Does Switzerland count as Europe?
Fuel Tank options for Land Cruiser 250/ GX550
- Thread starter Robbie
- Start date
As someone who has enjoyed visiting Switzerland on multiple occasions, I almost consider Switzerland to be better than Europe in many ways, from Kloten airport (ZRH) which is a very well run airport far better than Frankfurt, Paris and Madrid, to one of my favorite places in all of the world, Lugano which imho does Italian better than the Italians.
With that said, I think geographically speaking Switzerland is part of the European continent.
- Jun 8, 2024
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- 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2007 Toyota Tundra 4X4 Double Cab 5.7L V8
Yes. Geographically, culturally, and politically.
For whatever reason the western half of the continent and the people residing there have elected to live in totalitarian nanny states rather than enjoying more individual freedoms. The European love for excessive regulations is perplexing to me.
Unfortunately native born populations there continue to decline, and the entire continent becomes less and less relevant to the rest of the world every passing year. Maybe the next residents will have a different view of things… at the present moment and trajectory it certainly appears the future residents of Western Europe will a have very very different view of things. Certainly not a change for the better.
Exactly very important point
- Jun 8, 2024
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In 25-30 years the third world types who are taking over Western Europe will not care.
Got some solid feedback from FK on this… they are very responsive and clear but not the answer I was hoping for:
Here is what you will experience in practice:
- When you fill up, the DTE will still show a maximum value based on the original 68L (approx. 17-gallon) tank and your current fuel economy (e.g., ~300 miles).
- You can drive normally until the DTE reads zero and the low-fuel light comes on.
- This is the key point: At that moment, instead of being nearly empty, you will still have approximately 8 gallons of fuel remaining in the tank – that's your entire reserve capacity.
- You will then continue to drive using this reserve, relying on your trip meter and the knowledge that you have a buffer of at least 100 miles (or more, depending on your driving conditions) after the gauge hits "zero".
At least they get free healthcare and aren’t stuck in “job lock” — trapped by employer insurance or those health-insurance handcuffs that keep people tied to big corporations.
Are we still talking about Fuel Tank Option ? Am I getting lost ? 
I've deleted some political posts. Please keep this on topic. You can discuss politics on another forum.
100% agreed !
Pretty interesting read on how US regulations drive smaller fuel tanks.
In this case BMW did it electronically.
Not trying to make a political point one way or the other, just trying to say there’s room to spare down there for those of us willing to modify.
www.motortrend.com
Here’s where Chrysler converted the 20 gallon tank only hold 15 gallons for four-cylinder models
In this case BMW did it electronically.
Not trying to make a political point one way or the other, just trying to say there’s room to spare down there for those of us willing to modify.
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Here’s where Chrysler converted the 20 gallon tank only hold 15 gallons for four-cylinder models
Maybe someone will go ahead and de-hybridize a USDM LC250 and put in a fuel tank from an overseas LC250 just to prove that “hybrids suck” . I sort of remember some people did something like this with a Prius to get more range. Will be interesting to see what happens when the EV LC comes out, or the new Scout with both EV and range extended versions.
You're exactly right regarding crash performance of the tanks. This aluminum aftermarket tank does not appear to have a bladder inside it, so regardless of the alloy used, given the tight clearance to all components adjacent to it, it is more likely rupture and spill than OEM in a major side or rear impact collision as other components collide with it.I'm just curious, in the US you can mount just any tank like that? no regulation? Because here in Europe depending on vehicle age, there is a certification to meet. There is always a certification if you plan to mount anything.
I just looked at the paper here https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:42011X0428(02)&qid=1759820832485 which tells a lot about fuel tanks. Technically speaking it's quite interesting, for example how a tank is tested and for what purpose.
Concerning this Chinese tank, it look sturdy and very well weld. Don't be fool by cheap Chinese crap, there are very skilled poeple overthere, capable offering of quality items.
My main concern is how the mounting belts and bolts will perform during a crash and the lack of space between frame or components and tank. Some rare crash test images taken from underneath vehicles show parts like gearbox, rods etc... protruding into spaces left empty in the chassis specifically for this purpose. A tank filling these spaces is likely to become stuck, with a risk of perforation.
Ive watched plastic automotive tanks get spot checked at manufacturing facility and (amongst other tests) they put water in the tank (unknown level) and drop it from about 40 feet(12m) down on to concrete floor. Seemed very crude at the time, but this is also for tanks that had passed proper crash testing already.
It should be common sense that this tank will not perform as well in crashes as OEMs do. People just have to be aware of this potential risk and plan accordingly. Maybe install a fire extinguishing system in the area where you'd mount an aux tank- and/or wear full nomex. Or simply never get in a major accident.
I'll wait for the OEM solution due to my engineering biased paranoia and suffer with multiple fuel stops...which increases risk of crashes, getting car-jacked, killed by plane crashing into gas station, hepatitis from bathrooms. Maybe this tank is the safer choice!
Can’t see a fully electric Land Cruiser happening anytime soon. Toyota builds those things for the middle of nowhere, not for people comparing charge times at Whole Foods. EVs still wilt under heat, weight, and distance—three things the bush has in spades. From what I’ve read the Scout is shaping up to be a nostalgic plaything, more retro rod than tool. . Let’s be honest 99% of Rivians and Hummer EVs aren’t out past the fenceline. They’re sitting in the driveways of $30,000 millionaires who think a gravel road is an expedition.
Toyota previewed an EV LC when they introduced the LC250. Toyota has shown that LC is a brand and not one type of vehicle. They’ve also shown no interest in extending the range of LCs for “overlanding” just like the LC200 which never got a bigger tank or significant boost in fuel economy.
Fair points, but once again that’s viewing things purely through a U.S. lens—as if that’s the center of the Land Cruiser universe. Outside North America, Toyota’s long supported OEM and aftermarket options for extended-range tanks on the 200 series and other models—and many of those solutions have since made their way stateside. Albeit LC200’s small fleet size here just meant it wasn’t a big enough market to support much industry around it. That’ll likely change with the LC250’s far higher sales just as US sees with Jeep, Tacoma, etc.
A pure EV, though, is a fundamentally different animal from what the LC250 and LC300 are sold for across most of the world remote, off-grid reliability where charging infrastructure simply doesn’t exist.
Anything’s possible, but the global platform those trucks share would need major re-engineering to house a full EV system, all for what would be a very niche vehicle with very limited number of buyers relative to global markets.
Toyota did show an electric ‘Land Cruiser Se’ concept alongside the 250 reveal, but that was a unibody design study. It was of more road-focused crossover. It’s a long way from what most people mean when they say Land Cruiser. Lesser manufacturers have tried this before see Ford Thunderbird Dodge Dart, etc. so it could happen. I just don’t think it will be based on the current platform.
No bladder, but some baffle, here is a peak view inside a FK industries fuel tank, quite nice. And extremely responsive guys over there, I'm impress. I'm in the process to get a frame of LC 2,8 dinosaure oil 3D scanned to see if it will fit. I also, send UNECE 34R paper which is the administrative point of view of a fuel tank in Europe, to be street legal where administration cares about road safety.
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Those guys love it when people will either pay them, or do their product's research and development for free!
