I just found a 1981 240D 4 speed in the salvage yard with a like new 2nd aux fuel tank in the trunk. It has a lable on it saying it is manufactured by "Bird Automotive Division". It is a custom fit type and aluminum. I'm guessing 20gal or so. It was connected to the main tank by a big fitting on the bottom of it to the main tank drain plug(I guess). Is this something out of the norm or something neat?? to me it looks like the pressure/weight of the fuel in the main tank fed fuel over to the aux tank doubling the fuel capacity. What would something like this sell for?? Also do the diesel Benz all 123 use this fuel tank or do they change from year to year?
I'm currently shopping for a 123 (240d 4spd) so I'm keeping it but if not I will sell it.
Thanks,
Hip

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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

Its good for extending range. I had an 18 gallon version and was able to get 800 miles out of both combined. It made the butt of my car sag like a 300TD with no SLS and hurt my economy hauling around an extra 150lbs of fuel. I ended up getting rid of it a long time ago on craigslist for $50.

Here is a picture of my old tank. (Ignore the junk in the trunk and the window sticker...)

Attached Thumbnails

   

Thanks for the info!

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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

Yeah I have one in my 85. mine holds 12 extra gallons. has it`s own fill cap as the one FI has pictured.

I have the 2 connected under the car into a Y connection, but added a small Ball valve to keep the aux tank shut off until I get the main tank down some, usually about 1/2.

I only fill it when we are going on a long trip, I hate to stop for fuel any more than I have to. does add weight to the vehicle and takes up some trunk space.

when I first added the tank, I figured as fuel was being pulled from the main tank, the aux tank would feed into it. well it does, but feeds into it faster than the fuel could be used and would be coming out the over fill tube, that is the reason for the ball valve.

Charlie.

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Thats exactly what happened with mine.

The first 3 tanks or so were no problem, but were on a trip and when we stopped I noticed fuel on the back end and under the car. took me a while to finally realize what was going on.
Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Yep, same here again. Worked great for several weeks until it started pumping fuel out during an 800 mile trip to Oklahoma. I didn't catch it until the Oklahoma border and the result was 12.6mpg and 13.5mpg.

An aux fuel tank isn't gonna help me keep from stopping on a long trip. Now an aux. bladder might do the trick......

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Truck stops sell devices for that. They're usually in refrigerators along a wall.

I'm sitting on the fence about the aux tank now that I've purchased a 85 300D Turbo. I'll get use to the car first and see what my range per tank is and go from there. This will be my daily driver with a long trip once or twice a year. Hope I can get close to 30mpg out of the car. Just got it serviced so the next tank will be the 1st test.

__________________

2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

more likely in the 25MPG range. if you want to get closer to 30MPG you will need to swap in a 4spd and a higher rear gear, it will hurt off the line performance but it will give you a lower cruise RPM

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

I'd be interested in a 4spd(or 5spd if available)conversion. Is this easy to do? And is the swap gonna make this more fun to drive?

__________________

2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

You're lucky to find that tank intact. These days, many salvage yards, like my local Virginia Beach Pick-N-Pull, punch holes in the fuel tanks before putting the cars out in the yard.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Yes even the people at the yard were amazed. Looks like they cut the connecting line between the tanks and drained it that way instead of drilling holes in the tanks. So upon reinstallation I'll have to repair that one.

__________________

2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

Our PNP`s poke the tanks full of holes also. sucks if looking for a tank. I thought it was some calif law maybe, that Jy can`t sell fuel tanks.

Last week I was in Portland, OR., and hit all 4 LKQ U-pullits. I talked to this kid that works where they get the cars ready for the yard. he said they do it to get the tanks to drain faster. how much faster will it drain vs removing the fuel cap? I think it is BS.

most of the holes in the tanks are in the lower portion of the tank, and if there was much fuel in it, they would have a mess.

I haven`t looked under cars with the tank underneith, think I will check today. have a PNP run to do

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works