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Fuel draining to inspect fuel strainer

jbario

I'm New Here
Inspecting/cleaning the fuel strainer is in the conditional inspection checklist. Looking at pg 13-8 of the RV-12 maint. manual, one is supposed to drain the fuel in the aircraft before accessing the fuel strainer. Has anyone come up with a way to avoid draining the fuel during the process of accessing the fuel strainer? This was my first conditional inspection since I purchased a 2 yr old ELSA from another fellow.
 
Inspecting/cleaning the fuel strainer is in the conditional inspection checklist. Looking at pg 13-8 of the RV-12 maint. manual, one is supposed to drain the fuel in the aircraft before accessing the fuel strainer. Has anyone come up with a way to avoid draining the fuel during the process of accessing the fuel strainer? This was my first conditional inspection since I purchased a 2 yr old ELSA from another fellow.

There are two strainers to check..1. The gasolator-no need to drain fuel tank...simple close in cockpit fuel valve. You will get a little spillage, but not much..; 2. the second, the in tank strainer (out-flow fitting @ bottom of fuel tank). Checking that one requires an empty fuel tank.
 
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I have had success inspecting the tank finger strainer with a borescope if the fuel lev l is less than 5 gallons.
 
I have had success inspecting the tank finger strainer with a borescope if the fuel lev l is less than 5 gallons.

Actually Rich, I run a flow test after I remove the gasolator bowl/screen. If you get full flow as per you initial flow test; i’m Good to go.

Are you speaking of a led to computer type?
 
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I run the engine to about 4 gallons indicated and then snake a a video borescope down the filler neck. I like it because I can see if there is any foreign material in the tank.
 
I didn?t say it was easy!😁 I can usually wriggle it around enough to get an acceptable amount of coverage. A stiff but flexible lead helps - no wise guy comments, please!😱
 
Courageous!

Wow - you guys are much more courageous around flammable liquids than I am. I have a perhaps irrational fear of death by fire - not sure why, perhaps I saw it in a movie or something. :eek:
 
Inspecting/cleaning the fuel strainer is in the conditional inspection checklist. Looking at pg 13-8 of the RV-12 maint. manual, one is supposed to drain the fuel in the aircraft before accessing the fuel strainer. Has anyone come up with a way to avoid draining the fuel during the process of accessing the fuel strainer? This was my first conditional inspection since I purchased a 2 yr old ELSA from another fellow.

This is one inspection I don't totally agree with. There was no annual requirement to do the same with my RV-8, and I assume the same applies to the other RV models. The fuel strainer screen in the RV-12 is coarse. It would take one heck of a contaminant to block the screen. Plus I don't like messing with loosening and tightening the fittings on soft aluminum fuel lines. Lastly, I care not to deal with the potential risks associated with transferring fuel, and I am not a fan of sticking anything electrical into a fuel tank.

I do exercise extreme care when filling the tank to include holding a clean rag over the filler neck while fueling. During the condition inspection after inspecting the gascolator screen I disconnect the fuel line at the mechanical fuel pump and conduct a flow test.

From an operational standpoint, get familiar with your fuel flow during takeoff, climb, and cruise. Any pressure fluctuations may also be indicative of contaminants in the fuel thus warranting further inspection.

During my six years of ownership of the -12, I have inspected the main tank screen twice to check for contaminants and found none. Of course if contaminants were found at the gascolator that would be cause to inspect the main screen.

Regards,
Tom

P.S. I assume you have the split aft baggage compartment bulkhead panel. If not, you will have to pull the tank anyway for the condition inspection to check the security of the the right flaperon attachment fittings under the floor boards.
 
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This is one inspection I don't totally agree with. There was no annual requirement to do the same with my RV-8, and I assume the same applies to the other RV models.

Depend on your interpretation of FAR 43, appendix D I guess, but other than that you are correct, because unlike the RV12, none of the other models have a factory published inspection checklist. It was required for S-LSA, and is required to be supplied to E-LSA builders.

A major reason for inspecting the tank finger screen (besides that it can be) is that the RV-12 is much more likely to be self fuel from jugs with a much higher probability of inducing undesirables.
 
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