REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing

[Sid Knox]

On my Starduster with a homebuilt EFI, I had a similar event occur within the first few hours  of flying on a hot Summer day.  Same cause... pulling auto fuel uphill about 8 inches.  I subsequently relocated my pumps (main and back-up) BELOW the lowest part of the fuel tank and have had no more problems (four years now).  What's worse, I had warning signs that all was not right.  First was that I could see bubbles in the clear plastic fuel line at the input of the pump and I simply thought, "..now why are all those bubbles there?.. how could I have an air leak??" and went on to other things.  Second was the pump was howling (cavation I realized later) and I wondered why a new pump was so noisy and went on to other things.  Dumb?  Yes, but I was in new territory (for me) and had to learn by experience.  Further, at the beginning, I had no back-up fuel system which I now have.  

Sid Knox
Oklahoma

Velocity    N199RS
Starduster  N666SK
KR2         N24TC
W7QJQ

> Our conclusion is fuel starvation caused the failure.   I have talked to many
> experts including our own Scot Baker and this is our finding.   My fuel
> pumps were located above the sump tank requiring the pumps to suck uphill. 
> My supply line to the pumps was 3/8 pipe and I am going to 1/2 inch.  I had
> the old vent system with a 1/4 vent tube and no check valve.  Will
> correcting these things prevent a future problem?  I will find out.  


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