Second fuel tank

[andrewss]

hey all
curious about running a second tank on my 60hp two stroke Merc.
I'm currently running a 5gal and carry a 5gal jerry and dont have good storage for it unless it's on it's side under the floor. I was originally hoping there was enough clearance under the floor to install a 12gal low profile, but it's too short on the width due to the hull and I don't want to get into a full overhaul.

So i'm curious if it's possible to run two tanks and also not have issues if one tank is empty. Possibly connect the tanks in series so the tank the motor draws directly from is always the most full?

 

[alldodge]

Don't know how good the fuel pump sucks, but think your looking at doubling the amount of fuel that would need to lifted do it. I'm seeing a single 1/4 inch fuel line going to 1/2 after the Tee. This means it has to pull twice the amount of fuel up.

They will probably stay the same level unless one fuel line has a restriction or is longer then the other. What about adding a valve to change tanks when one starts to get low?

 

[mike_i]

Would a small fuel bladder work?

 

[Scott Danforth]

for decades we had two 6 gallon fuel tanks on boats with outboards, merc 50's and 60's. you run out on one, switch the hose to the other tank, pump the bulb once or twice and keep boating. only twice did we not switch fast enough to cause a re-start. most of the times we did it at speed on plane going from fishing hole to fishing hole

the hardest was the Bass Tracker as the tanks were under different covers and you had to have both covers open to pass the hose over.

 

[briangcc]

I think you're trying to over engineer this. Just get a second tank and let it be standalone. When needed, move the hose from the empty tank to the full tank and continue your day.

 

[dingbat]

I run a 94 gallon Main and a 54 gallon Reserve tank.

One tanks has ~15 feet of fuel line (3/8") to motor the other has ~25 feet of fuel line. Both have no problems working off an OEM outboard fuel pump.

Have a selector switch at the helm to select which tank to read on fuel gauge and a 3-way tank select valve under the back seat to switch supply to the motor.

 

[JimS123]

I have run 3 portable tanks many times in the past. Google 3 position fuel valve. I would simply run one tank to completely empty, and thus the engine would die. Go aft and switch the valve to tank #2, hit the button and it would start up in a few seconds.

Now, if I was in view of Niagara falls, I would switch tanks beforehand, so as to not have an issue. Then ' later when in calm waters switch back to drain the first tank completely empty.

Switching hoses is a pita. Those brass vales are a godsend.

 

[ahicks]

We always ran the first tank down to half, then emptied the second one, knowing we'd have a half tank to get home on. Nothing fancy. You could either move the fuel line from one tank to another or install a Y valve.

 

[440roadrunner]

So i'm curious if it's possible to run two tanks and also not have issues if one tank is empty. Possibly connect the tanks in series so the tank the motor draws directly from is always the most full?

Can't do that. When one pickup tube comes up for air---that is what it will suck.

Frankly, even on my little junk 15' old Crestliner, I like to run two complete tanks/ hoses. Swap back at the outboard. This gives you redundency if the hose/ primer/ connectors should develop a problem

 

[wooky30014]

I don't yet have my second tank but already have a Y valve so to run off of one or the other tank and have the squeeze bulb on the engine hose. I would think you wouldn't want to be pulling off both tanks at the same time because when empty you're empty with no backup