Revenge 25 142-Gallon Fuel Tank Pickup

[Tates2]

Q1: Has anyone replaced the fuel pickup on [the internal 142-gallon Florida Marine Tank fuel tank on] a classic Boston Whaler boat?

Any tips [from your experience at replacement of the fuel tank pickup on a 142-gallon Florida Marine Tank] would be helpful and greatly appreciated

BACKSTORY: My 30-year-old Revenge 25 may need a fuel pickup . Florida Marine Tanks says they can send me one. [The fuel pickup has] a 6-inch tank plate and gasket, and is secured with eight stainless screws.

I expect that removing the existing [fuel tank pickup] will be a challenge. Several of the screws are stripped. I may have to drill out the fasteners.

I hope the new plate screw holes line up. If not, I may have to drill the tank or have it welded.

The fuel tank will be empty or close to it, so I may as well clean it out. The punch list gets longer.

The gasoline is currently clean with no debris in filters.

I just cannot get full-throttle fuel flow. Last week I was able [to get full-throttle fuel flow when using] two auxiliary deck tanks.

[floater]

On my 1988 Revenge 20 W-T, the fuel pick up was only a plate with two tubes running down close to the bottom of the tank with two mesh screens on the ends. Not much else to it.

If you are starving for fuel at full throttle I'd say look elsewhere.

Q2: Do you have a fuel water separator that may be too small?

I use the small filter on my Mercury 200-HP engine. I have no problem with fuel flow with full throttle.

[Phil T]

I presume you have already inspected the entire fuel supply system from the draw tube to the engine fuel filter, replacing all hoses, clamps, primer bulbs, water separator filter and verified the engine (2-stroke or EFI) is able to reach WOT throttle?

Q3: Did you test the engine on a separate fuel tank to validate your diagnosis?

I would go with the FMT replacement since they were the OEM supplier of the existing tank. The holes will most likely line up.

[Jefecinco]

Insects often restrict air flow through fuel tank vent tubes. A blocked or restricted vent will cause engine fuel starvation. It is probably the most common cause.

Q4: Have you tested the fuel tank vent?

[Tates2]

A3: I have run the engine on auxiliary tanks and can get full throttle no problem.

A2 and A4: I have changed the fuel-water separator filters, the fuel lines, and (today) the vent line. I checked the vent fitting with compressed air. I don't see a problem with any of those.

I probably should run the engine again before I order the pickup, but it won't hurt to replace it. I have heard about pinholes in the pick up tube and clogged screens, which starve the engines. I did blow compressed air through the pickup plate connections.

I appreciate the discussion. Experience is the teacher. I will update the post until the problem has been resolved--without auxiliary tanks on my deck.

Thanks to all

[Tates2]

I finally got a new fuel tank pickup installed after a long delay. The time was consumed in two ways:

• the Philips head screws on pickup plate took a couple of weeks to remove, and four of the eight screws were stripped, I can't imagine it was installed new that way. I had to use penetrating oil and a file, no power tools allowed per FMT, and better safe than sorry. The bottom of the old pickup tubes had a plastic assembly for a screen which was gone, the new tubes were cut at a 45-degree angle at the bottom 1/2-inch, without a screen.
  
• another hiccup: the plate assembly sent was the wrong one and the screws holes didn't match up. That set me back a week.

Also had some fires burning in the area, so not a good time to open a fuel tank.

Finally got it installed November 15, 2019. I will be glad to send pictures and or additional information if you email me requesting them @ pfsea@aol.com.

I hope this repair will resolve my fuel flow problems. I will find out this week.

I got some good advise from all responders

Thanks to all

[jimh]

Thank you for following up in your thread with a report on the outcome of the repair.

Re the screw fasteners for the fuel tank plate for the fuel pick-up tubes having stripped threads:

I believe this is the second recent mention that there were stripped threads on these screw fasteners on the fuel tank. I believe the situation is a stainless steel machine screw is threaded into an aluminum plate with tapped hole. Perhaps there was some reaction between the dissimilar metals. For threading stainless steel machine screws into threaded holes in aluminum, perhaps an anti-seize compound should be used during assembly.

[NLA01]

ON my old tank which was the Florida Marine tank the pick up is aluminum screwed into an aluminum plate on the tank with a brass tube. It just unscrews, put a wrench on and unscrew.

https://www.amazon.com/Moeller-033500-24-Aluminum-Fuel-Pick-Up/dp/B000MTB83W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3U7DOVKYN87IC&dchild=1&keywords=moeller+fuel+tank+pickup&qid=1575434952&sprefix=moeller+fuel+%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-1

This fit the pick up base, trim the length to fit your tank. You will need to order the aluminum barb too.

https://www.amazon.com/Moeller-Marine-Aluminum-Fuel-Line/dp/B000MTB7TM/ref=sr_1_12?crid=19EB1G69VCBEX&dchild=1&keywords=moeller+fuel+tank+parts&qid=1575435074&sprefix=moeller+fuel+tank+%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-12

Archie