Fuel drain valve at gascolator

[shipljl]

Can you tell me how you get access to the fuel drain valve at the gascolator during preflight check? My mechanic wants me to cut a hole in the cowl to allow me to insert a fuel checker through the cowl up to the valve. Since there was no hole previously, I wondered if your planes had an access hole, or if you did it some other way.

[flyguy]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

My 12D-85 has a short length of braided fuel line that goes from the bottom of the gascolator and attaches to the firewall at the bottom edge where you can get to it. It is terminated in a standard drain valve. You can get to the valve with one of the long slim fuel check tubes as it is right out in the open. I don't know where you can get the exact hardware for this as I have not needed to replace or change it.

Darryl

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

I just open the cowl and reach down to the gascolator with a short fuel tester. It is not that difficult if you use a short tester, can't do it with the long tester.

[astjp2]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Get a new mechanic, you never cut a cowling on an airplane that is impossible to get a replacement. Just dump it on the ground by reaching in the cowling and lifting up on the drain. You don't need to over analyze it....Are you at Brigham? I am 10 miles south of Brigham....Tim

Can you tell me how you get access to the fuel drain valve at the gascolator during preflight check? My mechanic wants me to cut a hole in the cowl to allow me to insert a fuel checker through the cowl up to the valve. Since there was no hole previously, I wondered if your planes had an access hole, or if you did it some other way.

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Yea, have to second Tim's response regarding the mechanic. Sounds like he was a fireman in an earlier life. No holes needed nor wanted. I have never seen a Taylorcraft with an access hatch. You just have to take a second or two to unlatch the cowl and reach in.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

I don't know where people come up with these ideas. They for sure don't put any thought into them. Does he know what affect the hole will have on engine cooling?

[Marv]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

He must have been a Cessna mechanic.

[astjp2]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

He must have been a Cessna mechanic.

[shipljl]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Thanks for the suggestions. I really didn't want to cut a hole. I think I can convince him to let me reach around the cowl and press the valve and if not, relocate the valve with a length of fuel line.

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

I want to reiterate, I had a problem using the long fuel tester most folks use. It just would not fit. However, I found a shorter version and it works just great. Let me know if you need a picture and/or part number for it.

[TimHicks]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

I use a short fuel-tester, too.

[Robert Lees]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Suggest to your mechanic that cutting a hole will be a modification to the Type Design. Ask him to suggest a ballpark figure in $$$ to get the FAA to approve it, and would he be happy footing that bill?

Further: ask him how many other of the thousands of Taylorcraft manufactured had to go through the same modification process.

Anyway (and I'm willing to be corrected on this): I thought it was the IA who decided that the aircraft was safe for flight, not the mechanic. Just asking.

Rob

[Marv]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Taylorcraft owners have been reaching around the cowling to check the fuel for contamination for at least 70 some years. What is the big deal now? Maybe just need to train the mechanic.

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Here is a picture of the one I have, it is made by ASA and is 5 3/4" long. Here is also a link I quickly copied to show you. Much cheaper than all of the above.

Link: http://www.pilotmall.com/product/89/fuel-testers

[astjp2]

Re: Fuel drain valve at gascolator

Rob, actually its the pilots responsibility to ensure the aircraft is safe for flight, the IA is only responsible at the time the Annyal/condition inspection "was" signed off....that is why pilots do a preflight...and the type certificate is the only document for determining type design, the hole would be a modification but it may not be a major, depending on how you look at interpreting the regs.....at least that is what I was taught...Tim

Suggest to your mechanic that cutting a hole will be a modification to the Type Design. Ask him to suggest a ballpark figure in $$$ to get the FAA to approve it, and would he be happy footing that bill?

Further: ask him how many other of the thousands of Taylorcraft manufactured had to go through the same modification process.

Anyway (and I'm willing to be corrected on this): I thought it was the IA who decided that the aircraft was safe for flight, not the mechanic. Just asking.

Rob