Order of Fuel System Components

[David Paule]

I'm building an RV-3B with a carbureted O-320. My fuselage will have some structure (which I'm currently fabricating) between the rudder pedals in which I'm planning to install:

Fuel valve first,
Then --
Gascolator,
Fuel flow sensor,
Electric fuel pump.

For the gascolator, pump and sensor, what order would you recommend and why?

The valve and gascolator are both Andair components. The sensor will be whatever comes with the Skyview engine sensors and the pump is the one from Van's.

Thanks!

[Bevan]

I put the andair gascolator upstream of the electric pump to help protect the pump. One in each wing root.

I've just moved the fuel flow sender to be downstream of the fuel servo (I'm fuel injected) to put it on the pressure side of both pumps due to possible vapor lock issues. Turns out my sender has a narrowing (restriction) inside that could cause trouble if fuel is sucked through it.

My system is... gascolator, tank selector valve, elec pump, mech pump, servo, flow sender, distribution spider.

Bevan

[Ironflight]

There was a really neat three-part series on fuel system design in this little magazine called Kitplanes last year. Some low level unemployed engineer by the name of Ken Krueger wrote it....you might check what he had to say!