REFLECTOR: Fuel imbalance

Sat Feb 16 18:33:37 CST 2013

I get the same thing. Everything appears straight and it always drains the starboard tank. With about 5 gallons left, they start balancing out. I haven't seen it turn on the sump warning light. I have almost 600 hours on my plane. Sometimes ez turn fuel lube on the caps an o rings helps. Sometimes...

On Feb 16, 2013, at 5:11 PM, "Mark Magee" <edjonesbrady at gmail.com<mailto:edjonesbrady at gmail.com>> wrote:

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over this issue, the boys in Sebastian have already put a slide-rule to it. We are fairly unique in having the sump and no selector valve(s). As long as your caps have good o-ring seals you can fight a crosswind for many a mile, with gas transferring 'naturally' to the low tank, all the while the sump staying topped-off; and that's all anyone should care about. John A's instruction to me in transition training is only to worry about draining the sump on steep descents with a low fuel state.
I'll tell you it was little freaky to take off in Phoenix with topped tanks and a little beyond El Paso I'm Port side nearly full and Starboard side almost drained. I was thumping gauges...  I love steam gauges, they are designed to be thumped.... :)
After landing I showed about 15 gallons Port and 0 STBD side. Next morning they were equalized at about 7,5 gals each (estimated).

Mark Magee
N34XL XLFG

Andrew Judge

President

Grove Networks Inc.

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On Sat, Feb 16, 2013 at 2:57 PM, Dennis Martin <dennis.doc at gmail.com<mailto:dennis.doc at gmail.com>> wrote:
I've got less than 40 hours and no fuel issues so far but this thread makes me wonder. Assume you're carrying 30 gallons, and most or all of that gravitates to the left tank, won't that tank still feed the sump assuming your vents are working properly and you have no leaks in either cap? Also. assuming you are not flying with the left wing pointed down.

Dennis Martin

On Sat, Feb 16, 2013 at 1:17 PM, <gstull at tampabay.rr.com<mailto:gstull at tampabay.rr.com>> wrote:
My FG Velo always has about a 7 gal differential in cruise. I pressure checked the tanks, no leaks and no bubbles from the gas caps. I even flew with a vacuum gauge hooked to each tank, first the left tank and then the right tank, to confirm there was no leak creating a vacuum. Ball is centered and I taped a string to the canopy so I could visually assure myself it was flying straight and level. I ran the tanks dry until the low fuel light came on from the sump tank. It actually drained all the fuel from both tanks, even though most of the time the left tank was fuller then the right. Virtually all Cessna's I've flown have a split between tanks in flight, but I always thought it was just bad gauges. Since I have sight glasses in the Velo I know that's not the case. I've finally just accepted this as normal and of no concern. Especially since it will drain all the fuel from both tanks. Still a mystery but not worth worrying about.
---- "Richard J. Gentil" <richard at naples-air-center.com<mailto:richard at naples-air-center.com>> wrote:
> Last Sunday I was flying back to Naples, FL from Augusta, GA in my SERG. I took off with 25 a side.
>
> As I flew down the right tank was the only tank feeding fuel to the sump tank. When I hit the VNAV point for Naples the right tank was at 6 gallons.
>
> When I stated to descend the left tank started to feed the sump tank and actually transfer fuel to the right tank.
>
> Any ideas what could have been going on?
>
> Richard
>
> Sent from my iPhone 5
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