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Fuel Boost Pump

Tom and I are excited to announce that we are ready to release the Andair to AFP pump conversion kits for the RV14/14A. We would also like to express our thanks to those of you that helped us do fit verifications during this process. We really appreciate it!!!!

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More information can be found at http://aircraftspecialty.com/rv-14.html

Here is a link to the installation document.

http://www.aircraftspecialty.com/PDF Documents/RV14 ANDAIR TO AFP.pdf

Happy building!
Steve and Tom
 
Hi Steve and Tom,

Can you share the filter area specs on the filter that is used in the inline option?
Understand that you're up against space constraints, but compared to the filter recommended by the pump manufacturer (AFP), it looks pretty small.


filter-comp.png
 
Hi Steve and Tom,

Can you share the filter area specs on the filter that is used in the inline option?
Understand that you're up against space constraints, but compared to the filter recommended by the pump manufacturer (AFP), it looks pretty small.


filter-comp.png

It's a 60 micron serviceable filter. I don't have the exact area spec on the filtration element, but the overall size of this filter is much closer to the size of the Andair Filter it is replacing on the OEM installation. Given the space constraints, the option of mounting the AFP filter next to the pump was considered. The plumbing would have looked really cool! :) But, we decided against it for ease of installation as well as the wiring bundles running through the tunnel.

Great question...let us know if you have any more. Or feel free to give us a call anytime!
Steve
 
It's a 60 micron serviceable filter. I don't have the exact area spec on the filtration element, but the overall size of this filter is much closer to the size of the Andair Filter it is replacing on the OEM installation. Given the space constraints, the option of mounting the AFP filter next to the pump was considered. The plumbing would have looked really cool! :) But, we decided against it for ease of installation as well as the wiring bundles running through the tunnel.

Great question...let us know if you have any more. Or feel free to give us a call anytime!
Steve

Are you planning to have the wing root filter setup with the AFP pump in the tunnel ? I was also wondering if their will be a fuel pressure drop using the wing root Holley filters since they are on the suction and well upstream of the AFP pump? Maybe you have customers that are already flying this setup. Seems like a great way to get the filter out of the tunnel.
 
Jim----with the root filters, you will be able to delete the pre filter at the pump.
Of course there is a different rigid tube to connect the valve to the pump inlet. Trying to keep the discharge hose the same to make packagaes more interchangeable.

Tom
 
Jim----with the root filters, you will be able to delete the pre filter at the pump.
Of course there is a different rigid tube to connect the valve to the pump inlet. Trying to keep the discharge hose the same to make packagaes more interchangeable.

Tom
Thanks Tom!
 
I sent my Andair pump back to them on Tuesday...to arrive Friday. When I emailed them they checked the S/N and sent me a pdf on an upgrade offer that they apparently have had for a while. It's for pumps purchased between July 2014 and Feb 2015, which must be when Van's purchased mine, which gives you a free functional upgrade to the PX375-TC#7 model specs. They don't replace a couple things I guess, related to new wire pigtail and new method of engraving the numbers. For that you'd have to pay a little extra, but at least for free it's an upgrade to the same specs as the #7.

I figured no matter what, it would be nice to have that original pump rebuilt and in new shape again. Hoping they turn it around quick. I didn't have any discounted shipping method to the UK, so that was a bit steep, but it's on its way.
 
Jim and all,

Yes, this kit will be fully compatible with new and existing installations, both with tunnel mounted and wing root filters. The wing root filters have proven to be one of our more popular rv-14 kits due to the accessibility and ease of maintenance out of the center tunnel area.

As far as the configurations go, we wanted to make this easy to install for both builders as well as those who are already flying. We have 8 different ordering options which covers new builders who would like the complete setup including all our CNC bent rigid tubes for the cabin. We also have configurations for those who are already flying and want to replace minimal parts to just change out to the AFP pump.

On the cabin filter setups, we run a rigid tube from the valve to the fuel filter, because the line is too short to effectively do with flex hose. With the wing root mounted filters, we have a bit more leeway in the tunnel and utilize flex from the valve to the pump.

We have more information at
http://aircraftspecialty.com/rv-14.html

Here you can see the items you can delete if swapping out to the AFP pump. We plan on fully supporting BOTH pump setups for the -14 in all configurations.

