Generator on 390 EC: minimum fuel required in tank

[WaltL]

I know I've seen this somewhere on-line, but I can't find it now on any forum...

Can some one tell me at what level the generator fuel pickup is on an '85 vintage 390 EC? I have an 8.5 Westerbeke that feeds from the stbd. tank. It wouldn't start two weeks ago and the gauge read barely under 1/2 tank. I added 10 gal last weekend and it started.

I thought the pick up was at 1/4 tank. Hopefully I'm wrong, or I have something else going on like an inaccurate fuel gauge.
Thanks,
Walt

 

[PlayDate]

Generally the generator fuel pickup is set at 1/4 tank. What may be going on is the pickup itself may have corroded above the pickup point. That would explain why adding some fuel solves the problem.

Alternatively the gauge and sender are off. Swapping the dash wires can test the gauges.

Anything more than that means getting access to the top of the fuel tank(s).

 

[WaltL]

Thanks for the reply. Checking the gauge will be easy. What about the pick up line (I know its pretty tight above the tank). Is it a flexible line? Can it be removed and replaced?

 

[PlayDate]

Thanks for the reply. Checking the gauge will be easy. What about the pick up line (I know its pretty tight above the tank). Is it a flexible line? Can it be removed and replaced?

You have to cut an access port in the deck to get to it. I wish there was another way. An access port is not a bad thing and as things get older it will give you access to the sender and main fuel pickup. If you have corrosion on the Generator pick up you probably have it as well on the main fuel pickup. Additionally it gives you a way to actually measure the fuel level so that you know the gauge and sender are working properly.

Alternatively, you can live with it by keeping your fuel tanks topped up. Corrosion sets on the portion of the pickup that is out of the fuel supply. Eventually though......if it is the pickup.....you will have to address it since it won't heal itself.

Those tanks and lines have 36 years on them.

 

[WaltL]

Ugh...
I sure hope it's the fuel gauge, but given the way this old girl's treated me thus far, I kind of doubt it.

 

[PlayDate]

The other workaround is to reroute the generator line so it feeds off the starboard main fuel pickup. It is not a perfect solution but it doesn’t require cutting a hole in your deck.

You should have an extra port on the water separator you can use.

 

[WaltL]

Ahhh, thanks, great idea! I'm on an inland lake so no real worries about potentially running out of fuel, and I can always limp home on the port engine if that we're to happen. Of course, no overnight trips anyway until I get a replacement water tank installed. It never ends...

 

[PlayDate]

On the water tank....you have a few choices. My 370 came with a 75 gallon tank (622 lbs filled) which frankly is ridiculous when you add another 10 gallons for the water heater. I cut it out with a recip saw which was more work than I had planned. in its place went a 35 gallon tank (290 lbs filled).

The sender worked because the tank was the same height ....the other measurements were slightly less important and it went in without any drama using the same straps.

Just another trick to making it last longer.

On the gas issue....your boat should have valves that select what tank you use. You can figure that your gen will burn a gallon an hour when it is in use. If you run out of gas on Starboard.....you should be able to select the port tank for the starboard engine and cruise back home if you have enough fuel in the port tank to run both engines.