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Gas Tank Holdup

okiejohn

Active Member
I flew off my phase 1, while trying to decide what to do about my little polymer chemistry experiment in my plane. My tank was complete and leak proof 1.2 years ago when the new window S.B came out, so I was going to replace the plexiglass, or build a new tank (about $200 in parts from vans :).

I pulled the tank, and although it has no leaks yet, there were worm or termite tracks about .062 deep on the inside of the old style plexiglass, they looked like cracks thru the holes. I cleaned off the proseal (I carefully used paint remover, it de polymerized the proseal nicely) and scraped it.

While I was getting ready to install the pretty new window, buzzing filled the sky, and a bunch of masked men entered my shop. I told them in no uncertain terms I was going to do it Vans way, the only way. I told them to leave or I would blast them with my spinner mounted machine gun..
They tied me up and threatened to tar and feather me with proseal!

Then put a aluminum plate on the side of my tank, and a Moeller marine gauge on top of the tank. They then left in their stealthy planes.

I recalibrated my Dynon, while also noting each 2 gallon increment on the Moeller guage. Each 2 gallon increment shows linearly as about 1/8 of a tank, with the first increment showing up as about 1/32nd. The float reaches it's upper limit at 18 gallons, so you still want to fuel very carefully.

On my Dynon, the A-D converter does not start changing until 5 gallons have been added. The first 2 gallons and the second don't float the float at all. One time I had to land and walk to get gas when I thought the plane was out of fuel. After adding 5 gallons, it had 10. Since my Stewart Warner float doesn't reach the bottom of the tank, the Dynon does not know if I have 5 gallons or no fuel, so it gives the conservative answer. Similarly, it will not show over 18 gallons, although you can manually tell it you put in 20. It seems like a longer sender arm might help.

Thanks to the masked men, whoever you are!

John
 
Ditto for me. The sight guage is replaced by aluminum plates, inside and out, and my backup guage is the Moeller marine, ala J B. Steve
 
I wish it was a mask - but - - -

You're welcome. Extremely pleased with the results ! ( JB )

John Bender
 
On my Dynon, the A-D converter does not start changing until 5 gallons have been added. The first 2 gallons and the second don't float the float at all.

..snip..

Thanks to the masked men, whoever you are
John

As I recall, the A-D converter just barely moved when I was at a total of 4 gallons, but, thinking back, maybe I did not wait long enough for the fuel to drain past the small holes in the baffle plate before pushing the button. The calibration is also dependent on how "level" the plane is during the calibration process. As such, 5 gallons, does not seem unreasonable.

How many were in that group of masked men? :D
 
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