Fuel sight gauge

bransom · Post by **bransom** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:27 am

Thanks all for the fuel cap/how-not-to-get-wet advice!

OK, so then I'm also scratching my head wondering whether Murphy's sight
gauge fix (Bulletin 070395RB) makes sense. The change to verticle tube seems
kinda lame, and that makes me start to even wonder if the original sight
gauge was the real cause of fuel starvation reported in the first place.

But then there is this grand list.
Although I had searched for fuel+gauge with no luck (back to the garage to
grumble and stare for awhile), a return to search on sight+gauge gave me
answers! :-) Wayne's post of 9/1/2001:
1. Agreement that original sight gauge had indeed been cause of air entering
fuel lines.
2. Yes, a slanted sight gauge with bottom tap at low point(!) is way better.
3. Use a small hole for bottom tap of sight gauge to tank -- viola,
restrictor is done!

Thanks Wayne, and all,
-Ben/ 496R

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Rick Harper · Post by **Rick Harper** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:27 am

G'day guys

I too did away with the vertical fuel sight tube ... and made it
into a diagonal one
(runs from the original top fuel TUBE outlet ... diagonally down to the
fuel feed out)

it is very accurate , and I filled the tanks and calibrated them in five
litre increments ... with level lines running from the aft side of the
tubes showing the level whilst the tail is on the ground .... and the
level lines running from the forward side of the tubes showing the fuel
levels whilst in level flight

I have heard reports that when you put the plane into a steep nosedive
with a low fuel situation , and fuel can rush to the front of the tank
and stop feeding ..... the proposed fix for this was to put another fuel
outlet at the front of the tank so when the plane was in a steep dive it
would still feed fuel

but I am now wondering .... If I put a small in line header tank in
the fuel line about 6in. to 12in. below the tank on the side wall of the
cabin ..... would this get rid of and release any bubbles back to the
tank - so we get rid of the problem of bubbles entering the fuel line
and are not able to escape !?!

Rick and Wendy Harper
541R

PS I sent some recent photographs of our new Thorp T18 nose bowl / cowl
and OUTLET area to Bob Patterson and Mike Davis to post in the archives
for you all to look at ....
with the new much bigger outlet area on the cowl the cylinder head
temperatures on our souped up IO-320 run constantly at around 275

bransom · Post by **bransom** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:31 am

I've got a few more questions on tank fittings. I was going to contact
Murphy to order two more tank fittings so as to separate the sight gauges
from the tank outlets. But then I see that there are two W-159 fittings that
came in my kit (1995). I see no mention of using W-159 fittings except in
the 1999 MAM which shows them for water drain fittings on the tanks per se.
This leads to the following questions:

1. Are the W-159 fittings in my kit for tank drain/water check fittings, or
are they for the bulletin to separate the sight gauge from the tank outlet?

2. Were drain/water check fittings added to the tanks after 1994?

3. My kit also came with quantity 4 drain fittings (CAV-110). This would
lead me to guess there are suppose to be two drain fittings each side -- one
on each tank (question #2) and one at the low point of each line in the
fuselage. If this is true, then I suppose I just need to order a couple
more W-159 or W-49 fittings for the bottom of the sight gauges.

This is almost making me look forward to proseal!
Thanks,
-Ben/ 496R

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Drew Dalgleish · Post by **Drew Dalgleish** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:31 am

Hi Ben You need a total of 4 fittings in each tank. 2 w-159 for the sight
guage 1 w-159 for the sump and 1 w-49 for fuel. I received all these with
my kit #247. You're correct that there's drains in each tank and each side
of the fuselage. the fuselage drains attach to a tee fitting at the low
point of the fuel line. Pro seal's easy as making a peanut butter sandwich
just messy have fun.

At 09:38 PM 9/13/2004 -0800, you wrote:

I've got a few more questions on tank fittings. I was going to contact
Murphy to order two more tank fittings so as to separate the sight gauges
from the tank outlets. But then I see that there are two W-159 fittings

that

came in my kit (1995). I see no mention of using W-159 fittings except in
the 1999 MAM which shows them for water drain fittings on the tanks per se.
This leads to the following questions:

1. Are the W-159 fittings in my kit for tank drain/water check fittings, or
are they for the bulletin to separate the sight gauge from the tank outlet?

