REFLECTOR: Fuel venting issue

[Laurence Coen]

Tom,

The first thing I would ask is does your vent line go to the top of the 
firewall before it heads to the bottom exit point.  If it doesn't, it 
should.  If your vents are tee'd together at about the top of the tanks and 
then straight down, here's what can happen.  If the plane is sitting with 
the left tank slightly higher than the right, filling the left tank can 
cause fuel to cross flow through the sump into the right tank and out the 
right vent line if the right tank is already full.  Fuel will continue to 
siphon until the vent in the right tank un-ports.

Larry Coen
N136LC
SE/RG Franklin/IVO

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom" <tomcat05 at comcast.net>
To: <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 1:33 AM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Fuel venting issue


> Took first long flight with plane (FG/STD) this past week. When
> refueling left tank in Huntsville fuel started pouring out of the vent
> hole at a fast clip. It only started when about an inch from the top but
> it worked like a siphon and lost 15 gallons. Filled it up to about 2
> inches from top and no issue at all, tried topping off and it started
> doing it again. I filled it in Fort Myers before departing and there was
> no issue. Any ideas as to the cause?? Not sure if this is pertinent but
> the sump tank does NOT have a vent line. thx Tom
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