Tapping the Gas Tank on a RAM HD

[K9LTW]

Anyone done it?

My wife and I are in the midst of building out a 4-season solution for our OVRLND pop-up shell in our '21 Tradesman Power Wagon. We've been running one of the Expedition Upfitter's portable Planar diesel heaters (which we love) for a couple years in our RTT and trailer. While it's been effective, I'm not keen on the idea of having to source gasoline, propane, AND diesel on some of the extended trips we plan to take in the RAM. Not only that, but risking a possible fuel leak from the onboard tank of the diesel heater inside the camper during transport isn't high on my list of things to experience. Hence the desire to install a built-in, gas-burning, Webasto unit.

I know the Promasters and such have an auxiliary fuel tap, but haven't been able to find anything similar on the HD trucks. Has anyone had success with installing in this manner in the bed of their RAM? And it has to be in the bed as there's zero room in the cab for the heater to then be piped to the bed. I'm waiting to hear back from Cicioni up in PA (we're in VA) as they're popular on the Promaster forums, but wanted to check here as well.

 

[Buddha.]

I think @RAM5500 CAMPERTHING did it but that was diesel.

 

[Superduty]

I plan on doing this on my Diesel F350. It should fit on the fuel tank sending unit assembly.

Fuel tap

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

I think @RAM5500 CAMPERTHING did it but that was diesel.

Yes, the 4500/5500s have the aux tap built in, just like the sprinters.

No idea about the 1500/2500/3500s though. I would doubt it with a gas system, much more ignitable

 

[Zuber]

A gasoline furnace is scary. I'd do a diesel one. I've seen builds that use a small tank for outboard boat motors. Easy to fill, comes with a quick connect.

 

[K9LTW]

A gasoline furnace is scary. I'd do a diesel one. I've seen builds that use a small tank for outboard boat motors. Easy to fill, comes with a quick connect.

Honestly it's no more scary than any other source to me. You're driving something where gasoline ignitions are happening thousands of times a minute, but no one ever thinks twice about that . I already have a portable Planar diesel heater. Carrying three fuel types is a pain. Not to mention you can't always find diesel at every gas station.

 

[K9LTW]

Yes, the 4500/5500s have the aux tap built in, just like the sprinters.

No idea about the 1500/2500/3500s though. I would doubt it with a gas system, much more ignitable

So it's nothing to do with being a gas system. The Promasters, even the 2500 gas ones, have the aux tap. I've found a couple installers that have no qualms about doing it, and have done plenty of similar builds, so I'm solid there now! Just a matter of getting the build to that point now. Al Cicione up in PA and OAG out of Frederick, MD.

 

[Zuber]

I've had experience with the old gasoline furnace in the VW bugs. Lots of melt downs with that.
Diesel is so much safer because of the low vapor pressure. It's not going to fill the cabin with fumes if there's a leak.

If you are going to tap the gasoline tank, I'd drill through the fuel pump housing top plate. Easy to do away from the tank and easy to replace if needed.

 

[ramblinChet]

My suggestion would be to dump the propane - it's weak, expensive, difficult to source, and can be problematic at higher altitudes and lower temperatures. I am not sure of you have enough payload available but I am installing a thirty gallon diesel tank where my spare tire was to power my heater, stove, and water heater.

Gasoline is significantly more dangerous when compared to diesel. Read up on flashpoint and vaporization temperatures.

 

[carleton]

I installed a Espar B4 (ie, gas model) on our Ford Transit via the aux fuel input, used it for many years in Alaska trouble free.

The "kit" that I purchased from Espar came with a dip tube to install into a tank.....I just didn't need it because I used the aux instead.
So, if your tank doesn't have an aux hookup, then you can just install that dip tube instead.....or have an upfitter do it.

The rest of the Espar install was relatively straighforward. I've personally have none of the concerns about gasoline that everyone else have expressed. A well done gasoline heater install can be safe, and is relatively common. I will say, though, that my Espar was mounted directly to the floor, so there were no gas lines in my van, and exhaust was vented directly out. It has a tight seal to the floor, which keeps a lot of the potentially bad things external to the habitat.
So, I don't know how you feel about having a heater permanently mounted in front of your wheelwell, but that is the best/safest way to install an Espar.