2. Were drain/water check fittings added to the tanks after 1994?

3. My kit also came with quantity 4 drain fittings (CAV-110). This would
lead me to guess there are suppose to be two drain fittings each side -- one
on each tank (question #2) and one at the low point of each line in the
fuselage. If this is true, then I suppose I just need to order a couple
more W-159 or W-49 fittings for the bottom of the sight gauges.

This is almost making me look forward to proseal!
Thanks,
-Ben/ 496R

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Drew

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bransom · Post by **bransom** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:31 am

Thanks Drew,
I also just called Murphy to order the extra W-159 fittings so that I'll have
enf for the bottom sight tubes and tank sumps. The fuel plumbing in my MAM
is this incomplete little addendum in the back of the wet tank chapter.
Frustrating to have to scratch and search to figure out what is intended for
something so simple, but glad now to get going again.
thanks!
-Ben

Hi Ben You need a total of 4 fittings in each tank. 2 w-159 for the sight
guage 1 w-159 for the sump and 1 w-49 for fuel. I received all these with
my kit #247. You're correct that there's drains in each tank and each side
of the fuselage. the fuselage drains attach to a tee fitting at the low
point of the fuel line. Pro seal's easy as making a peanut butter sandwich
just messy have fun.

At 09:38 PM 9/13/2004 -0800, you wrote:
I've got a few more questions on tank fittings. I was going to contact
Murphy to order two more tank fittings so as to separate the sight gauges
from the tank outlets. But then I see that there are two W-159 fittings
that
came in my kit (1995). I see no mention of using W-159 fittings except in
the 1999 MAM which shows them for water drain fittings on the tanks per

se.

This leads to the following questions:

1. Are the W-159 fittings in my kit for tank drain/water check fittings,

or

are they for the bulletin to separate the sight gauge from the tank

outlet?

2. Were drain/water check fittings added to the tanks after 1994?

3. My kit also came with quantity 4 drain fittings (CAV-110). This would
lead me to guess there are suppose to be two drain fittings each side --

one

on each tank (question #2) and one at the low point of each line in the
fuselage. If this is true, then I suppose I just need to order a couple
more W-159 or W-49 fittings for the bottom of the sight gauges.

This is almost making me look forward to proseal!
Thanks,
-Ben/ 496R

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Drew

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Wayne G. O'Shea · Post by **Wayne G. O'Shea** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:31 am

Tooooo late if you have already ordered Ben...... but remember guys......I'm
parting out a FULL Rebel kit here.

You tell me what MAM currently wants for the parts and you'll get the parts
from me most likely cheap enough to cover the postage or more ...as others
can already attest to that have bought some of it already! Looks like I am
going to be using very little of it actually on Howard's rebuild, so there
are lots of fuselage parts available along with everything else.....in case
you make a boo boo or take over someones construction that you are not happy
with.

Cheers,
Wayne

----- Original Message -----
From: <bransom@dcsol.com>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: Fuel sight gauge

Thanks Drew,
I also just called Murphy to order the extra W-159 fittings so that I'll

have

enf for the bottom sight tubes and tank sumps. The fuel plumbing in my

MAM

is this incomplete little addendum in the back of the wet tank chapter.
Frustrating to have to scratch and search to figure out what is intended

for

something so simple, but glad now to get going again.
thanks!
-Ben

Hi Ben You need a total of 4 fittings in each tank. 2 w-159 for the

sight

guage 1 w-159 for the sump and 1 w-49 for fuel. I received all these

with

my kit #247. You're correct that there's drains in each tank and each

side

of the fuselage. the fuselage drains attach to a tee fitting at the low
point of the fuel line. Pro seal's easy as making a peanut butter

sandwich

just messy have fun.

