Van's published updated instructions for the fuel tanks due to changes in the fuel senders. I'm hoping somebody with experience can put together some helpful information for the rest of us. How do we tell if we have older or newer fuel senders? I assume we want to use the old instructions if we have old fuel senders and the new instructions if we have the new fuel senders.
Van's Air Force
The definitive Van's Aircraft support community! Buying, building or flying an RV? Join our exclusive family of mentors and enthusiasts!
Fuel Tank Sender Updates
- Thread starter kirkbauer
- Start date
Looking at the drawing for the RV-4 WING FUEL TANK (17-A), as per above post #2, the OLD FLOAT has the rod wrapping around the FLOAT itself about 5/8 inch from the end of the float, whereas the newer FLOAT has the rod running through the middle of it. Drawing 17-A appears to be the same as the previous drawing except for the small drawing next to the inner rib labeled FUEL FLOAT GEOMETERY and the modification date: 04/10/25. This drawing offsets the NEWER rod and float to align the NEW FLOAT to match where the rod would have come off the OLD FLOAT: thus the 5/8 inch offset. Otherwise the drawing appears to be the same.
SO: If you have the OLD wrap-around float, it would appear that you do NOT have to do this offset. If you recently replaced your old float and sender with a NEW float and sender with the rod going THROUGH the float, this drawing applies.
I would imagine this also applies to the other RV model drawings that use the SW style of sender (Stewart-Warner not Smith and Wesson....
) and that particular installation.
I have not confirmed this with the Mother Ship.............they aren't up yet.............
SO: If you have the OLD wrap-around float, it would appear that you do NOT have to do this offset. If you recently replaced your old float and sender with a NEW float and sender with the rod going THROUGH the float, this drawing applies.
I would imagine this also applies to the other RV model drawings that use the SW style of sender (Stewart-Warner not Smith and Wesson....
) and that particular installation.I have not confirmed this with the Mother Ship.............they aren't up yet.............
Attachments
Last edited:
This looks like it is on the -10? Much different than the -4. I added the drawing to my above post.
I wish I would have had these earlier. My wing kit contained one old version and 1 new version. I actually snapped the wire on the newer version as my instructions had the bend wrong. Anyhow, I ordered a new one direct from Stewart-Warner $42, and haven't installed yet. Thankful for the amended instructions.
