Atlee dodge tank question on sight guage

[SteveE]

Just had a buddy buy a supercub out of Driggs Idaho that had the 31 gallon fuel tanks in them. They have what looks like a 1/2 vinyl tube for the fuel guage. Can you install the piper or dakota fuel sight guages in the tanks? Or are the tanks so tall you wont know the amount in them until you use 10 gallons or so. I havent looked in the wing root yet so I dont know what kind of fittings are there.

 

[Steve Pierce]

I would put a restricter in the line so the fuel doesn't bounce around so much.

 

[sierra bravo]

SteveE,

You're description sounds like typical FA Dodge sight gauges. Mine work fine. Why would your friend want to change them?

 

[mike mcs repair]

atlees sight gauges have a 1/16" restricter built in...

yes they are a diffrent length than piper or dakota(longer)

these are all I use for any new tank install
http://www.fadodge.com/index.php?op...-system-sight-gage&cid=8:fuelsystem&Itemid=53

 

[SteveE]

SteveE,

You're description sounds like typical FA Dodge sight gauges. Mine work fine. Why would your friend want to change them?

Stewart,,, They "slosh around" too much in rough air and with the fuel going from way up to empty it is hard to tell how much you really have.

Mike, are those hard plastic?

Maybe the ones that are put on already are an "older version", or have been changed at one time or another. What it looks like now is a half in plastic tubing just bent around, without any restrictor.

 

[tempdoug]

Piece of aluminum tubing with a rivet pounded in or tig welded shut on one end with a small, small hole drilled. Or on one exp i drilled the rivet in a vise and tapped it in the barb fitting on the bottom of the tank. Dakota Cub has the restrictor built right into there tank. Its amazing how much gas will pass through a small hole. Sorry E for butting in.

 

[sierra bravo]

Stewart,,, They "slosh around" too much in rough air and with the fuel going from way up to empty it is hard to tell how much you really have.

Mike, are those hard plastic?

Maybe the ones that are put on already are an "older version", or have been changed at one time or another. What it looks like now is a half in plastic tubing just bent around, without any restrictor.

I'm not familiar with this reported "sloshing". No more than with any other plane I've operated, anyway. As with all fuel level indicators they're only accurate when straight and level. If I can't hold the plane level I can't expect an accurate indication. The same is true with any fuel level indicators I've ever used. For the most part I know how much fuel I had when I took off and the tubes validate my anticipated fuel consumption rate during the flight. That's all I care about. While bouncing around one tube shows a false high and the other a false low. The average is predictable. With that I prefer sight tubes to electronic instruments. Because I can better judge the rate of change while rocking the wings.

By the way, Dodge sight tubes are soft and flexible and replacements run about $45.

http://www.fadodge.com/index.php?op...-system-sight-gage&cid=8:fuelsystem&Itemid=53

 

[mike mcs repair]

....
Mike, are those hard plastic?
.....What it looks like now is a half in plastic tubing just bent around, without any restrictor.

they are semi rigid heat formed into the "C" shape with a restrictor(1/4" aluminum tube with end formed shut then drilled 1/16")

(I am trying to remember if the real old ones had restrictors, but I 'think' all I have seen had them)

got a picture of it? sound like someone might have just replaced it with tube....

 

[SteveE]

got a picture of it? sound like someone might have just replaced it with tube....

Thats what I am thinking,, might be a week or so before I can go look.

 

[Crash]

I installed Piper sight gauges on my PA-14 with 30.5 gallon Dodge tanks in it. Machined the windows longer to have a larger viewing area. Level, three point, 2.5 gallons at a time, it took 12.5 gallons before the "ball" floated off the bottom of the sight tube. So basically you could have 25 gallons in the plane and it looked empty on the ramp.

On floats they worked great.

Greg

P.S. Walking out of Stoddards with the small bag of parts needed to install them I was $420.00 lighter.