Axis Wakeboard Boat Forum

I saw a thread a few months ago about some issues with the fuel tank, but thought I'd mention something here in case others aren't aware of this significant issue. Plus I want to vent a little.

I have a 2015 Axis T23. It reportedly has a 67 gallon fuel tank. I was 30 miles from the dock yesterday and was showing a quarter tank flat on the water. Cruising with a decent load I typically get about 2 miles per gallon, so I figured I wouldn't put any more gas in. (I had 15 more gallons in 5 gallon containers on board.) I cruised in to the dock on plane the entire time, hit the no wake zone showing perhaps 1/8th tank while on plane and came off plane. The boat stopped running. The fuel gauge showed completely empty while flat. So I poured in 5 gallons. Fuel gauge still showed completely empty flat. Boat wouldn't start. So I poured in 5 more gallons. Fuel gauge still showed completely empty and still wouldn't start. So I poured in my last 5 gallons. At this point, the fuel gauge showed about 1/6th of a tank and it finally started. I idled for 5 or 10 minutes, then put it on the trailer. I subsequently was able to put in 52.5 gallons at the gas station. Assuming I burned a half gallon idling and including the 15 gallons I poured in, I put in all 67 gallons the tank is supposed to hold. Meaning the gauge on plane was reading 1/8th of a tank while the tank was on fumes.

Okay, no big deal. Gas gauges are never perfect. But what is really frustrating is I had to pour in 15 gallons just to start up? Meaning that last 10-15 gallons is useful only if you stay on plane? That sucks and decreases my presumed range (one of the main reasons I got the T23 with its bigger tank) dramatically.

Morals of the story?

1) The T23 really has a 55 gallon tank, the other 12 gallons are really just ballast.
2) If you're low on fuel, don't come off plane. I'm sure others in the no wake zone will hate you, but don't stop the boat until you're close enough to swim it onto the trailer.
3) When the gauge registers about 1/6th of a tank flat (maybe 1/4 on plane), you're within 5 gallons of it not starting up, and maybe not keeping running unless on plane.

I have never run my a24 out of gas but ran it to empty on the fuel gauge and it still had 15ish gallons in it.

Interesting. Have your or anyone looked to see where the fuel pickup is in the tank?

Do you think it could be loose or something? I assumed it was just a design flaw.

I bet the pickup is in the rear, fill the rear ballast and dump all weight in the front next time and see if it'll start

Good thought and I'll keep that trick in mind if there ever is a next time. In this case, the tank must have been nearly empty though since I put 67 gallons in.

This, as well as possibly turn the ignition on but not start it, let it sit on for 20 seconds or something, maybe it'll prime/fill the lines enough to allow it to start if you did indeed run it out of fuel. Then try to start it.

In Fuel Injected engines the fuel system needs to be full of liquid fuel and pressurized. When you turn the key on, the fuel pump is switched on for a couple of seconds. If you have been running the engine recently this will be enough to get the fuel system ready for starting. Leaving the key on will not keep the fuel pump running because it is a safety issue in case there is a leak in a high pressure fuel line. When the engine is running, the fuel pump remains on.

Any time you have run out of fuel or have been off for a while (weeks of storage for example), you should do a few Key-Ups before cranking. Basically you switch the key on, but do not crank. Leave it on for 5 seconds, then turn it back off. Do this a couple of times then start her up. In a out of gas situation, I would probably do at least 5 or 10 of these. Long cranking does not help! Just a few Key-Ups, then crank. If is does nto start right up, do a few more key-ups and then try startign again.

This technique is also applicable to modern EFI cars (most any that do not have carburetors).

Very aware of the key up issue and did that 3 times (admittedly not 5-10) after each 5 gallon jug I poured in. Nothing after 10 gallons, but started right up after 15. Would have probably done it more times if I didn't have 15 gallons on board, or maybe just taken the tow of shame 200 feet over to the dock.

Posted in another thread, but it's my belief that it needs ~1/5 a tank actual to start. Since you ran it all the way down, it started with 15. I've ran mine down to where there are 12 gallons left twice, shut it off, then it won't start.

In my 15 T22, never have I put more than 35 gallons in it ... but have ran the gauge to nothing and let it run for another 15 to 20 minutes surfing or driving under 30.