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fuel pickups ?

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dashwood

Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Posts: 73
Location: sw ontario canada

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:07 pm Post subject: fuel pickups ?

I purchased my bird so do not have the benefit of seeing this part installed. i am wondering what the 701 wing tank fuel pickup looks like. and where it is normally. the drain is inboard at the rear. the fill neck is outboard and forward. the elec fuel gage tube runs about 4" back of front wall from the inboard face..

  Is it just a hole/fitting in the side or a upright tube  on top of the drain with holes so one piece of debris can't plug it instantly.

 I had parts of the fill spout from the gas can i was using come off the other day. ( into the tank) it was the special spring loaded auto shutoff type.  after much fishing i got it + spring attached  out. but on the last flight this tank was not gravity feeding as before. with the tanks full as this one was  i never had to worry about fuel flow. after the first time switching to this tank in flight the engine started to stumble. a quik check of the glass on the cabin fuel filter showed it empty. i flipped on the elec. pump and it filled up and ran smooth. several cycles like this showed some improvement. but not back to the gravity feed level of the other side.

could i have damaged anything in the tank fishing around with a heavy wire? there was about 6 L left in the tank while i was looking about. the borescope i was using didn't have enough strength or clarity to see the inboard side or back inboard corners. so i can't get a look at the pickup from here.

 this was not as scary as it sound as i had lots of fuel in the other tank and was flight testing for this very problem before in was one.

_________________
Ross Alexander: CH701 driver 912ul 788tt
It only takes two things to fly, airspeed and money

rvickski(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:25 am Post subject: fuel pickups ?

Ross, the plans show a finger strainer fitting at the fuel outlet  

which is at the back on the inboard side of the tank just above the  

drain.

Roy

On Oct 12, 2010, at 10:07 PM, dashwood wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 >



 I purchased my bird so do not have the benefit of seeing this part  

 installed. i am wondering what the 701 wing tank fuel pickup looks  

 like. and where it is normally. the drain is inboard at the rear.  

 the fill neck is outboard and forward. the elec fuel gage tube runs  

 about 4" back of front wall from the inboard face..

  Is it just a hole/fitting in the side or a upright tube  on top of  

 the drain with holes so one piece of debris can't plug it instantly.

 I had parts of the fill spout from the gas can i was using come off  

 the other day. ( into the tank) it was the special spring loaded  

 auto shutoff type.  after much fishing i got it + spring attached   

 out. but on the last flight this tank was not gravity feeding as  

 before. with the tanks full as this one was  i never had to worry  

 about fuel flow. after the first time switching to this tank in  

 flight the engine started to stumble. a quik check of the glass on  

 the cabin fuel filter showed it empty. i flipped on the elec. pump  

 and it filled up and ran smooth. several cycles like this showed  

 some improvement. but not back to the gravity feed level of the  

 other side.

 could i have damaged anything in the tank fishing around with a  

 heavy wire? there was about 6 L left in the tank while i was looking  

 about. the borescope i was using didn't have enough strength or  

 clarity to see the inboard side or back inboard corners. so i can't  

 get a look at the pickup from here.

 this was not as scary as it sound as i had lots of fuel in the other  

 tank and was flight testing for this very problem before in was one.



 --------

 Ross Aalexander: CH701 driver 912ul 398tt





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=315505#315505

kmccune

Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 577
Location: Wisconsin, USA

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:24 am Post subject: Re: fuel pickups ?

See attached photo of right side tank, as viewed from cabin.



Kevin

do not archive

701 fuel tank.JPG

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_________________
â€œAlways do what you are afraid to do.â€
R.W. Emerson (1803-1882)

"Real freedom is the sustained act of being an individual." WW - 2009

"Life is a good deal...it's worth it" Feb 1969
Dorothy McCune

dashwood

Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Posts: 73
Location: sw ontario canada

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 3:57 am Post subject: Re: fuel pickups ?

thanks guys. this is just what i was looking for and suspected. I am thinking the screen may have been crunched some. next question. can it be serviced by removing the wing fairings.. removing the tank would require major surgery on the wing  I am getting more crud in the cabin fuel filter from muckin about inside this tank. from stirring up sediments or compromising this screen.

_________________
Ross Alexander: CH701 driver 912ul 788tt
It only takes two things to fly, airspeed and money

dougsnash

Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 281

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 4:47 am Post subject: fuel pickups ?

Ross, the fuel pickup in the tank is essentially a pipe thread bung welded to the sidewall of the tank near the bottom back corner.  Standard proceedure is to thread a finger screen into this bung and then the barb fitting threads into the finger screen.  If there is a finger screen in place (two inch long cylinder of metal screen) then the incident you are decribing should not have affected your fuel flow.



I don't remember if the 701 plans show the installation of a finger screen or not but I know the 750 does since I'm helping to build one of those now.  If your plane doesn't have finger screens it would be a good idea to install them.



Doug MacDonald

CH-701 C-GBQX

NW Ontario, Canada



Waiting on paperwork, ARGH!!!



