Fuel tank relocation or options

[scorpio_vette]

I've done some searching in various places, and haven't really seen to much more other than a couple pics of people who have relocated the stock tank on top of the unibody rails.

I'm building a new XJ since my unibody finally took a crap on me (if these damn XJ bodies weren't so cheap to find, i'd go to a TJ which i kinda like better), and am trying to keep the gas tank off the rocks. my last tank was still fine, but definitely had some major "custom shaping" to the underside of it.

so i'm thinking of either:

1. moving the tank up above the unibody rails. (but not sure i quite trust that little lip on the side of the tank sitting on the little lip on the unibody rail to support it through major wheeling. and also don't like the loss of space so much)

2. going to a fuel cell (but now i'm spending money that i don't want to if i don't have to)

3. any other ideas, options, suggestions???

now this is going to be another budget build like my first one.
my XJ was build on a beg/barter/scratch budget, and performed awesome. so i'd like to keep it that way. so the way i see it, if i go with option #1, it wouldn't really cost anything, but i'm still a little concerned about the strenght of it. AND...it would interfere with my spare tire carrier on my rollcage. so i'd have to redo the tire carrier.
in this pic if you look at the XJ on the left, you can see where my spare tire is located on the right side mounted to the rollcage.

if i go with option #2. it would cost about $100-150, loose some fuel capacity, but take up less room.
and then there is option #3...........if there is one.

 

[HOUSEDIVIDED]

Skid plate

 

[scorpio_vette]

LOL......how could i not see that coming. LOL

well i wouldn't really need that anymore if i went with the fuel cell route. and if i relocated it up........well then it's kinda 50/50 whether i'll need it.

other suggestions/comments???

 

[bradow]

If your XJ is just a toy then I vote option 1. If you cut the hole carefully there will be lots of contact to hold the lip up. If you do find you need a skid with this method, it should be super easy to make one as it will be flat.

Get some expanded steel or wood or whatever and make a false floor above it with cubbie holes on the sides.

 

[600dollarxj]

Raise it up. I've seen at least a few rigs like this. Search here or Pirate. You can build supports or run the original straps under the tank. I wouldn't let it rest on the seem of the tank either.

 

[badazzcherokee3]

 

[ozarkmountain]

What kind of fuel line do I need to get to extend the exsisting? It is a Fuel Injected 4.0 ..... Is this the way to go with a rig you don't care to cut up? I am building my first xj so I nrrd all the help I can get.

 

[mscans]

grand cherokee's have a plastic 23 gallon fuel cell in them already, go junkyard one of those, plus it has a 60psi fuel pump inside, so it'll pump a bit more fuel into your xj if you need it, and return line the rest.

i like mine, you gotta block it up into position, but you dont have to worry about it leaking or rusting, looks pretty decent, is easy to open to service, and plugs into the factory harness, you just need to splice the pink wire into the ground on your xj.

maybe i'll thow a pic of mine up.

 

[mscans]

also, if you are creative you could put a platform on top of it and place shit on top of it, as the top is flush.

 

[mscans]

badazzcherokee, i had my fuel lines like this before, when i would fill up my tank, i would get a leak out of a hole near the cap, did you not have this hole? no leak? i would love to run my hoses to the stock location.

 

[mscans]

hope this helps, or gives you some idea.

 

[sidriptide]

cheap or not... fuel inside the vehicle is a SAFETY issue. some states it is illegal to have anything that isnt sealed, filled AND vented to the outside. a box around it like in the first pics is a good idea but anything short of that you really should do a fuel cell. swap meets and Ebay you can get cheap used ones. just stay away from the rectangular aluminum RCI fuel cells that Summit sells.

 

[mscans]

cheap or not... fuel inside the vehicle is a SAFETY issue. some states it is illegal to have anything that isnt sealed, filled AND vented to the outside. a box around it like in the first pics is a good idea but anything short of that you really should do a fuel cell. swap meets and Ebay you can get cheap used ones. just stay away from the rectangular aluminum RCI fuel cells that Summit sells.

not illegal here, all the ford trucks built before 79 have fuel tanks inside behind the rear seat, my eclipse 2001 also had the fuel tank inside, it's under the rear seat. i am sure there are alot of other small cars that have it inside too.

it is vented to the outside, secured, and if i get rearended that hard that it busts through my 6.5x1/2 inch pipe welded to my 3x3x1/4 frame to hit the fuel tank, i am super fucked anyway.


if you think a piece of 22 gauge steel that is currently between you and your gastank is much better off, then maybe you never really thought about it.

plus, with a lifted jeep, cars will usually go under you in the event of rear-end, so they are that much further from your tank with it inside.

just opinions here.


also, where is that cherokee heaven in the first picture? that shop looks amazing.

 

[cumorglas]

cheap or not... fuel inside the vehicle is a SAFETY issue. some states it is illegal to have anything that isnt sealed, filled AND vented to the outside. a box around it like in the first pics is a good idea but anything short of that you really should do a fuel cell. swap meets and Ebay you can get cheap used ones. just stay away from the rectangular aluminum RCI fuel cells that Summit sells.

the tank in my cj2 is under my seat. iirc jeep didn't stop doing that till well into cj5 territory. at the same time it is sort of exaggerating to refer to anything on the cj2 as inside. even with the top and doors on you are more outside than in.

 

[alky350]

hope this helps, or gives you some idea.

anyone know if this tank is from a grand cherokee 6 or 8 cylinder??

and what years?

 

[stagedrop]

my buddy has a grand and the tank in it looked exactly like that it was a v8

 

[CherokeeBennett]

How did you run the gas lines?