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Do I really need a gasolator?

Sully73

Active Member
I have a carbureted engine with an engine driven fuel pump and electric boost pump. The electric boost pump requires an inline filter between it and the fuel tank.

Here are my concerns:
1) The idea of a gascolator forward the firewall increases the chance of vapor lock.

2) Having one inline filter increases the chance of blockage and engine failure.

3) Also, not keen on spilling fuel inside my fuselage when trying to clean the filters.

So here is what I am considering: Install two inline filters or gascolators at wing roots.

Questions:
1) Has anyone had vapor lock issues in an RV-4.
2) Is there room to put filters or gascolators outside the fuselage in the wing root area?
3) Why have a gascolator if installing inline filters? Any water will show up when the tank sumps are checked.
4) How do I shut off the fuel while cleaning my filters or gascolator if installed them between the tank and selector?

Thanks, in advance, for you input
 
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Sully:

1. I have an RV-8. I did not install a gascolator. The sumps in the wings are the low points for fuel where the water will collect so, to your point, why add a gascolator. Fifteen years of flying and no problems. If it were an "A" model that might be a different story but you have a -4.

2. I installed a fuel filter in the cockpit between the fuel selector and the fuel pump. Its a major pain to remove and inspect due to limited access. Your idea of installing two fuel filters (one in each wing root area) is what I would do if I build again. (My brother did this in his -8 and it's a better approach IMO.) I do caution that the wing root area (under the wing fairing) is a very limited access space once the wings are attached so measure twice here to be sure you can get your hands and a wrench around the filter to remove them for inspection. It looks easy when the wings are not on, but gets very tight after assembly.

Just my opinion but I think your solutions are fine.

Chris
 
I have an RV 8 and never installed a gascolator. I was mostly concerned about vapor lock, its very hot where I live with very low humidity. I have the standard fuel filter from vans and a 10 micron filter on the firewall. The only reason I have the 10 micron filter is because it was required for the Rotec TBI I initially installed. I was very disappointed with it and switched to a carburetor, but kept the filter.

75+ hours on the plane and no problems so far.
 
I have a fuel injected 0-360 on my RV-6A. When building it I put in two Pegasus Automotive in line fuel filters on an inch wing root. I think they were 25 micron. The problem is when you service these to take them out you have to drain the fuel tank before you make a mess on the hanger floor. �� Marty
 
I removed the gascolator from my Rv7 when I went to fuel injection. I have a filter that has a bi-pass if it gets clogged:dirty fuel is better than no fuel, hence the bi-pass filter.

Even with a carb I have witnessed vaporlock in the gascolator on a friends RV7 on a 95 degree day.

I think the best solution may be using Aerolabs flush mount gascolator and mounting it aft of the firewall.
 
Can you please point to me where in the Canadian regulations that it states that Canadian aircraft no longer require a gascolator. It still states that it is required in the Air Regulations Chapter 549.
 
If you live in Canada and your plane is registered in Canada you MUST have a gasolator.

Not so. CARS 549 does not require a gascolator but the exemption to 549 up until now did. For some inexplicable reason the MDRA has applied the Exemption over the last number of years instead of 549. This has caused confusion. Recently there has been an update on MDRA acknowledging that a gascolator for some fuel systems is neither necessary nor desired. Im not sure how that effects the exemption to 549 in the CARS. We can thank Les Kearney for his efforts in this regard for those changes but if you have your aircraft inspected under 549 instead of the exemption to 549, which is your right, then no gascolator is required.
 
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I have two never used Andair gascolators with mounting hardware that I’m going to have to find a home for since I don’t plan on installing them on my 10.
 
That Aerolabs filter/gascolator is a good solution. If I was building/modifying I would consider it - in fact I did. What I did instead in my RV4 was to modify my existing installation, on a plane I didn’t build, to enable easy servicing and a robust filtering solution. A filter from each tank feeding the fuel selector in a hinged compartment that doubles as a storage area for needed inflight items.
For some reason, my pics still show up side ways.

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