K

KRAUSEGB

Well Known Member
Background---
The aircraft has been tied down outside for the last month with canopy cover installed. I had just finished the annual condition inspection that included the SB to gear as well as fuel tank modification and re-calibration. It had been a week since my last and only flight, but it had rained some since that flight.
Yesterday I went out to fly the 12 and did the usual preflight. Drained about 2-3 oz into sight glass. No water observed.
Normal engine start, ran fine for the first 30 to 45 seconds and then lost power. Tried several restarts with initial start and then stall.
Check for fuel contamination. Drained an estimated 15oz of water before any fuel observed.
Hard to believe that much water could have gotten into the tank with the canopy cover on. But it did.
Apparently, water that inters the tank does not settle down to the gascolator or I didn't do a good job of checking the site glass the first time!
In the future I plan on running the fuel pump for at least a min. or two before checking the gascolator!

Gary
 
Hi Gary - -

this has been discussed before. The fuel shut-off valve has an uphill angle to climb before going to the gascolator. Need a fair amount of water to get past that valve and show up. I guess I would suggest if your plane is outside, you might want to get the nose low, then sample check.
 
Gary,

I washed and waxed my plane a couple of months ago and didn't cover the fuel cap. I let it sit about a week before flying and got about an inch of water in the test tube. I took it to the airport run up area and ran it about 10 minutes without incident before shutdown and checking the gascolator again.: no more water. The plane was on level ground the week after washing. What I took away was that the orientation of the cap can contribute to water contamination if turned so that water collects in the depression under the cap lever. (And of course: cover the vent while washing!)

Depending on where the water sits running the fuel pump 1 minute with only return flow may not bring it all the way to the gascolator, but it's better than doing nothing if the plane's been out in the rain.

Rich
 
Well, is the plane and gas cap overly susceptible to water ingress? What about the Demo airplane at Oshkosh - you know, the gully washer and windstorm that Joe Blank "flew" through on the ground there? That would have been a real test.

And.....you had the canopy cover on. Hmmmm.....

Bob Bogash
N737G
 
I would suggest a thorough sampling. Several as a matter of fact if the airplane is out in the weather. Some years back when getting ready to depart Sun and Fun in my 6A following a few rain showers during my stay I emptied a couple tubes of water out of my wing tanks. Considering the fact the 12 has holes drilled in the cap yes, absolutely!
Dick Seiders
 
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