Boating How-To’s - anybody done this?

anyone ever install a fuel flow meter system on their fuel injected 5.7L engine? Mine is a 1998 Volvo Penta TBI with a low pressure pump and a high pressure pump.
according to the floscan instructions:

Newer model engines with two fuel pumps (low and high pressure) may cause the FloScan instrument's GPH or LPH readings to fluctuate between 0 GPH/LPH and approximately 25-50 GPH or 95-190 LPH depending on the lift pump and engine size. This is due to the engine's lift, or low pressure pump, cycling on and off while filling the vapor separation module. Though the GPH/LPH readings may not be usable under this condition, the FloScan instrument will accurately record total fuel consumption as displayed in the totalizer window.

if so do you have pics of the sending unit placement?

also does it work like you thought it would?

thank you for your help.
Tony F.

If the engine is a Merc, depending on age, it may be Smartcraft equipped. Fuel burn rate is part of the data suite. I have it on my System View display. It would also be on the vessel view as well. Not sure about the SC1000 tach. It may be as simple as installing a data display.

If the engine is a Merc, depending on age, it may be Smartcraft equipped. Fuel burn rate is part of the data suite. I have it on my System View display. It would also be on the vessel view as well. Not sure about the SC1000 tach. It may be as simple as installing a data display.

thank you SR for your reply,
I went ahead and added the engine information so its clear what I'm working with.

I think the cycling is the nature of the beast. Like with carbed engines, the flow meter will record when the float bowl is filling, but then stop until the bowl refills.

Same with FI engines...especially ones which have a return line to the fuel tank...you are recording the total flow thru the line, part of which gets returned to the tank.

Don't know if the Floscan can be adjusted, (analog or digital?) but the one I have (Faria) can be adjusted to step down the frequency of readings for the gph readings....it will average it out over a longer time to give an accurate flow reading, but at a slower update speed. This helps reduce the cycling of hi - low gph readings.

I have a FI 5.7 Crusader. it has the returnless system, so I know what goes thru the meter is going to the engine only.

Good luck with the issue...hope this helps somewhat/

thank you notdean,
I haven't made a choice for the floscan yet, and will check into the idea of adjusting it and actually I was looking at the Faria first but then I seen this in the installation guide about the sender:

MUST be installed AFTER the
main fuel filter. It should be
located well away from any area
where it will be effected by
excessive heat or vibration from
the engine. It is preferable to
mount the transducer in a vertical
position.

so that got me to looking at my set up:

not sure how I can make it work.

No prob, KF,

Is there another filter between the engine's "onboard" filter and the fuel tank? or is that the only one?

It may be ok to mount upstream of that one....shoot Faria and Floscan tech support an email,,,they are pretty responsive on stuff like that.

I see the fuel pump is mounted directly to the filter...in which case it is not too much different from the pre-filter arrangement I have.

The sensor unit for my Faria is located about 10" downstream from the Racor sep/filter, and about 8" from the engine's on board prefilter. (Early Crusader MPI engines have a donut shaped prefilter instead of a spin on one, before the high pressure pump at a point where the surplus fuel rail fuel returns to the pump...there is not low pressure pump on the early ones).

I could not get it vertical, but approx 45 - 50 degrees. no issue. The location is alongside the exhaust tube, right next to the transmission. I don't think the "near vibration" caution is absolute..(heck it is on a boat)...but shy of mounting it to the engine itself, you should be fine.


Don

No prob, KF,

Is there another filter between the engine's "onboard" filter and the fuel tank? or is that the only one?

It may be ok to mount upstream of that one....shoot Faria and Floscan tech support an email,,,they are pretty responsive on stuff like that.

I see the fuel pump is mounted directly to the filter...in which case it is not too much different from the pre-filter arrangement I have.

The sensor unit for my Faria is located about 10" downstream from the Racor sep/filter, and about 8" from the engine's on board prefilter. (Early Crusader MPI engines have a donut shaped prefilter instead of a spin on one, before the high pressure pump at a point where the surplus fuel rail fuel returns to the pump...there is not low pressure pump on the early ones).

I could not get it vertical, but approx 45 - 50 degrees. no issue. The location is alongside the exhaust tube, right next to the transmission. I don't think the "near vibration" caution is absolute..(heck it is on a boat)...but shy of mounting it to the engine itself, you should be fine.


Don

thank you Don for your reply

there is only the built in filter at the low pressure pump and stainless fuel lines to the high pressure pump, so it looks like I would have to install another filter before the built in filter and install the sender between the 2 filters.

so my concern now is how useful it can be for real time readings, if I understand how the system works correctly the low pressure pump runs intermittently and the unit will have to figure out what the flow is by averaging.

I installed a Faria on my Volvo 5.7. Installed an extra filter before the sender because of the arrangenet of the Volvo pump with built in filter. Not sure why but after year messing with the unit if does not consentally meter the fuel. Running at cruze it is good but on the troll no reading. Due to that I an not trust the total fuel used reading. Not pleased with the performance. If someone got experience let me know. I thought maybe it was the vibration thing, even made a foam cover thinking that maybe the problem but, no differance. Thinking maybe wrong sender. Going to need to wait till I get her back in the water to trouble shoot further. Bottom line, don't trust the to tell me how much fuel is used.

I installed a Faria on my Volvo 5.7. Installed an extra filter before the sender because of the arrangenet of the Volvo pump with built in filter. Not sure why but after year messing with the unit if does not consentally meter the fuel. Running at cruze it is good but on the troll no reading. Due to that I an not trust the total fuel used reading. Not pleased with the performance. If someone got experience let me know. I thought maybe it was the vibration thing, even made a foam cover thinking that maybe the problem but, no differance. Thinking maybe wrong sender. Going to need to wait till I get her back in the water to trouble shoot further. Bottom line, don't trust the to tell me how much fuel is used.

I think the inconsistancy of the GPH readings is due to the low pressure pump cycling on and off at low fuel flow, so at high flow the pump continues to run and the sender senses it easier. but it should be able to total the fuel amount used.

I think the inconsistancy of the GPH readings is due to the low pressure pump cycling on and off at low fuel flow, so at high flow the pump continues to run and the sender senses it easier. but it should be able to total the fuel amount used.

Assuming you are talking about the Faria gauge:

If you are seeing 0 gph with "spikes" at low flow speeds, then decrease the reading rate....i.e. make it a longer period.

There is a setting for how many times (a second? a minute?) that it reads and averages.
make that number bigger.

If you are not seeing any activity then go thru the calibration steps....fill the tank, zero the gauge, run it, then refill. Enter the actual used. The gauge will recalibrate.