----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----Yo, John
Sometimes the restrictor fitting on the fuel pump gets installed (incorrectly) on the pump inlet side. Any piece of crud large enough can block (or partially block) the fuel supply resulting in symptoms such as you describe.
With the fitting (correctly installed) on the outlet, or discharge side, the screen in the pump protects the restrictor fitting, gascolator and carb. Consider siphoning out some liquid from each tank¹s low point (with the tail really low). Some really icky stuff can accumulate there between annuals.
Empty the wing tanks and verify the finger strainer in each is unobstructed. These strainers and the one just before the fuel shut-off valve under the nose tank are the ³first line of defense² against particulate crud in an Ercoupe's fuel system.
In the early eighties I was ³talking coupes² with another enthusiast while he drained fuel from a wing tank. When his five gallon bucket was deemed sufficiently full, he would stop and go pour the gas in the other wing tank; and repeat the process. After five or six trips from that nine gallon wing tank, the reality of the situation dawned on him with a really vivid face flush as our eyes met. After a wonderful laugh together, his identity is forever ³our² secret.
Best of luck,
William R. Bayne
<____|(o)|____>
(Copyright 2002)
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on 11/25/03 1:21 PM, John Bennett at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Dear Coupers,N2454H
I've a mystery that needs solving.
Last week I flew from my home field in Jacksonville Fl. to Hilton Head SC. My intention was to fly direct to Varnville SC but the sight tube on the header tank was below the half way mark and I stopped at Hilton Head to check it out. I put 11.7 gal. of fuel in the bird which gave me about 6 gal per hour burn.
My question is this. If the fuel is pumped from the main wing tanks into the header tank and then gravity fed to the carb. Shouldn't the header tank remain full until the wing tanks are empty? If so. Why would the fuel pump not keep up with fuel burn...assuming the excess goes back into the wing tanks? Or...is there another problem?
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
John B.
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