Can the fuel gauge be made to work with a fuel cell?

I'm considering swapping out my gas tank for a large fuel cell. I don't have smog where I live. I have 2 questions.

• Can the fuel gauge in the 3rd gen (2018) still be made to work with a fuel cell?
• Is there any way to trick the range display on the dash to reflect the new tank size? e.g. a 40gal tank showing ~600 miles when full.

 

Yes, very easy to do. Just don't cut the red wire!

 

"A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction, not combustion. In a fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen are combined to generate electricity, heat, and water."

 

Unless you use common sense and google gasoline fuel cell. Use your head man…..

 

They often call fuel tanks in Race car fuel cells, that's using the term very loosely because most are nothing but a liquid tank with a vent. But it sounds cooler to call your aftermarket fuel tank a fuel cell.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fuel-cell-options.639137/

 

I'm not trying to attack you or your inquiry. It's the term "Fuel Cell" that's been bastardized by the hotrod industry to include almost any aftermarket tank. And that's all they are, aftermarket gas tanks. Ideally you want one that's the same depth as the toyota tank and accepts the toyota fuel pump sending assy.

 

Suspect that is an ECU thing. If right, you'd have to change the capacity side of the equation in the ECU. Maybe one of the tuners have figured that out?

 

My understanding was that gasoline fuel cells have bladders, gas tanks don't. There are a few other differences but that is the main difference.

There are definitely some benefits to using the stock fuel pump assembly.

 

Holy H2!!!
- I thought when reading the heading...
but then thought - no way... Not on this board! This is just talk of a replacement fuel tank...

• Can the fuel gauge in the 3rd gen (2018) still be made to work with a fuel cell?

Probably. It should be just a level sensor...

• Is there any way to trick the range display on the dash to reflect the new tank size? e.g. a 40gal tank showing ~600 miles when full.

Probably more trouble than it is worth unless the tuners have access to the actual calculation for the range as Bill mentioned above.
Hopefully, it is an easy factor (21 or 22 to 40 gals is a factor of 2x) and you can do the math in your head. It's not as if the range is so accurate - or precise anyway.

 

That is true for safety reasons in race applications. In that world they aren't just a 'custom tank'.

 

I would think the fuel gauge would read pretty accurately, it’s just reading the proportion of tank that is full, it isn’t reading the exact number of gallons.

 

Harmon or Jazz should be able to make a cell or “tank” that has a custom bulkhead of the OEM fuel pump and sender. The cell would also most likely be semi-custom depending on how you mount it.
I’d give them a call.

For fuel range, that would be a tuning thing with the ECU or dash itself if possible from the god @JustDSM .

 

Things were easier back when you could still buy an oversize Australian tank, but I think the regulations have shrunk their tanks as well.

 

The Ultragauge can show you distance to empty, and I'm sure other code reader type gauges can do the same, so I would just get one of those if that number is important to you.

Personally, I'd go with the old school approach: reset trip meter when refilling, and watch the miles vs. gas gauge (assuming that is easier to get to work).

 

This one is similar, 33 gallons. For 3rd Gen available in July 2024
"Fuel Cells" are more for safety and keeping the fuel contained in the event of a roll over.

https://exitoffroad.com/product/toyota-tacoma-long-range-replacement-fuel-tank-32gal/

 

Fuel cells have been around a lot longer than any alternative new wave energy definitions.They are different than gas tanks, as they are designed to be foam filled or equipped with a bladder to contain fuel and vapor in event of a crash or rollover. Fill and vents are designed to also keep fuel from leaking out. I get what your saying, but if you ask someone about fuel cells, they are going to assume you are talking about liquid fuel containers for automotive racing use.

 

What do you mean by "fuel cell?"

To me, that's a that's a lined tank filled with foam.
Limited lifespan. Not intended to be filled at all times.

 

$2200 would buy two jerry cans and a lot of ways to mount them.

 

Yep, that's the one.

 

1) yes its pretty easy. All you need to know is the ohm range from full to empty on a factory fuel level sensor and get a same ohm range one for your aftermarket fuel tank.
2) maybe? You would need to know how it calculates fuel usage. If it uses injector pulse or maf it won't work but if it uses fuel level percentage over miles it'll work from the factory you'll just a really high mpg.