If you sump your tanks regularly and don't find anything, the chances of having problems with the screens is pretty slim. The gascolator and fuel pump both should be checked every annual, more frequently if you fly a lot. As Hartmut pointed out, the finger screens are on the order of .03". The main jet in the carburetor is closer to .08"
There is a reason why the fuel system of an airplane is crude and simple. It's designed to keep the engine running, not protect it and its accessories from wear. Look at the other side of the coin. Today's sophisticated Diesel engines sport $500 fuel injectors and single digit micron filters the size of #10 tin cans that cost upwards of $25.00 to replace. It may save the injectors, but if you get water in the fuel or summer fuel in winter you're lucky to have enough power to pull over to the side of the road. I'd be interested to know the reasons behind the failures Lee is referring to. I still believe that a properly maintained fuel system is unlikely to fail due to clogging. Also, in an Ercoupe, failure of the wing tank/pump system should be a total non-event. This leaves only the header tank, which shouldn't have anything in it that couldn't pass through the screen in the pump. If it passed through that screen it should show up in the gascolator. If it passes through the gascolator it's too small to kill the engine. John Cooper, A&P Skyport Services PO Box 249 4996 Delaware Tnpk Rensselaerville, NY 12147 518 797-3064 Fax 518 797-3865 www.skyportservices.net _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Syd Cohen Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:35 PM Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Tank cleaning The gascolator and gascolator screen must also be cleaned at every annual. That should take care of most problems. Syd [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I do know the fine screen in the fuel pump only is required to be cleaned on annuals. Visit <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ercoupe-tech;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbWExdWJpBF9TAzk3NDc 2NTkwBGdycElkAzE5Mjg2OTM4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTM0MDA4NQRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNocGYEc3R pbWUDMTE5MzMyOTMzNg--> Your Group | Yahoo! Groups <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> Terms of Use | Unsubscribe <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> . <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=19286938/grpspId=1705340085/msgI d=2014/stime=1193329335/nc1=4767085/nc2=3848618/nc3=4507179>
