I have a Lund SSV 18 with a 60hp merc tiller that I am wanting to put a permanent fuel tank in it. Right now I just have the standard 6 gallon cruise a day. It sits under the rear left seat and is a huge pain to remove and fill up. I have been contemplating fabing up a custom aluminum tank to permanently mount in the same location with a remote fill and sending unit and fuel gauge. The max capacity I would be able to fit in the same location would be 8 gallons give or take. Searching the net I found the Moeller 13 gallon plastic tank (32l x 10w x 10h) with the sending unit already installed, that would fit nicely in the rear portion of the factory casting deck, basically the front bench seat of the SSV 18's that dont have the casting deck. I have the factory removeable flooring in the boat so I could run the fuel line and sending unit wires under it with ease. Buy the time I buy everything to build a custom aluminum tank it will almost be the same as the Moeller tank, so thats a no brainer. The cruise a day I have now has around a 6' fuel line on it but if I used the moeller tank and installed it in the front bench seat, the line would be closer to 10-12'. Just curious if this extra length would cause an issue with the motor?
I would mount the Moeler tank as low as I could in the bench seat to keep the center of gravity as low as possible but another issue I am conserned with is, the tank will be installed with the 32" going across the width of the boat. I don't believe the tank has a baffle and I wonder if the 13 gallon capacity is large enough to cause stability issues with the fuel sloshing around and shifting weight while turning, not to mention issues with fuel pick up when the tank gets low. But I guess with the 13 gallons it is over double what I am using now so even if I start to have pick up problems at 1/4 tank Im still further ahaead mof what I have now.
As far as the issue of the removal of the floataion foam in the front seat area where the tank would go, I could gain that back by adding foam beneath the flooring.
Let me know what you think I am interested in some comments.
I would mount the Moeler tank as low as I could in the bench seat to keep the center of gravity as low as possible but another issue I am conserned with is, the tank will be installed with the 32" going across the width of the boat. I don't believe the tank has a baffle and I wonder if the 13 gallon capacity is large enough to cause stability issues with the fuel sloshing around and shifting weight while turning, not to mention issues with fuel pick up when the tank gets low. But I guess with the 13 gallons it is over double what I am using now so even if I start to have pick up problems at 1/4 tank Im still further ahaead mof what I have now.
As far as the issue of the removal of the floataion foam in the front seat area where the tank would go, I could gain that back by adding foam beneath the flooring.
Let me know what you think I am interested in some comments.
