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Alternate fuel pickup

gyoung

gyoung

Well Known Member
I'm starting to work on these tanks for the partially completed kit I picked up 15 years ago. It appears the original builder had a different idea for the fuel pickup and reversed the original pickup fitting, possibly for a return. I've already modified the left tank for a flop tube so I'm only concerned with the right. I do need a return in the right for my AFP purge valve so I'm tempted to leave it as is. I don't see any inherent problems with this pickup but I might move the return lower and switch to a -4 fitting to match the return hose. Any comments?
right fuel tank.jpg

For the sharp-eyed among you, that IS the left sender plate in the right tank. Discovered after the photo.
 
gyoung said:
I might move the return lower and switch to a -4 fitting to match the return hose. Any comments?
Click to expand...

You might consider leaving the return fitting as a -6, and using a 4-to-6 adapter outside the tank; keeps your options open to swap to a fuel control requiring a high-flow return (SDS, EFII, ECI) without changing the tank fitting.
 
The screened pickup, as shown, might well leave quite a bit more unusable fuel in the tank than the 'stock' pickup design.

On flop tubes: You've obviously made the case to yourself, but have you made it to others & asked for feedback?

Other subjects:
How do you like your Navion? I've always thought they were cool looking planes, but have never had a chance to fly one.

Charlie
 
#1 cause of RV accidents - engine outage.
#1 cause of RV engine outage - non-standard fuel systems.

This was just discussed in another thread. Not saying there is anything wrong but....
 
rv7charlie said:
The screened pickup, as shown, might well leave quite a bit more unusable fuel in the tank than the 'stock' pickup design.

On flop tubes: You've obviously made the case to yourself, but have you made it to others & asked for feedback?

Other subjects:
How do you like your Navion? I've always thought they were cool looking planes, but have never had a chance to fly one.

Charlie
Click to expand...

Thanks Charlie. I don't think the unusable fuel will be that much greater, maybe a couple cups. I have to test it regardless and it is what it is. The flop tube is Van's and just my choice.

I love the Navion. It was "total performance" before Van coined the term. I've had it 15 years/2000 hrs and can't imagine selling it as long as I'm flying. Once the RV is flying it's going to be interesting to choose which plane to fly when . If you're near Houston I'd be happy to give you a flight. I'm always glad to intro folks to the Navion.
 
JonJay said:
#1 cause of RV accidents - engine outage.
#1 cause of RV engine outage - non-standard fuel systems.

This was just discussed in another thread. Not saying there is anything wrong but....
Click to expand...

I searched before I posted but came up empty. Can you point me to the thread? I don't dismiss different approaches but the engineer in me does question them. Hence my original post.
 
Greg, get a hold of Nick down at Songbird. He has a LOT of experience with RV's and "Non-standard" fuel systems.
 
Are Van's flop tubes considered "non standard" fuel systems? Is there a history of these things not working right or something?
 
CubedRoot said:
Are Van's flop tubes considered "non standard" fuel systems? Is there a history of these things not working right or something?
Click to expand...

No. And yes. Long history of rotating fittings, 'hung' tubes. The 'standard' tube for many years was (and may still be) made of old style A/N stainless hose that can eventually get porous & suck air.

All can be dealt with, but if you're not running fuel injection *and* an inverted oil system, a flop tube buys you nothing except extra expense and introduces a lot of new failure possibilities. And RV's aren't really hard core unlimited a/c, anyway.
 
rv7charlie said:
No. And yes. Long history of rotating fittings, 'hung' tubes. The 'standard' tube for many years was (and may still be) made of old style A/N stainless hose that can eventually get porous & suck air.

All can be dealt with, but if you're not running fuel injection *and* an inverted oil system, a flop tube buys you nothing except extra expense and introduces a lot of new failure possibilities. And RV's aren't really hard core unlimited a/c, anyway.
Click to expand...

Been using the same flop tubes (both tanks) for 20-years (3,200+ flying hours) without issue. Tanks were opened once during that time to comply with Service Bulletin and flop tubes were like new. Sold the new ones on VAF that I acquired for replacements because the old ones were as good as the new ones.

Unless you have FI and plan to fly upside down, stick with the standard setup.
 
That fuel pick up is approved in the 16 years of RVator book, and is the John Ammeter mod.
I have it in both wings of my RV-8, although I built them closer to the tank floor. They are fool proof, and the thick plate adds sealing surface for the ProSeal in the corner of the tank where so many leaks have occurred (I'm fixing an RV-4 tank leak in that spot now)
I have previously run electronic automotive fuel injection, and used the original fuel pick up fitting for the fuel return from the regulator, it works fine.
 
SHIPCHIEF said:
That fuel pick up is approved in the 16 years of RVator book, and is the John Ammeter mod.
I have it in both wings of my RV-8, although I built them closer to the tank floor. They are fool proof, and the thick plate adds sealing surface for the ProSeal in the corner of the tank where so many leaks have occurred (I'm fixing an RV-4 tank leak in that spot now)
I have previously run electronic automotive fuel injection, and used the original fuel pick up fitting for the fuel return from the regulator, it works fine.
Click to expand...

Thanks Scott. That's what I was looking for. I guessed the idea came from somewhere like that but could not find a reference.
 
Hi Greg - I found the "fuel starvation" thread, but it is long and twisted and doesn't really add anything useful to your particular situation. Looks like the collective brain trust at Vans has done it again. Yay SHIPCHIEF.
 
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