Boat Fuel Tank Restoration - NEW FUEL PICK-UP & SENDING UNIT
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- Опубликовано: 7 апр 2022
- We're taking an older fuel tank (around 20 gallon) and freshening it up with a new fuel pick-up and sending unit. These plastic tanks will last just about forever which makes them great candidates to fix up and continue using! Please subscribe to our channel and comment with questions you have.
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That "barbed fitting" on the fuel pickup is an antisiphon valve required by the coastguard. 2:28 you can see the ball in the end of the fitting.
this keeps fuel from siphoning out of your tank and filling the bilge with gas in the event of a fire.
This probably isn't required on a pontoon boat because there is no bilge and the hose is higher than the tank. still not a bad thing to have.
I believe they are always required (any boat with a permanent tank) from the boat manufacturer. I've talked to some mechanics who don't like them as they can cause fuel flow issues as they corrode, but just one of those things to keep an eye on and replace somewhat regularly, especially if the boat sits a long time or for multiple seasons unused.
He was talking about that pickup being in ok shape , I wish he could see mine on my project boat lol
I’ve definitely seen them there they’re literally falling apart! Glad you’re getting yours fixed up!
I keep a clear tube for that I can blow through To blow debria away from threads.
Good idea!
this is by far the closest ive gotten to figuring out how to manage my fuel tank project!! lol thanks my brotha!
Great! I’ve got videos on fuel gauges and full fuel system hook ups too!
@@tomspontoons thank you good sir i will check check um out!!
Happy to help! Hopefully they answered any other questions you had.
Excellent video! Using the yellow Teflon gas rated tape might be the way to go.
I'm not sure how that works on petroleum versus natural gas and propane? But definitely worth looking into! The mechanics I used to work with used a variety of sealants, most common was pipe dope.
Tom what are you doing with the rear tanks with the Atwood On Demand unit directly on top. The little slot on top takes on water in pontoon boats. Have you experienced this at all?
I only use Scepter brand for removable red tanks. They’ve been outstanding for me over the years!
Hey Tom, quick question, my issue is i think a clogged pick up, bogs down at high RPM and primer ball collapses. Would changing pick up without a screen and adding fuel separator avoid cleaning out tank of stuff clogging pick up?
It's funny I'm watching this video and I hear a thump outside, it was FedEx dropping off my vinyl glue from" Pontoonstuff" that was backordered a little bit!
I mean, I would call that perfect timing!!
Will installing a brass anti siphon fuel barb into an aluminum fuel tank fitting result in a galvanic reaction? ie dissimilar metals
I’ve never seen it be an issue in the boats I’ve worked on that are in freshwater. It’s common for water/fuel separators too where the filter part is cast aluminum and the fitting is brass. In saltwater is seems like all those reactions happen exponentially faster
I have an inca tank that the threaded inserts that hold the sender are stripped. How can it be repaired?
I'm not familiar with that exact tank. From what I've researched, the one thing that ruins these older permanent tanks is stripped out or seized up fittings. Once in a while we try to rebuild them but have no choice but to start over with a new tank.
If you wanted to go from 5/16 to 3/8th fuel line, how would you change the fuel connector coming out of the new mercury 50hp outboard?
Most of the new four stroke outboards are setup to run on 5/16" fuel lines. I haven't tackled that so I would first reach out to Mercury's customer service or a servicing dealer to make sure it won't void any warranties.
In that case 5/16 be just fine lol. Good point :) @@tomspontoons
@@bthompson101202 My thought too!
First off, love the videos Tom. I recently purchased a transom with a built- in tank. It's been sitting for a year plus with old gas in it. How would you recommend I clean and or prepare this for use again? Drain it and let it dry out? Drain it, try to clean the inside with water and then let it dry? Please help!!!
Thanks Everette! If you’re able to remove the tank (not usually easy to do) then I would dump it and rinse it thoroughly, usually with fresh gas or another fuel friendly parts cleaner. Rinse, dump, repeat a few times. If you can’t get the tank out then you’ll want to just get as much of the old fuel out as possible, then I would personally top it off with a full tank of fresh rec gas and I’d add a fuel additive like Seafoam. Replace the fuel line from the tank to the motor FOR SURE, as that old gas has been sitting in there too and can potentially rot the inside of the fuel line sending debris to the motor.
