Ducato X250 60L diesel tank

[Steve928]

I came across this article the other day which I found quite interesting.

It claims that the 60L diesel tank chosen by some converters of the X250 to improve payload figures was in fact a 90L tank modified to present full at 60L by way of a modification to the tank breather, and that Sevel never manufactured a 60L tank.

For those with a 60L tank who'd like to use the full 90L it shows how to achieve full 90L capacity.

 

https://www.ducatoschrauber.de/tankgeber-tuning-ducato-250/?fbclid=IwAR2DCZP412ozg6bIMozs6nGj29ancdomaMnaJ__dNcUPWIc-DSLgG5h1gD0

 

Note that this refers to the X250 and presumably the smaller tanks fitted as standard to the X290 AdBlue models (60L for a short while, now 75L) are genuinely smaller to make for the AdBlue equipment. Or are they? Perhaps the issue is weight saving rather than space and this same modification might apply - Peugeot managed to retain the 90L as standard with AdBlue..

[John52]

Thats interesting thanks

But that big plastic ring is a 'jobus bastardus' to undo without the proper tool - especially if its old and brittle - because it sits in a recess so you can only get your out-stretched fingertips on it.

Tried to undo it on the old X2/50 to fit a fuel pickup for the diesel heater, but gave up and fitted the separate tank supplied with it instead. If I really had to get it out I could have bodged up a tool and increased the force on it - but then I would probably have busted it as others have done.

[John52]

I've just found this youtube video which gives an good illustration of how to unscrew the top off the tank

(which you will need to do to remove the breather pipe extention, and increase the capacity of a Ducato 60 or 75 litre capacity to 90 litres)

 

[mtravel]

My 2020 X290 with AdBlue came from Malibu factory with 90 liters tank.

 

Max

[Alanb]

I have read a similar article to that linked by Steve928. In my case the article was a thread on the Italian camperonline forum, perhaps 2 years ago. Diagrams and instructions for increasing the effective capacity of the tank were included. Unfortunately I do not seem to have saved the link, probably because it was not relevant to my x244 Ducato, which I recently filled with over 65 litres.

 

Alan

[Tracker]

Accepting that I have no knowledge or experience of this specific issue, the thought occurs that when I have had water tanks with an overflow that prevented a full fill a simple re routing of the overflow pipe to above the level of the top of the tank gave me more water carrying capacity and was generally very easy to fit whilst retaining the overflow and air input breathing as the tank empytied.

 

It's just a guess and it may well be that the diesel tank issue is not so easily overcome - perhaps somebody has tried and can tell us?

[John52]

Quote

Tracker - 2022-07-05 7:06 PM

It's just a guess and it may well be that the diesel tank issue is not so easily overcome - perhaps somebody has tried and can tell us?

Yes

Its not quite the same thing as the overflow on a domestic water tank. In the Ducato X2/90 and X2/50 diesel tank the vent pipe comes down from the top of the tank. So when the level of fuel in the tank reaches the bottom of the vent pipe air can no longer escape, so no more fuel can enter. So the capacity of the tank is controlled by the length of the vent pipe. A 4" extension pushed on to the vent pipe restricts the 90 litre tank to 60 litres. A 2 1/2" extension piece restricts it to 75 litres. (1" goes over the pipe to hold it on)

So to change your 60 or 75 litre tank to a 90 litre tank you just remove the vent pipe extension.

Picture shows the 2 1/2 " extension from my Ducato 75 litre tank.

A home made tool for undoing the plastic ring on the top of the tank - a bit of mild steel bent into a U shape and bolted to another for a handle. (The legs are a bit longer than necessary, which weakens the tool, but it was just strong enough.)

You also need a tool for pushing in the pins on the sides of the fuel pipe connectors to release them. Fine nose pliers with the points heated up and bent in 90 degrees did the job.

Make a note of your fuel guage reading before you start, and when you put it back, to make sure you haven't bent the float arm.

[Hadders]

On 31/07/2022 at 16:35, John52 said:

 

Yes

Its not quite the same thing as the overflow on a domestic water tank. In the Ducato X2/90 and X2/50 diesel tank the vent pipe comes down from the top of the tank. So when the level of fuel in the tank reaches the bottom of the vent pipe air can no longer escape, so no more fuel can enter. So the capacity of the tank is controlled by the length of the vent pipe. A 4" extension pushed on to the vent pipe restricts the 90 litre tank to 60 litres. A 2 1/2" extension piece restricts it to 75 litres. (1" goes over the pipe to hold it on)

So to change your 60 or 75 litre tank to a 90 litre tank you just remove the vent pipe extension.

Picture shows the 2 1/2 " extension from my Ducato 75 litre tank.

A home made tool for undoing the plastic ring on the top of the tank - a bit of mild steel bent into a U shape and bolted to another for a handle. (The legs are a bit longer than necessary, which weakens the tool, but it was just strong enough.)

You also need a tool for pushing in the pins on the sides of the fuel pipe connectors to release them. Fine nose pliers with the points heated up and bent in 90 degrees did the job.

Make a note of your fuel guage reading before you start, and when you put it back, to make sure you haven't bent the float arm.

 

Hi, did you get any errors on the fuel gauge reading after this mod?  I've read that it can have an error till the level drops - some have restricted the movement of the arm of the float to stop this error.  Interested in what you have done or do!??  Looking at if its a main dealer programming thing but no clue - or a swap of the sender off one that doesnt have the restriction tube? Thanks

[John52]

Hi,

It just ignores the top 15/30 litres in the tank

So if you had a 60 litre tank, and took the vent pipe extension off, it would still say it was full when you had 60 litres in.  Half full when you had 30 litres in - even though now it was a 90 litre tank it would only be 1/3 full

I'm not certain but I think the sender units are all the same.  So the only difference is in the programming of the fuel guage in the computer.  I don't have the facility to reprogramme it so I have learned to live with it.  Main thing is it still tells you when you are getting low and need to refuel. So it doesn't bother me how much more than 75 litres there is - I have a rough idea anyway from when I last filled up.

You can buy a proper tool for undoing the big plastic ring that is better than mine because the tip of the legs are shaped to fit snug around the plastic ring, making better contact and less likely to slip off.  But mine worked OK and did the job.

PS: The big plastic ring just has an ordinary thread - turn anti-clockwise to undo

Edited July 25, 2023 by John52