Modify gas tank

[m.glisson003]

Is there a way to modify your gas tank to make it smaller? Someone mentioned something about beating it in to make it concave and smaller. Im not too sure about that though.

Or would it just be easier to install a smaller gas tank?

[shorod]

Are you trying to make it physically smaller or are you just trying to reduce capacity? Do you care about retaining an accurate fuel gauge reading?

-Rod

[m.glisson003]

Originally Posted by shorod

Are you trying to make it physically smaller or are you just trying to reduce capacity? Do you care about retaining an accurate fuel gauge reading?

-Rod

I want to do both. Smaller and reduce capacity. And yes an accurate fuel gauge reading is important too. So I guess beating it in like the other guy said isnt practical right?

Soo Im going to purchase one. How small of a gas tank can I find?

[Moppie]

Fill it with sand.


Why do you want a smaller fuel tank?
And what sort of car?

Some will be easier to do this to than others.

[m.glisson003]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Fill it with sand.


Why do you want a smaller fuel tank?
And what sort of car?

Some will be easier to do this to than others.

Thats just stupid. I will fill mine with sand as soon as I see you do it to your vehicle.

[MagicRat]

Some American cars and light trucks used to have an optional higher capacity fuel tank. You could pay an extra couple of hundred bucks and think you were getting a bigger tank, right?

The dirty secret was that, often, the 'standard' and optional larger tank were IDENTICAL!
The only difference is that the standard tank had a long filler pipe extending down in the tank. This limited the amount you could pump in the tank, because, past a certain point, the trapped air in the top of the tank had no where to go. The opitonal tank had a shorter neck.

IMO the only reason for the car maker to do this was to make extra money from the buying public. IMO it's disgraceful for an auto manufacturer to show such disregard fot their customers. Jeep, both in the AMC and later, with Chrysler used to do this... maybe they still do.

So, you could modify the filler neck in a similar fashion.

But otherwise, don't modify the tank. Many tanks are plastic and cannot be dented. Even steel ones may be weakened or cracked if dented.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by m.glisson003

Thats just stupid. I will fill mine with sand as soon as I see you do it to your vehicle.

Good to know your sense of humour is working

The first part of getting help on the internet is providing enough information, either at the start, or when asked.

So again:

WHY?
WHAT sort of car?


On a kit car I used to own modifing the fuel tank would have been a matter of lifting off the body, lifting out the tank, and taking it to a welder (after removing all the fuel).

Quite different to my current car, where the fuel tank is shaped to fit inside a cavity under the car. Any modifications to it would effect how it was fitted into that cavity, and how it was secured. They would also effect the location of the fuel pump (which is inside the tank), and the way fuel gauge operates.

Essentially the job would be complex, and require lots of trial and error along with some advanced engineering knowledge.

There would have to be a damn good reason for going to that much trouble.