WB Bitza update and fuel tank advice

**748Rum** · 29-12-2013, 10:13 AM

So since I posted about getting the roadworthy on the WB Bitza sorted the old girl has become my daily driver.....until I lunched the trimatic. To be fair it was not my fault as all the damage had been done by the crowd who did the previous "recondition". Went and saw the auto man round the corner and he showed me a gearbox full of silicone, metal filings and incorrectly sized bolts. Now run lots better and is not fighting the gearbox to get power to the back. Next job is ditch the 600 Holley as it's silly over carbed and go back to a quadrajet. Then fit a 3.08 or 2.78 gear set to the 10 bolt as the (feels like) 3.78ish ratio and auto is not conducive to highway cruising. And them all the other jobs!!!!!!
So to the fuel tank. Sorry if it's been asked and answered before but I only have my iPhone and therefore not very good at refining searches etc. Telstra won't get to our new place to hook up Internet for another 2 weeks!! Wanted to see how far I could get on a tank of fuel and how big the tank is as the fuel gauge only shows 1/2 full whenever I fill it up. Put a jerry can in the back and started the 150km round trip to work for a couple of days. Got to 260km when the tank ran dry. Popped the 20ltrs in and then filled up at the servo 2 km down the road. Only managed to get an additional 37ltrs in it though even when I rocked it to release air and dribbled the last 5ltrs in. So my maths are a little rusty but that's about 13ltrs short of a full tank. So the questions are:
1) confirm what the size the tank is supposed to be (all the stuff I have read says 70ltrs. It was an original 6cyl so smaller tank??)
2) how the hell do I fill it to 70ltrs (are there vents that could be blocked)
3) what options are there other then a drop tank to fit a bigger fuel tank (100ltrs+ would be nice). I want it in the same location not slung under the back etc as I drive on gravel roads everyday and don't want to get it pierced by rocks or have an extra 100+kg slung out behind as it will do nothing for the handling

Cheers and thanks for the help.

**RAEME** · 29-12-2013, 10:37 AM

Can't remember the size mate but I think 70 is a it high. My mate had WB ute that had a factory fuel tank fitted opposite the original one. Not done by Holden but by a mechanic. So on the other side of the tailshaft. He had them joined by a sizable hose so you still filled on the original filler and it transferred to the other.

**748Rum** · 29-12-2013, 11:37 AM

Sounds like a good idea to follow up as should take me to the magical 100ltr+ mark which, when combined with carb and ratio changes would mean I should be able to do at least 4 trips to and from work before filling up.

**wbute** · 29-12-2013, 12:24 PM

Yeah you can fit another in as RAEME said. The only way to get 70 litres in is to trickle fill the last ten litres.

**Dago** · 29-12-2013, 02:11 PM

We've had this discussion in the past (myself and mates with HQ-WB utes) and I've managed 63 litres at the pump from dead empty, while others have got over 67? I think it depends on the day, the dents and the vehicle? Another tank would just cost me more to fill haha

**wbute** · 29-12-2013, 04:47 PM

You need to dribble the last of the fuel in to let the air out. It's a pain but it works. It's called trickle filling and I think it even mentions it in the owners manual.

**Dago** · 29-12-2013, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by wbute

You need to dribble the last of the fuel in to let the air out. It's a pain but it works. It's called trickle filling and I think it even mentions it in the owners manual.

I remember the old man doing this. He used to jump on the tow bar...

**buck** · 29-12-2013, 05:46 PM

I get around 63 in then 67 after rocking it sides ways, get about 450klm with the 253, quady, 3:08 diff and 4 speed

**Dago** · 29-12-2013, 05:51 PM

I get the same kilometres on the highway. 253 Celica 5 speed with a 350 holley and 3.36 diff

**748Rum** · 30-12-2013, 12:51 AM

Thanks the info folks. Will try being more patient when I fill her tomorrow and see how I go. As a result of the rebuilding of the trimatic the money set aside for the manual conversion has gone for the moment so will have to wait until I finish my other project before she becomes a manual. In the mean time the 3.08 or 2.78 diff and quady should help with economy. I have a few days off coming up so will make some measurements and see if I can do an alloy or steel tank to fit in the gap otherwise will be off to the wreckers and get 2 tanks and mod and install them. Cheers