REFLECTOR: [Fwd: fuel gauges]

[Brian Michalk]

I received this from Vance.
Also, Vance, since this seems to be a regular topic here, would you mind
joining this Velocity mailing list?  People here would appreciate your
participation.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: fuel gauges
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 07:50:40 -0500
From: Vance Atkinson <nostromo56 at tx.rr.com>
To: reflector-owner at tvbf.org

Moderator

You might want to post this as it is a safety item that effects the
Velocitys fuel system.
vance atkinson
EAA Tech and Flt Advisor
VEZ N3LV
COZY N43CZ

/
/
/John Slade wrote:
/
> />I must have completely missed earlier discussion on this problem.
> Yep. After a couple of years of autogas in my tanks I had an 
> interesting problem that led to the same discovery -
> During pre-flight I noted that the right tank fuel level was 3/4 full 
> when I checked the sight gauge. I always remove the fuel caps and look 
> in the tank. When I looked in the right tank I couldn't see any gas. 
> Using a flashlight I saw that there was about an inch of fuel in the 
> tank - but the sight gauge was still 3/4 full of fuel - and they say 
> you can trust a sight gauge because you're actually looking at the 
> fuel! Don't believe it.
>
> The bottom hole in the white plastic had swollen and become blocked, 
> so the fuel couldn't exit the gauge. When I removed the gauge I found 
> that the white backing was very soft, but in my case the clear plastic 
> part of the gauge was unaffected. I replaced both gauges with new ones 
> from Vance, and added his new metal inserts to stop the holes getting 
> blocked. That was last year. I regularly tap the plastic to be sure 
> its still hard. No repeat problems yet.
>
> If someone comes up with a totally fuel resistant replacement I'd love 
> to have a pair, but in the meantime these seem to be holding up, and 
> it only took a couple of hours to change each one. Those yet to 
> install gauges you've had on the shelf for a while - I suggest that 
> you order the little metal inserts from Vance - they could save you 
> making decisions based on an incorrect fuel reading. Those flying 
> without the inserts - adding a visual fuel level check with the cap 
> off to your preflight wouldn't hurt.
> / 


*
For those without the metal eyelets... send me a self addressed envelope
and I will send you a set of them...  To install them you will have to
grind the clear bubble around the edges to break the 2 BID bond and
carefully POP the clear bubble off the white background (use a sharp
chisel)  Drill up the inflow outflow holes and super glue the inserts.
Resand the bubble and reinstall.

If you damage the clear, send me 10 bucks and I will send a new bubble.

The problem with a TOTALLY IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL TO ALL KNOWN FUEL WITH
ITS ADDITIVES IS THAT YOU WONT BE ABLE TO MOUNT IT TO OUR AIRCRAFT... IT
WONT BOND to the fulelage sides.   Its called  polypropylene.

The stuff Im using now barely will bond and thats why the  2 BID
surrounds the gauge, to capture it .

Vance Atkinson
EAA Tech and Flt Advisor
VEZ N3LV
COZY N43CZ
*

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*


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