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From: <daveleonard@cox.net>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Water in the fuel
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 13:48:08 -0500
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When well mixed with the fuel, water does not create a problem.  It is only when the water separates out and displaces the fuel that there is a problem.  With the high flow fuel systems we have (unless you are using a returnless system), there is no need to drain the fuel on preflight.  Any accumulated water will get sent back to the tank and mixed with the fuel.

I never drain my fuel.  I even took out the drain plugs.

JMHO,
Dave Leonard
> 

> Fine, but what kind of filters are you using and where are they in the 
> system?  Gascolator is NOT a suitable substitute for a filter.
> I have a "flat bottomed" sump on my Velocity, and water DOES accumulate 
> in it.  My fuel line to the pumps is cheated up off the bottom of the 
> tank half an inch and there's a test drain in the bottom of the sump to 
> check for water.  One of these days I'm going to make a little "blister" 
> in the bottom of the sump where water will accumulate so I can get it 
> ALL out without removing the sump and shaking it for twenty minutes.
> It all counts, and some of it counts /against /us ... Jim S.
> 
> Paul wrote:
> 
> > Hi, Wendell....I use the gascolator for a couple of reasons. I cannot 
> > check my aluminum sump tank.  It is sealed. Since the EFI pumps are 
> > located lower than the sump tank, it would be more logical to check 
> > for water at the lowest point in the fuel system.  The fuel goes from 
> > the sump tank to the gascolator, which is the lowest point in the fuel 
> > system. I like the gascolator because it has a screen to catch debris 
> > that might have found it's way to the EFI pumps, and the gascolator 
> > has a fuel drain on the bottom of it so that I can check for water at 
> > the lowest point in the system.  I don't think the sump would 
> > catch the water, as the outlet from the sump is on the bottom of the 
> > sump, and water should go right on through the sump tank to the 
> > gascolator and EFI pumps, which are the lowest point in the fuel 
> > system. I thought this was the best way to design a gravity fed fuel 
> > system....everything downhill and a fuel drain at the lowest point.  
> > Please correct me if I am in error.  Paul looking for a Cessna Conner 
> >
> >     ----- Original Message -----
> >     *From:* Wendell Voto <mailto:jwvoto@itlnet.net>
> >     *To:* Rotary motors in aircraft <mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
> >     *Sent:* Thursday, February 17, 2005 10:59 AM
> >     *Subject:* [FlyRotary] Re: Vapor Lock
> >
> >     Paul,
> >     Why use a gasolator if you have a sump tank with the outlet a
> >     couple inches off the bottom of the sump? Won't the sump tank
> >     catch the water and a strainer stop the big stuff. The sump is
> >     checked before each flight and a gasolator isn't. Go straight to
> >     the FP then thru a fuel filter and then the fuel rail. Eliminates
> >     the restriction, weight and connections to leak. I am beginning to
> >     lean towards in-tank pumps with built in strainer since all this
> >     has come to light.
> >     Wendell
> >
> >         Hi, Kelly....the efi pumps are the last item before the fuel
> >         rail and fuel pressure regulator. Here is the basic system... 
> >         The fuel in the main tanks goes downhill to the fuel selector.
> >         Fuel then goes downhill again through the Facet pump into the
> >         top of the sump tank. Fuel then comes out of the bottom of the
> >         sump tank through the gascolator into the EFI pump(s), then to
> >         the fuel rail with fuel pressure regulator attached, then that
> >         returned fuel goes back into the top of the sump tank.  That
> >         is the complete system. Take care. Paul Conner
> >
> >              
> >              
> >
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