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Europa-List: Fuel system Tidbits

Subject: Europa-List: Fuel system Tidbits
From: irampil@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 21:28:48
 05/19/2004 09:28:55 PM,
        Serialize complete at 05/19/2004 09:28:55 PM


Greetings All,

My test flight program has been decelerated by engine fuel starvation at 
high throttle (MP > 25) and moderate
 positive pitch conditions (>15 degrees)

The fix is modestly instructive and so I note it here for new builders.

The fuel system I build had both the Europa Factory cartridge filters plus 
an Andair minigascolator (mostly
to remove condensed water). It turns out that the combined flow resistance 
was excessive, both reducing
net flow and creating sufficient negative pressure upstream of the 
electric boost pump to entrain air.

I could not find any hydrodynamic data on either device. Andair did not 
respond to requests for info.

Solution: remove the gascolator through test phase, then swap back the 
gascolator for routine flight
with a cleaned out tank.

Also, if I had it to do again, I would trash the supplied fuel hose which 
has a strong propensity to kink
when curved. 

Another caveat which has been mentioned here: Don't buy your instruments 
until you are nearly
ready to use them.  I had a UMA altimeter with a leaky diaphragm and a DOA 
Westach Tach/Hobbs.
Two years after purchase is not the best time to first try them out!


Ira  N224XS (about 8 hr on the clock)
   Trigear XS/912S/Airmaster Prop/EFIS One




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