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Fuel strainers

12 posts in this topic

Posted

The A&P that did my wings took my fuel fittings out of the tanks while we had the wing uncovered and cleaned them up real well. I did not see how the fittings screw into the tank and my book and plane are out at the hangar. Would these fit a STOL tank?

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/fingstrainers.php

After seeing several people have issues with pieces of the tank clogging fittings and having some older tanks I want to make sure this doesn't happen to me.

Also any good procedures for flushing the tanks? Mine have been empty for about 8 mos now and I'd like to give them a good flush before I fill them again. I really should have done it while they were sitting on sawhorses uncovered but that got overlooked on the to do list. I drained about 4 gallons out of each side when I took it apart with no noticeable sediment but I'd feel better about it knowing they were flushed out.

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Posted

Mine sat for 8 yrs and I just filled them up, let them sit for a couple hours then drained them back into 5 gallon tanks with a Mr. Funnel in them.  Did not get any crap out of them.

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Posted

I checked into this today and you would not be able to thread them strainers in. The fittings in my tank a 1/4" thread screwed right into the bottom of the tank. I did order a Mr. Funnel. I needed one a while back and this is a good excuse to get one. Amazon had the best prices I could find. I got the F8.

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Posted

After I cut access holes in my tank, I saw all kinds of shit inside of it. Called my friend in MPLS that has worked on Avids for years including tank repairs. He said not to worry about it to much, it is quite common.

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Posted

Sounds good...thanks for the info. After reading about several people having fuel starvation after a chunk of crap got stuck in the 90 degree elbow coming out of the tank it got me concerned. I have a filter between the header and the shut off valve and a gascolator between the shutoff valve and carbs so I should be alright.

I am still going to fill the tanks though and have a 4 ft chunk of line hooked to the bottom that is blocked off and not part of my plumbing and then let them drain back out through that line into a jug with the Mr Funnel like Leni said and see what comes out. Once they are empty again I'll pull the fittings and check for debris as well.

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Posted

I will run some gas through mine also. I have a three inch finger strainer on my tank outlet, with a filter in my main line, then a small filter in each line going to the carbs.

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Posted

Care to elaborate on your fingers in your tanks?

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Posted

The finger striner is a fine mess about as big aruond as a pencil that is connected to the 90 degree outlet. No way any big chunks can get through that.

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Posted

Is that something someone makes or did you make it yourself? I want some

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Posted

here ya go

878_4d7b55286891ec9e69f91034de8dcf5b2927

880_a18d987a4b9db36f40dcdaf4e573b85c473c

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Posted

Same as mine, except mine are 90 degree's. Came with the kit.

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Posted

Where did you guys get these? The ones spruce have are too big to thread into the tank. They are made to screw into a welded in fitting.

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