Richard & Mike,
Yesterday for the first time when I went to fly, I saw the header
tank float was all the way down. I put a stick into the tank, and it
still had some fuel, but didn't seem full. I thought at first that
the cork had become sodden & useless (which I understand can
happen). But then during pre-flight I also noticed a very tiny
occasional drip from where one tests the fuel in the gascolator.
(Less even than one would get with a drippy faucet at home.) But I
had not flown the plane for almost 2 weeks, and in that time, that
teeny occasional drip had partly emptied the header tank! One the
engine was started and the engine-driven fuel pump kicked in, the
float gauge started rising, and eventually got back to its normal
height. I've asked my A&P to fix the fuel drip. If you're finding
your header tank depleted, it might be worthwhile to check for even
very tiny leaks in that system. Mine was just barely more than seeping.
Linda
N3437H (Sky Sprite)
415-C
Los Angeles
Richard Green wrote:
One other weird thing is that the center tank seems to lose fuel
volume if the plane sits a few days unused (i.e., the sight glass
level goes down with time). My mecahnic thinks it might be fuel
going back through the fuel pump as it sits. Is there supposed to be
a check valve in the system? Does that happen to all Coupes?
Thanks again for your help.
Rich Green N3881H 1947 415CD
Messages in this topic (5)
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3b. Re: Center Tank Fuel
Posted by: "mbpowell" [EMAIL PROTECTED] mbpowell
Date: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:16 pm ((PDT))
Richard, Mine was indicating the same thing. The indicator would be
half way down when I arrived at the airport. I then added "Shut off
header tank fuel valve" to my shut down check list. It didn't fix the
problem. Next I actually looked in the tank to see where the fuel
level was. It was full. Apparently the cork sinks after the plane has
not been run for a while. After the engine has been running a few
minutes the indicator moves up to full. My thinking about the actual
level dropping, if it is, would be a leak in the tank or the needle
valve in the carb is not seating. Mike @ C35
