FUELING THE BOAT

[gmberkley]

i just went to fill the tank with fuel for the first time, I had about 1/2 tank, and my boat has the bigger 165 gallon tank, so I planned on putting in about 80 gallons or so, after the gauge hit 3/4 full, it took forever to get it even close to the full mark, I put in a little bit of diesel, it would foam up at me, I'd have to stop, wait for the foam to dissipate, put maybe another gallon or so in, then foam, then wait, this went on for 20 minutes or so, I finally gave up, the gauge showed maybe 7/8 full, and that's generous.

so the question..............is this normal?

thanks

[Norseman]

I have the 134 gallon fuel tank, don’t have that much of a foaming problem but the last 5-10 gallons I fill rather slow due to some light foaming, or just stop the fueling for a minute or so, then start to fill slow again.
Minor problem.

[Pitou]

i just went to fill the tank with fuel for the first time, I had about 1/2 tank, and my boat has the bigger 165 gallon tank, so I planned on putting in about 80 gallons or so, after the gauge hit 3/4 full, it took forever to get it even close to the full mark, I put in a little bit of diesel, it would foam up at me, I'd have to stop, wait for the foam to dissipate, put maybe another gallon or so in, then foam, then wait, this went on for 20 minutes or so, I finally gave up, the gauge showed maybe 7/8 full, and that's generous.

so the question..............is this normal?

thanks

This discussion came up 10 plus years ago about this very issue with the 28TE. I did a quick search, but couldn't find it.

The short is that the common theme was after a half a tank the fill neck would foam up making a complete tank fill difficult and time consuming. I had solved my problem by turning the fuel fill handle upside down. Somehow this worked and others followed with much improved fill results.

[jms02050]

I thought this was due to sagging vent lines holding fuel. As you fill air pushes the fuel stuck in those vents up and out. There have been threads about this. Some have lifted or shortened the vent lines to eliminate sag. Pop the hatch over the tank and chances are you’ll see the lines sagging on top of the tank. They come off the vent fitting, sit lower on the tank than the fitting, and rise up to the vent outlets.

[gmberkley]

thanks all, I'll do both, turn the fuel handle upside down, and also check the vent lines for sagging or maybe some other issue, I'll advise on my findings and results. thanks again.

[Tree]

I actually lift my hose up when filling. I fill directly from a tanker on a truck and not the small nozzles you find on marina pontoons. If I have the hose deep in the filler neck it foams and blows out of the vents. Lift it up so the nozzle is just inside the filler and I get very little foaming if anything. I also run additive in my fuel which is put in first so that may also reduce foaming.

[gmberkley]

I'll try that also...............thank you, funny enough 30 minutes ago I bought 80 oz of additive, I'm down to less than 3/4 of a tank so I think I'll be refueling this weekend to see how it goes after doing everything suggested here. thanks!!

[BRISWISH]

I have a 165 gallon tank as well and am still getting used to the boat. Only had it a few weeks. I've gotten diesel twice. I wait until she gets down to between a 1/4 tank and a 1/2 tank and buy 80 gallons at a time. This way, I know how much diesel additive to put in before I start fueling her up. I've never fully tipper her off.

I fueled up at two separate marinas and they both gave me the option for a regular or slower flow for the fuel up. I chose slower both times out of caution and haven't had a problem.

[gmberkley]

Thanks Brian, , the one time I fueled up, they didn't offer an option of a regular or slow flow, I'll ask next time I go.
I'm told that they only built four flush deck Albin 28's with the larger 165 gallon tanks, and the transom is solid with no door, does yours have the door in the transom, mine doesn't. There's a lot to learn about these boats, this group has been a blessing!!!!!!!

[BRISWISH]

Thanks Brian, , the one time I fueled up, they didn't offer an option of a regular or slow flow, I'll ask next time I go.
I'm told that they only built four flush deck Albin 28's with the larger 165 gallon tanks, and the transom is solid with no door, does yours have the door in the transom, mine doesn't. There's a lot to learn about these boats, this group has been a blessing!!!!!!!

You’re welcome! Mine does have a transom door. I have a few pics and videos in the new member intro forum. Feel free to click on my name to visit my profile and look at my posts. I think there is only about a dozen. I’m a newbie.

I was informed that transom doors were an add on feature for both the engine box and flush decks when ordering. All depends on how the OG owner ordered the boat. But that’s just what I heard, haven’t confirmed it.

[gmberkley]

UPDATE, I checked the fuel tank last night and I assume I found the two vent lines, the one on the port side, furthest away from the actual vent which is on the starboard side, comes off the top of the tank and is curled up in a loop on the bottom of the boat, and then makes its way across the bottom to the starboard side of the boat, and then up to the vent. I'm pretty sure these are the vent lines, a very hard rubber hose, 1" or so in diameter, almost looks like a radiator hose, it seems like a good 4' of the hose could be removed and would still be plenty to go to the vent pipe, I drew up a quick sketch, (phone battery died so I couldn't take a pic, but can if deemed appropriate), not sure if this is part of the problem, but the hose itself is not kinked that I could see anyway, and not sure based on how rigid it is, if you could put a kink in it if you wanted to.

[Ben423]

The vent line needs to run "uphill" all the way from the tank to the vent fitting. If it doesn't, fuel or condensation will sit in any low spots and prevent it from functioning properly. Should be an easy problem to fix. The odd thing is that no one has fixed it before.

[Pitou]

Ditto .. First step, shorten that vent line so that it has no low spots and only runs upward.

[gmberkley]

shortening the vent line will be attempted this weekend, funny enough, I remember the previous owner telling me he never filled the tanks, his excuse was something about buoyancy, and boat stability, which made no sense to me on two fronts, first the boat had to be designed to endure full fuel tanks, and secondly, if you don't fill them, I assume your creating a breading ground for water/condensation and other bad things.............my guess now is, he couldn't fill the tank as I couldn't. There is a wire that is zip tied to the fuel line as it sits on the bottom of the boat, I'll have to figure out what that wire is for, and stabilize it in some other way.

[Albin28McKinney]

little late to the party but I have a 2005 28' flush deck with a transom door and 165 gal tank. Mine will foam if you try to fuel up fast so I just go fairly slow all the way going a little slower as i get close to full. It does fill all the way up every time.