 

[bikelanta]

@K9LTW Did you end up figuring out how to tap into your fuel tank? Did you install the heater? Have a gas 2500 and debating an Espar install myself. Curious to know about your results, if there are any.

 

[K9LTW]

@K9LTW Did you end up figuring out how to tap into your fuel tank? Did you install the heater? Have a gas 2500 and debating an Espar install myself. Curious to know about your results, if there are any.

Hey there! So I DID have a Webasto Air Top 2000 STC successfully installed and plumbed to the gas tank. What I can tell you is...I used Al Cicione and his crew in Hazleton, PA for install . They did an incredibly clean job, but exactly HOW they did it I couldn't tell you. I'm happy to snap some pictures and such tonight after work.

Bottom line is it CAN be done. There's no petcock or anything like the ProMaster vans have, so you'll need to drain and depressurize the system, but it's definitely possible. It's run flawlessly.

 

[bikelanta]

Hey there! So I DID have a Webasto Air Top 2000 STC successfully installed and plumbed to the gas tank. What I can tell you is...I used Al Cicione and his crew in Hazleton, PA for install . They did an incredibly clean job, but exactly HOW they did it I couldn't tell you. I'm happy to snap some pictures and such tonight after work.

Bottom line is it CAN be done. There's no petcock or anything like the ProMaster vans have, so you'll need to drain and depressurize the system, but it's definitely possible. It's run flawlessly.

@K9LTW Awesome, thanks for the quick reply. Pictures would be great if you have them. As you said, bottom line is that it can be done.

On an unrelated note, is that a Chassis Unlimited rear bumper with swingouts? How do you like it? I've been considering one of those if I make the jump to 37s.

 

[K9LTW]

@K9LTW Awesome, thanks for the quick reply. Pictures would be great if you have them. As you said, bottom line is that it can be done.

On an unrelated note, is that a Chassis Unlimited rear bumper with swingouts? How do you like it? I've been considering one of those if I make the jump to 37s.

I'll get ya some pics tonight, no problem.

And it WAS a Chassis Unlimited. I sold it and went with Expedition One's dual swingout. Night and day difference. CU's latching mechanism is really poor and awkward. Those push buttons actuate cables and the whole thing will gum up, rust, freeze, bind, etc. And the pins used are super soft garbage. They developed play extremely quickly. While I applaud them for quickly replacing any latches/pins quickly and for free...it got old...fast. I ended up having a shop weld on a couple quarter-turn drop pins at the ends of the swingouts and drill out the top of the bumper for them to set in. Much better, faster, and easier to access.

I know Exp One has some mixed reviews on lead times and such, but they did super right by me (getting powdercoat was the massive hang-up when I got mine...I got raw). It's a superior design and product in every way. Yes it costs more. Yes there's a reason.

 

[bikelanta]

I'll get ya some pics tonight, no problem.

And it WAS a Chassis Unlimited. I sold it and went with Expedition One's dual swingout. Night and day difference. CU's latching mechanism is really poor and awkward. Those push buttons actuate cables and the whole thing will gum up, rust, freeze, bind, etc. And the pins used are super soft garbage. They developed play extremely quickly. While I applaud them for quickly replacing any latches/pins quickly and for free...it got old...fast. I ended up having a shop weld on a couple quarter-turn drop pins at the ends of the swingouts and drill out the top of the bumper for them to set in. Much better, faster, and easier to access.

I know Exp One has some mixed reviews on lead times and such, but they did super right by me (getting powdercoat was the massive hang-up when I got mine...I got raw). It's a superior design and product in every way. Yes it costs more. Yes there's a reason.

Fantastic intel, thanks @K9LTW. I've actually tried to find comparisons between the two and there isn't much out there. I was leaning towards the CU model and come close to pushing the buy button, but couldn't go through with it. Mostly, because I can't decide whether I want to upgrade to 37s and deal with having to have the tire carrier. Like you, I have a Power Wagon model.

Having dealt with cable connections in various ways, I prefer to avoid them (e.g., the latches on my old Super Pacific, even the transmission in my old GTI).