kicker motor fuel line

I am thinking of getting a kicker motor for the boat. I was wondering how to run a fuel line to the kicker motor from my inboard fuel tank? Thanks Jeff

An easy way to do this is to cut the fuel line running to your main motor, add a brass T, and then run lines from the T to your two motors. Have a primer bulb for each motor between the motor and the T.

This is what I did when I added a T8 to my crestliner a couple of years ago. Works just fine!

Thanks for the help Jason greatly appreciated!

I would recommend using a t with a valve. If you use just the check valves on the primer bulb and one malfunctions and you suck air into the line you can blow your motor. I wouldn’t trust a check valve in a bulb unless you replace the primer bulbs frequently.

Mwal

For what it’s worth,… I would also use “metal” parts rather than a plastic “T”. Been-there/done-that. It seems to be an issue of “when” you have a problem, not “if” on the plastics. ….And I know I’m not the only one having some kind of history with this issue!
Also,…. use a good quality hose. The cheap no-name brands always have problems with the check valve going bad in the hose ball. Again,… Hard learning on my part – twice!!!
Splitshot

My fuel-water seperator has two outlets, so one to kicker and one to main motor. If you don’t have one, might be a good addition anyways. My local boat guy did it for me, was not a major undertaking by any means, not all gas is “pure” gas.
yes, Jason–‘gas’ is really a liquid (sheesh, chemistry guys).

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My fuel-water seperator has two outlets, so one to kicker and one to main motor. If you don’t have one, might be a good addition anyways. My local boat guy did it for me, was not a major undertaking by any means, not all gas is “pure” gas.
yes, Jason–‘gas’ is really a liquid (sheesh, chemistry guys).

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My fuel-water seperator has two outlets, so one to kicker and one to main motor.

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My fuel line Tee’s after the fuel/water separator.

Is this incorrect?? Dealer installed…plastic Tee!

Well it depends, I’m not sure it’s incorrect, but it’s probably not the best way, I can’t say for sure since I haven’t done it yet, but in theory, everything you have spliced into the gas line causes restriction, that plastic t causes some restriction, pulling it right off the gas filter I would think you’d get the least restriction, I guess I’m always leary about gas restrictions running a bigger 2 stroke motor.

All assuming you filter has two outlets too, most of them do that I’ve seen.

And I think plastic is ok, but it tends to get brittle and weaken over time, unlike metal, which I’m sure will even outlive your fuel lines.

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My fuel-water seperator has two outlets, so one to kicker and one to main motor.

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My fuel line Tee’s after the fuel/water separator.

Is this incorrect?? Dealer installed…plastic Tee!

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Personally I wouldn’t worry about the plastic tee all that much. All my boats have been done with a plastic tee downstream of the main checkball coming from the fuel tank. I can’t recall ever having any issues with that setup on over a half dozen boats.

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I would recommend using a t with a valve. If you use just the check valves on the primer bulb and one malfunctions and you suck air into the line you can blow your motor.

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Never heard that one before.

One of my old boats from a few years back had a valve. Nothing worse that forgetting to switch the valve after trolling. Start the motor, put the throttle down and bluuuhhhhhh!!!! Can’t tell you how many time that happened. Kinda dangerous too if you have something like a barge coming at you!!!

I switched to a “T” fitting, no problems.

-J.

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My fuel-water seperator has two outlets, so one to kicker and one to main motor.

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I’m seeing most boats are rigged that way from the factory now. It’s really a good way to go and a cheap upgrade if needed.

-J.

I have a 1996 Mercury 135 with carb’s . does anyone know if that motor has a fuel-water seperator with the two outlets ?

Probably not, though some companies are installing them from the factory, generally speaking they are an aftermarket add-on , you should be able to find one at any marine dealer, they range from $20-$100. I have a raccor brand on my boat, it’s the spendier model, but I liked that mine has a clear bowl so I could see if I was getting some water, unlike a cheaper model.

If you traced your fuel line from the tank to the motor, you’d see it.

I agree with Nick, probably not. Here’s what to look for. This is a pick of the “Under the hood” filter. This is on a Merc 150 Opti. I’m also showing the bilge mounted filter with the 2 outlets. I only use one line, no kicker. But it’s ready to add a line if needed.

-J.

Would I have two outlets on a 2003 135 optimax?

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Would I have two outlets on a 2003 135 optimax?

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The outlets are on the fuel/water separator. Do you have
a separator already installed?
See Jon’s last pic.
Jon actually has two separators.

Hope that helped.

I have one that is mounted on the motor(like the first pic.)

I doubt that one has a second outlet and even if it did it

would be pretty hard to run a fuel line from it to a kicker

motor.

You could install a Tee and then add an aftermarket separator and then run the outlet to the kicker since

your main already has a separator installed.

Or you could double it up like Jon J. has and maybe not

have to replace the separator inside the main as often

as you would without the secondary filter.

Do you replace both of yours annually Jon?

On the first pic I was showing fireline what to look for on his motor. There is no tee off the motor mounted filter.

On the second pic, I was showing what an filter with 2 outlet looks like. This would be similar to an after market add on. This is what I would add if I was going to split a line off the gas tank to the kicker. Many new boats come with this type of filter standard.

I change them every other season and pull/drain them before storage.

-J.

Here’s mine, not the best pic, you can see two inlets on the left and two outlets on the right.

Filter is yearly, unless you put on mucho hours, I think a 100 hours or so is about the idea of whne to change them.

Note: that is the non see through bowl filter, I swapped the filter for the raccor model, didn’t have to change the inlet/outlet piece.

If you look at the bottom of the enigne mounted filter in Jon Jordans pic there is a moisture senser that sends an alarm if there becomes too much water in the filter. All Optis come standard this way.

Like others have mentioned before, the easiest, quickest, and least expensive is to just add a T and another fuel line with a primer bulb. A slightly better way and a little nicer looking way would be to add the seperator and run the second line off of that. It is also a little added insurence for fuel pressure issues and if a line ever cracks or breaks after the seperator you still have the other motor to use.

Just my .02