Very helpful. Thanks for the video.
Happy to help! Thanks for watching!!
I'm relocating my fuel tank from on the back deck to in the transom of a older pontoon boat. I was wondering if you have had the chance to do this and how you think the 1 1/2" fuel fill should be run?
I know that transom tanks are the only way to achieve some open layouts, but I’ll always avoid them when possible because of the issues with water finding its way in over time. I’ve seen it where the fill is right down by the deck trim, attached to the tow bar, and attached to the back of the railing…just depends on your layout. DEFINITELY go with a water/fuel separator as part of your conversion!
Hey Tom, thanks for the walkthrough.
I'm getting gas leaking, I think around the sending unit. When I went to check the tightness of the 5 nuts, they were loose, like VERY loose (10-15 turns loose). This made me think this might have been intentional?
When I tighten them down as tight as they will go, the flange around the edge kind of bows upwards.
Are these supposed to be torqued down really hard? Or should I call off until the rubber flange/gasket is laying flat against the tank? Thanks!
Someone may have started to work on the sending unit and left it before tightening things back down. Either way, I am not sure on the exact torque specs, but I secure them snuggly, with a carefulness not to overtighten or strip those molded in threads. Once the gasket is compressed slightly it should be good to go for keeping water out and fuel in.
I want to replace pickup fitting on the tank itself. It's corroded and need to replace. Any ideas or approaches to take would help ALOT.
Unfortunately I've never seen the pick up fitting replaced, nor the parts to do so. I've always assumed that it's molded into the tank in some way shape or form. When a tank gets to that point I feel like it's probably time to replace the whole unit. You could dig around some more to find more info (like calling Moeller), but I've never seen that done before.
@tomspontoons The tank holds fuel to the brim. No holes in tank. Just think water sat at some point around the top of tank. There is a video of a guy replacing pick up fitting on a key largo. Just wanted to see if you can do same job in future vid but more in detail kinda how this vid was.
I will definitely make that video in detail if I ever get to tackle the task! Luckily on pontoons we can easily remove the whole tank…in many boats with permanent tanks there’s no option to do so…at least not easily!
Where was the tank installed? Guessing inside a sun deck.
I’ve got a similar tank and wasn’t sure if I could install it exposed in the back or if I’ll need red tank.
Have you installed sending units in the red plastic tanks?
Correct, the tank was installed under the sundeck. You’d have to do some more research on that, but as far as I know the below deck tanks are not meant to be out in the sun and weather. I have never rigged a red tank with a dash gauge, nor have I seen it done. Not saying it’s impossible, I’d just have to do more research. Generally the larger red tanks have pretty reliable gauges built in…you’d have to peak over the back to check, but better than nothing and much less $$$
Replacing my pickup tube, I found the barb is a check-valve barb. Why did someone use a check valve at that location? Thanks for this video!
I’ve seen a mix of both to be honest. Some from the factory with and without a check valve. May be regulation in certain states or policy for some manufacturers. I haven’t dug deep into that though!
It really should have the check valve. It prevents siphoning from the tank if you undo a hose connection from a filter or something down the line.
@@paulbromell8018 I’ve talked to local mechanics who have recommended with an anti siphon and without. Seems like that’s always the case on marine topics. I just installed a new system recently with an anti siphon fitting, and usually do if the tank had one to begin with.
What's your thoughts on replacing these plastic gas tanks with all aluminum ones? I'm thinking years and years of service with aluminum. Maybe customer heights, length and width also. I have a buddy that makes aluminum gas tanks for go-karts, tractors, etc.