Happy Building,
Steve
 
I swapped out my Andair pump and filter today and replaced with the Airflow Performance aux pump and the AS/TS Flightlines parts. The mount or cradle screws directly into the existing Andair spaced holes and the cradle has some rubber cushioning to prevent metal to metal wear with the pump body. The whole assemble gets strapped to the mount with a stainless hose clamp. The rest is straightforward with a bent hard line going to the fuel selector valve and a flex hose from pump to the firewall. The pump itself is lower in tone than the whizzing sound of the Andair so I imagine it's a slower turning pump. I checked the free flow rate and it will pump 63GPH into a gas can measured just before the Red Cube connection. All in all it was an easy swap.
 

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I swapped out my Andair pump and filter today and replaced with the Airflow Performance aux pump and the AS/TS Flightlines parts. The mount or cradle screws directly into the existing Andair spaced holes and the cradle has some rubber cushioning to prevent metal to metal wear with the pump body. The whole assemble gets strapped to the mount with a stainless hose clamp. The rest is straightforward with a bent hard line going to the fuel selector valve and a flex hose from pump to the firewall. The pump itself is lower in tone than the whizzing sound of the Andair so I imagine it's a slower turning pump. I checked the free flow rate and it will pump 63GPH into a gas can measured just before the Red Cube connection. All in all it was an easy swap.

A big "THANK YOU!" to Chris from Tom and I. Chris was our beta tester for the stock tunnel mounted filter configuration. He helped us get measurements and test fit and then refine the setup. It all drops right into place, including the new CNC bent rigid tube which is much shorter than the stock version.
 
UPDATE"

Just wanted to thank Chris Moon for working on this project with Steve and I. Thats one reason we use beta testers---because they have the actual plane to fit things. Yes, we have the tunnel parts to do the mockups, but wiring harnesses, rudder cables, clamps and other incidentals obviously arent in the mock up. Our original idea was to use the AFP pump and filter in a similar side by side configuration like our RV7/9 package. Yep would have been cool, but similar issues would have been present. Like turning the fuel flow 180*. Space limitations shelved that idea.

We wanted to keep this as simple as possible, allowing for retrofit as well as new builds as well. We looked at 5 (I think) possibities and hashed through them all (thank goodness for unlimited cell service) and narrowed it down to 2. The overall extra length of the AFP pump made the filter decision alittle harder. So we came up with the short serviceable 60 micron version. WE looked very seriously at the Earl's 230206 filter, but it was longer and the screen area was MUCH smaller, as well as no bypass. We could have made the valve to filter tube resemble a 'J' with some extra offset bends, and a short drop. All of these would be hard to make, even with our CNC bender.

So we took the profile of the original 14 valve tube and modified it to fit the new pump/filter assembly. Chris verified the fit calculations, and installed the package. WE already new the pump would perform---its been flying for ALOT of years, even in its new configuration. We really didnt change anything else other than shorten the filter body and screen assembly to fit the installation area. Obviously the discharge hose was no issue.

So for all of you 14 owners, we have a proven pump, retrofitted into your planes with relatively minor modifications. Steve designed the mounting plate to be utilized with the existing 14 pump mounts for flying aircraft, as well as those building with quick build fuselages. As Steve mentioned, we have a few variations of this---because not all 14s are alike, as seen by the builders using the FS20x7T valve instead of the -2 valve. We tried to take all of that into consideration.

NOTE--We cant think of every possible option for this, so if you have something 'different', :eek:, let us know.

Tom and Steve
 
I sent my Andair pump back to them on Tuesday...to arrive Friday. When I emailed them they checked the S/N and sent me a pdf on an upgrade offer that they apparently have had for a while. It's for pumps purchased between July 2014 and Feb 2015, which must be when Van's purchased mine, which gives you a free functional upgrade to the PX375-TC#7 model specs. They don't replace a couple things I guess, related to new wire pigtail and new method of engraving the numbers.

Tim:

I would hope that in addition to a new wire pigtail and a new method of engraving numbers, that they have also addressed the problem identified in my August 18 post in this thread. If version 7 doesn't correct that, it isn't going to benefit anyone.
 
