SoCal Jet Boats
Tech Talk => Engine Mechanical / Electrical => Topic started by: t8017e on June 01, 2010, 09:59:23 AM
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What do you guys think I have my tanks teed together right now because I don't have a selector valve on the boat. My last boat had one so when one ran out you switch to the other. I think I need one for piece of mind. I usually manually turn off one tank but when it runs out you have to crank the hell out of the motor to get fuel pumping again from the full tank. So my question is run the tanks together both on all the time or install a selector valve? What does everyone got on their boats.
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i run both tanks with no switch. it makes it difficult for me cuz my fuel gauge is broken. usually use my flag stick to check the level. :thumbdown:
i am probably gonna look into buyin one just to know your 'half way' point when you switch tanks.
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I run a tank switch on Moo, with a fuel guage. I really like that. Pickle has no guages or switches at all. Runs them both together. hasn't been an issue yet, but it could be sometime, I suppose. i was gonna change it, but heck, most I've done is waste 3/4 of both 11 gallon tanks and that was pretty hard to do.
Ray
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ray what kind of switch do you have and does it read both tank levels seperatly
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The switch, itself, is simply a douple pole, double throw toggle on the dash. I'll post pics of the unit that actually does the switching. The tanks both have senders, though the starboard side doesn't work (just a wiring issue to that tank, I Know cuz the wire is just hangin out there on the tank), and once in a while the port side chooses not to work. I haven't let it bother me, as only once did I come close to running Moo damn near empty, (she holds almost 30 gallons) and that was a LOT of hard running on twin 750's.
(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi673.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fvv95%2FIrrebel%2FMoo%2520build%2FP2220072.jpg&hash=f0a66ab8f8be8c7b4ae482ebb2c06a29b67ada26)
Ray
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thanks Ray do you know the make and model of that switch valve in the pic
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just goto your auto parts store and pick up a switch for an older f-150 f-250 pick-up i think it will set you back maybe 20 bucks at the most!
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Nope. Came on the boat. But Nordie tells me it's the same thing as a Ford truck tank selector from the late 70's early 80's. I was gonna drop one in the Pickle, but seemed redundant as there's no way to add senders to either of those tanks. they had to be forced back in place as it was, by two of us. Lending to, this boat is a "Streaker hybrid" of some sort... (seen two more, one right beside mine at Bartlett. Both of them were 1/4 stringer with a full floor. Mine is full stringer, no floor.) One guy at Sag this past weekend said the bottom looked like an SST, which I originally thought it was. Who knows. Could be anything I guess. But off the subject.
On Moo, it works well. I really like it. But.......
Taking the liberty of my opinion here, I would not run a selector valve at all. One fuel guage and a switch to read each tank. I think the valve limits flow, to a degree, on these lil boats. Funny all this comes up as I'm thinking about this twin jet deal and it's fuels system. Typically, I'll run Moo's one tank, with the guage, to half, then switch it over.
My concern is the weight balance, and handling/safety, as you run one tank dry, VS running off both together. Not a huge deal on our 10-15 gallon tanks, BIG deal on a big boat with 40 gallons on a side, for one. But as Brad, Ron, Nick and the rest of the racers can tell you, even the slightest change in weight transfer can make a huge handling difference at speed. These guys run T-tanks, go figure.
Theres my .02 and my novel for the day.
Ray
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My .02. Those selector valves do not flow enough for todays higher HP engines. The holes are very small. I had one on my Nordic when I got it in basket case form and was the first thing to get tossed.
T.J.
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My .02. Those selector valves do not flow enough for todays higher HP engines. The holes are very small. I had one on my Nordic when I got it in basket case form and was the first thing to get tossed.
T.J.
Thank you TJ for that. Even though what YOU perceive as a higher HP engine is off the charts for the rest of us, it does make my point.
Altrhough, Moo seems fine with it as far as supply. I will give the system that. But Moo is at least 400HP from where you're at!
Ray
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thanks guys maybe ill just t the 2 tanks together with a sending unit in 1 tank should accomplish the same thing ; :thumbup:
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You should be fine Gordie. I guess that's the Readers Digest of what I was saying.......
Ray
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thanks guys maybe ill just t the 2 tanks together with a sending unit in 1 tank should accomplish the same thing ; :thumbup:
i have a tank selector, and i leave it on both...just a manual valve...one tank always drains faster though, and one give the pump more psi...better seal i assume! and when the one tank drains even when on the both setting i half to swap the tank selector to the tank that still has fuel in it to keep the motor running! maybe a simple tank selector valve will work
(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rexmar.com%2Fimages%2Fpage196.jpg&hash=726303542a82ca88274e59b8086ee6bca940d540)
if i red it properly this runs about 35 bucks from rex
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that what I have now I guess I could keep that and run a wire to each sending unit to a toggle switch on the dash for the fuel gauge thanks nordie