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Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

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dan(at)syz.com
Guest

Posted: Sat May 27, 2017 12:51 pm Post subject: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

Hi everyone.



Here in Canada, when my plane underwent final inspection, we had to have gascolators installed (apparently, this has recently been amended if we have it inspected to alternate standards, but wasn't so when my plane was done).



In any case, I have the Usher gascolators from Aircraft Spruce installed, one in each wing root.  The problem I'm having is with their fuel screens.



Their screens are about 2 inches in diameter in theory, but in reality, any debris seems to congregate towards the ~3/8" outlet where the fuel leaves the gascolator.  I've experienced fuel pressure drops on climb out (when not using the boost pump) twice now, and on both occasions found small fibres trapped on the screens in those locations.  Cleaning out the screens seems to solve the problem.



Fuel can still get by the debris that collects at the screen right at the outlet of the gascolator, but via a very shallow channel cut behind the rest of the fuel screen that seems to restrict flow and pressure somewhat significantly when at high flow rates.



At first I thought the small fibres being trapped in the screen was just some initial construction debris being flushed out of the system.  But it still seems to be trapping some contamination now, even after 6 or 7 tank refills.  I'm starting to wonder if my fuel source may have the odd fibre in it (I've heard it happens, sometimes as a deteriorating filter at the pump).



It's not a huge amount of debris, and at the rate I've seen so far would likely take hundreds of hours to accumulate to any kind of noticeable level in a "proper" fuel filter with a high useable surface area such as the stock Van's filter I kept in the tunnel).  But I'm not happy with the Usher gascolator filter design in that even a tiny amount of contamination has the possibility of restricting fuel flow relatively needlessly.  The "effective area" of the screen in the gascolators, judging by where contamination is found, seems to be less than the area of a dime.  And draining the tanks, removing the lower intersection fairing and wing root fairing to be able to remove the gascolator bowl to clean the screen is getting old fast, particularly if it's something I'm going to have to do often.



One tempting option is to just remove the filter screens from the gascolators altogether.  I still have the stock Van's fuel filter in the tunnel, and for probably most flying RV-10s, that's all they have in the first place.  The down side, of course, is access to the filter in the tunnel (right now, the pre-filtering by the gascolator screens means it would probably never get contaminants).  But I'll likely be pulling that apart during annuals anyway, and from the design of the filter, I expect it would be able to take a fair bit of contamination anyway before it starts to restrict flow.  Another option would be to replace the gascolators with something that has a screen less likely to trap all the contaminants in a very small area, like the Andair gascolators (at least, as judged by their picture, their cylindrical screen design that would trap contaminants away from the outlet port seems much better).  The problem is they cost 3-5 times what my Usher gascolators did.



Anyone have any advice?



Thanks!  Dan

---

Dan Charrois

President, Syzygy Research & Technology

Phone: 780-961-2213

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Bob Turner

Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Posts: 885
Location: Castro Valley, CA

Posted: Sat May 27, 2017 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

Well, as you point out, very few if any US -10's have this 'feature'. And in the only fuel contamination/blockage accident that I know of, they wouldn't have helped, as the contaminant (RTV) was accidentally introduced down-stream of the main filter, by the builder. I'd be strongly tempted to pull those screens.



However, there are a number of reports of fuel pressure dropping below minimum spec in a climb, even with no gascolator. Some suggest the tunnel location of the fuel flow sensor, before rather than after the pump, is the culprit. I see this myself if I'm climbing thru 7000' or so and full rich. So I don't do that! Once the engine break-in is done, there is no reason to be full rich at that altitude.

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Bob Turner
RV-10 QB

AirMike

Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Posts: 514
Location: Nevada

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2017 7:28 am Post subject: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

I am very concerned about your fuel source. I have the standard Vans installation in the tunnel, and it is a pain to remove to check for debris. I did it on this year's condition inspection and it was absolutely clean except for one little spec of debris (like 1.0mm). I only inspect it every 2 years as it is a big job to deconstruct the fuel manifold and inspect the filter. I would secure another source for my fuel unless you have no option and then I would filter it through a chamois like they do in Mexico or get your own filter. If need be dispense the fuel into cans and then filter it.

