Frank,
My D.VII has the same fuel tank as your plane. I installed a sump valve, disposable filter....and no gascolator. The sump can be easily drained every preflight, sump fuel drains down the clear hose and through the bottom of the plane.
This is just a fit-up, finished installation with have clamps on the hoses. There is stainless braided hose with AN fittings firewall forward.
Last edited by Sam Buchanan; 08-03-2015 at 04:20 PM.
Hmmm, I could run a line from the bottom to the current gasolator and just run the fuel line next to it with a filter - no need for a cutoff valve there. The gascolator gets a plug where the fuel line comes out presently - making it a sump-within-a-sump. Since it's already installed, no need to remove it.
Easy transition through the firewall in a straight through-and-through with fittings, and a filter. Put the fuel line higher than the gascolator and it isn't the lowest part of the system.
Tomorrow is touch up paint on the fuselage and wings (they got a little beat up, nothing major) as well as an inspection - out to the airfield this week! Gotta cut the cowl, too, which is going to be one of those "hold your breath" moments.
The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
You know you've achieved perfection in design, not when you have nothing more to add,
but when you have nothing more to take away.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I like the solution because it has a certain Rube Goldberg "why did you do that?" element to it.
The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
Well...guess I've never considered Mr. Goldberg as an icon of aircraft design.....except in those cartoons on the last page of the magazines......
Frank, the fuel system has caused more crashes during early flights than any other mechanical failure. Those of use who are EAA Tech Counselors are justifiably concerned when we see fuel system components/designs that are outside "normal".
Think very carefully before following Mr. Goldberg's lead. The last thing we want is somebody saying "why did you do that?".
Best wishes for a speedy and quality conclusion of your build.
Last edited by Sam Buchanan; 08-03-2015 at 08:34 PM.
Actually it is simpler.
I'm just keeping the gascolator there instead of just a drain cock.
The actual fuel line will be like yours.
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So I spent a very wet day (CAVU, but I was drenched! ) re-configuring the fuel system while also inspecting and cleaning up the wings in prep for Friday's move out to the airport.
Naturally I'm deferring to wiser heads, and now the fuel line has a filter and goes to the pump from there. There's now a line from the sump as well.
It's hard to get a good picture, but the fuel exits to the left and slightly higher than the sump drain.
Here's from the engine side of the firewall. I ditched the gascolator and just put on the drain thingie from it. Now I'll be testing the sump before each pre-flight.
I'll put a little clamp on the sump line where it is near the battery box tomorrow. I'm just too hot to do it today.
The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
Airplane is out in the hangar - the hour was too late and I was just too smoked from loading and unloading it in the Alabama heat that I didn't put her together. I'll do that this afternoon.
The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
What a grand adventure!
I headed out to the airfield at about 1600, only to drive straight into a massive thunderstorm - and me with the vertical stab in the bed of the truck. Oh well, that's why there's drain holes!
I had told the wife that it would be about four hours in assembly, and I'd be home around 2100. It's now 0045 and a whole new day!
I had brought all the tools needed, except one....and it wasn't needed until the end, and I started with the vertical stab. Somehow my labels for which one goes where had faded or rubbed off, so I got to play the "nope, this goes on the other side" game for far too long. Putting the rudder on was simplicity itself, though, so I guess that was the reward.
The upper wing went together in a snap - sure is nice to work with level surfaces - and I threw some ropes over the roof beams and hoisted it up from the saw horses I put it on to get it started. Up, up she went, first one side, then another, and the plane slid under it smoothly. One of the sawhorses went under the tail wheel.
Much fussing with the bolts for the front cabanes. Thank goodness for my telescoping magnet thingie - if not for it the upper wing would definately rattle with a collection of wayward nuts and bolts. I actually had to take a break to cool down both figuratively and literally.
But they went in with a minumum of profanity, and the wing settled down into the rear cabane with the gentlest of persuasion with a rubber mallet. Bolts in!
And then I was in interplane strut hell. The right one simply did not want to line up with the holes, even after my little trick of rotating the compression strut slightly to get a better angle at it. I gave it a rest and put the left one on - which naturally gave no problems. After a short break, I gave that bit of aeroplane some color commentary and it got the message.
Lower wings were sort of fussy, but nothing compared to some of the laugh olympics shenanigans they've provided in the past.
Wires went on okay, but I had left behind my little screwdriver with a shaft that fits the turn buckles perfectly. I used a rivet that was in my tool bag, but there's two on each side that need more tightening. I'll get to them next time.
One of my aileron push rod holes is about 3/8 an inch too far back and it's scrubbing. The other is just fine. But I'll have to perform some minor surgery on that.
And go around making sure I didn't miss putting a nut on something somewhere.
But she sure looks happy in that hangar (which I'll describe with pics next time, as I didn't bring my camera, and it certainly has character).
The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
Frank, When I do any major assembly I get several of my friends to look everything over very closely. It is amazing how many things you can miss. Don
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