Which tank for 1987 Itasca?

[SteffiElle]

Hi there!

 

I purchased a 1987 Toyota Itasca 19 foot a few months ago. Drove it from Portland, OR all the way to the NC coast with only minor problems! Woohoo!

However, upon our first fueling up, the front tank (about 10 gallons) filled up just fine, but the back tank, well... apparently there IS no back tank! Gas dumped all over the ground. Looks like a previous owner removed it. Oops.

So, I made the whole 3,887 mile trip with only one 10 gallon tank.

I would LOVE to replace the back tank. It is my understanding that this is the main tank, and I was driving with the auxiliary tank?

I know I need the fuel tank, sending unit, and fuel pump housing.

Does anyone know WHICH tank I need, and where to find it and the other parts?? Or the best way to find out? My searches so far have only turned up a bunch of maybes.

 

Thanks in advance!

[linda s]

There is only one tank and it's 17 gallons. Who told you there were 2 tanks. It's just a Toyota truck. Do you have two filler tubes? You need to post some pics so we can figure out what was done to your camper. Pictures of underneath too. 

Linda S

[SteffiElle]

Hi Linda!

There are two fuel fillers (see pic, 2 squares on side of RV). One leads to an existing 10 gallon tank (towards the forward part of the vehicle) and the other leads to an empty space where the 17 gallon tank used to be (towards the back of the vehicle).

Check out the other pic, you can see the cut off black hose where the fuel used to come through to the tank (just below that blue zip tie). We think the yellow hose was a vent hose (?). 
there is plenty of space there where the tank used to be for a replacement.

Now, if I could just figure out what tank and other parts I need to get…

Thanks!

[linda s]

Wish you had opened the doors and need pic of the current gas tank installed. Your original fuel filler opening is right in front of the rear tires here. 

Door just in front and slightly higher than rear tire.  All Toyota motorhomes have the gas filler in the same place no matter what model. What you think is a 10-gallon tank is probably the original tank. Need a close pic of that tank. Need a close pic. door open, of what you think is the second tank filler. I see no water waste tanks did you use the water? The original fuel tanks usually show empty at around 14 gallons even though they are 17. If your guage is off, it could look like it was empty at 10.  Need lots more pics. Show water fill spot. show waste tanks if you still have them and show existing fuel tank.

Linda S

[SteffiElle]

I’ll get under there and take those pics when it dries up in a few days. For now I can tell you that when I filled the existing  tank it would only take 10 gallons at the pump.

The fuel filler that is between the door and rear tires (in pic) is the one that’s missing.

I do have a gray and black tank at the rear of the vehicle. My fresh water tank lives under the dining area in the coach. Yes I use all of them.

Thanks!

[thewanderlustking]

There is a fair chance that whoever added in the second gas tank, moved the original 17 gallons tank to the back and put the newer 10 gallon one in front.  Like Linda said, open the doors and take pictures of the fillers.  Do they both have actual gas caps?

 

The picture underneath does indicate that the missing spot was very likely a gas tank.  They need a vent hose to work properly, like the yellow one.  The black rubber filler isn't what they would likely use for a freshwater tank either.  

 

Do you have a switch on the dash to swap between tanks?  Another gauge?  Or is there a switch that when flipped, drops your factory gauge to zero?  How exactly is the tank switching handled?    

 

An auxiliary tank isn't exactly hard to plumb in, but there are easy and harder ways to go about it.  Either the tanks need to be connected together, and with two filler necks they probably weren't, or you need separate tank controls.  On my Mini Cruiser, the fuel pump is inside the tank.  So this would require a second tank and sensor and a switch to flip from one to the other.  Pretty easy to do actually and MUCH simpler than ganging the tanks together.  The only real issue you would come into doing this would be the return lines.  I am sure there are electronic valves specifically for doing this to solve that though.  Actually, you probably want a valve to swap over the feed lines too.    

 

Other than solving that, or seeing how the previous install did that (if the parts are still there) I would simply get a stock Toyota tank and fuel pump/sender assembly and mount that in.  

 

If the current tank is truly only 10 gallons, make sure the top didn't collapse down.  I have seen older steel tanks collars and loose capacity before, usually only a few gallons though.  You could simply replace the front tan with a 17 gallon one and call it a day.  

 

Not sure, but my thought would be to have the 17 gallon in front of the axle and if you really feel you need the extra 10 gallons to have that behind the axle.  Seems like handling would be a bit better like this.     

[SteffiElle]

I’ve added some pictures of both of the fuel filters. One is missing the gas cap, but that’s the one that goes to the existing tank; I forgot the cap at a gas station somewhere in Kansas.

I was wondering how switching between the two tanks would be handled as well. There is a toggle switch on the dash that we disconnected because it currently didn’t go to anything. That might have been the toggle switch for the fuel. There is only one fuel gauge on the dash.

I have included pics of both fuel fillers and better photos of the space near the filler that doesn’t go to a tank; there’s clearly plenty of space for one.

 

Looking at the existing tank (pic also included but kind of hard to see), it is definitely not collapsed on top, but it looks like it would hold 17 gallons. Maybe? I’m really not sure!