Stop in for a cup of coffee

Soooo due to power tour and my w200 maybe getting 6-7 mpg in that traffic, I’ve been trying to engineer a 2nd tank into my w200.

So factory, I have the 18 gallon(rated) gas tank on the drivers side. HOWEVER, some models got passenger side 18 gallon tanks and later ones got 27 gallon ones mounted at the rear behind the axle. As such, the frame is set up with all the holes and brackets to simply add the tanks and straps.

My replacement bed I got from Californa is has the filler on the passenger side.

I have a second 18 gallon tank and straps I pulled from a junkyard years ago when the yard wanted the same price for the tank as they did the sending unit I needed.

I also have a 27 gallon tank but no straps.

I’m trying to decide, do I add the 18 gallon tank or the 27? If I had the 18 to the passenger side, I will need to route the exhaust to avoid being anywhere near the plastic gas tank. Probably on the outside of the frame and have to fashion some sort of heat shield. That said, the 27 gives more range, I can route the exhaust, in the factory locations (even though it’s a true dual aftermarket) but I’d then have no spare tire mount, plus I’d have to figure out the fuel filler routing as my bed isn’t set up for that and has a cross member that hits where the 27 gal sending unit is. Beds front that era had the member moved.


But while I decide that, I’m trying to figure out how to actually use the 2 tanks. I know but Chevy and ford used dual tank valves that were notorious for failing and what I’ve read, the new Chinese replacement ones are even worst. I thought about just rigging an electric fuel pump from the supply line to the return line on the other tank but then do I run the return from the engine to the second tank? Or is there a check valve or something I can put in the line and connect to the primary tank? I’ve also thought about drilling into the filler tank and routing the secondary to fill the primary in that manner. I’m sure I just confused the hell out of everyone but thoughts?