Main/Reserve fuel switch

TNJohn1951

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Dec 20, 2015
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Hey Folks
New to forum. I have a 2004 Lund Fisherman with a 150 Honda. Recently while servciing the boat I switch the fuel selector to reserve and pumped out about 2 gallons of gas, not impressed with the fuel quality. Can someone tell me how that switch works, do they use one tank with different length pickups? Should I be running on the reserve side once in awhile to keep the bottom of the tank cleaned out. I use non-alcohol added fuel as it was recomended by the dealer. Thanks
 

alldodge

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Hey Folks
New to forum. I have a 2004 Lund Fisherman with a 150 Honda. Recently while servciing the boat I switch the fuel selector to reserve and pumped out about 2 gallons of gas, not impressed with the fuel quality. Can someone tell me how that switch works, do they use one tank with different length pickups? Should I be running on the reserve side once in awhile to keep the bottom of the tank cleaned out. I use non-alcohol added fuel as it was recomended by the dealer. Thanks

Howdy

The reserve fuel switch just changes over to a pickup which is a bit deeper in the same tank. The reason for it is if you actually run out of fuel by lets say not paying attention, you can flip the switch and figure you have no more then 10% of the original tank capacity. Running from the lower pick up or higher pick up should not make any difference.

As for fuel quality, if that is an issue I would buy gas somewhere else
 

GA_Boater

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Welcome aboard.

What AD said about the reserve switch..

On the fuel quality, it might be a good idea to add a water separator/filter if you don't have one. And clean out tank maybe.
 

TNJohn1951

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Dec 20, 2015
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Hey Guys

Thanks for the information. I have replaced the line and bulb and checked all the fittings. Boat doesn't run well at all, limited to 4000 rpm with no hole shot, acts like a fuel starvation issue, bulb goes soft while running. I had changed the internal fiter and a visual exam of the filters looks to be okay. I wish I had never touched that switch. Next step is to run on a portable tank and assess the situation and then remove that switch and install new fuel/water filter. Again thanks for the information. I have nticed that newer Lunds don't have that main/reserve switch.
 

alldodge

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Running on a separate tank is a good move, and if trouble goes away my first thought would be your fuel, not the switch or the bulb.

You stated in your first post that about fuel quality and this may be the issue

The bulb should not stay hard when running, now if it is being sucked flat then there is a tank vent issue.
 

TNJohn1951

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Well I didn't see much improvement on a portable tank, still limited to 4000 rpm, bulb still gets soft. I was wondering if the water in fuel sensor has something to do with the problem. The fuel quality issue earleir may have been a miscue as I do not have a sense of smell. My next step will be to remove the fuel filters and examine them, with special attention to the water/fuel separator. Simple thing like changing a water pump and fuel filter should not have caused this much grief. Thanks again for the input.
 

alldodge

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Sounds like a good plan. Suggest if filters don't help and no restriction is found, I would do a compression test.
 

TNJohn1951

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Hey Folks
Does the fuel/water separator use a sensor to detect water and then limit engine performance?
 
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