Yes... Dropbox messed around with their protocols and I guess the link got muddled. I've fixed it in my original post...
A few years late to the party here, but... In my "new" 1998 Mackinaw my fuel gauges are no good so I am trying to determine my dip stick method. Upon trying to fill up my port tank, I immediately got fuel to come out of the vent. Put a dipstick in and it shows 6" of fuel. So I go to fill up the starboard tank and after about 12 gallons fuel starts coming out of the vent, again with a fuel level at 6"... so I am wondering if in a 1998, the tank may be built slightly different? Rather than 8" at the shallow end were these built to 6"? Maybe I need to pull the floor panels for some deeper investigation. I'm scared of what I will find... Thanks in advance!
I moved away from fuel gauges not always reliable and another place for a leak in the tank. I went with a fuel flow meter and have run hundreds of gallons of fuel through it with accurate results. On an average offshore trip we will burn 70 gallons of fuel. The meter wil be + or - a half gallon. Unfortunately the meter I have is no longer available but I’m sure with some searching you should be able to come up reliable one.
My stick for my '92 is a 3/8" dowel with a sharpie mark every 2" on each end. 8" is full. Flip over for the other tank. Obviously doesn't measure the nitty gritty if the tank got quite low, but I don't put myself in that position. 1/3 out, 1/3 back. 1/3 in reserve (for going offshore). When refueling I can estimate within a few gallons. Listen for the last 5 or so. I do have a catch can with suction cups and a fuel diaper at the ready.
I always estimated each mark on my stick was ~6 gallons. Good to know it is less. I do have a fuel flow meter, but have not got it figured out yet.
