confirmed that your tank is already clean, you will need to wait for 24 hours for it to get dry. After that, reattach and then test it and see if it is already okay to use.

Those things that I mentioned above are the best ways to clean the tank. And again, for you to avoid incidents, you must remember all the instructions and precautions written here when cleaning your fuel transfer tanks.

Safety Guidelines

A fuel transfer pump is a device used when a person wants to transfer fuel from one tank to another tank. Usually, they are used to transfer gas from the auxiliary tank to the main tank of a vehicle. And many people find this piece of equipment handy.
However, since you will be dealing with fuels, safety must be your primary concern. That is the utmost thing you should always think about, especially if you are going to use the equipment to transfer huge amounts of kerosene, diesel, solvents, and gasoline. So just to make sure you will be safe, listen to the tips I will write below.

Basic Things You Need To Know When Using A Fuel Transfer Pump

Before you transfer any petroleum fuels, you need to wear safety gear including an apron, and heavy goggles. You need to do that to prevent skin contact with the fuel you are going to transfer. That is because prolonged skin contact to fuel may cause skin irritations and burns.

Electricity

You must inspect your transfer pump after you wear your protective gear. You must make sure that the ground wires are properly connected and continuous metal connections between all the components are present.

In addition, never attempt to use the equipment in wet or damp places. You must take note of that to lower the chances of you being electrocuted when water infiltrate your equipment. Moreover, rearrange your cables to prevent them from being damaged that may cause sparking.

Remove Any Device That May Ignite When Using a Fuel Transfer Pump
Of course, you should never forget to remove all of those things that may ignite. Put away any lighter, working heater, lit cigarette, and running engines. Forgetting to do that will not only put your life at risk, but you will also endanger all the people around you.

Repair And Servicing Safety

Once you think that there may be something wrong with your pump, you must put everything into a full stop. You must turn off the machine and disconnect it from its power source. After that, clean your work area and keep away the people around you.

Then, check all the cables and wires of your pump. If you see any sign of corrosion, cracks, or other physical damage, immediately call a technician to get your fuel pump serviced. Until the repair person arrives, keep your eyes on the equipment to make sure that nobody will use it.

In addition, make sure that the technician you called is qualified to fix a transfer pump for fuel. Furthermore, if there will be a need for replacements, always purchase parts that are recommended by the company that manufactured your pump. Never attempt to use a replacement part or a part that is intended for a different model.

Most accidents are due to carelessness. So, when operating a pump for gasoline, make sure that you will carefully follow all the tips I mentioned above. And if you really want to prevent accidents, you can print the safety tips when using a fuel transfer pump written on this article.