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thesupe(at)hotmail.com
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 Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:49 am Post subject: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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Hi all C I'm about to put the tanks in the wings on my Kitfox 4 and have a few questions if you don't mind.
I'm wondering if there are little red balls available to put one in each sight tube that would float on top of
the fuel. I've seen that on other planes and would think that the fuel level would show up better that way.
The other question I have has to deal with the picture I'm posting. The plane is a 4 C but he got as an
option the Kitfox 5 wing and header tanks. The directions that came with the tank don't show this part or where it
goes. There are 2 of them. Can anyone help. Thanks C Jim Chuk Avids C Kitfox 4 Mn
With Windows Live for mobile C your contacts travel with you. Connect on the go.
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Tom Jones
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:29 am Post subject: Re: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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| Quote: | The directions that came with the tank don't show this part or where it
�goes. |
The plastic restricter plug goes in the sight tube to dampen the sloshing of the fuel in the tube. I think there was no hole in it and the builder needs to drill about a 1/16th in. hole lengthwise in the plug.
Also, can you see the short piece of aluminum tubing inside the butyrate tube at the left end? Both ends have this added to prevent the butyrate from deforming and thus leaking under the attachment fitting if it gets hot sitting in the sun. This was a builder suggested tip a few years ago. See attached picture.
For what its worth. Those butyrate sight tubes take a lot of time and are a pain to fabricate.
My sight tubes never did leak but I took them off anyway after quite a few builders reported theirs leaking, often at very inconvenient times. I replaced them with polyurethane tubing and brass fittings. I should have done this when I built the plane. It would of saved me about eight hours and some frustration. You can also get a kit from Kitfox LLC http://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/images/Misc%20pics/Fuel%20wing%20Placard%20lrg.jpg
If you do install yours and don't have some aluminum tube to fit as noted I can send you some. I have about 8 feet of it.
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Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA |
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Lynn Matteson
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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I'm pretty sure those are (as the description says) restrictor plugs
which are installed in the lower end of the sight tube to slow down
the flow of fuel into the sight tube, so that you don't get "bouncy"
readings. It's the same principle as a restrictor plug, or restrictor
hole in an oil pressure gauge....it prevents fluctuations of the
needle in that example.
I bought wing tank sight gauges from John McBean, and his gauges have
a placard plate that sits behind the tube so that the fuel level can
be easily read....the lines will be level above the fuel level, and
appear at an angle below the level of the fuel...very easy to interpret.
Lynn Matteson
Kitfox IV Speedster
Jabiru 2200
Status: flying w/547+ hrs
On Jul 17, 2008, at 1:47 PM, Jim_and_Lucy Chuk wrote:
| Quote: | Hi all, I'm about to put the tanks in the wings on my Kitfox 4 and
have a few questions if you don't mind.
I'm wondering if there are little red balls available to put one in
each sight tube that would float on top of
the fuel. I've seen that on other planes and would think that the
fuel level would show up better that way.
The other question I have has to deal with the picture I'm
posting. The plane is a 4, but he got as an
option the Kitfox 5 wing and header tanks. The directions that
came with the tank don't show this part or where it
goes. There are 2 of them. Can anyone help. Thanks, Jim Chuk
Avids, Kitfox 4 Mn
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?-> h========================
With Windows Live for mobile, your contacts travel with you.
Connect on the go.
