Reply To: Pressure rating for OMC 1950’s tanks

[George Emmanuel]

Update: Through other retired OMC top level folks I was able to speak with one of the engineers who is retired. Tanks had to conform to USCG requirements. So I went and viewed those and this is all I found:

§ 183.510 Fuel tanks.
(a) Each fuel tank in a boat must
have been tested by its manufacturer
under §183.580 and not leak when subjected to the pressure marked on the
tank label under §183.514(b)(5).

I then viewed the labels on some tanks with good decals from the ’50’s and even the ones for my 1988 Johnson, and none had a pressure designation on the labels. Keep in mind that the USCG standards are updated to the latest, so maybe they weren’t in effect in those days.

So if you wish to help, please see if any of the tanks you have, Mercury included, have a rated pressure stated on the label. The USCG requirement for testing was 150% of the rated pressure.

George