# Fuel tank in front of boat



## Seth (Jan 9, 2009)

Do I need to do anything special so that the motor can still get fuel if I have about 15' of hose between the fuel tank and the motor? I just planned on adding some hose from the primer ball to the front where I want the tank to be.


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## Jim (Jan 9, 2009)

Why the tank up front? Not sure if that is too long for a gas line?


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## ben2go (Jan 9, 2009)

I dunno if it'll work.Most carb'd outboard fuel pumps are weak.Make sure the fuel primer bulb is running up and down.A vacuum type fuel pump from a 2 stroke racing go cart may help bring the fuel up to the engine.I've used these on lawn tractors and other crazy projects.Just curious as to why you want the tank up front.


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## Quackrstackr (Jan 9, 2009)

It should work fine. The preferred way to run a surface drive or mud motor powered boat is with the tank in the front as it is a weight distribution issue. They commonly run 17'+ boats that have standard carb setups and I have never heard any of those guys say anything about any special rigging so you should be good to go. Worst case should be having to go up in size on your fuel line.

I can give you a link to a forum where guys with rigs like that frequent if you want. I don't want to spam up Jim's site.


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## bassboy1 (Jan 9, 2009)

I have seen it done before. Guy had a 90 horse tiller on a 15 foot aluminum vee, so he was trying to put as much weight up in the bow as possible. Most center console boats in the 21 foot or less range have under console tanks, which are a longer run than the standard 6 foot hose, without a problem. Don't know what the carbs are like on the mud motors and all, but they can't be too far from standard outboard carbs. I would think it would work just fine.


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## Seth (Jan 9, 2009)

I've got 12 gallons of fuel and three batteries in the boat. With a jet drive, I don't want too much weight in the back or else I'll have trouble getting up on plain quick enough in shallow water. If it was a regular prop outboard, then I wouldn't worry about it.

I've read about a lot of people having fuel tanks in the front of the boat and that's why I figured I would do it on my rig to help distribute the weight. If it keeps the front end of the boat from jumping up, then it should lift the back of the boat up and plain out faster.

I've heard of guys using two priming balls. What does that do? I believe they put one up closer to the fuel and then one back near the motor.


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## Quackrstackr (Jan 9, 2009)

2 bulbs would just make it harder to get fuel to the carbs rather than improve the situation, I would think.

A primer bulb's job is to fill the bowl and keep positive pressure on the fuel pump. After that, the fuel pump has to pull the fuel through the check valve in the bulb. Having two of them would just work the pump harder to pull fuel through 2 valves and one bulb should be more than sufficient to hold prime on the carb(s).


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## Jim (Jan 9, 2009)

Quackrstackr said:


> I can give you a link to a forum where guys with rigs like that frequent if you want. I don't want to spam up Jim's site.



Please do if it will help!


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## Quackrstackr (Jan 9, 2009)

Permission from the man. :wink: 

You can search around on here to see if you can find anything that might help you out. Otherwise, feel free to sign up and ask them some questions. There are some very knowledgeable boat guys on there. I'm certain that those guys can answer any question you may have about moving your tank to the bow. 

https://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/forumdisplay.php?f=10

https://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/forumdisplay.php?f=99


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## Codeman (Jan 21, 2009)

We have a boat sitting here at the office that belongs to the Water Patrol and it has a large (20 gallon?) tank up near the front. It runs a 45 Merc Jet and it doesn't have an external pump that I see.


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