Great question! I think that because pontoon boats can typically fit a wide variety of fuel tank shapes and sizes there isn't the need for a custom aluminum tank. The price point for molded plastic tanks is usually better than something custom welded. By the time you have something in the 20 gallon range welded up and then add the fill, pick up, and sending unit I imagine you'd have spent $400+, but I could definitely be wrong especially if you're getting the buddy discount. I've seen 30 year old plastic tanks that are operating great. I usually see aluminum fuel tanks made custom for certain boat styles where they need an under-floor tank matching the hull angle, or a bow tank that has to fit in amongst framing and such. Not trying to keep you from going that route, but just looking at all angles for the majority of folks out there!
@@tomspontoons i know its post covid, but i just got a quote for an aluminium tank replacement for my 1720 Key West and it was $710 with no sender or anything lol found a moeller tank that will fit and went with that. Moeller tank is a 10 week backorder and the aluminium tank would take 30 days and shipping was $200!! Crazy times.
@@dcvedad hopefully you get the Moeller even sooner. They’ve been getting caught up it seems. The price of aluminum has skyrocketed, and labor/welding/fabrication has seen huge increases in prices due to fewer and fewer people being capable of doing the work! You’ll be happy with the easy install and quality of the Moeller!
Your video is great but I only give her a new one one thought recreational fuel. They should build the tanks in the boat to withstand ethanol infused fuel. They know that everything is ethanol just spend the money and do it right
Most new outboards even say they can run on up to 10% ethanol in the owners manual. I think the problem is that so many motors and fuel systems sit for extended periods of time between trips, in the off season, etc. They’re doing a better job to battle it on new products, but I will always try to play it safe when I can help it!
Have same tank, problem is my fuel pickup tube broke off halfway thru and was rattling around in botton. I tried fishing it out by it shattered it into many shard pieces, now im trying to figure out how to get all those little pieces out! Was gonig to try and put a small vacuum hose in there since I'd rather not remove the tank. Appreciate any clever ideas though
Hey Ben! Unfortunately I would save the only sure way to remedy that issue is to pull the tank and get all of the shards out. If you don't want to undertake that then make sure you have a filter in-line to catch them and/or make sure there is a screen covering your new pick up. Additionally, you could run the new pick up a little higher off the bottom of the tank to prevent picking up those pieces...as long as you remember that empty on the gauge might be different for your setup!
@@tomspontoons Thanks Tom, I went ahead and pulled the tank, gave it a very thorough cleaning inside and out. Looks much better and for the peace of mind it is a must, glad I did it. I've got a 90hp evinrude on a Whaler Montauk, currently do not have a fuel-water seperator tho, not really a clever spot to put one.
@@benc1927 Good to hear!! Sometimes you have to install them directly to the transom on the inside of the boat in a situation like that with your Whaler. Won’t hurt anything sitting out in the sun as long as you don’t mind seeing it and drilling into the fiberglass. Use a good silicone around the screw/bolt holes and it’ll protect it.
@@tomspontoons Thanks for the tip, I did indeed do that when I re-screwed the 4 brackets down to the deck to hold the tank under seat. Once I replaced the fuel line I noticed it was quite wet at a 1" hole that was drilled in front of the tank to access the cable chase for the fuel line. No collar on the hole at all, I figured i'd use a hair dryer to dry it out for a bit and then just caulk it back up, but i'd think a brass/pastic collar to go in the hole would be best to prevent mroe water seeping in to that hole.
@@benc1927 glad it worked out. I see a lot of through floor fittings on boats from different manufacturers that are made out of plastic. Most of the time if the hole is where the wood can dry out it'll last a lot longer than you'd think before any rot happens. The worst rot on deck boards happens where the deck trim (aka rub rail) sits and the wood can't dry out on the edges.
My husband is trying to replace the pickup line on our tank, but he can't get it out. It just keeps spinning and he cannot pull it out. Any ideas on how he can get it out?
Is he holding the large flat nut with a wrench while turning the pickup head?
Unfortunately, Once in a while they’re just beyond salvaging if everything has seized up in the hardware. It happens to all of us.
Great video and information.
Thank you!! And thanks for watching!
On that pickup fitting, where you used two adjustable wrenches. The part with the threads that stays attached to the tank. Mine was so corroded that it broke. Is there a part I can order to fix this problem?? Maybe use a rubber grommet?? I don't have anything to screw the pickup down it. Thanks in advance.
