Fuel System - Fuel Lines - Part 1
I'll be very honest with you Gents, this section will be very boring for those having experience in building aircrafts...But for a beginner like me, it is always a little bit frightening but very stimulating to learn the do's and don'ts of cutting / bending / flaring / fitting fuel lines and eventually testing for leakage of your own fuel system. Hey, it's all about learning and sharpening skill set that we build those magnificent flying machine...Right? So, here we go!
Here is what I think should be needed to build this Fuel System. I'll use 3/8'' fuel lines for the entire installation.
To start with, I bought the Weatherhead Fuel shut-off valve (P/N:6749). I figured that if it is good for the Backcountry Cub it is good enough for me.
Next, I followed the instruction from the Backcountry builder's manual in order to modify the fuel selector from 3 to 4 ports creating a ''
BOTH TANK fuel feed selection'' ( See: Fuel Valve Modification - Page #62)
Here is the support plate for the fuel selector that came with the fuselage. Just not long enough to install the fuel selector correctly in place.
I made an extension so that now I have a little more room to position the fuel selector correctly.
See what I mean...without this extension it would have been very difficult to connect the fuel lines to the selector.
Now the fuel lines, for a beginner, the first cut is always the worse one! You just hope that your measurements after all the bendings to come will be OK!!!
I've used a countersink cutter #30 to deburr the line.
Next insert the Nut coupling and the sleeve and flare it. I bought the Rolo-Flair - Flaring Tool 37 degrees (don't buy the automotive one ...It is 45 dregrees!!). The Rolo-Flair is a great piece of kit! You can see how the Tee fitting fits with the flared line.
Now the tubending tool. I suggest that you waste a couple feet of tubing to practice with it. Read the instruction carefully in order to get the radius that you need at the right place...It is well worth it!
Started with the lines going to the front of the Main tanks.
More to follow!
Dan