A few question on my first boat:)

[brian m]

Hey guys great web site just registered and have a question for you all. I purchased a 89.364 Ranger with a yamaha 150 off the classifieds and this is my first real bass boat. There appears to be 2 gas tanks is there a switch somewhere for these? How do I know how much gas is in each of them? Also I was at Pine Flat yesterday and this was my second trip on the Boat,well it started fine and suddenly shut off appears to have run out of gas but my guage says full. The primer ball also wouldnt get hard do you guys think that it might have been out of gas? Motor turned over fine just never seemed like gas was getting to it. Day before put gas in it but gas was coming out of the little vents by the gas cap so i thought it was full. Please guys help!!!

[Dewayne]

You should have two gas tanks, Sounds like one is empty. I am not familiar with this particular model of Ranger, but they all tend to have the same parts/setup. There should be a valve that is labeled "Port - off - Starboard" turn the valve to the other tank and see if that helps the ball fill. The valve can be located near the throttle area or below the seat. They are usually fairly easy to see. The gas gauge switches between the two tanks with a switch on the dash.

Hope this helps.

PS - Welcome to the Ranger family.

[rickd]

Brian,

There is a brass looking lever that you switch over from port to starboard in the back of the boat. If your in the drivers seat look back toward the motor then right of that on the back of the boat you’ll see the lever. There is a switch for each gas tank on the dash; the switch is on the other tank that is full.

How did you get back?

You’ll learn more and more about your new toy, most being how to dig money out of your wallet.

[The Lone Angler]

Brian,

I've got a 1990 363. Dewayne is exactly right. Your guage should be digital on the dash. Your tank fuel gauge selector switch should be on the dash. It makes sense to me that you have your Manual tank selector located not under the seat, but below the seat area. This may be difficult to see, so stand on your front deck and look back between your driver/passenger seat. Probably your boat has painted fiberglass below these seats. The manual tank selector(that is what I call it) is on that painted fiberglass. It may be plastic looking and round.

You probably show the full tank that the manual selector is not turned to. That is why your bulb is not getting hard as you have the empty tank selected.

Move that selector under the seats to the other tank and make sure that the fuel gauge selector on the dash is set to that tank.

BTW, if you don't run over 20 miles, you may do like I do and only use one tank. 18 gallons of gas is much less weight than 36 gallons. I have not used the driver's side tank since 1995.

hope this helps,

Phil

[B Becker]

I don't know how older models are, but with my dual tanks, I have a switch under that back hatch by the motor....it says "port", "both", and "starb.".....I always run my switch on "both"....I want my gas to drain evenly out of both tanks.....if the ball doesn't fill up and get hard, replace the ball....it is very easy, inexpensive, and I have seen them go bad....it is the first check I do when I'm not getting fuel......with the age of the boat, it sounds like you may have to prime the ball everytime you go out.....my first boat with a carburated motor seemed to always loose suction after it sat for a few days......

and last thing...don't ever trust your gas gauge on a bass boat....they are never right!!!.....kind of a trial and error deal.....good luck.....I'm also assuming you can't see your tanks.....when I fuel up, I lift the back hatch and watch it go in....when it gets close to the top I shut it down so I don't get overflow.....I know that some tanks are hidden.....I hope this helps....good luck

[Ken C.]

On my sons '85 Ranger tank selector switch valve is located at the back of the boat on the port side of the splash well. If you only put gas into one tank then it could be that you simply ran out, especially if you can't pump up the bulb. (Just in case, PORT = left side as you are seated in the boat, STARBOARD = right side as you are seated and looking forward.) Like Dewayne suggested find the valve and switch it to see if you can pump up the primer bulb.

You may have bad sending units in the gas tanks so what you may want to do is to try shaking the boat while watching the sides of the tanks to see if you can see the gas level. If that doesn't work you might want to remove the sending units from the top of the tank to see how much is actually in there.

Also, don't try to start it out of the water unless you have the "ear-muffs" connected to a hose. Otherwise you will ruin your water pump impeller and possibly overheat the engine!

[brian m]

I saw that lever there but had no clue what it was. Hmm that would explain why the ball was not getting gas. Very frustrating lots of the words are hard to read on the dash because they are faded. Got to pine flat at 6 and was ready to fire that big swim bait up river but had to fish around the marina. Caught a few keepers but no takers on the swim bait. Going to eastman tomorrow maybe with the warm weather coming some might move up shallow. Oh yah putting that boat on the trailer with the trolling motor was nightmare!! Also on the throttle there is a fast idle levr what is that used for? thanks Brian

[Ken C.]

The fast idle lever is just that. You lift it up to increase the idle speed. It helps the older carb'd motors warm up in the morning. (If your boat has the "hotfoot" throttle that lever won't do anything.)

[sTony]

Another thing to check out is that some of the older models with two gas tanks also had places on both sides of the boat to fill each tank. If the tanks aren't connected you definitely have two fill spots.

sTony

[brian m]

there are definately 2 fill spots on the boat. I thought they would just empty into on another but apparently not. So i should prime the ball before entering the lake?

[Ken C.]

Yes.

[brian m]

Thanks a lot

[Mitch]

Brian, I'm on my 4th Ranger. 1st was a 87. If you're still lost and confused, contact me. I live in Clovis near Herndon/Armstrong. If you bring the boat by, I can guide you thru what you need to know. Mitch (559) 307-1503

[brian m]

Wow Mitch that is right down the street from me! Im at tollhouse and fowler in the gated community Im a little cofused on the dash cause a lot of the words are faded. also the gas tanks, hopefully one of the tanks was empty thats why she wouldnt go yesterday. I had a tracker allum. before and this seems alot more complicated. Gonna go to eastman tomorrow wanna go? Brian

[troutnut]

one of the switches on your dash near your right knee switches the gas gauges from right to left tank. So you could think you have a full tank, but only reading the gauge from the "wrong" tank. It is right next to the bilge switch.

Bassboatcentral.com has a speadsheet that says you have 2-18 gallon tanks=36 gallons.

I fill my driver side tank 3/4 full (~15 gallons) and fill the passenger side all the time, and always empty the drivers side first( lever pointed to back of boat). It trims better and then I always have enough fuel to get home with the extra in reserve. When that first tank runs out, I switch over and know I must start heading home. I you get an inline clear see thru fuel filter to put between the squeeze bulb and the motor, you will know if fuel is getting thru. I replace my squeeze bulb every year. Cheap insurance.

[Slippy]

i always keep mnie on both, i dont like to have to switch it plus i dont like the feeling of one side of the boat full of gas.

[whazup]

Is it possible you hit the kill switch?

[brian m]

not the kill switch just flipped the lever by the splashwell and now the ball is full. hopefully everything goes well at Eastman tomorrow! Thanks too everyone