Did the barb fitting break off into the pickup head? Or did the pick up head break off in the large hex nut part?
I have an issue where my pickup tube threads were so corroded I had to use all different kinds of leverage to get it loose now the big nut is stripped on it and the pickup tube is still stuck, any suggestions? Essentially the same as @86steelerfan
Large hex nut.
@@Krakenstew I'll have to do some research to see if that specific part is replaceable. If it's a Moeller tank I'd take a look at their website so see if they offer a replacement. Unfortunately, I'd probably end up ordering a new tank at that point.
@@86steelerfan I'm going to dig into this topic more and report back.
Subbed! Thank you about to do this on our 15 sylvan. Hopefully I won’t have to pull the tank out because not really enough time to pull engine off to be able to get to everything easier.
Hopefully you can give me your two cents with this other issue I’m having. So we have a charcoal filled vent canister. Took the charcoal out because we thought it was somehow clogging the vent but put fuel in and it still took forever to fuel up. We took off tank hose and vent hose and blew through them, felt air on the outside and felt air through the gas cap opening. I read something that the tank line to the canister could belly out and pool up fuel making it hard to vent but I’m kinda 50/50 on that being the issue. I guess the best I could do is pull the tank line up through the deck tight and try to fuel up again and see what happens but I’m trying to research other issues. Someone told me the vent cap that goes down into the tank could be a culprit for the extremely slow filling and lack of venting but would you agree or disagree with that? Or agree and disagree that the vent issue is strickly only an issue with the vent line and or canister? Canister seems good, I was able to blow in and air came right out the other hole, so the screens didn’t seem clogged. Regardless of whether or not the charcoal is too soaked same vent issue with and without charcoal. (which it wasn’t, just smelled a bit of fuel, pretty much dry and not clumped at all.) sorry this is a lot, just trying to be thorough so that you can understand the issue. Hopefully I explained it well.
Thanks for subscribing and watching our channel! Lots of info there, but so hard to know without seeing the system and the details. Are you having issues with how the motor is running? What engine? When you say slow to fill, are you referring to adding fuel to the tank? Or getting fuel to the motor from the tank? Hopefully I can be more help knowing those items. Keep in mind I'm not a marine mechanic by trade, but I'll do my best. I have been in the marine industry long enough to know when it's time to refer someone on to a dealer, so I promise I'll be honest with you if it's outside my wheelhouse!
Wow thanks for the fast reply. Was for sure I’d be waiting a few months haha. Anyways, 2015 yamaha 200. 100ish hours. Runs great. No issues with getting fuel while running and yes, talking about when fueling up at the marina.
So I learned about the fuel pick up or whatever it’s called when I ran out of fuel @1/4 tank. I did everything from squeezing the fuel Primer, to taking the cap off and letting air in. So I got towed to the dock and topped off at like 49 gallons on a 63 gallon tank. I only let that happen once because I just assumed before we bought the boat it sat for a long time, maybe with ethanol, and that the stick inside there is bad and maybe got eaten up at a certain point to where it couldn’t suck up the remainder of the fuel. This is a moeller fuel tank and the vent seems to run from one side of the tank near port stern (maybe like 6 inches from the very back of the fuel tank) to the right side of the fuel tank at about the same distance from the back of the fuel tank, (maybe a couple inches forward) and by back I mean part that is closest to the motor. And then the main vent line goes in through the deck and then to little vent cap that is mounted outside the boat. We completely removed the charcoal vent canister. We found out it was for epa regulations and we live in Florida and they either just dont give a shit or check that around here. So we connected the vent lines so that the vent goes straight out of the boat but still bubbled up and slow fueling. We may end up being forced to take the motor off to get to the fuel tank. Because with it being 63 gallons, I’m sure it goes in there pretty far.
I’ve got 1600 subscribers…not 16,000, so I keep up on it on the regular (hopefully I’ll get to 16k and will still respond quickly!!!).
Is this a tritoon with the tank in the center log, or standard pontoon? Do you fill through a spout in the transom or is it on the side through the railing?
