Fuel System Questions

[rogerk]

After having flown a lot of aircraft over many years, I am still surprised every now and then to find water (or something else) in the fuel. A water drain takes a few seconds in a pre-flight and after every refuel and my belief is that it is always worthwhile. Make sure you are using water detecting paste or capsules for Jet-A1 (and paste makes it easier on Avgas in the dark or half light).

Just my thoughts.
Roger K

[Jerry Folkerts]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'm planning on a gascolator on the firewall and a drain at the low point where the lines tee and move forward from under the back seat. I assume that is a simple tee with a Curtis type drain with access from below?
Thanks,
Jerry Folkerts

[mipalito2]

Hi Group: Back in 1984 my cousin and some friends were 22 minutes into a one hour flight in a Cessna 210 when their engine coughed and quit completely at around 4500 feet asl. Their engine was fuel injected. On pre-flight, he had someone else do the draining of the tanks, directly on a wet floor after having hosed the aircraft completely in order to wash the aircraft. He had just sold the aircraft and was on his delivery flight and his tanks were totally full. Unfortunately he stalled the aircraft around 150 feet above the ground and 800 feet short of a landing strip; due to the impact he broke his neck and died some 30 minutes later. Upon inspection of the wreck, there were some 5 quarts of water in his tanks and gascolator. His mistakes were mainly as I see them:
a) Had someone else do the draining of tanks and not into a crystal clear jar to see water and debris; when draining into a wet floor, the water disappears and you only see fuel.
b) He used a hose in order to wash his aircraft; I never do (after that) and only wash it down with a wet rag; windows and windshield get their proper care to avoid scratching them
c) His wing tanks had old seals in the gas caps, were loose and allowed water to seep in through the old gasket (seals) because of excessive water when using a hose.
d) His aircraft was on the heavy side and miss calculated his approach, too desperate to make it to the landing strip
e) These mistakes cost another three lives and one is on wheelchair to this date. One made it alive.
I don't mean to be gruesome, just letting this group know there are some of us who don't give small details the importance they deserve; in aviation it's all important, and this is my 2 cents worth. Regards, Eduardo

[tjhickey]

I can't tell by looking, but the fuel valves in Jerry's picture, described as the Murphy supplied valves, look to be 1/4 inch. I decided early on to replace those valves with 3/8". I was concerned with the flow restriction that would occur. With a Lyc O-235 in my case it may be over kill to use 3/8, but with a larger engine I would really want the bigger diameter valves. The head pressure is marginal as it is, and smaller valve equals greater head loss.

Just a thought.

Tim Hickey.

[Walter Klatt]

Your fuel flow tests will tell you if you have too many restrictions. Gravity feed carb requires 1.5 times max fuel flow, while fuel pump requires only 1.25. There will be other restrictions, like bends, gascolator, and fuel flow sensor, etc.

[Rebel541]

G'day Al / Guys ................


You're CRAZY if you DON'T check for water in your fuel :

A) before the first flight EVERY DAY

and

B) After each refueling

I also grab a wingtip and shake the plane side to side - so that any water gravitates to the outlet point !

Sure - 999 times outa 1,000 might be a waste of time ....................................... but "ONE DAY" it may save your life !

So WHY are we even discussing "should I / shouldn't I?" in the first place ?!?!? :wtf:

[Ahewko]

I agree with you 100%, have never omitted checking the fuel at all four drain points as part of the pre-flight, and never plan to, but I know people who do, and can see how a pilot could become complacent and start doing that. One guy by my hangar that rarely checks his fuel, used to add gasoline antifreeze in winter till I advised him not to, and doesn't check for icing on his run-up if he happens to do one. I have never flown with him, he has had several close calls, his engine quit after take-off once due to icing, he totalled that one, not sure why he has been so lucky to stay alive. No he doesn't fly a home built, his have always been in owner maintenance.

Allen H