At 09:38 PM 9/13/2004 -0800, you wrote:
I've got a few more questions on tank fittings. I was going to contact
Murphy to order two more tank fittings so as to separate the sight

gauges

from the tank outlets. But then I see that there are two W-159

fittings

that
came in my kit (1995). I see no mention of using W-159 fittings except

in

the 1999 MAM which shows them for water drain fittings on the tanks per
se.
This leads to the following questions:

1. Are the W-159 fittings in my kit for tank drain/water check

fittings,

or
are they for the bulletin to separate the sight gauge from the tank
outlet?
2. Were drain/water check fittings added to the tanks after 1994?

3. My kit also came with quantity 4 drain fittings (CAV-110). This

would

lead me to guess there are suppose to be two drain fittings each

side --

one
on each tank (question #2) and one at the low point of each line in the
fuselage. If this is true, then I suppose I just need to order a

couple

more W-159 or W-49 fittings for the bottom of the sight gauges.

This is almost making me look forward to proseal!
Thanks,
-Ben/ 496R

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pollock · Post by **pollock** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:20 am

I am working on the fuel tank and have installed flange fittings for the
fuel sight gauge.What is the hole size that would let fuel to be read
but not bounce all over the place?

Bill
Moose 244

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Reed Britt Civ OO-ALC/MAD · Post by **Reed Britt Civ OO-ALC/MAD** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:20 am

Bill - I am interested in the same thing- I assume you are talking about
soldering the bottom sight gage fitting and then drilling it out - My only
thought is to not get it too small so it plugs and fakes you out!!

Are you putting in some other gage? Seems like now would be the time -
(before the tank top is sealed up)

Britt - SR194

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
pollock
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 1:08 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: fuel sight gauge

I am working on the fuel tank and have installed flange fittings for the
fuel sight gauge.What is the hole size that would let fuel to be read
but not bounce all over the place?

Bill
Moose 244

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Bob Patterson · Post by **Bob Patterson** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:20 am

Hi Bill !

One easy solution is to push a plastic insert into the fuel line used
for the sight guage. These are used in windshield wiper lines, or
you can just drill a plastic slug - ~1/8" hole should work OK ....

......bobp

-------------------------------orig.-------------------------
On Monday 21 March 2005 03:07 pm, pollock wrote:

I am working on the fuel tank and have installed flange fittings for the
fuel sight gauge.What is the hole size that would let fuel to be read
but not bounce all over the place?

Bill
Moose 244

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Legeorgen · Post by **Legeorgen** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:20 am

1/8 inch seems large to me for a sight gauge hole. I have a pin hole in both
the Rebel and Kitfox and don't see any sloshing. The gauges are still
reliable/accurate.

Bruce

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Ken · Post by **Ken** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:20 am

In a msg on 2/13/05
Rick H. suggested 0.030 worked well for him.
Ken

Bob Patterson wrote:

Hi Bill !

One easy solution is to push a plastic insert into the fuel line used
for the sight guage. These are used in windshield wiper lines, or
you can just drill a plastic slug - ~1/8" hole should work OK ....

......bobp

-------------------------------orig.-------------------------
On Monday 21 March 2005 03:07 pm, pollock wrote:

I am working on the fuel tank and have installed flange fittings for the
fuel sight gauge.What is the hole size that would let fuel to be read
but not bounce all over the place?

Bill
Moose 244

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pollock · Post by **pollock** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:20 am

Hi Britt
I am going to drill #30 hole and the fitting will be solid riveted with
PRC.I don't think I will add anything else keep it simple.Thanks to all that
replied.
Bill
Moose 244
----- Original Message -----
From: "Reed Britt Civ OO-ALC/MADE" <Britt.REED@HILL.af.mil>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 4:09 PM
Subject: RE: fuel sight gauge

Bill - I am interested in the same thing- I assume you are talking about
soldering the bottom sight gage fitting and then drilling it out - My only
thought is to not get it too small so it plugs and fakes you out!!

Are you putting in some other gage? Seems like now would be the time -
(before the tank top is sealed up)

Britt - SR194

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
pollock
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 1:08 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: fuel sight gauge

I am working on the fuel tank and have installed flange fittings for the
fuel sight gauge.What is the hole size that would let fuel to be read
but not bounce all over the place?

Bill
Moose 244

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