boat fuel tank range

[haoward]

So both engine share the same tank or each have they own?

[meaux fishing]

2 80 gallon tanks

[PaulMyers]

You have an 80 gal range because each motor basically has 80 gal to run on.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by haoward

So both engine share the same tank or each have they own?

they will both share the same tank but the fuel lines may be run direct to both tanks without a switch valve or in most cases each tanks fuel line will end at a fuel switch line and you turn it to the tank you want to use. you have to check and see how your fuel lines are run.

most often both engines will share one tank and you will have a valve to switch over to the second tank, but sometimes they are connected together in order to draw from both tanks and allow them to equalize so the weight load is balanced in large gas tanks mounted on the sides of the boat rather then the floor.

a switch valve for selecting which tank to use can be used as a safety because if one tank runs out you know you "should" have just enough gas to go straight back to the launch or fuel station. it is also handy if you get bad gas, a clogged fuel line or tank pickup in one tank, you can switch to the other.

what we used to do was run one tank this trip and then the other tank on the next trip so you always run the tanks dry alternatively and are sure there is no stale gas in a tank if you always save the same tank to use for the trip home.

if your tanks aren't mounted in the sides of the boat and you want the option to select the tank to use then in most cases it is easy enough to run new fuel lines direct to a switch valve near the transom in an out of the way but easily accessible location. but if you are interested in separating the tanks just be sure there isn't a separate crossover line used to equalize the tanks.