| Author | Message | ||
     Tom Hutchison |
Greetings from Olympia! I am up here for my second 2 week Builder's Assist session. In plumbing my wing tanks the subject came up of fuel return lines. I still haven't decided on an engine so I am installing fuel return lines to both tanks. My question is, does any one know of a "dual" port 3 way fuel valve. I need it to switch both the fuel feed line and the return line at the same time from right, left and off (both?) Thanks, Tom P.S. I will post some performance stats on the new demonstrator when I get a chance to talk to Larry. I have heard it turned out better than expected. | ||
| Tom Hutchison |
Larry Olson caught me the next day after I posted this and told me they have access to such a valve. I also got two replies from a posting on the Lancair Mailing List below: >>> <Fredmoreno@aol.com> 09/15/99 09:22AM >>> This type of selector (feed and return lines on all stations) is used on the Lancair IV and is available from the factory for a cool $500. Check out Andair, a U.K. company that makes very nice stuff. At this year's SNF they had a new, dual fuel selector valve on display. They also make a very nice gascolator at a good price. Check out http://www.andair.co.uk Jim Cameron LNCE N82500 | ||
| Tom R. Hutchison |
Here is a great link from the folks at Ellison Fluid Systems to an article on home-built fuel systems. See: http://www.ellison-fluid-systems.com/article/fuelsystemsforhomebuilts/fuelsystems.htm | ||
| Rick Spriggle (Rspriggle) |
Just curious what type of fuel line should be used. My Wheeler wings have some fuel lines already installed - 3/8 x .035 6061-T6 tubing, but given my past experiences with T6 aluminum it gets very brittle when bent, especially into tight radii. It seems to me that if aluminum is the choice material it should be soft, coil type stock. I need to finish some fuel and vent lines before closing the right wing, so any suggestions would be appreciated. I guess if the Sonex is built entirely out of 6061-T6, it is probably fine for fuel lines. Thanks, Rick | ||
| Brynjar Thordarson (Benny) |
Hallo builders. I've never seen a more beautifull workmanship than on the Andair valve. I highly recomend it. Best regards. Benny | ||
| Brynjar Thordarson (Benny) |
Andair homepage: http://www.andair.co.uk/index.htm Rgds. | ||
| LOUIE LACY (Llacy) |
What type hose is anyone using for the flexible hose connections in the engine compartment. I had a hose break Aeroquip 601 Lou | ||
| Bill Copeland |
Lou: I have hesitated to jump in on your Aeroquip problem because there are thousands of such hoses in use. We are using the 601 series hoses and have not had and do not anticipate any problems. Let me suggest that the failure you experienced may have come from two sources: 1. The hose may not have been assembled properly origininaly and; 2. It may have been installed with too much "twist" or with too tight a bend. How did the failure occur? Very close to the fitting or near the end of the "barb"? Did you have the hose enclosed with "fire seleve? I do not know of any other failure(s) that have occurred with properly installed 601 hoses so your careful description of the failure mode will be important. Let us know what you found to to be the apparent cause of the failure so that we may be able to help you more. Bill C | ||
| LOUIE LACY (Llacy) |
Bill The break occurred of the outside of the 180 degree bend I made in the hose from the engine driven fuel pump to the fuel pressure sender mounted on the firewall. The hose is about 14 inches long and has a radius of bend of about 6 inches. The break occurred at the apex of the bend on the outside. I will make some pictures and send them to you. As you can imagine I am very concerned about this!! Lou | ||
| Wayne Norris |
Call me crazy, but I use APQ hose from Jeggs automotive race shop with Aeroquip fittings. I'm sure this hose is the same. I have had it on my aerobatic plane, Lyc IO 540, -6 from the tank to the fuel pump and servo, Airflow performance FM300A. Then -4 to the divider. 350 hours and 4 years with no problems, and there are other acro guys with the same hose. This is what I am using in my EX2K. all the way from the tank. Wayne Norris | ||
| AndyFawcett New member Username: Drew Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2003 |
