RV-List Digest Archive

Wed 06/09/10


Total Messages Posted: 4



Today's Message Index:
----------------------
 
     1. 03:32 AM - Re: Replacing Fuel Level Senders... (Ralph E. Capen)
     2. 12:27 PM - Re: Replacing Fuel Level Senders... (Ed Holyoke)
     3. 12:39 PM - Re: Replacing Fuel Level Senders... (Ralph E. Capen)
     4. 06:21 PM - Replacing Fuel Level Senders (DEAN PSIROPOULOS)
 
 
 


Message 1


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    Time: 03:32:47 AM PST US
    From: "Ralph E. Capen" <recapen@earthlink.net>
    Subject: Re: Replacing Fuel Level Senders...
    I've pulled a sender out of the gap without removing the tank. I had a float that seemed to be stuck - ended up being a glob of fuel-lube. Put it back together - works fine..... Ralph RV6A N822AR @ N06 68 hrs.... ----- Original Message ----- From: Vanremog@aol.com To: rv-list@matronics.com Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 2:40 AM Subject: Re: RV-List: Replacing Fuel Level Senders... Matt- I'm going to go on record as recommending you drain and remove the tanks to do this job. If you can do it thru the wing fairing gap you are a better man than I. N1GV (RV-6A Flying 944TTAE Silicon Valley, CA) "I know what you're thinking, punk," hissed Wordy Harry to his new editor, "you're thinking, 'Did he use six superfluous adjectives or only five?' - and to tell the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement; but being as this is English, the most powerful language in the world, whose subtle nuances will blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' - well do you, punk?" In a message dated 6/8/2010 9:01:32 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, dralle@matronics.com writes: Well, okay, so I've resigned myself to replacing my Princeton capacitance fuel level probes with the standard S&W float probea from Van's. Has anyone replaced these without removing the wing or the fuel tank from the airplane? Basically just doing it from underneath the airplane through the gap afforded by the fuselage-to-wing fairing? Is this even possible? I know that it won't be possible to remove the Princeton units without destroying them, but can the S&W probes be installed? If I can do it without pulling the fuel tanks or wings off, then I might just tackle this sooner than later. But if the tanks have to come off, then I might procrastinate more and enjoy the great flying weather. That being said, I'm going in for paint in either August or October and it has to be complete before then either way.


    Message 2


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    Time: 12:27:44 PM PST US
    From: Ed Holyoke <bicyclop@pacbell.net>
    Subject: Re: Replacing Fuel Level Senders...
    It ain't easy, but can be done. If you put the plate on with phillips head screws, the trick is using an acme bit and some sort of ratcheting right angle driver. Got to get a lot of pressure onto the screw head or you're screwed. ;-( I used allen head socket screws and it makes life easier. That's just to get the plate off. Getting the old sender out and the new sender in through the small gap in the wing root may well be beyond difficult. Since you're not yet painted, why not pull the tanks? You could run one dry at altitude, land on the other one, pull the tank and do the work and then do the same with the other side. I found that, when I ran my tanks dry (one per flight, please), I had very little fuel left in the tank. I ran until the fuel pressure dropped off, turned on the pump and ran 'til the engine quit. Took about five or six seconds to restart after switching tanks. This was with a carbureted engine. Not sure how quick it'd come back with injection, but shouldn't be a problem. Be careful and good luck, Ed Holyoke Matt Dralle wrote: > > Dear Listers, > > Well, okay, so I've resigned myself to replacing my Princeton capacitance fuel level probes with the standard S&W float probea from Van's. Has anyone replaced these without removing the wing or the fuel tank from the airplane? Basically just doing it from underneath the airplane through the gap afforded by the fuselage-to-wing fairing? Is this even possible? > > I know that it won't be possible to remove the Princeton units without destroying them, but can the S&W probes be installed? If I can do it without pulling the fuel tanks or wings off, then I might just tackle this sooner than later. But if the tanks have to come off, then I might procrastinate more and enjoy the great flying weather. That being said, I'm going in for paint in either August or October and it has to be complete before then either way. > > Arg, why couldn't those Princeton probes just work? Geeze, how much do you have to spend to get a product that works. How frustrating. > > So, how accurate are the bending dimensions on the Van's plans for the S&W float arms? I've got no way to test or trial fit these units so its a one-shot deal. I've already pulled the probes out once, I definitely don't want to do this again! > > Thanks for the insight... > > > Matt Dralle > RV-8 #82880 N998RV > http://www.mattsrv8.com - Matt's RV-8 Construction Blog > http://www.youtube.com/MattsRV8 - Matt's RV-8 HDTV YouTube Channel > Status: Enjoying The Fruits of 2500 Hours of Labor! > > >


