n5lp
fugio ergo sum
Yesterday, after I shut down, I noticed fuel dripping from the cowl air outlet. Today I investigated and found that an aluminum line from a tee, downstream of the fuel flow transducer to the fuel pressure transducer, was leaking a large volume of fuel. It required removing the line to find the source of the leak.
The aluminum line was cracked at the edge of the sleeve. The crack is through the order of 150 degrees of the line. This was invisible from the outside of the line, but could be seen on the inside.
Both the fuel flow transducer and the pressure transducer are mounted to the engine mount with home fabricated aluminum brackets mounted to the engine mount with adel clamps. The length of the failed tubing is 4 1/4 inches.
The RV-6 has around 1,000 hours and was built at a time of no firewall forward instructions or kits by someone with no background in these arts.
The best guess of me and my cohorts is that the mounting of the fuel pressure transducer was flexible enough to allow a resonant vibration that over time cracked the line at the edge of the ferrule.
Those with more knowledge can supply their analysis.
I fabricated all the fuel and oil lines on my airplane, but my plan is to order a flexible line to replace this one. I will need to move the pressure transducer to allow enough space for this.
The aluminum line was cracked at the edge of the sleeve. The crack is through the order of 150 degrees of the line. This was invisible from the outside of the line, but could be seen on the inside.
Both the fuel flow transducer and the pressure transducer are mounted to the engine mount with home fabricated aluminum brackets mounted to the engine mount with adel clamps. The length of the failed tubing is 4 1/4 inches.
The RV-6 has around 1,000 hours and was built at a time of no firewall forward instructions or kits by someone with no background in these arts.
The best guess of me and my cohorts is that the mounting of the fuel pressure transducer was flexible enough to allow a resonant vibration that over time cracked the line at the edge of the ferrule.
Those with more knowledge can supply their analysis.
I fabricated all the fuel and oil lines on my airplane, but my plan is to order a flexible line to replace this one. I will need to move the pressure transducer to allow enough space for this.
Last edited: