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Fuel tank size

my53cad

Member
Does anyone know if Van's ever offered a 17 gallon fuel tank for the RV-9A. Just bought an RV-9A and builder swears it has 17 gallon fuel tanks but I have only seen the 18 gallon tanks.
 
Welcome to VAF

Ron, welcome aboard the good ship VAF :D

I wounder if he was talking about usable fuel?
 
Stock tank is 18 gallons. Maybe he adjusted his tank fuel pickup tube to make 1 gallon unusable.
 
Previous owner swears he installed 17 gallon tanks when built in 2007. All I have ever heard of is the 18 gallon tanks. Guess I will have to drain them and refill them to be positive. Thanks
 
Well, in all probability they are the standard 18 gallon tanks. That being said, I modified mine to 21 gallon tanks.
 
I am very interested in how you made that modification!

Not sure of his modification to get 3(x2) extra gallons but what you CAN do is install a 7-7.5 gallon tank directly behind the seat back protruding just a bit into the baggage compartment.

I know this works because I supplied Marvin (at the time) of Smoke Systems Helpers (I think that is the name) with the dimensions and fit tested them to 6/7/9 tip up and slider combinations.

I have 2 installed in my RV6 tip up.
 
I am very interested in how you made that modification!

I extended outboard a bay. Not an EZ process, especially for tanks already built like mine were. Somewhere in the bowels of this forum, I detailed the process along with photos,,,maybe 3 or so years ago. Not for the faint of heart.
 
Calibrating my tanks, they held something like 18.1 gallons and my unusable fuel was literally a few ounces.
 
Customization - a nasty word for some...

Naahhhh.. that's just an opportunity to make it your own. :cool:

If you haven't finished the wing/tanks yet, you can make the changes very easily. Attached here is the drawing for the "Tuckey Tanks" on an 8 with credit to Pat Tuckey, I modified this slightly and installed them on my 9A.
 

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