Re: Auxilliary gas tank...

[SailingFC@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-09-09 20:16:19 EDT, eudoh@crl.com writes:

<< > I carry a full size spare but not in the spare tire well.  It sits on
top in
 > the hatch area.  The reason it's not in the well is because I have a 10
 > gallon auxiliary tank in there.  Had it for 17 years.  Only put 20 gallons
in
 > when I'm going on long trips.  I also have a compact spare from a Honda
 > Civic.  Same bolt circle except center hub is slightly smaller than a VW.
 > 
 > -dick-
 > 78 Scirocco
 > Original Owner
 > --
  Was this a custom job and how does your fuel indicator read or did you 
 have to get it modified ????
  How easy or how hard is it to put in an auxilliary gas tank ???
  >>

This was not really a custom designed system.  It was made and sold for
Rabbits and Sciroccos.  Bought it "off the shelf".  I don't remember where I
exactly ordered it from but I do remember J.C. Whitney carried it for some
time after I bought it directly from the manufacturer.  The instal. was
pretty straight forward.  The kit came with a round 10 gallon steel tank,
rubber "Y" fill hose, vent hose, vent hose tee, hose clamps, foam rubber
spacer blocks and an extruded aluminum top bar.  I think it had a template
that fit in the bottom of the spare tire well and it told you where to cut
the hole for the fill pipe and the vent tube.  After cutting the holes you
drop the tank into the well. (The holes were cut on the side of the well not
the bottom, so there is no loss in ground clearance.)  With most of the fuel
out of the stock tank, you jacked up the rear and removed the stock rubber
fill hose between the stock tank and the metal fill pipe.  You replace it
with the "Y" hose which now ties the stock tank and aux. tank and fill pipe
together.  At the side of the aux. tank, near the top,  is a small vent pipe
which you attach the vent line.  This line is run out the well along the fill
pipe up near the filler neck.  At the filler neck is the stock vent tube.
 Using the tee, you splice into the stock vent line.  You then use the rubber
blocks to stuff around the tank and tire well to cushion and center it.
 After I was satisfied with its location, I went back under and RTV'd the
opening where the lines penetrate the tire well.  The last step was to
install the aluminium bar across the top of the well as a support when things
are laid on the floor.  That's it.

The tank is filled as part of the stock tank through the stock filler.  Both
tanks are at the same level and fill simultaneously.  There was no
recalibrating of the of the fuel guage.  Best of all there is no visible
difference on the outside of the car.  I saw a lot of Rabbits that had an
aux. tank which had a separate fuel cap next to the stock cap(uuuuggly!).

Haven't seen this system on the market for quite some time.  Don't know if
anyone still has any.  When I had the stock engine I could go almost 700
miles on "a tank".  This was great when you are on a college budget and you
filled up only when you were at home visiting your parent(i.e., they bought
the gas).

-dick-
'78 Scirocco
Original Owner & long winded.
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