Technical Fuel tank capacity anyone?

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Technical Fuel tank capacity anyone?

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Hi my 2019 Ducato has quite a small tank around the 60ltr mark has anyone ever fitted a larger tank and if so was it an aftermarket one or an o.e?
 
You might want to peruse the thread here:


which ultimately references a German forum with some very specific detail, here:


(you'll need Google Translate or similar for the latter, but it is very relevant.
 
60 / 75 / 90 litre capacity tanks are all the same tank
The capacity is restricted by the vent pipe coming down from the top of the tank
When the level of fuel in the tank reaches the bottom of the vent pipe, air can no longer escape which prevents more fuel being added,
Capacity is restricted by adding extensions to the vent pipe.
You need to take off the small manhole cover in the cab floor, undo the pipes and connectors, unscrew the plastic ring on the top of the tank, lift out the fuel pump etc assembly hanging beneath it, and remove the extension that has been added to the vent pipe to restrict its capacity.
Easier said than done because the big plastic ring sits in a recess so you can only touch it with your fingertips which won't be enough force to undo it. You need a tool. The fuel pipe connections can be awkward too.
As I understand it, then when your 60 litre tank becomes a 90 litre tank, the fuel gauge will ignore the top 30 litres, (unles you can reprogramme it) so will continue to show full when you have 60 litres, and work down from there.
 
Last edited:
This video shows the proper tool for unscrewing the plastic ring on the top of the tank

(although the guy is using it to fit a fuel pick up for a diesel fuelled heater)
You could make one up from a bit of steel bent into a u shape with a handle fixed to it.
I strongly advise against trying to undo it with a hammer and (blunt) chisel - because the ring is down in a recess the chisel will be pointing down at such an angle its very likely to smash the ring.
 
Hi

In case you were wondering, the 60 litre tank restriction saves about 25 kg compared to a full 90 litre tank. Not much, but this is of benefit to motorhome conversions which might otherwise be a bit short of payload. The addition of adblue tanks and their contents hasn't helped with payload.
 
60 / 75 / 90 litre capacity tanks are all the same tank
The capacity is restricted by the vent pipe coming down from the top of the tank
When the level of fuel in the tank reaches the bottom of the vent pipe, air can no longer escape which prevents more fuel being added,
Capacity is restricted by adding extensions to the vent pipe.
You need to take off the small manhole cover in the cab floor, undo the pipes and connectors, unscrew the plastic ring on the top of the tank, lift out the fuel pump etc assembly hanging beneath it, and remove the extension that has been added to the vent pipe to restrict its capacity.
Easier said than done because the big plastic ring sits in a recess so you can only touch it with your fingertips which won't be enough force to undo it. You need a tool. The fuel pipe connections can be awkward too.
As I understand it, then when your 60 litre tank becomes a 90 litre tank, the fuel gauge will ignore the top 30 litres, (unles you can reprogramme it) so will continue to show full when you have 60 litres, and work down from there.
Hi this is a great help and defo a project for me to undertake in the winter time when it won't be getting used as much , thanks alot for your help and response , I take it I just simply remove the pipe extension and refit the sender?
 
Thats the idea yes - sender, fuel pump, and vent pipe all come out together in one asembly.
Then just pull off the vent pipe extension and refit the assembly
'simply' is a bit optimistic though because the big plastic ring and fuel pipe clips can be awkward to undo.
Good luck & Please let us know how you get on.
 
Hi so last week I decided to purchase the tool for removing the sender unit ring and it arrived today so why not get stuck into it , well it only took me 35 mins job start and complete so I am well happy with that was a simple enough job and since the fuel was well down at the quarter tank so there was no mess really just a test at the pumps now but am sure it's a success here is the tool I bought and the pipe removed , thanks again for your help , who would have thought just 4" makes a big difference ,,😂
 

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Hi so last week I decided to purchase the tool for removing the sender unit ring and it arrived today so why not get stuck into it , well it only took me 35 mins job start and complete so I am well happy with that was a simple enough job and since the fuel was well down at the quarter tank so there was no mess really just a test at the pumps now but am sure it's a success here is the tool I bought and the pipe removed , thanks again for your help , who would have thought just 4" makes a big difference ,,😂
Hi
Im looking into doing the same with my tank.
Could you tell me how it has affected your fuel gauge?
Thanks
 
I did mine which had a 75 litre tank - the fuel gauge just ignores the 15 litres in the top of the tank
Remaining on full till you get down to 75 litres and working down from there.
I don't have the resources to reprogramme the gauge so have learned to live with it.
Main thing is it still tells you when you are getting low and need to refuel
 
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