Well for sure. But my post does say that you get the complete functional upgrade to the #7 (which is all new parts internally with the different material), and that they DO NOT do the wire pigtail or change the engraving method. Those are cosmetics that they *can* do but would cost extra, like roughly $85 or so US. So I did not do those. I just want the replaced parts inside to be of the new material and have it last a long time, I don't care that they changed engraving or pigtails in their #7 model.

Time wise, they're on track to really do a great quick-turn. I shipped it Tuesday.
They had it Thursday. By Friday it was on its way back to me and early this a.m. it cleared customs in Memphis. So with luck, I'll have it Monday or Tuesday this week, which I consider pretty good...considering a week to get something back from the UK probably beats a bunch of things I've shipped out for upgrades previously within the US. I was expecting a couple weeks.

He did say that my pump, upon disassembly, was very clean inside and didn't have any gunk of any kind internally. I didn't expect it to, but glad to hear it. I shipped it filled with Marvels Mystery Oil and capped with the original caps and in the original package tube.

I'll give it a go for the next few hundred hours and see how it works out.
 
All upgraded

The pump came back today. 6 total days round trip, including the weekend, and that was sent out Tuesday after Labor Day weekend.

They said that they were aware of shaft and rotor wear, after extensive testing, and that's what they address in the #7 upgrade.

Here's what they did:

"Redesigned the gear inside, changed the material used (from tecapeek to meehanite) and we have a considerably more robust, and reliable product. "

The pump I got back indeed had a new wire pigtail too, with a more aviation wire looking pair of wires, as opposed to the more flexible wire that was on the old pump. And my engraved data plate looks to be new, so I either got a full upgrade for no charge, or got a new pump, one or the other. It looks to be in perfect condition.

I'll get it installed tonight perhaps and then I'm back in the air.
 
Andair - good people

I've met the Andair guys a few times at fly-ins in Europe and the US, and they are good people. I'm happy to hear you got things sorted.

I bought a pump from them many years ago, and then shortly before flying asked if they could do a refresh/upgrade in case there were any changes that I needed to be aware of. They did it for me with no issue at all. Mine seems to be working fine, and I hope it continues for the next 2000 hours or so. :)
 
My buddy said he wanted to buy my Andair version 3 pump as a back up in is -14A if I have it updated to V7. I emailed Andair and no free upgrade for V3 pump, and quoted me about 70 Pounds UK for upgrade and return shipping. I just sent it off via Priority Mail for $61. Assuming the price stays the same it's about $150 to ship and have it upgraded then shipped back to the US. Not bad really for a pump Aircraft Spruce is selling for nearly $1000 right now. Even so, I'm going to stick with the AFP pump setup and sell the Andair.
 
We now have a multitude of AFP pump retrofits complete and flying both with a center tunnel mounted filter, and also with the wing root filter kit.

We have further refined the installation slightly. On the Type 2 Standard Andair Valves (The ones that come with the kit), we are now running a rigid tube from the valve to the filter, or the valve to the pump (in the case of a wing root filter install). This rigid tube is CNC bent as it is with our standard fuel system setup for the Andair pump.

Feedback from initial installers was that they liked the fit of the rigid tube in the center tunnel a bit more than the flex hose.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Steve
 
Here are final picture configurations when utilizing the AFP Fuel Pump with the Standard Type 2 valve.

The first two pictures show the wing root filter configuration. A rigid tube is utilized from the Valve to the pump, and a flex hose is utilized from the Pump to the firewall.

The third picture shows the configuration if utilizing the AFP pump with a Cabin filter. A rigid tube is provided that goes from the valve directly to the filter. The filter screws directly into the pump. From the pump forward, the hose is the same as with the wing root filter configuration.

Happy Building!!!!
Steve
 

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Hey Chris, who did you get to lay on the floor and hold the firewall side of your firewall passthrough? I'm looking for volunteers. When I switched out my wing root tubing for the filter assemblies and took the filter off the Andair pump, the Andair pump decided to die in post-install test.

So now I'm putting in the Airflow Performance pump and changing the tubing at the firewall....

I'm not sure my Andair pump ever worked that great. I never gave it a real test. It was always loud, and it moved enough fuel to prime but.....
 
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