wing tank plumbing

[VictorBravo]

Re: wing tank plumbing

The fuel valve should be up in the wing root. Everyone's heard me bellowing about this 50 times before. It is MUCH safer, and can save your life.

The situation where Hank's friend had a fatal fuel leak... would have been SAVE-ABLE in a Taylorcraft with the fuel valve up in the wing root. You need to have the ability to shut off the fuel flowing to the leak.

SOFT aluminum standard fuel lines are fine for this purpose. Use soft aluminum... there's just about zero pressure in the line. Safety is much more dependent on not cracking a line in this case than it is dependent on sealing against pressure.

That being said, in this installation the bottom 1/3 of the fuel line is permanently open to the main fuselage fuel tank. So if you have a crack in the BOTTOM part of this aluminum line, the fuel from the main tank will leak out through this crack regardless of which position the wing tank valve is in. So the key factor here is a well made line, made from soft material, and protected against chafing AND against movement.

I ran mine forward from the wing root valve, inside the cable pulley (outboard of the pulley, through that little open triangle formed by the steel tubes), and then down the front edge of the main door post tube.

Make sure the line is supported and well clear of the control yoke shaft, sprockets and chain.

Bill

[pat williams]

Re: wing tank plumbing

use 3/8 alumimum, this will also comply with 85 hp stc down the road, finger strainer out of tank . 90 then sweep down post another sweep under edge of panel and place valve under yoke than to the T at tank

[guns68]

Re: wing tank plumbing

I'd be interested. For no other reason than I have a '46 and my wing tank valve is under the instrument panel. I can't see where it really matters, but I've been wrong before.

Re: wing tank plumbing

The valves are attached to tank and the handle stick thru the headliner just above your ear. I'll take some pictures if anyone wants them. Speak up if you do.

Dave

[flybikefarm]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Two adell clamps work good. One around each tube with a bolt holding the ends together. George

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: wing tank plumbing

By the way, since I am looking at using the wing tank again, does anyone have pictures of how the valve under the panel is SUPPOSED to be attached? Mine is clamped to the tube with a couple of radiator clamps.
Hank

And you were wondering why I didn't use it! :tdown:

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Watch the copper or brass tube from the wing tank. I had a friend flying a replica WW-I plane incinerated in flight when his fuel line cracked and dumped gas in the cockpit. My 41 has aluminum tube but I abandoned the wing tank in place and never use it.

The 41 has the wing tank valve under the panel where it tears your knee up when it's open. The 45 has the valve in the wing root and splits your head open if you forget and leave it in the open position.

Name your poison! Both sure make you aware when you forget and leave the valve in the open position. If you want to be legal, try and find out where it was originally and put it there. Just DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE THE VALVE AFTER THE TRANSFER IS FINISHED! Blood is hard to get off the upholstery.

Hank

[mulwyk]

Whoever took my project plane apart 20 years ago thoughtfully cut away the wing tank plumbing, wadded it up into a ball and threw it into a box. Thanks.

I have: about 4 ft. of 3/8" kinked copper tubing, both ends cut off, and a frozen solid junk Imperial valve with no handle. So I'm nearly starting from scratch here. Any input would be welcome.

The tube: is copper the best? maybe aluminum tube? or a long hose? 3/8"? 1/4"?

Routing the tube: it looks like it should be routed down in front of the door frame next to the aileron cable that runs through that area. Or maybe inboard beside the door frame?

Mounting the valve: I'll use an Apollo ball valve... mounted by the wing? (doesn't look like much room between the wing and the fuselage) Is there a clever way to mount a valve up there? Maybe it's better to mount the valve under the panel?