    Message 3


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    Time: 12:39:04 PM PST US
    From: "Ralph E. Capen" <recapen@earthlink.net>
    Subject: Re: Replacing Fuel Level Senders...
    I installed with bolt-head screws which allowed me to use a ratchet and socket. -----Original Message----- >From: Ed Holyoke <bicyclop@pacbell.net> >Sent: Jun 9, 2010 3:17 PM >To: rv-list@matronics.com >Subject: Re: RV-List: Replacing Fuel Level Senders... > > >It ain't easy, but can be done. If you put the plate on with phillips >head screws, the trick is using an acme bit and some sort of ratcheting >right angle driver. Got to get a lot of pressure onto the screw head or >you're screwed. ;-( I used allen head socket screws and it makes life >easier. That's just to get the plate off. Getting the old sender out and >the new sender in through the small gap in the wing root may well be >beyond difficult. Since you're not yet painted, why not pull the tanks? >You could run one dry at altitude, land on the other one, pull the tank >and do the work and then do the same with the other side. I found that, >when I ran my tanks dry (one per flight, please), I had very little fuel >left in the tank. I ran until the fuel pressure dropped off, turned on >the pump and ran 'til the engine quit. Took about five or six seconds to >restart after switching tanks. This was with a carbureted engine. Not >sure how quick it'd come back with injection, but shouldn't be a problem. > >Be careful and good luck, > >Ed Holyoke > >Matt Dralle wrote: >> >> Dear Listers, >> >> Well, okay, so I've resigned myself to replacing my Princeton capacitance fuel level probes with the standard S&W float probea from Van's. Has anyone replaced these without removing the wing or the fuel tank from the airplane? Basically just doing it from underneath the airplane through the gap afforded by the fuselage-to-wing fairing? Is this even possible? >> >> I know that it won't be possible to remove the Princeton units without destroying them, but can the S&W probes be installed? If I can do it without pulling the fuel tanks or wings off, then I might just tackle this sooner than later. But if the tanks have to come off, then I might procrastinate more and enjoy the great flying weather. That being said, I'm going in for paint in either August or October and it has to be complete before then either way. >> >> Arg, why couldn't those Princeton probes just work? Geeze, how much do you have to spend to get a product that works. How frustrating. >> >> So, how accurate are the bending dimensions on the Van's plans for the S&W float arms? I've got no way to test or trial fit these units so its a one-shot deal. I've already pulled the probes out once, I definitely don't want to do this again! >> >> Thanks for the insight... >> >> >> Matt Dralle >> RV-8 #82880 N998RV >> http://www.mattsrv8.com - Matt's RV-8 Construction Blog >> http://www.youtube.com/MattsRV8 - Matt's RV-8 HDTV YouTube Channel >> Status: Enjoying The Fruits of 2500 Hours of Labor! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >


    Message 4


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    Time: 06:21:34 PM PST US
    From: "DEAN PSIROPOULOS" <dean.psiropoulos@verizon.net>
    Subject: Replacing Fuel Level Senders
    Hate to tell you this Matt: But I installed the inexpensive Van's capacitive sensors when I built my tanks and later bought the not-so-inexpensive EI gauge that goes with them. Another of the Van's solutions that works great. Unfortunately you won't be able to install the sensors in your finished tanks without some major surgery (I wouldn't). Taking the tanks off to install the float type sender is easiest way and shouldn't take but a weekend to do. Been there done that (to repair an accessable leak) earlier in Delta Mikes flying career. Definately want to bite the bullet before you paint. I know how you feel though, spent one of my recent weekends fiddling with my EzPilot trying to get everything working so "George" can fly once in a while when I look at charts. It's been a year and a half since the airplane first flew and I really didn't want to spend my weekend wrenching on the plane but...it was worth it in the end. Regards Dean N197DM




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