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fuel sight gauges,red float ball

ron

Registered User
Wanaka,NZ
I have a standard fuel sight gauge with red float balls from wag aero.They are two years old.One ball is intermittent with it's flotation.One day it has sunk out of sight another day it floats,some days it is half way .Rocking the aircraft appears to show it is not jamming?Ideas?
 
I have a standard fuel sight gauge with red float balls from wag aero.They are two years old.One ball is intermittent with it's flotation.One day it has sunk out of sight another day it floats,some days it is half way .Rocking the aircraft appears to show it is not jamming?Ideas?
Have you been running auto gas?
 
Early Legends used them. They stuck a lot. Finally just stopped using the ball. In my airplane I took one out that was sticking. The other side has worked fine for 11 plus years. No auto gas ever used. There is no problem seeing the fuel level without the ball.

Rich
 
Mine are free and float, but usually not on the top. Sometimes they sink all the way to the bottom. I never trust them because of this, I look at the lines behind the sight glass. If they are bent due to refraction there's gas, if they're straight, no fluid, no refraction, no gas. Gets me close then I can carefully look for the top of the fuel level.
 
Mine right tank ball just sunk. Originals were cork that were sealed. Cub Crafters and Univair have a new, plastic type version that I haven't had any issues with. Gonna get some next week and change both of mine. My left ball is black any dissemination hard to see especially since I'm blind isn't that eye.

Let the juveniles with their mind in the gutter make derogatory comments under the premise of being funny.
 
Steve, mine are CC and have never worked reliably. Just saying the draining and hassle of replacement may not be worth it.
 
so is it a quality control problem,if all boats floated like this the customer would be a little perturbed!
 
It is a cork ball with a sealer on it. Mine is probably original and 44 years old. I would say it held up pretty good.
 
My Univair pith ball has performed well for 8 years now but don't always use that tank. Think I paid about 8 bucks for it.
 
My UNIVAIR balls sunk within hours of installation. AV Gas only. Nightmare to change. My originals were fine- wish id never changed them!
 
I installed the new Univair ball a few years ago and no problem. Should have replaced the other one because as soon as I put fuel back in it sunk. Need to put the striped paint behind it. I use ethanol free auto gas most of the time but 100LL on cross countries.
 
My UNIVAIR balls sunk within hours of installation. AV Gas only. Nightmare to change. My originals were fine- wish id never changed them!


I'm glad univair don't make aircraft floats.How hard can it be to make something that floats?
 
DO NOT TRUST THEM! I bought new balls and installed them in my Cub. After only a few months the paint on them got soft and they stuck at the top of the sight gauge making me believe the tanks were full when they were actually almost empty.
 
What surprises me is, I've never seen a thread on this matter make 20 posts without going sideways.
 
Curious if these are the cork balls or the newer plastic ones. How long ago were these issues? When were the balls purchased and installed?
 
Hi all, my balls are great and float fine.
But I have a slight seepage from one gauge. I replaced the gauge with another one that also seeps, so I figured that I should replace the cork seals.
Any tricks to getting the old seals and glass out?

cheers Bill
 
Hi all, my balls are great and float fine.
But I have a slight seepage from one gauge. I replaced the gauge with another one that also seeps, so I figured that I should replace the cork seals.
Any tricks to getting the old seals and glass out?

cheers Bill

Are you religious?

Web
 
Hi all, my balls are great and float fine.
But I have a slight seepage from one gauge. I replaced the gauge with another one that also seeps, so I figured that I should replace the cork seals.
Any tricks to getting the old seals and glass out?

cheers Bill

also a good time to clean the glass, use a nylon brush inside and scotchbrite outside and acetone
 
You will be before your done with them, lol.

+1000 for what Mr. Pierce said; be gentle. Glass tube inside an aluminum & brass assembly that hasn't been apart for 30 years or more. Some may not agree, but I think that heating the whole assembly MILDLY helps. Heat by setting it on a rooftop on a sunny day or something similar. And when you assemble, go back to Mr. Pierces advice and be gentle. Lots of glass tube get broken or chipped when put together with gorilla hands.

Web
 
Thanks Web, I have a better idea of what is involved now, having seen the photos of the components on the UNIVAIR website and the comments above. I’m not in a rush, so fingers crossed, I’ll be able to report success by the end of the day :)

cheers Bill
 
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