Do not archive



--- On Tue, 10/12/10, dashwood <dashwoodlock(at)hotmail.com> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   From: dashwood <dashwoodlock(at)hotmail.com>


	


 	  Quote: 	
		   I purchased my bird so do not have the benefit of seeing

 this part installed. i am wondering what the 701 wing tank

 fuel pickup looks like. and where it is normally. the drain

 is inboard at the rear. the fill neck is outboard and

 forward. the elec fuel gage tube runs about 4" back of front

 wall from the inboard face..

   Is it just a hole/fitting in the side or a upright

 tube  on top of the drain with holes so one piece of

 debris can't plug it instantly.

  I had parts of the fill spout from the gas can i was using

 come off the other day. ( into the tank) it was the special

 spring loaded auto shutoff type.  after much fishing i

 got it + spring attached  out. but on the last flight

 this tank was not gravity feeding as before. with the tanks

 full as this one was  i never had to worry about fuel

 flow. after the first time switching to this tank in flight

 the engine started to stumble. a quik check of the glass on

 the cabin fuel filter showed it empty. i flipped on the

 elec. pump and it filled up and ran smooth. several cycles

 like this showed some improvement. but not back to the

 gravity feed level of the other side.

 could i have damaged anything in the tank fishing around

 with a heavy wire? there was about 6 L left in the tank

 while i was looking about. the borescope i was using didn't

 have enough strength or clarity to see the inboard side or

 back inboard corners. so i can't get a look at the pickup

 from here.

  this was not as scary as it sound as i had lots of fuel in

 the other tank and was flight testing for this very problem

 before in was one.

 

 --------

 Ross Aalexander: CH701 driver 912ul 398tt

bobkat

Joined: 07 Sep 2008
Posts: 143
Location: Bismarck, ND

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:36 am Post subject: fuel pickups ?

You'll have to get at the fuel pickup opening in the tank to get at it to 

put on a new fuel strainer screen.   Yes, the 701 plans call for one.  Even 

if it is a bit bent up I can't see this stopping most of the flow from the 

tank.  Possible, I suppose.   Are you sure that you got all the debris out 

of the tank?

It might be possible to borrow or rent one of those flexible borescopes that 

most A & P have access to to have a good look at the tank from the inside. 

Basically it's a a physician's flexible sigmoidoscope .  I've seen  the 

short ones (sigmoidoscope) and long ones (colonoscope) in the larger 

aircraft repair shops and have been intrigued by them, as they are EXACTLY 

the same as what I use (used) on humans before I retired.    You could get a 

great eyeball close up with one of those if you can borrow or steal one for 

about 3 1/2 minutes!

When I built my plane I screwed up and didn't put an inspection plate to 

access the pickup tube (or fuel sending gauges) in my tanks, so if there 

isn't one on your plane, the only way to access the tube would be to cut an 

inspection hole either on the underside or above it on the top.   But I'd 

sure look at it from the inside with a scope if possible before doing major 

surgery like that..



--------------------------------------------------

From: "MacDonald Doug" <dougsnash(at)yahoo.com>

Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 7:44 AM

To: <zenith701801-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Re: fuel pickups ?



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <dougsnash(at)yahoo.com>



 Ross, the fuel pickup in the tank is essentially a pipe thread bung welded 

 to the sidewall of the tank near the bottom back corner.  Standard 

 proceedure is to thread a finger screen into this bung and then the barb 

 fitting threads into the finger screen.  If there is a finger screen in 

 place (two inch long cylinder of metal screen) then the incident you are 

 decribing should not have affected your fuel flow.



 I don't remember if the 701 plans show the installation of a finger screen 

 or not but I know the 750 does since I'm helping to build one of those 

 now.  If your plane doesn't have finger screens it would be a good idea to 

 install them.



 Doug MacDonald

 CH-701 C-GBQX

 NW Ontario, Canada



 Waiting on paperwork, ARGH!!!



 Do not archive



 --- On Tue, 10/12/10, dashwood <dashwoodlock(at)hotmail.com> wrote:



> From: dashwood <dashwoodlock(at)hotmail.com>



> I purchased my bird so do not have the benefit of seeing

> this part installed. i am wondering what the 701 wing tank

> fuel pickup looks like. and where it is normally. the drain

> is inboard at the rear. the fill neck is outboard and

> forward. the elec fuel gage tube runs about 4" back of front

> wall from the inboard face..

>   Is it just a hole/fitting in the side or a upright

> tube  on top of the drain with holes so one piece of

> debris can't plug it instantly.

>  I had parts of the fill spout from the gas can i was using

> come off the other day. ( into the tank) it was the special

> spring loaded auto shutoff type.  after much fishing i

> got it + spring attached  out. but on the last flight

> this tank was not gravity feeding as before. with the tanks

> full as this one was  i never had to worry about fuel

> flow. after the first time switching to this tank in flight

> the engine started to stumble. a quik check of the glass on

> the cabin fuel filter showed it empty. i flipped on the

> elec. pump and it filled up and ran smooth. several cycles

> like this showed some improvement. but not back to the

> gravity feed level of the other side.

