Gallons per hour average?? gas gauge kaput!

[big lake]

I searched old posts on how to check the gauge- it was about a quarter of a tank off- which I didn't realize until I had run out of gas twice last summer (my first summer with my 2001 OUtback)- with that knowledge under my belt, I set out this summer on my local lake with a full tank. The last few trips out I noticed that the gauge is stuck on FULL!

Sorry for all the background, my question is, about how many hours should I get out of a tank? I think its only a 32 gallon tank. We are probably at the worst possible gallons/hour scenario. Most of the time I'm dragging a five-year old and their dad on a tube at 15mph :-)

Thanks for the estimates- Korie

[Razzman]

That is an extremely hard question to answer, in my case i know on an average weekend i get two days out of my LSV then it's gas time. There are too many variances to answer that, boat size, weight, ballast, peeps, speed, lake conditions, engine condition, uses. I don't even attempt to monitor it, in fact i don't even want to know! :D

[Paul]

I have an 09 LSV with the 325 hp engine. I average 4.5 Gallons per hour. I have someone in tow 90% of the time and don't cruise around very much at all.

Hope this helps,

Paul

[jester]

Like Razz said there is way too many things to take into account. If your tubing then you should just burn your money. I think and i mean i think i average about 4 gallions an hour wakeboarding. That is with an 08 OBV and most of the people that know how to get up out of the water. Sorry if this really is not too helpful but I guess this gives you a start.

[graybmg]

Hey Jester,

I have the same boat, 2001 Outback and the gauge reads "F" for at least half a tank then it starts to flitter around but completely unreliable. I bought a GPS system for $150 and it tells me how many miles I go and how fast I'm going. I only just got it but after a couple of fill-ups I'll know just how many miles I can travel. It's looking like at least 60 miles. It's great, plus the speedometer on it is much more accurate too.

By the way, you have a 27 gallon tank. Just curious, what temp do you normally run at?

[mmandley]

Hey Jester,

It's looking like at least 60 miles.
By the way, you have a 27 gallon tank. Just curious, what temp do you normally run at?

To think your truck can do 4x this much on the same fuel.

My rig gets about 10mpg towing the boat around city and highway.
7 in the city and 12 on the highway.

[yearround]

we have an 08 lsv.

you describe the tubing at 15mph as the worst possible, i would disagree with that.

i am no gearhead by any stretch, but i think that it is RPM's. at 15mph, you are turning lower RPM when cruising the lake at 25-30 mph, you are turning 4000+/- prm, going through lots more fuel.

we usually get about 4-5 gph on average for our usage. which includes everything, tubes, ski, wake, surf, kneeboard, cruise,

i think someone was looking into the fuel use gauge and weather or not the engine was a closed system to measure the fuel that does not get used, or what ever that meant. sound pretty good to me.

wednesday morning we used 15gal riding from 5:30a to 9:30a, but i did not watch the hour meter to konw the engine hours, we had to keep the engine running most of the time 'cuz we needed the heater for the first couple hours.

[NCSUmoomba]

I have a 2001 Outback as well, and I think it is a 28 gallon tank. Loaded up with people and ballast we burn about 4-5 gph which obviously equates to 5-6 hours before we are dry. I try not to rely on the fuel gauge. I just try to keep an eye on the clock and hour meter.

[Fman]

Does the Moomba have a 40 gallon tank? My '08 22V Supra has a 40 gallon tank, and personally I wish they would have put a 55 gallon tank in. I can easily burn through 35 gallons in a day on the water, not a lot of wiggle room left to get back to the marina.

[Fman]

I have a 2001 Outback as well, and I think it is a 28 gallon tank. Loaded up with people and ballast we burn about 4-5 gph which obviously equates to 5-6 hours before we are dry. I try not to rely on the fuel gauge. I just try to keep an eye on the clock and hour meter.

You can also lift your rear seat up and get into the vdrive compartment and look at the gas tank to see how much is left in the tank. At least in the 08's it is visible from this view.

[yearround]

Does the Moomba have a 40 gallon tank? My '08 22V Supra has a 40 gallon tank, and personally I wish they would have put a 55 gallon tank in. I can easily burn through 35 gallons in a day on the water, not a lot of wiggle room left to get back to the marina.

not sure on the outback, the OP stated 32gal, my LSV has a 40 gal.

i agree, a larger tank would be very good. we have been out with 15 gal on the the swim deck just to make it through the day at lake powell.

[mmandley]

I dont know about all the OBV but i know the 08 OBV and all the 08 LSVs come with a 40 gal tank. I think you only get the 50 if you upgrade to the 340CAT engine.

[jester]

The 08 OBV has a 40 gal tank.