Hi! Kevin.
My guess is that your problem is swarf from cutting the holes in the tank.
The damn stuff is static susceptible and will not wash out ,I used a long
length of tube connected to a vacuum cleaner initially and believed I'd got
it all.(Dream on !) The best suggestion I've had to date is Tony K's
recommendation to burn the holes out with a soldering iron. On the question
of bubbles unless you are rewriting the physics books you are pulling air
---From a bad connection like a Jubilee clip that's too large for the diameter
it's being used on.
Andy Draper recently asked me to check my filters and we had only flown
about 3 hours and when asked what made him request a check he said it was a
just routine suggestion! I found the main filter about 40% blocked.! With
tank swarf .
Regards
Bob Harrison G-PTAG
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-europa@aztec.houxou.com
> Subject: Re: Europa filters
>
>
> Recently I completed my XS with the 914 engine. It flew well but on the
> third flight the engine failed and I force landed. Luckily there was not
> too much damage to myself or the aircraft . Needless to say I am very
> interested to understand why the motor stopped.[ I have left out the heart
> stopping part in case there are Europa pilots out there with weak
> constitutions]
>
> There are two puralator filters on the 914 set-up and the first conclusion
> is that both filters became blocked.
> After recovering the aircraft I dissconnected the carby line and
> attached a
> clear tube . Fuel flowed but one filter/pump combination was delivering a
> line of bubbles.
>
> A second possible conclusion is that the bubbles accumulate
> somewhere un the
> line and form a vapour lock.
>
> The filters were at least partially blocked with fine material .
> I had been
> obsessive with cleanliness in construction /fuel purity etc and
> had cleaned
> the filters after the first flight with little dirt visible.
>
> I have spoken to three other builders [ two here in Australia ]
> who have had
> bad experiences with engine starvation .Not every one has had a forced
> landing but they are 'Spooked ' by this problem.
>
> The common thread is the puralator filter .They seem to be too fine and to
> have too small a surface area so that when even a little material comes
> along they choke. Additionally the are prone to leak air
> possibly with the
> greater fuel pressure or the 914 pumps this is a new factor].
>
> The factory tell me I'm a wimp.'Clean the filters regularly and
> all will be
> well' 'We have had hundreds of hours on the puralator filter'
>
> The other common thread is that ,in general ,the problem occurs
> in the early
> testing time leading people to assume that it's builders fibre
> glass thats
> causing the problem.. Is it possible that some of the tanks have
> a residue
> from the original building???
>
> When I inquire I find a good proportion of builders have already abandoned
> the factory puralator filters.
> Does everyone know something I should know??
>
> This problem has the capacity to harm the Europa . I would be
> pleased to be
> guided by the experience of others.
> Could any one else who has had a starvation problem put that experience on
> this forum so that the problem and its extent can be grappled with.
> I would be very grateful for any help in this matter. Kevin Pownall
>
>
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