fuel tank questions

is it possible to run 2 tanks in i guess you could call it parallel? i was wondering this because i have 2 6 gallon tanks and i would like to use both of them but id like to make the engine pull from both tanks at the same time in stead of having to go in and swap the fuel line when one runs dry.

no one has any input?

I run two tanks but they are not connected. Switching the fuel line form one tank to the other is a very simple thing to do. I guess if you want to make them connected you could just put a hose from the bottom side of one tank to the other tank but it would be tough to make it leak free. Drill and tap and use some fittings and teflon but you may just ruin your tanks if it does not work.

Maybe you could "Y" the fuel lines.

i was thinking about the "Y" thing. i was just wondering if anyone has done or tried anything similar to this. i wanna try to moutn the tanks under a semi permanate deck. i will buy a single bigger tank if needed i am just trying to save money for other things

It would be possible I guess. As long as it was drawing the same amount of fuel from each tank....If not I would be concerned with one tanking emptying, and then the engine sucking air from the empty tank, instead of fuel from the full tank.

LonLB said:

It would be possible I guess. As long as it was drawing the same amount of fuel from each tank....If not I would be concerned with one tanking emptying, and then the engine sucking air from the empty tank, instead of fuel from the full tank.

Click to expand...

Instead of sucking fuel out of both at once, you could put a on-off-on valve going from both tanks to the motor. It would be similar to a truck with dual tanks. When one is close ot empty, flip a switch and it starts sucking from the other tank.

clarkbre said:

LonLB said:

It would be possible I guess. As long as it was drawing the same amount of fuel from each tank....If not I would be concerned with one tanking emptying, and then the engine sucking air from the empty tank, instead of fuel from the full tank.

Click to expand...

Instead of sucking fuel out of both at once, you could put a on-off-on valve going from both tanks to the motor. It would be similar to a truck with dual tanks. When one is close ot empty, flip a switch and it starts sucking from the other tank.

Click to expand...

it costs more then I thought it would but it would allow you to switch from one tank to the other
https://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=27899&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10106&subdeptNum=10443&classNum=10446

Buy a 12 gallon tank.

I have 2 tanks with a fuel selector switch. It was on the boat when I bought it. I hated it at first (wishing I had 1 big tank) but now I quite like it. I use it to keep the gas fresh, etc. I would highly recommend a switch though. I wouldn't want to disconnect/connect each time.

KRS

My cousin runs the Y setup on his boat. It draws form one tank a little faster than the other tank. So the first ank goes empty a little bit before the other tank does. It sucks air in and dies so he has do unhook the empty tanl to draw from the other.

I need to slow down when I type :lol: #-o

I'm gonna look into using a valve like the one in the link. I'm gonna see if I can find one at the local auto salvage yard. I know that a lot of the 70s ford trucks had dual tanks and ran a valve next to the drivers seat. Thanks for the input guys I never would have thought of the valve on my own.

Running two tanks in parallel does not work as well as we all would like it to. No matter what, fuel will be pulled from one tank faster than the other (path of least resistance) and the first tank to run empty or near empty will then allow the pick up to pull air which effectively shuts off fuel delivery from the other tank. As has been mentioned, shut off valves from each tank plumbed into a common supply line is the way to go. While you're at it install a fuel/water seperator.