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_________________
See you OSH '18
Q/B - sold.

gspecketer(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:00 pm Post subject: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

I too have found that cleaning the std filter is a pain. I have gone to doing a timed fuel flow to tell if the filter has lost any capacity. Way easier to do. 



Gary Specketer 



 	  Quote: 	
		   On Jun 9, 2017, at 11:28 AM, AirMike <Mikeabel(at)Pacbell.net> wrote:

 

 

 

 I am very concerned about your fuel source. I have the standard Vans installation in the tunnel, and it is a pain to remove to check for debris. I did it on this year's condition inspection and it was absolutely clean except for one little spec of debris (like 1.0mm). I only inspect it every 2 years as it is a big job to deconstruct the fuel manifold and inspect the filter. I would secure another source for my fuel unless you have no option and then I would filter it through a chamois like they do in Mexico or get your own filter. If need be dispense the fuel into cans and then filter it.

 

 --------

 See you OSH '17

 Q/B - flying 7 yrs.

 

 

 

 

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Albert Gardner

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 455
Location: Yuma, AZ

Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2017 4:21 pm Post subject: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

After an RV-10 caught fire and was destroyed a few years ago due to fuel

leaking and accumulating in the tunnel I have made it a priority to check

the tunnel more often than yearly. Since it is a pain to remove the carpets,

etc. to gain access from the top I cut an opening in the floor. I left a

section of the original floor that has the filter clamp base on it. I added

some platenuts to hold the cover. I have a short bracket that locates the

section relative to the cover holes when I reassemble it after cleaning. Got

to get down but it maakes short work of filter cleaning and tunnel

inspection.

Albert Gardner

RV-10 N991RV

Yuma, AZ (109 deg today, but not the hottest day so far this year!)

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RV-9A N872RV
RV-10 N991RV

pilotdds(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 6:26 am Post subject: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

The only change I made from the plans was to place two fuel filters one under each seat and a shutoff in the wing root.If debris clog one filter the second filter provides a source of fuel.The first 10 I built had the filter in the standard location and after the wrestling match of the first annual there was a seep that was finaly resolved with a bonnaco hose.An FAA inspector discussed with me a fatal crash he had investigated (not an RV] caused by a clogged automotive fuel filter.As a side note after 10 annuals I have never found significant debris in the main filters although the fuel injection filter had some debris . 

   

   

  --

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kearney

Joined: 20 Sep 2008
Posts: 563

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

Hi



FWIW I put my fuel filters n the wing roots. I did at one point have them under the seats. Under the seats is just a little less inconvenient than the tunnel. Even though I  put an access panel in the tunnel, I wanted to be able to inspect the filters quickly and easily. All I need do now is to remove the top root cover and the filters are out in a couple of minutes. 



I also wanted to minimize connections inside the cockpit and near the exhaust. 



I used Earls Performance fuel filters which have worked out quite well. The filters screens are easily removed and cleaned. 



Cheers



Les

C-GCWZ flying

C-GROK some assembly required

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dilsonfrota(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:18 pm Post subject: Fuel filter/gascolator screen advice

Hi,



Could you please send some pictures?



Thanks



Dilson

Em 11/06/2017 18:04, kearney escreveu:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Hi



 FWIW I put my fuel filters n the wing roots. I did at one point have them under the seats. Under the seats is just a little less inconvenient than the tunnel. Even though I  put an access panel in the tunnel, I wanted to be able to inspect the filters quickly and easily. All I need do now is to remove the top root cover and the filters are out in a couple of minutes.



 I also wanted to minimize connections inside the cockpit and near the exhaust.



 I used Earls Performance fuel filters which have worked out quite well. The filters screens are easily removed and cleaned.



 Cheers



 Les

 C-GCWZ flying

 C-GROK some assembly required





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=469979#469979

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