Can't fill fuel tank on 2015 2520 XLD

[Brent]

What was on the tank before they added a new vent fitting. Nothing, pipe plug , capped plate. I guess I am looking for the before pic.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bmoore]

What was on the tank before they added a new vent fitting. Nothing, pipe plug , capped plate. I guess I am looking for the before pic.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The Tanks come standard with a welded on 5/8 outlet for the vent hose. Submitted for warrant repair and determined the diameter of the vent hole inside tank must have been too small, possibly from to big of a weld. The fix was to install a new vent. FLorida Marine Tanks sent us the new vent attachment with instructions to drill hole in tank and install. They didn’t realize I only had a single engine. We now know that if your tank ( like mine ) has two fuel pickups with only one being used.... then you can just use the other pickup as the second vent outlet and therefore not have to drill a hole in your tank. If you have a twin engine then you have to drill a new vent hole. My new vent is installed by the fuel sender in very much the same fashion as a fuel sender. Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brent]

Thanks. I was thinking the same

 

[Brent]

Here is an interesting read
ABYC regs
http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/*** ... 002.01.pdf

 

[Lucky John]

Mine would have been a piece of cake BUT there is not enough clearance between the top of the tank and deck joist. I might have been able to compress hose a little more an got it thru but then I would worry that there would be constant chaffing.... :shock:
I am going to try a piece of 3/8 hose and if there is enough clearance I will give it a shot. FM is sending me a 3/8 x 3/8 barb fitting and a modified Tee. So the saga continues on :mrgreen:

 

[Mr. Speeder]

When I took a plant tour last year I asked why the 2120 was rated for 100 gal on mine but the new ones were only 90. The answer was the tanks were the exact same size but they added additional baffles and they decreased the rating by 10. I didn't hear about a filter on the vent tube, but it wouldn't surprise me. The EPA has been on the industry to do these type of things in an effort to prevent fuel spills at fill up. It sounds like they are creating more problems than they are solving? Maybe you can have the filter removed, if it's really there? Hopefully someone else will be able to fill in. Perhaps "Luckyjohn" will read this, he has a new 2520 XLD also. Good luck.

I don't really understand how the carbon filter which is inline and between the tank and the vent, reduces the capacity of the tank? If you dont have a problem with a vaper lock, wouldn't you be have to max out the tank before the fuel can bubble up to the filter?

 

[Bmoore]

The carbon canister does not effect capacity of tank. It’s there to absorb vapor emissions. Capacity of tank it reduced by a valve in the vent system inside the tank. It forces the tank to stop venting, so you can’t put more gas in. They do this to allow room for expansion. For example. My 2320 has a stated capacity of 137 gallons. I can put in 137 gallons before the vent valve shuts down the Tanks ability to take more fuel. It’s actually the same 150 gallon tank Parker has always used. The “capacity” is just less due to EPA mandates.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. Speeder]

The carbon canister does not effect capacity of tank. It’s there to absorb vapor emissions. Capacity of tank it reduced by a valve in the vent system inside the tank. It forces the tank to stop venting, so you can’t put more gas in. They do this to allow room for expansion. For example. My 2320 has a stated capacity of 137 gallons. I can put in 137 gallons before the vent valve shuts down the Tanks ability to take more fuel. It’s actually the same 150 gallon tank Parker has always used. The “capacity” is just less due to EPA mandates.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ok understood, so then if you bypass the carbon canister, do you also have to to modify the vent valve to max out your tank?

 

[Antidote]

I have been talking with FMT trying to get an answer about the difficulty topping off the tank on my 2019 2520XLD. I have scoped the fuel lines. There are no crushed lines. I have bypassed the canister with no help. I removed a downward loop, that was holding fluid, in the vent line by cutting the hose shorter. At the recommendation of the manufacturer I replaced the fuel sender (which they sent to me for free). I still cannot get the last 20 gallons in, in less than a 1/2 hour. This is (what I expect to be) their final answer:

Hello Steve,

Xxxxxxx relayed the information regarding your fill issue to me. I believe that during the slow fill period you are experiencing towards the end of topping off the tank you are filling into the ullage (or vapor) space of the tank. This space is intended to allow for evaporation of the fuel. The internal valves close off when the fuel level reaches them, this prevents further venting of the tank and causes the fuel nozzle to “click off”. You stated that during the slow fill period the tank is venting through the fill hose, this is technically overfilling the tank and is not recommended.

Taking into account the 17 gallons of “reserve” in the bottom of the tank when gauge reads empty, you should be able to fill about 162 gallons from the pump. Anything more than that will result in the slow fill issue due to filling of the ullage (vapor) space in tank. My suggestion would be to run the tank until gauge reads empty and then monitor the gallon capacity you are able to fill from that point until full.

