We Have Plenty of Gas

[Gromulin]

Re: We Have Plenty of Gas

What is a flow meter?

It's a sensor that's placed inline on your fuel line. Most GPS units, such as LowRance, use networking that lets the meter feed how much fuel you are using. Pretty accurate. In my case, I have the flow meter networked into my GPS, which gives me fuel use per hour, GPS mileage per gallon, range to empty and fuel remaining.

Something you might want to look into. You can research on the LowRance web site.

That's awesome. Geez..I get out of boating for 8 years and come back to a whole new world of technology that actually does something useful...

 

[DukeDelago]

Re: We Have Plenty of Gas

I've never seen a marine gas guage that I would trust. To me they are only the crudest indicator and should always be used with a large margin of error (like, give or take half a tank or so!). Just my opinion of course, and we all know what those are like. The post above to fill up AFTER going to the lake is the best idea. Not only are you guaranteed to have a full tank each and every time you hit the water, but also helps to minimize the atmospheric moisture absorbtion caused by the ethanol in the fuel. Store full or empty, not in between.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: We Have Plenty of Gas

One boat I have has a guage that says this: F means there's some gas in it. 1/2 means there's a quarter tank (4 gal). 1/4 means head to shore, 2 gal, left--it's like the low fuel light on a car. It works just fine for me.
Another boat shows a little over half after I burn 20 gallons (a quarter of the tank) and a little under a half when I burn the next 20 (and am at 1/2 tank.) I haven't been much lower than that, even when I bought it! I fill it when it drops to around the half mark. Again it works for me.

So the bottom line is; your fuel guage is personal to you and your boat. Be sure you warn anyone who buys or borrows it. and if you buy a boat, run it down on purpose to learn in controlled environs (which means with a 5 gallon can on board!)

Ironically, the floating guages on 6 gallon tanks are way more accurate than an electronic one on a dash board.

 

[HappierWet]

Re: We Have Plenty of Gas

Doesn't the "E" on the guage stand for "Enough"?

No................everlasting.

I thought it was " Economical "

 

[xeddog]

Re: We Have Plenty of Gas

Two things. Regarding 87 or 89 octane, with a 1996 I think I would go with 89 just to be safe. The book for my 1987 5.7L Cobra sez 89 so I imagine your 1996 5.0L would too. Besides, it is getting pretty hard to find 87 in my area.

For some kind of mileage reference, a while back (a looooong while back) we took a trip in our 1987 Reinell 215c from where we launch in Antioch, up the Sacramento River to Old Sacramento and back. I'm not sure exactly how far it is, but I think somewhere around 80 miles each way and the boat carries a 40 gal gas tank. We went all the way to Sacramento, and most of the way back on that 40 gal. I think we could have made it all the way, but I chickened out and put in 10 gallons at a marina on the way back. I don't remember how much it took to fill the tank after that, but since I remember thinking that we might have made it all the way I would guess somewhere just under 30 gallons.

I don't think we will be making that trip again simply because there are just too many blasted no wake zones. Took all day to get there and back. We started in the morning and got back just before dark.

Wayne