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jralbert
#1 Posted : Thursday, October 14, 2010 9:03:46 AM(UTC)
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Can both engines draw virtually all their fuel from one tank when the tank selection valve is set to either/both tanks?

Yesterday, after running the boat (finally!) I filled one tank with about 25 gals, then attempted to fill the second tank. Almost immediately, it overflowed with fuel coming up from the nozzle area and the overflow vent. Nothing, fortunately, inside the boat!

Checking later, I found the tank selection valve was set so either engine could pull fuel from either or both tanks. Normally, the valves are set so the engines pull from their respective tanks. I reset the valves to that position and the engines are drawing fuel OK.

The 25 gal usage would be about right for my season's draw (sorry to say) because the boat has been out only once before for a trial run plus some time running engines and genset at the dock. Both it strikes me as a bit unusual that with the valve set for "either", the draw-down would be mostly from one tank. The only thing that crosses my mind is that one fuel filter could offer a bit more resistance than the other.

If the answer is yes, I wonder what would happen if the favored tank is empty - would the valves have to be reset before the full tank would kick in?

Joel Albert, Potomac MD
"Charlie B" - 1988 32' FBS
Twin 318's/FWC/16x15 nibral props
docked Deale, MD
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cap'n Brent
#2 Posted : Thursday, October 14, 2010 11:18:01 AM(UTC)
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You may have a blockage before the valve on the tank that was fuller. It seems if your valve is at the bottom of the tank it should equalize unless your filling to fast. If your pumping 25gal @10gal/ second your tee will not keep up but if your tanks are both dry, when you fill one, by mornig you should have 2. 1/2 tanks
HP Chadwick bay Sunset Bay lake Erie NY boat name Sunrise 32' f/b fisherman chry 318 twin blue bastards,28'express singel 318
"It would be a labor of love, if I loved to labor" cpt Brent
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fastjeff
#4 Posted : Thursday, October 14, 2010 1:11:57 PM(UTC)
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If the piping for one tank is slightly more restrictive than the other, the fuel pumps will pull mainly from that tank. If that tank goes empty, however, they would suck in air and the motors wold die from a lack of fuel.

Jeff
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
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dougrose
#6 Posted : Thursday, October 14, 2010 11:43:34 PM(UTC)
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Pilots spend a lot of time worrying about which tank has what fuel. The valves are set up to let either engine draw from either tank, but there is no position that lets an engine draw from both tanks at once. If that were so, then the lower wing would start to fill, which would make the wing lower, which would make it fill faster, etc. all of which violates the "dirty side down" rule.

It seems that the same should be true of boats, although they tolerate imbalance better. The brass valves that I got for mine have a "both" position. I have it locked out with a plate, so the valve only does "1" and "2". I leave them set for port engine from port tank, stbd engine from stbd tank. I would only move one in the case of one tank being unusable: clogged, empty, whatever.


1975 32' Flybridge Sedan, twin Perkins 6-354 diesels, 1:1.53 velvetdrives, 16 X 19 props. Merritt Island, Florida
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jralbert
#3 Posted : Friday, October 15, 2010 5:32:41 AM(UTC)
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cap'n Brent wrote:
if your valve is at the bottom of the tank it should equalize unless your filling to fast.
Thnx for response. Valves actually sit above the tanks so no equalization would take place.
Joel Albert, Potomac MD
"Charlie B" - 1988 32' FBS
Twin 318's/FWC/16x15 nibral props
docked Deale, MD
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Bill
#5 Posted : Friday, October 15, 2010 3:08:48 PM(UTC)
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"If the piping for one tank is slightly more restrictive than the other, the fuel pumps will pull mainly from that tank."

Like Jeff says, check your anti syphon valves on the tanks. there located at the top of the tank, where the fuel lines connect to the 90 degree elbows. One of mine was plugged with spider carcasses, go figure.
Sick
Bill
"ALUMINATION"
1975 Marinette 37' Fly Bridge Sedan
Twin Chrysler 360 cu in - 250 hp
Grosse MI - FYC
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ComputerJoe
#7 Posted : Friday, October 15, 2010 8:23:55 PM(UTC)
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MUD DOBBERS filled my vents.
Another reason to replace the old vents with newer screened vents.
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jralbert
#8 Posted : Saturday, October 16, 2010 4:59:20 AM(UTC)
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Thnx for the feedback. I suspect the lines are clear now because fuel spurted out the vent forcefully enough to clear it. Then, I reset the valves so left tank feeds left engine/ right to right. And the engines were pulling fuel ok (so far). I think there is a small enough restriction so that in the "fuel from either tank" scenario, one of the tanks was favored and delivering fuel for both engines. Twenty five gals probably was my (miserable) season's total draw.
Joel Albert, Potomac MD
"Charlie B" - 1988 32' FBS
Twin 318's/FWC/16x15 nibral props
docked Deale, MD
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fastjeff
#9 Posted : Saturday, October 16, 2010 12:43:17 PM(UTC)
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Don't beat yourself up, Joel, for we didn't do much boating either. Stinking hot weather most of the summer, so hot we rarely felt like leaving the slip. Not until late September was there a break in the weather.

Last year it was rainy, cold and windy all summer; this year it was unbearably hot and humid. Maybe next year we'll get it right!

Jeff
"...reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there." - Tom Sowell
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cap'n Brent
#10 Posted : Monday, October 18, 2010 1:03:29 AM(UTC)
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Oh what problems too hot too rainy never too hot on lake erie. This speak to text thing is so cool.
HP Chadwick bay Sunset Bay lake Erie NY boat name Sunrise 32' f/b fisherman chry 318 twin blue bastards,28'express singel 318
"It would be a labor of love, if I loved to labor" cpt Brent
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