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av8rps(at)tznet.com
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 Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:12 pm Post subject: Running on one wing tank? |
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Question for the group;
My left wing tank aruns out of fuel twice as fast as the right tank in my
model IV-1200. (I have the poly header tank under the turtledeck cover
fwiw). Is this a common problem?
Also, since I put a shut off valve in line from each wing tank, can I run
one tank at a time, or do I risk causing fuel starvation because only the
right tank is actually vented to the header tank?
I thought it was easier to ask those of you that have experienced these
problems rather than to find out the hard way...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
Model IV-1200 912ul
Aerocet amphibian
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runwayrex(at)juno.com
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| Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:48 pm Post subject: Running on one wing tank? |
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Paul,
I usually find my tanks empty at different rates, but not always the same tank. Here's a theory my buddy and I were recently discussing. If you don't keep the ball centered, one tank will flow easier than the other. A WW2 pilot was telling this to us saying that he learned it many years ago. He said if you have the ball off to one side, one tank will flow. Move the ball to the other side and the other tank flows. I'm going to test out this theory next time I fly.
Rex in Michigan
-- "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps(at)tznet.com> wrote:
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps(at)tznet.com>
Question for the group;
My left wing tank aruns out of fuel twice as fast as the right tank in my
model IV-1200. (I have the poly header tank under the turtledeck cover
fwiw). Is this a common problem?
Also, since I put a shut off valve in line from each wing tank, can I run
one tank at a time, or do I risk causing fuel starvation because only the
right tank is actually vented to the header tank?
I thought it was easier to ask those of you that have experienced these
problems rather than to find out the hard way...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
Model IV-1200 912u================================================sp; - The Kitfox-List Email Forum -<= Archive Search & Download, 7-Day B ========================sp; &nbbsp;Check out the All New Matronics Email &======================== - List Cp; &nbs=========================================================
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smokey_bear_40220(at)yaho
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| Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:08 pm Post subject: Running on one wing tank? |
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Hi Paul,
As long as the header tank is vented from somewhere,
it can be filled by either or both sources. If you
turn either tank off, the other side should draw fuel
fine, as long as the cap vent works. If you turn them
both off, the header vent will allow the header to
feed the engine until it is empty. If the vent is
closed off, a number of problems can occur, We all
need to make sure that is never blocked.
I had a problem on my flight up to West Bend, WI last
fall. One tank stayed full until the other flowed
down to 3 gallons remaining. I swapped gas caps and
it flowed in the other direction. One bad cap seal.
I flew home with a clamp on the low tank hose as a
shutoff to balance fuel and with new seals.
Other possible causes:
As was already mentioned, uncoordinated flight will
cause flow differences too.
A cap that is venting poorly might slow the flow more
than the good tank, but it would have to be almost
completely blocked. Fuel flow rates are low. I
always blow thru the cap vents while I have them off
during preflight.
Partially blocked finger strainer?
Crimped hose?
You should have no problem taking off with both tanks
open, then balancing in flight with your shutoffs.
Both on again "prior to descent" for landing. Both
open prior to descent is important to make sure an
unported tank doesn't drain your header. (Lesson
learned earlier on this list.)
Do you have a header tank low fuel light for "just in
case"?
Kurt S. S-5
--- Paul Seehafer <av8rps(at)tznet.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Question for the group;
My left wing tank runs out of fuel twice as fast as
the right tank in my
model IV-1200. (I have the poly header tank under
the turtledeck cover
fwiw). Is this a common problem?
Also, since I put a shut off valve in line from each
wing tank, can I run
one tank at a time, or do I risk causing fuel
starvation because only the
right tank is actually vented to the header tank?
I thought it was easier to ask those of you that
have experienced these
problems rather than to find out the hard way...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
Model IV-1200 912ul
Aerocet amphibian
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morid(at)northland.lib.mi
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:41 am Post subject: Running on one wing tank? |
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Rex, that WW2 pilot was correct. Slightly left or right yaw trim will cause one tank to flow faster than the other. Also, don't forget to check those cap seals and the mating surface of the tank neck for nicks. Those vent tubes on the caps produce a constant pressure in the tanks and if one cap is leaking at the seal area the pressure differential will cause the fuel from the opposite tank will flow to the leaking tank.
On my first Kitfox I had this problem and I fooled with it for about a year before I found that I had a small nick in the neck surface. Some careful work with a file and fine sand paper solved the problem. After that, so long as I flew coordinated, both tanks flowed at the same rate.
Hope this helps a little.
Deke in Michigan
[quote] ---
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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:03 am Post subject: Running on one wing tank? |
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Paul,
I think Rex's explanation is accurate. It is a common phenomenon at least
in the IVs. Having flown behind lots of guys, flying with the wings level
is not that common. Once after a fuel stop and fill-up one of the guys was
losing gas from one of his caps. A fly by showed everything in order and
once he leveled his wings, the spill stopped. We also had a guy we met in
Idaho that did a fuel system teardown at Elk City. He insisted that we help
him measure flow rates from each wing tank. All was in order, he just
wasn't flying right. In my opinion - not to worry.
Lowell
---
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kerrjohna(at)comcast.net
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:22 am Post subject: Running on one wing tank? |
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there have been several theories put forward as to why one tank tends to provide fuel at a faster rate than the other. It is something that we have all experienced. I have not heard of nor experienced an actual exhaustion of fuel in the a particular tank. I will frequently take off with an imbalance because of the way the plane was parked, but careful attention to coordinated flight and wings-level it does not take long to balance out. This tells me that there remains a free flow of fuel between wing tanks/header tank while in flight mode.
John Kerr
[quote]-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps(at)tznet.com>
[quote] --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer"
Question for the group;
My left wing tank aruns out of fuel twice as fast as the right tank in my
model IV-1200. (I have the poly header tank under the turtledeck cover
fwiw). Is this a common problem?
Also, since I put a shut off valve in line from each wing tank, can I run
one tank at a time, or do I risk causing fuel starvation because only the
right tank is actually vented to the header tank?
I thought it was easier to ask those of you that have experienced these
problems rather than to find out the hard way...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
Mode l IV-1 tronic
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