> could i have damaged anything in the tank fishing around

> with a heavy wire? there was about 6 L left in the tank

> while i was looking about. the borescope i was using didn't

> have enough strength or clarity to see the inboard side or

> back inboard corners. so i can't get a look at the pickup

> from here.

>  this was not as scary as it sound as i had lots of fuel in

> the other tank and was flight testing for this very problem

> before in was one.

>

> --------

> Ross Aalexander: CH701 driver 912ul 398tt

s.clive.richards(at)homec
Guest

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 8:42 am Post subject: fuel pickups ?

Ross

                   As you did not build the plane possibly your tank was 

sloshed with some type of sealant which you have broken up causing it to 

block  strainer screen.

  Normally looking in filler you will see clean aluminium  walls & bottom of 

tank

  If it has been sealed you will probably need a new tank as I doubt you 

will be able to clean it. possibly someone on list can advise.



Clive

---

dashwood

Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Posts: 73
Location: sw ontario canada

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: Re: fuel pickups ?

OK .  i borrowed an end on flexible scope.  tank is clean  and shiny inside. screen is good shape.  removed gas-line to inner cabin filter blew out = no dirt,  checked flow measured gal/min from both tanks and are equal both sides. fill cap was off at this point

then ame comes back to collect his scope. and points out a possible problem.  i have covers on the forward curved vents to the gas caps when parked. these are removed preflight. but i didn't check to see the condition of these tubes.  one has been pinched shut by  some plyers what the f....

we had a lot of fuel stolen from the field last fall. a couple of weekends of stunt drivers on the grass at nights recently.  now blatant tampering. easy fix but the preflights are very long now.

thanks for your help. I am thinking of doors for the hanger..odd that both things happen to come at the same time. kind of what put me off in the wrong dirrection.

_________________
Ross Alexander: CH701 driver 912ul 788tt
It only takes two things to fly, airspeed and money

n801bh(at)netzero.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 6:40 am Post subject: fuel pickups ?

Glad the tanks checked out ok. 

Covers over the vent tubes are a great idea as it keeps out those pesky mud daubbers. I am wondering way, since you have to remove the fuel caps that have the vent tubes on them to fuel the plane, the pinched tube was not obvious ?  Also, just some kids stealing fuel and raising hell at the airport probably don't have the intelligence to pinch off vent lines. That is downright criminal,, and a federal crime at that....  IMHO 

Hope this all works out for the best. 

do not archive

Ben Haas

N801BH

www.haaspowerair.com



--------

bobkat

Joined: 07 Sep 2008
Posts: 143
Location: Bismarck, ND

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 9:27 am Post subject: fuel pickups ?

WOW! Yeah, that doesn't sound like the usual kid's  random vandalism or gas stealing!   To an airplane it could even  be an attempted bodily harm or murder, even!   Any  enemies, etc.  I'd sure report it in a hurry!  Good  luck!

 I wonder if one of those infra red trail cam things  mounted surreptitiously in your hangar might be revealing!?!

  



  From: n801bh(at)netzero.com (n801bh(at)netzero.com) 

 Sent: Friday, October 15, 2010 9:25 AM

 To: zenith701801-list(at)matronics.com (zenith701801-list(at)matronics.com)  

 Subject: Re: Re: fuel pickups ?

 



 

Glad the tanks checked out ok. 

Covers over the vent tubes are a great idea as it keeps out those pesky mud  daubbers. I am wondering way, since you have to remove the fuel caps that have  the vent tubes on them to fuel the plane, the pinched tube was not obvious  ?  Also, just some kids stealing fuel and raising hell at the airport  probably don't have the intelligence to pinch off vent lines. That is downright  criminal,, and a federal crime at that....  IMHO 

Hope this all works out for the best. 

do not archive

Ben  Haas

N801BH

www.haaspowerair.com



---------- Original Message  ----------

From: "dashwood" <dashwoodlock(at)hotmail.com>

To:  zenith701801-list(at)matronics.com

Subject: Re: fuel pickups  ?

Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:55:06 -0700



--> Zenith701801-List  message posted by: "dashwood" <dashwoodlock(at)hotmail.com>



OK .   i borrowed an end on flexible scope.  tank is clean  and shiny  inside. screen is good shape.  removed gas-line to inner cabin filter blew  out = no dirt,  checked flow measured gal/min from both tanks and are equal  both sides. fill cap was off at this point

then ame comes back to collect his  scope. and points out a possible problem.  i have covers on the forward  curved vents to the gas caps when parked. these are removed preflight. but i  didn't check to see the condition of these tubes.  one has been pinched  shut by  some plyers what the f....

we had a lot of fuel stolen from the  field last fall. a couple of weekends of stunt drivers on the grass at nights  recently.  now blatant tampering. easy fix but the preflights are very long  now.

thanks for your help. I am thinking of doors for the  hanger..



--------

Ross Aalexander: CH701 driver 912ul  398tt





Read this topic online  here:



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