www.iFourWinns.com

My 2007 220H owner's manual (and other sources) state that my fuel tank capacity is 50 gallons. Having taken delivery of the boat with a full tank of gas, I've never actually "filled" the tank from empty. Last weekend, I was unfortunate enough to (I think) run out of fuel on the water. I was literally within sight of my marina, and the gauge was pretty close to "E." Thought we'd make it, but the boat quit on me and I couldn't get her restarted. My dad towed me in the rest of the way.

At $4.50 a gallon on the water, I only put in 5 gallons to get started and use my trailer to pull me up the road to a place where gas was only $3.70 a gallon. Short, short version of the story is that I only got about 38 gallons in her at the land-based gas station. This is a total of 42-43 gallons, give or take.

I've taken my gauge down close to "E" several times, and have only been able to get a little under 40 gallons (38 or so) back into the tank when that has happened. I was surprised back then, thinking "Hey that gauge is way off" and I think that probably contributed to me running out of fuel the other day. I guess I assumed that I still had a few gallons left due to prior experience. But, this still doesn't explain why I can't get more than 40 gallons in the tank at the gas station.

So, does anyone have an explanation? Does the "50 gallon" tank have a bladder in it that is actually a few gallons smaller? Is there a chance that foaming is taking up that space when I'm filling it, and then it is receding, thus causing the pump to stop without the tank actually being full?

So, what does the jury say? Did I run out of gas on the water or did the boat's attitude (I couldn't get re-started when sitting in the middle of the lake) affect the ability to pick up fuel and deliver it to the engine? Inquiring minds want to know.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Paul,
I have the oppposite problem. By the book, my boat has a 42 gal tank. I recieved it full, and with only 30 hrs on it now I have put 50 gal into the tank TWICE! I think they mixed up our two tanks at the factory. FYI I NEVER trust a gas gauge. I usually just top off after 2 days on the water. Much less painfull that way.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

The book says mine has a 35G tank, and with the gauge showing somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 of a tank left, I went to the marina and they managed to squeeze in 30G of premium at $4.79 per G, about 10G more than I expected. I still don't know what's off - the size of the tank, the fuel gauge, or the marina's gas pump.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Marina pump may be off about 99% are.

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Not that I'm helping, but I think my problem is mostly related to getting used to this boats fuel gauge. I get to where I think I have a good 1/4 tank or so and next thing I know it's on E. I haven't run out yet, but thought I was going to for sure on the 4th. I have a friend that's a longtime boater who says most boat fuel guages read a 1/4 tank off anyway and a 1/4 tank in the negative. My waverunner had a reserve switch on the fuel tank, why can't my much more expensive boat have one. Anyway, I'll just make sure I keep it above a 1/4 of a tank for the most part.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I was also concerned with the fuel gauge accuracy in my '07 220. I found that it was fairly accurate when I levelled the boat on the trailer and looked at the fuel level at the rear of the tank right in front of the raw water pump. I have put around 35 gallons in the tank at 1/4 gauge reading on the trailer and this seem to jive with a 50 gallon tank capacity.

I don't know how the fuel pickup is designed and it may be possible that it does not allow all of the fuel to be drawn out even though the fuel pickup is at the rear of tank.

Best part is that the tank on the 220 is visible in the engine bay and you can verify how much fuel is in the tank regardless of the gauge reading.

Got me a bit concerned that my boat may not suck the tank dry especially on the longer 5-6 hour outings that we take on lake Ontario.

Steve

Mine is supposed to be a 32 gallon. I've never run it close to empty, but I've put 20 gallons in with the gas gauge reading 1/2 full

I usually use the 1/4 tank as my warning marker to wrap things up and conserve fuel.

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

I noticed that the top of my tank seemed to last forever. I went from half full to below a quarter in two hours of running time last Saturday. By the time I got back to my dock, the gas light was on! I believe that the attitude of the boat has alot to do with the poor readings. I could watch the guage rise while I was getting up on plane or plowing along. The sending unit is at the back of the tank so anytime you are underway, the fuel is displaced to the rear and therefore falsely pushes up the float. I only trust the readings when I am sitting idle. I tend to fill the boat right full every time I drag it out of the water or am planning a longer ride, I think they are really meant only as a guide anyways. I am seeing about 10 hours of run time on a brimming full tank down to the point that I wouldn't risk driving it anymore for fear of running out!(Usually just under a quarter showing on the guage). I am planning on stowing a 5 gallon jug in my ski locker for just such an emergency! Because you know someday that it will happen!

The only true way to get a reading is with a flow meter but that requires a lot of writing down and figuring (Last reading - this reading = how much I have used since I put "X" gallons in) or some kind of microprocessor with a display and hopefully some alarms. This could certainly be integrated into the new boats but they don't want to have us pay for it (ie. increase the prices) so we won't see it. The technology is already in most vehicles on the market so they would just have to adapt.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Well, I'm thinking most boats are like the jets I fly. There is a capacity which is the quantity published in the owner's manual and then there's the usable fuel. You usable fuel will always be less based on configuration. Unfortunately that doesn't explain how you can put in more fuel than the rated capacity is?

Rob-same boat as me and I have the same theory you do. About 1/4 tank and I know I'm putting all of 20 gallons back into the 30 gallon tank. We drive up the river over 5 miles so it's definately time to head back when it's that low.

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Nubby


Living the DREAM

Do you have access to the tank? Near the sender, I have a plate that states how big my tank is.

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

My gauge doesn't seem to be so bad, but only when at a standstill, Underway, it oscillates a bit less than about 1/8 of a tank either side of the standstill reading.

I have a fuel flow sender with the readout on the chartplotter, it calculates how much is left in the tank, based on how much has been used. Each time I top the tank up, it is in multiples of 20 litres ( from Jerry cans) . I trust that fuel computer more than the gauge, but I have never run the tank down to less than a theoretical 110 litres.

Graham

Pet, don't know if this helps but made a huge difference for me.

I have an alleged 50 gallon tank and like you used to be I've never had to test the theory.

I do know that I was filling her up the other day and the pump clicked off and even over flowed a bit. I waited a couple minutes as I was working on something else and went back and filled it again. Got probably about 10 more gallons in there. I think because of the tank size and delivery systems it foams and fills really easy. If you take the nozel out an inch in fill slower I've shoved a ton more fuel in each time.

I'm like you when I'm on land and gas in under $4 I really want it filled up.

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2008 Four Winns 224 Funship 5.0 GXI/DP Black w/ Tower
2007 GMC Crew Cab Short Bed / Bose Ed.
2007 Fourwinns H180 (SOLD)

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid people"

Thanks for all the info guys. I'll check for the stamp on it and change my fueling method. Hopefully there was 6-7 gallons of foam in there and it is an easy explanation.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

I'm not sure the capacity of my tank either I just fill it up everytime I go out so I don't make a large transaction for gas on the old check card.

One the other hand I fill mine up and the guage never reaches the full line this is with some gas spilling from the tank. Good thing I was not filling up at a marina.

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2008 H200SS
4.3 merc
2008 Chevy 2500

if you feel so inclined you can verify your tank capacity in gallons by measuring the dimensions of your fuel tank. Multiply length x width x depth (in feet) and you will have cubic feet. Multiply the cubic feet x 7.47 and you will have total gallon capacity of the space. (ex. 2.5' x 3' x 1' is 7.5 cubic feet x 7.47 = 56.03 gallons)

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Jeff
2006 H240 6.2 MX 320HP B3
La Habra, California