1973 Sea Ray 190 Fuel Tank Location

[OnThe Water]

Hello all,
I'm a first time boat owner and new to the iBoats community. I've read a few of the Sea Ray rebuilds trying to find out more about my boat and I really like how passionate and supportive the Sea Ray community is so I joined. In May of this year I bought a 1973 Sea Ray SRV 190. The PO got it from a family member and was it sitting for last 10 years. The family has been boating for generations and I bought the Sea Ray from the son. He spent last summer getting the boat is shape for the water and serviced all of the important items and the boat runs and is currently registered. I'm new to boating but I'm a master mechanic so I'm looking forward restoring this boat. I'm really glad to find out I picked a great boat to restore. I used to restore classic muscle cars and really like the lines of the 70's Sea Ray boats. On to the fuel tank, the PO told me that the original fuel tank was disintegrating and had to be replaced. He ran the boat last summer using a five gallon portable tank. He was going to replace the tank and bought a new 40 gallon steel tank but never got it completely installed and just placed it under the helm in the closed bow. Its not connected or plumed and I didn't get the straps or the mounting brackets. My question is where should the tank be mounted in the boat and how? Where is the original fuel tank supposed mounted? I want to make sure where I mount it is safe and is in the optimum position for weight distribution and performance, basically installed correctly.


Best regards, Vince

 

[Chris1956]

Not sure about that exact model, however, most boats of that size had the fuel tank under the deck, just in front of the engine. See where the fuel fill is, as the tank is nearby.

 

[Chris1956]

I did not think you could still get a steel fuel tank. It would have likely been OEM for that boat. However, most tanks were aluminum on the 80's and plastic in the 90's and today.

You might make sure the fuel tank is marine-rated.

 

[poconojoe]

Can't you just follow the big fuel fill hose and the carburetor feed line to locate the fuel tank?

Should be under the deck just forward of the engine, as stated by @Chris1956

 

[OnThe Water]

Can't you just follow the big fuel fill hose and the carburetor feed line to locate the fuel tank?

Should be under the deck just forward of the engine, as stated by @Chris1956

The disconnected fuel line goes from the front left of the engine up the starboard side to the bow. The disconnected filler is mounted to the right side of the bow. So I guess its safe to say the fuel tank was originally mounted behind the helm under the bow. Now i just need to figure out what it was strapped to. I wonder how many gallons the original tank was.

The new steel tank that came thrown in the boat when I bought it mounted or hooked up. It almost looks like an automotive fuel tank.

If i decide to scrap that fuel tank what kind should I get and what material should it be made of?

 

[poconojoe]

Oh, ok, I'm seeing a different picture now....the fuel tank is missing, it was removed by the previous owner, right? Or no?

 

[Chris1956]

A marine fuel tank will have a fuel fill opening(1-1/2"), a vent opening (~5/8") and a fuel withdrawal fitting (~3/8"), or two. It usually has a fuel level sender, and some sort of label or tag telling that is is a marine fuel tank and it's capacity.

If your tank doesn't match that description, it may be automotive and unsuitable for marine use.

 

[OnThe Water]

Oh, ok, I'm seeing a different picture now....the fuel tank is missing, it was removed by the previous owner, right? Or no?

Yes the previous owner attempted to install an automotive steel tank but never finished. They didn't even put a flange for the fuel sending unit.