tanks feeding evenly

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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ginbug92b
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 4:18 pm

tanks feeding evenly

Post by ginbug92b »

My 55B has the vented caps on both fuel tanks. I am used to one tank feeding a little more than the other when both are selected, (which is where I leave the selector all the time) However, yesterday flying around I noticed the right tank showing empty in flight and the left tank showing slightly less than a quarter full. I fueled up full to the top both tanks and the left tank took 9.5 gal and the right took 17 to fill. I have never seen that much difference before. Both tanks were compleatly full at the last fillup. Also the plane sits level in a hanger so that rules out the wing low crossfeed thing. Any thoughts on this matter?
Mark 55B N4492B 53PA-18 N3357A
Robert Eilers
Posts: 652
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 12:33 am

Re: tanks feeding evenly

Post by Robert Eilers »

My first thought would be to check the fuel cap vents for a blockage.
"You have to learn how to fall before you learn how to fly"
N1277D
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2002 6:24 pm

Re: tanks feeding evenly

Post by N1277D »

Try leveling the plane and checking to see if the ball in the turn and bank is centered. If not center it with the plane leveled, if it is slightly out you will fly with one wing low resulting in a slight flow imbalance between the tanks when flying with the flow selector on both.

The fuel screens at the exit of the tanks may also need cleaning.
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GAHorn
Posts: 21022
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Re: tanks feeding evenly

Post by GAHorn »

This subject has been discussed at length. Here are a couple of such threads:

http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... uel#p24083


http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... fuel#p9094
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
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