REFLECTOR:Low fuel light
Ronnie Brown
reflector@tvbf.org
Wed, 23 Jul 2003 20:43:36 -0400
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Rene,
You have something really strange going on there. I can think of no =
good reasons for what is happening. I would be concerned about the low =
fuel pressure. You should have at least 25 psi at all times, especially =
at low fuel flows. My fuel pressure is always greater than 25 psi, =
usually around 27, under all conditions, even idling.
The flashing low sump light combined with the low fuel pressure tells me =
that there is some sort of restriction somewhere, probably in the vent =
system. =20
My vent system (173 Elite) is similar to yours, all three tanks tied =
together to a common vent, then the vent goes out the belly, cut toward =
the front, but mine only sticks out about 3/4 inch. (I did change my =
vent system to 3/8" tubing, like my Cessna 172.- rather than 1/4" that =
was specified in the manual ). I also added a one way check valve teed =
into the vent line going to the bottom of the fuselage just in case a =
mud dauber got into my vent.
I'd keep trouble shooting until you find the cause. Let us know what =
you find.
Ronnie
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Rene Dugas=20
To: reflector@tvbf.org=20
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 6:20 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR:Low fuel light
My Esteemed Colleagues(Experimenters),
My low fuel light mounted on the panel attacked to the left upper sump =
mounted switch comes on in flashes on almost every flight. It never =
stays on but flashes on in smooth air at cruise mostly but not always =
over 170 kts. My vent exits the bottom just upstream from the sump and =
sticks out 1.5 inches with a small bevel to the front and 1/8th inch =
vent holes x 4 on the draft side. My tanks all connect to a single =
manifold then exit as per plans out of the belly. I have tested my tank =
caps and find no leak. I have disassembled the caps and lubricated the =
two "o" rings. I have extended the vent tube further into the lower =
slip stream from =BD inch to 1.5 inches with no change. The light has =
never come on at high fuel flows at low speeds. Usually occurs at lean =
cruise around 13 to 13.5 gal/hr. IO 540. Engine never falters. Fuel =
pressure occasionally drops below 16 PSI and the Vision system activates =
the warning for a single two second cycle the pressure is restored to =
about 21 psi. =20
Ideas?
Thanks,
Rene'
N129RD
XL RG
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background=3Dcid:002801c3517c$9ddce580$bd404744@atlaga.adelphia.net>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Rene,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>You have something really strange going on =
there. I can=20
think of no good reasons for what is happening. I would be =
concerned about=20
the low fuel pressure. You should have at least 25 psi at all =
times,=20
especially at low fuel flows. My fuel pressure is always greater =
than 25=20
psi, usually around 27, under all conditions, even idling.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>The flashing low sump light combined with the low =
fuel=20
pressure tells me that there is some sort of restriction somewhere, =
probably in=20
the vent system. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>My vent system (173 Elite) is similar to yours, all =
three=20
tanks tied together to a common vent, then the vent goes out the belly, =
cut=20
toward the front, but mine only sticks out about 3/4 inch. (I did =
change=20
my vent system to 3/8" tubing, like my Cessna 172.- rather than 1/4" =
that was=20
specified in the manual ). I also added a one way check =
valve=20
teed into the vent line going to the bottom of the fuselage just in case =
a mud=20
dauber got into my vent.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I'd keep trouble shooting until you find the =
cause. Let=20
us know what you find.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Ronnie</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Drdugas@bayou.com href=3D"mailto:rdugas@bayou.com">Rene =
Dugas</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dreflector@tvbf.org=20
href=3D"mailto:reflector@tvbf.org">reflector@tvbf.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, July 23, 2003 =
6:20=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> REFLECTOR:Low fuel =
light</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3DSection1>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">My Esteemed=20
Colleagues(Experimenters),</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">My low fuel light mounted on the panel =
attacked to the=20
left upper sump mounted switch comes on in flashes on almost every=20
flight. It never stays on but flashes on in <U>smooth air</U> at =
cruise=20
mostly but not always over 170 kts. My vent exits the bottom =
just=20
upstream from the sump and sticks out 1.5 inches with a small bevel to =
the=20
front and 1/8<SUP>th</SUP> inch vent holes x 4 on the draft =
side. My=20
tanks all connect to a single manifold then exit as per plans out of =
the=20
belly. I have tested my tank caps and find no leak. I have =
disassembled the caps and lubricated the two “o” =
rings. I have extended=20
the vent tube further into the lower slip stream from =BD inch to 1.5 =
inches=20
with no change. The light has never come on at high fuel flows =
at low=20
speeds. Usually occurs at lean cruise around 13 to 13.5 =
gal/hr. IO=20
540. Engine never falters. Fuel pressure occasionally =
drops below=20
16 PSI and the Vision system activates the warning for a single two =
second=20
cycle the pressure is restored to about 21 psi. =
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Ideas?</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Thanks,</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Rene’</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">N129RD</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3D"Trebuchet MS" color=3D#663333 =
size=3D3><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">XL =
RG</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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