I’ve never heard of a filling issue with a vertical fill spout in a transom mount tank. I have to fill slow on the tritoon we just built or it’ll overflow, but that’s something I just need to fix by shortening the fill hose slightly to get more angle. Maybe that’s something to look at too.
Informative. Thanks for sharing. What does one do with the old gas?
Thanks for watching! Depending how old it is I will sometimes run it through my older truck as he doesn’t seem to mind. Otherwise reach out to local auto parts stores or marinas, some of them have a place for you to dump it for free.
Good video,would like to see connection to gauge
Thanks! We’ve got videos covering fuel gauges!
Boat Fuel Gauge Wiring 101 - How To Wire Your Fuel Gauge
ruclips.net/video/VTq6vqQKucQ/видео.html
Pontoon Boat Fuel Tank Installation - Fuel Tank & Fuel Gauge
ruclips.net/video/LhHYVGFtBQk/видео.html
Hey I apologize for my million questions but I'm about to buy a used moeller gas tank, looks like it's in great shape, but I notice it has the fuel gauge sending unit thing but it has another what looks like a blank plate, like a second sending unit, what is the reason for this? BTW got all my seats yesterday, still waiting for my railing... Thanks again for all your help!
I have no idea what the second plate would be used for to be honest. I've only ever worked on tanks with a single sending unit. Sorry I can't offer more information!
@@tomspontoons Yeah I don't see this on any other tanks, I didn't know if it was some sort of a cleanout, it has 7 mounting holes and a rubber gasket, everything looks brand new so I'm not going to worry about it!
Wish you would have showed the manufacturer and part no of the new sending unit as well as price.
Thanks for sharing video.
Check the description, there should be links there!!
Thanks for watching!!
Great content
Thanks so much, and thanks for watching!!
What did you use to clean the tank? Soap and water?
Good ole Dawn dish soap and a scrub brush!! Cover any hoses or inlets to make sure no water gets in.
On these new EPA mandatory fuel tank systems they blow back gas when filling. What do i delete to prevent this over complicated govt mandated over engineering?
To be honest I haven’t done a whole lot of work with the new systems other than pulling them apart and putting back together so that they remain conforming.
The issue with the newer systems and tanks (even the portable red tanks) is usually the vent systems. The EPA requires serious pressure to build before venting the pressure build up out because gas vapors come out with the air and fumes. This has resulted in a lot of issues including fuel lines popping off of motors from pressure build ups and their garages getting gas sprayed everywhere. I’m not a pro on bypassing the new systems nor do I necessarily recommend it, but I know that the older systems that are still in use in high quantities had a simple fuel vent line straight from the tank out of the side of the boat through a fitting.
Would you be willing to link the parts in your description? Make sure I buy the right ones....
I will work on that today! I don’t always install the exact same brands or items, but I’ll link some that I use often and like!
Added!
Hey Tom, quick question, my issue is i think a clogged pick up, bogs down at high RPM and primer ball collapses. Would changing pick up without a screen and adding fuel separator avoid cleaning out tank of stuff clogging pick up?
The other thing to check is your vent to make sure that's not being restricted. I try to keep things as factory as possible when it comes to fuel systems, so I'd hate to take the screen off (I've never seen that be the issue to be honest). If it's getting clogged that frequently then I think it's time for the tank to get a good cleaning out!
@@tomspontoons thanks for the quick response, vent is good I cleaned out and air is flowing to tank. My toon is on lift with no trailer so looking for an alternative to cleaning entire tank right now. Hoping add water separator, run fuel out of tank without pick up screen and change the water separator filter each tank of gas. At some point I can clean tank but hoping this keeps me on water. Today I am going to hook up external tank to verify its the pick up clogging.
@@user-xk5zb7fn9xyou’re on the right track for your situation. I would definitely run it on a remote tank if possible to rule out other stuff. Best of luck!!
@@tomspontoons argh, external fuel tank same thing, next up new primer bulb.
@@user-xk5zb7fn9x hope that fixes it!! You’re starting with the right stuff…the simple things!