Fuel supply – kicker motor

I have a lund… and am hoping to get a kicker this coming weekend.

Reading on line, there is some conversation about adding a simple T right into the main fuel line. Some (including a Lund rigging guy) say it is really a bad idea as you can suck air back to the main motor, and potentially cause real damage.

On mine… there is a place for mounting an extra line off the side. Behind the plate the main and reserve lines come into a valve, then the 90 degree valve marked “A” has about a 12″ line to the main fuel pickup on the left or bottom. Is it best adding a “T” there, and a second 12″ of line to a new valve that would go on the kicker pickup and tapped into area”B”? If “A” became a T valve, why is this different than a simple T valve in the line out in the splash well without messing with all this.

Is it best to go into the floor and and try to run a new fuel line up? I’m thinking that would suck… but I want to do it right if and when this all works. Last thing I want to do is put any chance out there to damage my motor.

From what I have read, a factory set up runs a line from the fuel tank directly to the kicker pickup. It says there is access to the fuel tank from under the floor… I have yet to go digging that far. That you tap into a now plugged spot with a screw in valve????, as mine was not rigged for a kicker directly from Lund. Guess dealers after the fact use the T thing most commonly, but I’m worried about the above mentioned issues.

My Ranger had a seprate place to hook up to for it’s own fuel line. Not sure on a Lund probably depends on the model. I would go with a separate line. Good luck.

Cycle Guy – of those two lines, “Main” & “Reserve”, the one I would not mess with is the “Reserve”. It makes more sense to run your kicker off the “Main” line if your really going to go that way.

From what I’ve heard from mechanics over the years, the reserve line simply goes deeper into the gas tank than the main line. On my lund, I run on reserve 100% of the time because the last thing I want to do, is run my Etec dry. A very bad thing to do on Evinrudes.

I’ve never actually looked to see where the gas line for my kicker motor hooks up with the gas tank. Not going to have time to do that tonight either but when I get a chance, I’ll take a look.

Thanks Joel… after I posted, I was actually thinking how much easier it would be to “just” run one of those two lines direct and simply eliminate all the hassles and questions together. I’m a short trip sort of guy, and try to keep no less than a third of a tank in the boat at all times, so one of those two lines may be the answer.

I’ve never switched it to reserve, assuming the switch is actually on main now…

When I had a kicker the dealer used one line from tank to a valve with 2 outputs he refused to use a t. He said I was on my own if I wanted that as I could suck air and ruin the big motor. He also said using a fuel filter with 2 out put can work but he trusted a valve. It allowed one line at a time with no chance of sucking air.

Mwal

below is a pic from a Lund I used to own, as you can see, the tank has (3) pick-up points. Like Joel mentioned, at least 1 of them goes deeper into the tank, which would be your “reserve” line. You could lose the main/reserve valve, and using the existing lines, leave 1 for the main OB, the other for the kicker. Or, leave the current plumbing alone, and run a new line just for the kicker.

It’s usually easy enough to pull up the floor panel, and see what you have to work with.

HRG

ps: not to confuse, but mine did not have the main/reserve valve, hence only 1 line running to the tank. the line running diagonally is a vent line.

If there is a primer bulb with a check valve installed in line to your main motor, how does air get drawn in through the motor? The check ball prevents the back flow. On my own boat, I installed a “T” and have never had to re- prime the motor to start it up. Even after trolling all day.

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If there is a primer bulb with a check valve installed in line to your main motor, how does air get drawn in through the motor? The check ball prevents the back flow. On my own boat, I installed a “T” and have never had to re- prime the motor to start it up. Even after trolling all day.

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Guys, thanks for all the insight! On the question above… the reading and searching that I found “that said” the T and bulb check was something to avoid seemed to all point to a possible failure of the check valve inside the bulb? Guess it is common enough, but only shows as a real problem in the case where a big motor can suck air back through one that has failed. This said, seems like a lot of dealers do it this way. My point is if there is even a chance, I’m avoiding it. Some of the reading had guys point out they used a shutoff valve when using a T to assure a check valve failure couldn’t create a problem?

Think I will look under the floor… but most likely just use one of the two lines coming up as a designated line. Thanks again all!

mine came from the draler with a simple T on the main fuel line. i never had any problems with it. i took the boat into another dealer for a recall fix on the boat and the machinic told me that the way it is set up with the T on the main fuel line can cause problems with the optimax computer. he told me about the other fuel pickup on the tank and what parts i needed. fuel line to reach from the tank to the plate with the main/reserve switch, pass through connection for the plate, you have to drill hole through the plate, and a connection that goes on the the tank fitting, i think it is a anti back flow valve and a fuel line with bulb to go from the fitting on the plate to the kicker. on my prov, there is two fuel pickups on the tank as in the picture. i would think yours is the same way as it has the M for main motor and K for the kicker. running the fuel line from the tank to the main/reserve switch was easy, there are tubes, just follow the main fuel line. stop in at a lund dealer and i would think that they would walk you through the process. if i remember right, it was less than $50 for all the parts

On my 2012 F150, I asked the dealer to put in a T for my T8 I planned on putting on the back.
he just put it in, and have never had any problems with anything.
Jack

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On my 2012 F150, I asked the dealer to put in a T for my T8 I planned on putting on the back.
he just put it in, and have never had any problems with anything.
Jack

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You troll with a F150? How do you keep the water from coming through the doors?