Four winns Vista 328 Owner's Manual page 66

The gauge readings will also vary with the trim angle of
the boat. When sitting at a dock and the boat is nearly
level, the fuel gauge will register accurately. Refer to Fig-
ure I3. When boating, the trim angle of the boat changes
and affects the gauge readings. Under these conditions,
the fuel sender will register “full” for the first few hours of
running time until the fuel level drops below the 3/4 or 1/2
mark. This is caused by the angle of the fuel in the tank
as shown in Figure I4.
Figure I4: Effects of Trim Angle
It is very important to keep track of hours and fuel con-
sumption to obtain an average gallon per hour consump-
tion figure. This will prevent any problems with running
out of fuel on the water.
Dealers are equipped with some general figures on con-
sumption which can be used as a guide until specific
information on your boat is determined. Because of boat-
ing conditions, speed, weight and other factors common
to your situation, fuel consumption will vary between your
boat and consumption figures developed by Four Winns.
When the fuel gauge begins to register below the “full”
mark, the gauge readings will drop much faster until it
reads “empty”. When this occurs, the trim angle has
affected the sender reading. When the gauge registers
“empty”, the sender has bottomed out and there may be
3 to 4 gallons of fuel in the tank. See Figure I5.
Figure I5: Trim Angle Effect with Low Fuel
G. Fuel Filters
Fuel filters are installed on each engine. Filters should
be cleaned or changed frequently to assure an adequate
supply of fuel to the engine. Refer to the engine manual
for additional information. The engine manual is included
in the owner’s information packet.
298/328 Vista Owner’s Manual
09/00
NOTICE
OMC canister-type filters should be changed
annually.
H. Gas Vapor Detector
A gas vapor detector is optional on 298/328 Vista® model.
The gas vapor detector will monitor the engine compart-
ment and notify the operator of an accumulation of gaso-
line vapors. The operator must take immediate action
upon warning to avoid the possibility of an explosion.
The sensing unit is usually mounted towards the rear of
the engine compartment. The alarm unit is mounted at
the dash.
Always personally inspect the engine compart-
ment and sniff for fuel vapors before starting the
engine. Remember, a gas vapor detector is a
mechanical device. DO NOT rely exclusively on
its operation.
I. Use and Maintenance
DO NOT let the odor of gasoline go unchecked.
If the odor of gasoline is noted, DO NOT START
ENGINE. If engine is running, SHUT OFF EN-
GINE, ELECTRICAL AND HEAT GENERATING
EQUIPMENT. Investigate and correct the situa-
tion immediately! Have all passengers put on
personal flotation devices and keep fire extin-
guishers at hand until the situation is resolved.
Avoid serious injury or death from fire or explo-
sion resulting from leaking fuel. Inspect sys-
tem for leaks at least once a year.
If areas are found within the fuel system that appear ques-
tionable, have a qualified marine technician inspect the
system. A thorough fuel system examination should be
made by an experienced marine technician at least once
a year.
Section I
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