danny_galaga Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Let's just say that if the volume of liquid that dribbles out of my gascolator when I try to drain it was the same volume that accidentally dribbled into my undies after going to the toilet, I needn't be embarrassed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBob Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Suggest you avoid smoking in the dunny, though??? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 53 minutes ago, danny_galaga said: Let's just say that if the volume of liquid that dribbles out of my gascolator when I try to drain it was the same volume that accidentally dribbled into my undies after going to the toilet, I needn't be embarrassed... If it dribbles i'd suspect the valve is blocked should run if all valves are on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 1 hour ago, danny_galaga said: Let's just say that if the volume of liquid that dribbles out of my gascolator when I try to drain it was the same volume that accidentally dribbled into my undies after going to the toilet, I needn't be embarrassed... It depends how the fuel system is setup. On my Musketeer and RV both low wings with left or right tank selector and a boost pump before the gascolator only the Musketeer has free flow. The RV requires the boost pump to be operating to obtain a sample from the gascolator. My guess is the valves in the RV facet pump have enough spring pressure to stop the free flow. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippydiesel Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 My Sonex has wing tanks and a central header tank, located just behind the instrument panel. To drain the gascolator, bottom right firewall, I must have the central header tank valve ON 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 It should be more than a dribble . Fuel use per hour is going though that same gascolator. Inline filters will impede that flow . So check those filters. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 It's all new. Has only run an hour or so. Single fuel tank. I hope I don't need to have the electric fuel pump going. That would mean I need to pump water into the carbies before I find out it's water 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 This is how it's hooked up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 8 minutes ago, danny_galaga said: This is how it's hooked up Maybe wrong but looks like fuel feed hoses exit out of top of tank through inline filters into a "T' then to Gascolator and then to the electric fuel pump and onto engine. And maybe the tank vents from top of tank and exit lower fuselage. Is that how yours is hooked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Yes, pretty I hooked it up the same way. But who knows, it was years ago now 😄 The engine is running fine. This is all leading me to the conclusion there is something wrong with the gascolator. I wouldn't be surprised, just another kick in the head with this 'friday job' kit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Hmmm, I'm wandering if it does need the boost pump? Next I'm.there I'll run it for a second and see if that makes a difference. And reading up on them it seems it shouldn't matter if you used the boost pump because all the water and crap will have dropped into gascolator as it passes through. I'll report back 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 The boost pump will not help as it is down stream of the gascolator on a bushcat. The gascolator looks like an Andair? Brand. I did service one recently, the drain valve is quite small and could be partially blocked. With a low fuel level there will not be much head pressure at the gascolator. I assume the tank has a low point water drains? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 3 hours ago, Thruster88 said: The boost pump will not help as it is down stream of the gascolator on a bushcat. The gascolator looks like an Andair? Brand. I did service one recently, the drain valve is quite small and could be partially blocked. With a low fuel level there will not be much head pressure at the gascolator. I assume the tank has a low point water drains? What I'm thinking might happen is over a few weeks, which is how long since last time, a fair bit of fuel syphons away from the gascolator, since the fuel pick ups are from the top. Running the boost pump for a few seconds will pull fuel into it. Next weekend I'll do a drain straight away and see what I get. Then try the boost pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 Ok, did the experiment. First I drained the gascolator without doing anything else. Got maybe 5mL like before. Then I ran the boost pump for 15 seconds, switched it off and tried again. About the same. Then I tried while the pump was running and sure enough got as much as I needed. I think as long as there isn't a larger volume of water in the tank than the gascolator can hold that method will be ok. There are two threaded bungs in the bottom of the tank so I could put a fuel drain in that. But that adds more complications and it points straight out the bottom. Some tiny chance something flicks up when taking off and knocks the drain off. KISS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) You should, must, have tank drains. Could you have an elbow hose barb with hose to the side of fuselage to have drain in convenient position? Providing the hose is level or down hill this will work well. It would be interesting to know how much unusable fuel is in the tank, ie position of the pickup. Should be something like 0.5 to 1 litre. Without a tank drain you can never get water out if it gets in the tank. Edited March 9 by Thruster88 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 16 minutes ago, danny_galaga said: Ok, did the experiment. First I drained the gascolator without doing anything else. Got maybe 5mL like before. Then I ran the boost pump for 15 seconds, switched it off and tried again. About the same. Then I tried while the pump was running and sure enough got as much as I needed. I think as long as there isn't a larger volume of water in the tank than the gascolator can hold that method will be ok. There are two threaded bungs in the bottom of the tank so I could put a fuel drain in that. But that adds more complications and it points straight out the bottom. Some tiny chance something flicks up when taking off and knocks the drain off. KISS You can buy flush mounted drain valves. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 You are also advised to let the fuel settle after fuelling to get best results and have the plane level. Some tanks will never drain well. The original gascolator allowed a quantity of fuel just upstream of it to be able to drain well and also to help get the last few drops of fuel out of the other tank(s). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 I might quiz the Bushcat crowd to see what they are doing. The kit didn't call for a separate drain so I assumed the gascolator was all you use. This kit comes with everything but prop, engine, instruments BTW. So if it's supposed to have a drain, it would be in the manual. But I'm always open to improvements. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 Note that the bungs are definitely at the lowest point in the tank, which is good. Gascolator hangs in the breeze. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 F&$k me. The BUNGS are the drains 😄 Problem solved. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippydiesel Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Blueadventures said: You can buy flush mounted drain valves. I am very intersted Blue - Is this what you are referring to? What experince do you have? Are there others, suitable for aircraft? Edited March 9 by skippydiesel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 (edited) 10 minutes ago, skippydiesel said: I am very intersted Blue - Is this what you are referring to? What experince do you have? Are there others, suitable for aircraft? See my post above, I guess I have these flush mounted drains https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/curtisflushmounted_05-04888.php 😄 Edited March 9 by danny_galaga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 A good test to do now Danny is measure your unusable fuel. Pump all the fuel out of the tank with the boost pump and then catch the remaining fuel from the two tank drains. Always good to know this. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueadventures Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) 12 minutes ago, danny_galaga said: See my post above, I guess I have these flush mounted drains 😄 Are good and flush. I use the curtis one that have the external push arrangement. They are brass so better operationally in my opinion. I have found some other brand cad plated valves that get seized due to corrosion of the steel components. (you can see corrosion on the hex fastening next to the brass body drain valve as an example of corrosion / time in service etc. Is that your Danny? (Edit, just read your post after posting my reply, Cheers) They require the glass cup with the pin in the centre or the drain tubes have a pin you can insert into the end to open the drain valve. Edited March 10 by Blueadventures 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_galaga Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 (edited) Yeah, I did try to stick a fuel drain in the bung last week thinking "surely that hole means something". But I borrowed someone's fuel drain, with a plastic pin. It's so old it was just bending. But it worked in the gascolator. But now I have a new fuel tester so just for shits and giggles tried it. Waddaya know 🙂 I feel bad for bending the other guys fuel drain so I bought him a new one too. Edited March 10 by danny_galaga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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