wing tank questions

[mhorowit]

Re: wing tank questions

all these sound like good ideas ill give them a try next time i get there. an hour drive means it might be alittle while though. .

Isn't that a pain in the butt! Had the same situation. Every Monday I'd start a folder entitled "Next Visit" and list the prime thing I wanted to do plus two other tasks (see later), then make a list of things/tools I'd need to bring along to do that task; usually found I'd get part of the way and find I didn't bring 'X', so I 'd go to the second task. Tools remained in the car, but there were always task-specific stuff I needed to remember. - Mike

[Ragwing nut]

Re: wing tank questions

Caps should have a 1/8" tube sticking out that faces foward. make sure the caps also seal tight. If the fuel won't drain sitting on the ground with out the caps, you have a blockage issue, and will need to remove the fuel lines to find the problem. I have run into this problem with several different T-carts and it always seems to be the caps when fuel won't transfer in flight.

Mike

[dsmuda]

Re: wing tank questions

I have seen the main feed line from the wing tank to the nose tank cut off about eye level and spliced with a clear fuel line for you can see for sure if your fuel is being transferd dan

[FunkyMonkey]

Re: wing tank questions

havent really been trouble shooting the tanks yet, but the wings are off now for a paint job and an annual. this should be the perfect opportunity to get to the bottom of this. i suspect the cap vents because they are difficult to blow into but the tank also refuses to drain without the caps on the ground so there might be a clog in the system somewhere. there was one instance where i was flying around with the valve open hoping for something to happen and while in a descent i got a fairly rapid transfer (maybe 2-3 min) from one of the tanks. although it was encouraging ive yet to have any other successes. while removing the wings i looked at the lines where they pass through the wing root and they looked good. also tried blowing through the line at the wing root and heard bubbling in the main. i hope to get this fixed soon or ill be flying a t-craft with 24 gal. capacity and 12 gal usable again.

[Norm G]

Re: wing tank questions

I had a transfer problem with my 7AC champ. The main tank is 13gal,the wing tank is 5gal. The on off transfer valve was up by the wing, next to my head. The wing tank supply fitting is at the bottom of the main tank. Looks like everything is the same as the T-Craft. I also had problems with fuel transfer. the fix was, there was no fix just patience. Fuel would not usually transfer until the head pressure in the main was low enough for aux to transfer into the 13gal tank, fuel remaining 5gal or less, mostly less. Sometimes on a bumpy day fuel would transfer with more then half fuel in the main. So thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

Norm G

[jdoran]

Re: wing tank questions

I think if the plane is parked, and you have the valve open, the fuel should flow regardless of gaskets, style of vent tubes, or anything else. It's just gravity flow. True, if the vent was clogged it would eventually slow down or stop the flow.

I suggest park the plane, level the plane if needed, then remove the wing cap altogether, and open the valve to see if fuel flows. If it doesn't the tubing, valve or a fitting is clogged.

I have a '78 F-19. I always fill the wing tanks after flying, then open the valves to feed one or both into my nose tank.This lets me sleep better knowing I am using the fuel transfer system every time I fly.

About once a year I remove the valve cartridges and lube with "fuelube" (aircraft spruce). Just a light coating keeps the valves working smoothly for a full year. If I don't they can be a bear to turn.

Hope it helps.

John

[Armstrong]

Re: wing tank questions

I have two wing tanks and if I leave one or both open on the ground the fuse tank will overflow everytime. I have had a cap put on backwards before and that wing tank wont flow in the air. Rob

[Len Petterson]

Re: wing tank questions

The tubing on the fuel cap should be 1/4 " and point slightly downwards to avoid the rainwater to get in. If the fuel caps leak you most likly to see a stream of fuel marks on the wing behind the fuel cap. I noticed a leaky one what way but only then the tank was full of fuel.
You can loose enuogh what way so you dont get home!
What is not a safe sitiuation, it is also a fire hazard, just add some static electricety.
I added some paper gasgets under the white one to give it added tension. In Canada the regs stipulate 3/8 fuel lines, No less.
Mine takes 10 min or less to empthy in flight, and both tanks have about 1/2 cup off fuel left in them. Just enough for a sample.
Sloching compund for Avgas can not handle Auto gas with alcohol and the one for auto gas is not Certified. Check the Aircraft Spuce catalog for more on the subject. It is avelable on line and the paper copy is free for the asking. Avoid sloching if ever possible! I hear off more problems after than before it was dune. Clean Tanks keep the 'fan turning' and it keeps the pilot COOL.
Len

[N96337]

Re: wing tank questions

In my opinion, the best fuel cap vents are the ones that are shown in the drawings for the Gilberti/Harrer STC. It's a non-ram vent, and the actual air comes in high enough that you don't have to worry about water, as well as the vent holes being on the side of the inside tube. They're also sturdy enough to not get banged up all the time. They take a bit of building, but in my mind, they're well worth it!!
JH

[Richard Boyer]

Re: wing tank questions

John,

Are those the kind that were on my plane?

I have had questions at to where I got them.

Richard Boyer
N95791

[N96337]

Re: wing tank questions

I think that's what is on there... now you got me guessing too!!
JH

[Richard Boyer]

Re: wing tank questions

They are the same. I always wondered where they came from as everyone elses caps were different.

Richard Boyer
N95791

[Pearson]

Re: wing tank questions

For those of you with fuel transfer problems I have 3/8" lines between my wing tanks and the header tank. I have never had any problems with transfer. If you have eliminated your caps and/or the finger screen in the wing tank as the source of your problem, possibly going to the larger diameter fuel line would solve the transfer problem.