[FenderBender]

I’m looking for a small (1 to 3 gallon) portable fuel tank to go in my dinghy to work with a 3.3 mercury outboard. The engine has a small integrated tank, but it has a couple of pinhole leaks and I’m having difficulty with the shutoff valve letting enough fuel into the carb, it can’t prime and there is no way to manually prime it.

I’m thinking it would be easier just to bypass that tank and go with a portable one with a primer bulb, and just hook it up to the fuel inlet on the carb. I could reduce the fuel line size with an adapter if necessary.

Anyone got an extra one in their shop or garage they don’t mind picking up a little extra cash for?

 

[FenderBender]

Evening speed bump

 

[murfpcola]

I am curious if your motor has a fuel pump. If not then a tank may not work unless it is higher than the motor which I assume it is not.

 

[FenderBender]

I am curious if your motor has a fuel pump. If not then a tank may not work unless it is higher than the motor which I assume it is not.

Murf, good call man. You may have saved me some trouble. I don’t think it does have a fuel pump. Almost certain it’s gravity fed. I guess in my mind once it was primed it would just keep flow somehow. Dumb moment.

The tank leaks, for sure. The other issue is I’m not getting fuel from the tank to the line into the carb. It has a shut off valve that even when open barely dribbles. It’s not enough to fill the line to overcome the little bit of gravity to get into the carb. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, the line comes down out of the bottom of the tank and routes toward the front of the engine and up a couple of inches to the fuel inlet on top of the carb. I’m not getting fuel in that last couple inches of hose for whatever reason. If I take the line off and squirt a little gas into the carb inlet with a syringe it runs a few seconds til the fuel is removed. I was just hoping to find a better way than screwing around with that little leaky tank.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Yep, replace the integrated tank. External tank will not work.

 

[hjorgan]

PM Sent

 

[murfpcola]

All you need is a casting platform on your little boat to set the tank on

 

[FenderBender]

All you need is a casting platform on your little boat to set the tank on

That thought crossed my mind last night! I’ll figure something out. Worst case, I’ll just pump the bulb as I cruise along and end up looking like this guy!

 

[CurDog]

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/engine-repair-and-maintenance/mercury-mariner-outboards/308082-3-3hp-mercury-outboard-convert-to-remote-external-tank-possible

 

[Boat-Dude]

New CRAFTSMAN Riding Lawn Mower Gas Tank 184900 109202X 53218490 with Fuel Cap $22.99 & FREE Shipping

 

[FenderBender]

Update: the remote fuel tank with primer bulb works. It runs awesome at a fast idle. Probably 5-6mph. I cranked it up to rabbit speed once and the boat got squirrelly. The hull isn’t built for speed. I flooded it once, other than that success! Thanks again to Curdog billy and Murphy’s Law Joel.

 

[Murphy's Law]

Glad you got it going Josh !

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[Snagged Line]

That’s awesome……


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[Boat-Dude]

Good deal, glad you got it going.