Vans Fuel Selector

szicree · #1 01-24-2006, 04:51 PM

I'm trying to sort out my fuel system and have a question about the fuel selector supplied with the kit. It looks as though I can arrange things so that the tanks are at 180 degrees on the selector or at 90. What is the conventional wisdom on this? Also, am I the only one that gets confused with that big handle? I mean, do I pay attention to which way the handle points or to that teenie little pointer?

Steve Zicree
RV4 finishing

Chino Tom · #2 01-24-2006, 05:10 PM

It's up to you on the pointer. On my six, I use the teenie pointer. Left, center off, right. On the eight I'm building, Vans has you grind the teenie pointer off and use the handle to point to the tank in use.

Capflyer · #3 01-24-2006, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chino Tom

On the eight I'm building, Vans has you grind the teenie pointer off and use the handle to point to the tank in use.

Is this a different valve? The one I have for my -7 only fits on the shaft one way with the tiny pointer towards the open port. I would love to be able to reverse it and will try to either modify it or find a different handle.

sf3543 · #4 01-24-2006, 05:33 PM

You can set it up either way just by making your placard indicate against either the handle or pointer end. On my RV8, I am using the long handle as the pointer.
To identify how the valve works, just blow into the intake port and observe which hole the air comes out for each handle setting. You can plumb it up any way you want. The provided valve has one output and three inputs. The output comes out the bottom and goes to the fuel pump. Of the three inputs, one is plugged and the other two are for L & R. VAN's RV8 plans show it mounted so that the long end of the handle can indicate L & R with the handle forward while the two aft positions would be OFF. (You could use the extra output for an aux tank.)

dan · #5 01-24-2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capflyer

Is this a different valve? The one I have for my -7 only fits on the shaft one way with the tiny pointer towards the open port. I would love to be able to reverse it and will try to either modify it or find a different handle.

Capflyer, note in the plans that the fuel lines "cross under" to the opposite side of the valve. The plumbing according to plans allows you to use the handle as the indicator just like Chino Tom pointed out.

Take a look at DWG 36 or 36A Detail B (upper right). It shows the cross-under and has the instruction for grinding off the pointer to use the handle itself.

Or you could just do like many builders and blow a few hundy on an Andair valve (I didn't, the cheapo valve is juuuust fine for me).

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (793 hours)
http://www.rvproject.com

Capflyer · #6 01-24-2006, 09:11 PM

Ahhh...now it makes more sense. Fuel line plumbing is one of my next steps. Thanks Dan.

Mike R.

AntiGravity · #7 01-24-2006, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan

Or you could just do like many builders and blow a few hundy on an Andair valve (I didn't, the cheapo valve is juuuust fine for me).

..and how's it holding up Dan. I've seen other posts that suggest they wear out in a hundred hours or so, but you've done way more than that, haven't you? Any issues?

dan · #8 01-24-2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntiGravity

..and how's it holding up Dan. I've seen other posts that suggest they wear out in a hundred hours or so, but you've done way more than that, haven't you? Any issues?

No issues whatsoever. I will have 800 hours on the plane by the time I get home next week (flew down to Guadalajara).

I heard that older valves had a different material ball or bushing inside that got really stiff and needed service/replacement like you mentioned. But Van's apparently changed the material used to whatever is in there now. Works fine, at least it has for me.

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D
http://www.rvproject.com

szicree · #9 01-24-2006, 11:47 PM

Here's a follow up on my valve question. The way things are in my 4 it would be really great if the valve operated 180 degrees opposite from now. The way it is now, it sticks out to the left and kind of interferes with my foot when getting in. The easiest way to change it is to rotate the nylon part of the valve 180 degrees on its shaft. This requires driving/drilling out a small pin. The pin looks like steel and appears to be inserted and then kinda mushroomed at the ends (sorta like a rivet). I'm hoping somebody out there knows what I'm talking about and can advise.

Steve Zicree
RV4 finishing

ABRV4 · #10 01-25-2006, 06:51 AM

Another option is to remove the handle and file a flat on the valve stem 180 degrees from the original flat. This is what insures that the handle will only go on in one direction. I'm at the finishing kit stage and have the valve centered between the two fuel gauges right in front of the stick. I want the great big handle to point at the gauge and tank in use - not the little pointer which I've already filed off. So my choices are to either run the tank lines around to the far side of the valve and keep the handle as is. Or I can make the lines run direct to the valve and reverse the handle. If I reverse the handle I intend to fill in the original stem flat with some epoxy so that the handle can't get reversed in the future.

Alan Billings
RV-4