Sincerely,
Evan Deller
Product Engineer
Florida Marine Tanks

I replied I would do as he suggests; however, with the current offshore reports, it's going to take a while to burn that much fuel. I'll report back to him and y'all also.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brent]

Another factor is the depth of tank fuel pickup tube. Is it near the bottom of the tank? One inch above the bottom? Two in?
This volume of gas is unusable and annoys me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Antidote]

Yeah I’m thinking about pulling the boat and draining the last bit of usable fuel so I will be able to find out how much fuel I’m actually carrying. The 17 gallon reserve when the gauge says empty doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy. I want to know what’s in the tank for real.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[johnkn]

I agree about knowing exactly what’s in the tank. Also check your Yamaha gauge for calibration if you drain and refill from empty. I’ve run the 232 gallon tank on my 2820 down to 1 bar a few times and it makes me super nervous, however looking at my fuel usage on the gauge it has indicated that I’ve burned about 200 gallons and have ~30 gallons left and sure enough when I fill, I was able to put 205 gallons on fuel in it.

 

[Brent]

With many people adding a Racor fuel and water filter, I see no reason why the pickup tube isn’t closer to the tank bottom as possible to use all available gas. That dead zone makes no sense to me

Or use flexible fuel pickup with the end attached to tank bottom and install the conventional tube in the other hole
Or ask the tank builder for a bottom pickup

Why is a nylon tube used when cars use a metal

.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Antidote]

Bringing back an old thread...I'm still dealing with Evan at FMT. The original fuel probe was a 13" probe. So was the replacement. He has now sent me a 16" probe. Keep in mind the tank is 16 5/6" deep below the fuel probe. Without going into all the numbers I measured the fuel in the tank with the boat sitting in the water. It was 7 3/4". I'm waiting for Evan to get back to me with the calculated fuel on board; however, after calibrating it to the 6YC for empty, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full, I dropped it in. Going off my fuel burn from the last time I filled it until it shut off without the 30 minute top off, it was right on. Hopefully this is the fix I have been looking for.
Edit: all of the numbers are correct. The calculated FOB from measuring was within 2 gallons of the remaining after calculating from fuel used. So the filling issue was not a filling issue. It was an over filling issue.

 

[Antidote]

Heres the latest. Before heading out to burn the rest of my fuel off I dipped the tank through the fuel probe hole and had 2 1/2' of fuel with the boat sitting in the water, which should be about 25 gallons. After running until she couldn't run any more my fuel used said 159 gallons. Called Sea Tow and got 5 gallons delivered. Ran about 5 miles to my home port and filled her until the pump shut off which was 156 gallons. I burned about two gallons getting home so that would make my usable fuel right around 160 gallons with 19 gallons of unusable fuel remaining. I'm thinking that is a bit much; but, at least now I know how much fuel I can burn. Also my "fuel used" on the Command Link is spot on. I guess the next thing to look at is the fuel pickups.

 

[Antidote]

I scoped the tank. The the pickups look to be about 1/4” off the bottom. I then reinstalled the sender and left two screws out. I had burned 142.8 gallons from the last fill up which I squeezed about 4 gallons in after she clicked off.
I filled it until I started getting a little spray out the screw holes. Not a fountain of gas; but, a little mist. I put the screws back in and the filler neck filled up right away. She took 168.4 gallons. It seems, as I had said originally, this is a venting problem. I don’t have 19 gallons of unusable fuel. I have 19 gallons of air sitting on top of my fuel. I’m still talking with FMT and they continue to be very helpful.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brent]

Thanks


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Lucky John]

This is a venting issue. Spoke several times with FMT and they sent me parts but unable to complete job because there is no clearance under the joist after you use the other fill tube as a vent. If the extra vent can be added that will solve the problem. Simple test is remove a screw from sending unit and gas will fill properly into tank.

 

[Antidote]

This is a venting issue. Spoke several times with FMT and they sent me parts but unable to complete job because there is no clearance under the joist after you use the other fill tube as a vent. If the extra vent can be added that will solve the problem. Simple test is remove a screw from sending unit and gas will fill properly into tank.

Thanks Lucky John. I suspect there are baffles in the tanks. I should have looked forward in the tank when I scoped it. If the baffles are welded in place along the top of the tank without any venting holes the air will become trapped behind the baffle preventing it from filling to the specified level. In my case, about 19 gallons of air. I am unable to use the second engine fuel line as a vent because I have twin engines and both are in use. I sent the info in my last post to FMT to see what they come up with; however, I'm considering drilling and tapping a hole in the top of the fuel probe flange to place a either a ventable valve (open only when fueling) or a 1/4" AN fitting to run a small vent line to the main vent line by the filler neck. If it doesn't work out, it's a lot easier and less expensive to replace the probe instead of the tank. I'm favoring the valve configuration because I really only need to completely top her off for Gulf Stream trips. I suppose I could just remove one of the screws on those fill ups also.

 

[Lucky John]

I have been dealing with this since delivery. You can trickle in the last 15+ gallons to top off like I do for a canyon run but it really is a sore point