<plane stuff 010.jpg>
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Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM |
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thesupe(at)hotmail.com
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 2:12 pm Post subject: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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Thanks Tom and Lynn for the replys. I was guessing that was what the plug was for C I bent the buterite tubes today into a U shape so they will fit easy C I drilled 2 7/16" holes 5" apart in a piece of 3/4" board C put the tube in one hole and then gently bent the tube around to the other hole. I then took a heat gun and evenly heat the tube while pushing down on the center with a block of wood. The manual didn't have any info on that either C but this worked good. I still think the little red ball floating in the tube would be easier to see than the fuel C perhaps someone has an idea on that. Thanks again C Jim Chuk Kitfox 4 Mn
PS Tom C thanks for the offer of the alum. tube and the good idea C I have some 1/4" tube
| Quote: | From: lynnmatt(at)jps.net
Subject: Re: fuel tank/sight tube questions
Date: Thu C 17 Jul 2008 17:00:58 -0400
To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Lynn Matteson <lynnmatt(at)jps.net>
I'm pretty sure those are (as the description says) restrictor plugs
which are installed in the lower end of the sight tube to slow down
the flow of fuel into the sight tube C so that you don't get "bouncy"
readings. It's the same principle as a restrictor plug C or restrictor
hole in an oil pressure gauge....it prevents fluctuations of the
needle in that example.
I bought wing tank sight gauges from John McBean C and his gauges have
a placard plate that sits behind the tube so that the fuel level can
be easily read....the lines will be level above the fuel level C and
appear at an angle below the level of the fuel...very easy to interpret.
Lynn Matteson
Kitfox IV Speedster
Jabiru 2200
Status: flying w/547+ hrs
On Jul 17 C 2008 C at 1:47 PM C Jim_and_Lucy Chuk wrote:
> Hi all C I'm about to put the tanks in the wings on my Kitfox 4 and
> have a few questions if you don't mind.
> I'm wondering if there are little red balls available to put one in
> each sight tube that would float on top of
> the fuel. I've seen that on other planes and would think that the
> fuel level would show up better that way.
> The other question I have has to deal with the picture I'm
> posting. The plane is a 4 C but he got as an
> option the Kitfox 5 wing and header tanks. The directions that
> came with the tank don't show this part or where it
> goes. There are 2 of them. Can anyone help. Thanks C Jim Chuk
> Avids C Kitfox 4 Mn
>
>
>
> http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?-> h========================
> With Windows Live for mobile C your contacts travel with you.
> Connect on the go.
> <plane stuff 010.jpg>> _====================
|
Time for vacation? WIN what you need. Enter Now! [quote][b]
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Vic Baker
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 71
Location: Carson City, Nevada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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I bought the sight gauge kit from Kitfox Aircraft also. Nice kit. I would
recommend doing that now while the install is easy.
Vic Baker
S7 912S Warp 100%
Carson City, Nv
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Vic Baker
Series 7
Carson City, Nevada |
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kmamjones(at)comcast.net
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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Hi Espuny:
The Vixen was a name given to the Series V Kitfox with a nosewheel. The
Outback was the name given to the Tailwheel model. I think there was also a
slight difference in the vertical stabilizer of the two. Both were
basically Series V Kitfoxes with a gross weight maximum of 1550 lbs.
Ken Jones
Series 7 builder
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FlyboyTR
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Posts: 215
Location: Mobile, Alabama
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:35 am Post subject: Re: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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When my original sight tubes starting leaking (leaking is putting it mildly!), I replaced them with brass barbed fittings and clear Tygon fuel tubing. I also stripped out a length of 12 gauge solid copper wire (house wiring) and inserted it into the tubing before bending it. The wire also helped to "hold" the proper shape. After shaping the tube I inserted a short piece of 1/8" tubing over the wire and inside each end of the main tube. This became my restrictor. The shinny wire inside the tube makes a very definite mark at the fuel level and that reflects within the tube. I did this two years ago and everything is still performing perfectly. Picture...albeit very small...is attached.
Travis 
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| Tygon tubing with 12 gauge copper wire inside. |
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Travis Rayner
Mobile, AL
Skystar Vixen, N-789DF
Continental IO-240, Prince P-Tip Prop
ADI-II Autopilot
AnyWhereMap Navigation with weather
www.enotam.net (My Flying Info Website) |
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hansedj
Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject: Re: fuel tank/sight tube questions |
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I too bought site tube
kit from kitfox very easy to install and looks great.
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Dj, Series 6 |
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