From: Sky2high@aol.com
Message-ID: <4955985d.361d8cf7@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 00:11:35 EDT
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Fuel System Question - A 320 owner answer
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Bill:
I don't know the IVP scheme, but us 3x0 (320/360) builders have it easy.  Our
Lycoming injection system doesn't require any plumbing to return fuel (there
are many examples of commercial Continental confusion occuring over which tank
the returned fuel goes into). Furthermore, my system looks like this:

1) The 9.5 US Gal header tank is a combination sump and reserve tank.  Keep it
full and everything is well.  It is almost impossible to un-port the fuel even
with as little as 3 or 4 gallons.  It easily carries a 1-hour reserve.  Since
it sits higher than the engine, it can provide gravity flow to the engine
pump.  Keep it full and a total electrical failure gives you an hour to find
the ground (Oops, I mean airport).

2) K.I.S.S  I have no fuel selector, so I can't possibly turn it to the wrong
tank or to OFF.

3) Even though I have separate switches for each wing fuel pump, the
"automatic system, thru a float valve in the header tank, senses a fuel level
of less than 8.5 gals and, if 30 seconds later (IC timer) its still low, both
pumps are engerized until the float shuts off the system at above 9 gallons.
The timer is to eliminate destructive short running periods of the pump during
flight thru turbulence.

4) The EPI 800  System (Pre VM 1000) with fuel probes warns me when wings are
less than 4 gal each (with a full header, its' the 2 hr warning) and the
header adds a four gal (1/2 hour warning) to that.  I have annunciators for
these warning conditions.

5) On my return from the Labor Day bash in Redmond, my Gilette, WY to Aurora,
IL leg (GCC-ARR, 763 NM) took 4 hours and 34 gallons of gas (leaving the
header full and 1/2 gal in each wing).  That's 8.5 gph, 191 Kts GS.  I never
had to even look at the fuel system during the 4 hours except to acknowledge
the low fuel warnings for the wing tanks.

Boy, are we lucky or what?

Scott Krueger
N92EX