I have two of these fuel pumps installed in the -10 for the aux tanks (hotel whiskey style).
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/facetpumps.php?clickkey=235826
specifically, model 40178
The tanks have been in place for about a year (first flew after the upgrade in May of last year.)
Since then, I have had 2 failures.
First was a pump that just went bad and quit pumping. These pumps have a distinct sound when running, and the failed pump became very quiet and wasn't transferring fuel.
Yesterday I was getting ready to fly to IA, and filled the airplane. When full, my R tank tends to drip a bit from the vent (not sure the QB tank had the outboard end of the vent tube optimally positioned), but yesterday it kept pouring out. As in gallons (I caught it with a funnel and gas can). The R aux tank was emptying into the main. So the check valve in the pump failed.
I tried to disassemble the first pump, but they are next to impossible to take apart (the innards are potted with a dense foam material).
Are these failures common? Is there an alternative pump that could be used? If these pumps are really that unreliable it makes the aux tanks far less useful, as pump failure either makes the aux fuel unavailable or dumps it overboard.
Boy am I glad I cut into the painted wings and installed the access panels ... replacement is still a pain, but at least we don't have to pull the main tanks every time!
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/facetpumps.php?clickkey=235826
specifically, model 40178
The tanks have been in place for about a year (first flew after the upgrade in May of last year.)
Since then, I have had 2 failures.
First was a pump that just went bad and quit pumping. These pumps have a distinct sound when running, and the failed pump became very quiet and wasn't transferring fuel.
Yesterday I was getting ready to fly to IA, and filled the airplane. When full, my R tank tends to drip a bit from the vent (not sure the QB tank had the outboard end of the vent tube optimally positioned), but yesterday it kept pouring out. As in gallons (I caught it with a funnel and gas can). The R aux tank was emptying into the main. So the check valve in the pump failed.
I tried to disassemble the first pump, but they are next to impossible to take apart (the innards are potted with a dense foam material).
Are these failures common? Is there an alternative pump that could be used? If these pumps are really that unreliable it makes the aux tanks far less useful, as pump failure either makes the aux fuel unavailable or dumps it overboard.
Boy am I glad I cut into the painted wings and installed the access panels ... replacement is still a pain, but at least we don't have to pull the main tanks every time!