Tapping into the existing fuel tank

[Tail_Gunner]

I'm about to put a kicker on my I/O, it has a 34 gallon tank and if i have read it right there are two fuel pumps, one to draw the fuel to the fuel filter and one to pressurize the efi.

Im planning to try and tap the low pressure side, any thought's or suggestion's here.......... i just do not want to haul around the old 5 gallon can anymore.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

DO NOT tap into the low pressure side of your engines fuel system. A kicker has a fuel pump that will suck the fuel out of the tank, the primer bulbs are only for priming the fuel system till the engine starts. It keeps you from pulling on the rope so much.
You need to tap into the fuel system on the vacuum side, I normally come off one of the two outlets found on most aftermarket fuel filters installed between the engine and the tank.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

Ok that was clear enough and i thank you, i will need to take a closer look at the filtering system, it is not aftermarket, std equipment on this wellcraft volvo combination. I cant remeber seeing any port's..........but then again i wasnt even thinking along these lines when i last looked, Thank you Don.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

You aren't going to find an extra port on the engine filter, I was refering to an aftermarket filter. They normally have 2 in fittings and 2 outlets.
What model number Volvo engine do you have. Wellcraft has nothing to do with the engine and drive, that is strictly Volvo Penta.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

2001 4.3 efi Either a A or H,Im @ work now dont have ready access to the boat not really sure of the code. Looking at volvo on line seem's all the 4.3 efi have the same design

 

[Don S]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

You definitely don't want to go cutting into any of those EFI pressure hoses, even on the low pressure side. That is NOT how you get fuel to a kicker. Besides that, the electric fuel pump wouldn't be running with the engine off anyway. And the kicker fuel pump wouldn't pull fuel through the electic pump when it was off.
Although you already have a fuel/water seperator filter on the main engine, it's not designed to be used by anything but the engine it's mounted on.
I would recommend you get a filter like I mentioned before, they are also of a larger size and can filter out more water than the small Volvo filter, and you really don't want water in your EFI system.
Another method would be to remove the antisiphon valve from the fuel pickup fitting, install a Tee, and install 2 antisiphon valves. One to the kicker, one to the main. Of course, you wouldn't have a fuel/water seperator filter on the kicker that way.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

:'( Again mo money............. ok Let me............ Hmmm this fuel/ water sperator is supposedly under a recall. let me check into this a bit more carefully so far again thank you. I'll finish this tomorrow.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

There are no Volvo fuel filter recalls that I am aware of, and I have seen all the Service Bulletins Volvo has out.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

Word of caution when installing an additional fuel/water sepatator on an EFI system. The origional engine mounted filter is a 10 micron filter. When installing an additional filter you need to use a 25 micron filter in one or the other filter positions. Two 10 micron filters in line can starve the engine for fuel at high or WOT rpm's. It will cause to much resistance on the suction side of the low pressure pump. Resulting in premature pump failure and/or poor top end performance.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

Well after some checking it seems my account has expired using @ a web site that showed your boat's histiry and recall's anyway's Don could you post a link to a seperator with multiple fittiing's that would work? I looked here at i-boat's and couldn't fine anything.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

Here's is a list offered by iboats.

Fuel/water seperator kits

Just remember to run at least a 25 micron filter. I believe Siera offers a 28 micron that would work fine.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

Too many issues here.............

That was the desired application, i'll guess i just settle here.........

and no efi issue's.

 

[Don S]

Re: Tapping into the existing fuel tank

What issues? It's a Volvo, not a Mercruiser. Use what ever fuel filter you find. The one pictured will work. Don't worry about the filter microns if that is your concern.
I must have about 50 boats in our area setup like I explained to you with no problems and no concern over filter micron size.