PSA: 3 gallon outboard tank (Scepter)

[Shawn67]

Heads up for anyone with the Scepter 3 gallon outboard tank. This was the OEM included tank for my Suzuki 9.9B and, I think, also my old Tohatsu Sailpro. I also bought another Scepter tank from West Marine a couple of years ago.

This weekend the fuel pickup inside the tank fell off the combination quick connector/fuel gauge plate on the tank. Engine died while I was leaving the harbor and approaching the jetty with wind on the bow.

The pickup is just a hard plastic tube with a strainer at the end and there is nothing more than a friction fit (and height in the tnak) holding it onto the plate. I suspect the strainer fell off when the tank ballooned out due to not having a traditional vent on it.

If you take the top plate off (4 T27 screws) you can reattach the pickup along with a small SS hose clamp on it to keep it there. Just watch the positioning of the clamp so that it doesn't interfere with the fuel gauge. You also have to leave a bit of space between the bottom of the plate and the clamp for clearance during reassembly.

After this occurred I took my second tank apart and it too was just a friction fit. Added a SS hose clamp there too.

Might be worth checking your tank to avoid this issue at the wrong time.

Shawn

P.S. This is the tank... https://www.wholesalemarine.com/scep...SABEgJvX_D_BwE

[wsmurdoch]

After a similar failure in the Bahamas this year and a long paddle back to the mother ship, an email (actually a series of emails) to Septor got me a replacement of the entire dip tube and gauge assembly in the mail for free. They seem to be aware of the problem.

Bill

[Shawn67]

Thanks, I sent them an email about it too.

Shawn

[wsmurdoch]

The clear plastic (vinyl ?) tube was noticeably loose on the un-barbed barb on the bottom of the black plastic bit with the gauge. It looked to me like it had swollen.

This is the last email I received after telling Scepter that I had used US gasoline with 10% ethanol, straight gasoline from Cuba bought in the Bahamas, and Sta-bil fuel stabilizer.

*************

Hi Bill

I spoke with our people and we suspect it may be the stabilizer that has caused the tube to swell. Typically we do not recommend stabilizers.

Have a good day

****************

Bill