Are there people out ther using the Continental io550n? I have installed the Weldon high pressure electric fuel pump (8136-A). It works fine for priming a cold engine but stalls the engine if I run it for takeoff for example. Since this is how my friends Bonanza behaves I thought it was ok but now I'm getting feedback from one knowledgable source that I should be able to run the auxiliary pump for takeoff & landing. What do other people do? | ||
| Reinhard Metz New member Username: Reinhard_metz Post Number: 54 Registered: 03-2003 |
Andy, I'm sure others will know definitively, but I recall that is the way it works for Continental engines, and their particular fuel injection. It's on the Lycommings that it is ok to run the fuel pump any time. | ||
| AndyFawcett New member Username: Drew Post Number: 8 Registered: 03-2003 |
Thanks Reinhard I was hoping that was the answer! | ||
| Allyn Roe Unregistered guest |
You cannot run the pump while the Continental engines are running. It is a good idea to keep an eye on your fuel pressure and EGTs during critical phases of flight when flying the TCM engine because of this. Did you get the pump dialed in with the numbers they give you in the manual? They do not come set from the factory. | ||
| AndyFawcett New member Username: Drew Post Number: 9 Registered: 03-2003 |
I will check that - thanks Allyn | ||
| Kevin Dennes Unregistered guest |
We have installed the full powered fuel pump for priming purposes only. We have another switch for in-flight use. There is a variable resistor in the circuit and adjusted so that the pump only delivers fuel at aproximately cruise power requirements. Therefore, in the event that the engine driven pump is failing/failed and not providing sufficient fuel pressure to maintain power, the aux fuel pump should bring you home safely. Regards. Kevin (from Downunder) | ||
| AndyFawcett New member Username: Drew Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2003 |
I like that solution Kevin- maybe a FET transistor in parallel with the switch would make my variable resistor. I'll give it a try Allyn - I cannot find reference to the aux pump in my printed manual - can you link me to the information to get the pump dialed-in? Thanks guys | ||
| Jerry Sjostrand New member Username: Jerry Post Number: 58 Registered: 08-1999 |
Well fellows, More of my experience. I had the TCM engine in my Express with the Weldon electric pump. I installed an electronic controller that had an adjustable potentiometer. I used a slpit high/low Cessna pump switch (used) and set the low end speed to allow the engine to run at about 1800 rpm. If you do not reduce the pump speed (from normal speed) when making a landing with electric pump only, the engine will flood at lower power settings and you will be stuck. By setting the low pump speed at that lower GPH rate, it will allow your engine to run until touchdown. For emergency purposes in the event of fuel starvation from a given tank, since the TCM system returns fuel to the "tank in use", there is always fuel for a quick response when using the electric to get you going again. Example: This happened to me and it saved my life ,most likely. I had decided to empty one tank in flight and have the other one low so I could drain fuel and recalibrate my VMS capacitance probes. While approching for my landing, making sure I was not making any turns that would starve the pick up points in the wing, I was a bit high and decided to "slip" a bit to lose altitude. I chose the wrong side and the engine quit while on final. I knew what the problem was immediately and hit the high boost pump switch. As the engine was still windmilling, it fired right back up and I made my landing. Without the immediate response from the electric pump, I would have been short. Hmmmmm! If you had this happen on a Lycoming engine, I understand the time lag to get fuel to the engine is substantially longer as there is no fuel in the system as there is in that of the TCM. | ||
| Reinhard Metz New member Username: Reinhard_metz Post Number: 55 Registered: 03-2003 |
Yup, a dry tank switch-over on a Lycomming is a heart-stopping event! The engine sputters for a good 10 to 20 seconds as the air in the lines is purged. I let it happen every once in a while to be sure where my empty tank gage indications really are, but it un-nerves me every time, even with plenty of altitude and lots of fuel in other tanks! But the good part is that the Lycomming fuel injection works fine with the boost pump, so it is an easy backup for the mechanical pump. I guess it just goes to show you again. "there's always something!" |