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Fuel filters?

comfortcat

comfortcat

Well Known Member
Friend
Further research on Fuel systems.

My motto is "Cessna Safe". If Cessna would do it, I would too (almost always)

Now my Skyhawk (1967) did not have a fuel filter, just a Gascolator. Always drained before first flight of the day. Often drained before EVERY flight.

So, for my RV-9a, do I install fuel filters or not?

How many folks do NOT have filters? How many have more than one? How many care? Anyone sorry for adding a filter? Anyone sorry for NOT adding a filter.

Thanks!

Dkb :confused:
 
David,

Why not use AN470 rivets then?

One simple piece of advice, don't mess with the fuel system. Build it as designed, there are thousands of RV's flying with just a gascolator. (Mine is one of them.)
 
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I added a filter for each tank back in the days of the infamous "slosh" flaking. I have since removed all the slosh from inside the tanks, but I still feel better with the filters in place.
I don't think they are necessary, but I like knowing that if something does come along, it will be stopped by the filter instead of the fuel flow transducer.
Had I not had the slosh problem, I would not have added the filters and would be fine with that decision.
My $.02
 
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I have the race car style inline filter after the boost pump on my carb'd RV-4. I worried about it clogging at first but I've found after 150 hours of use it may have one spec of trash in it. Nothing that would ever impede the flow.

I'm not sure it's worth it unless the electric pump fails and sends **** down the line.

I run 95% auto fuel from cans so it's probably not the cleanest gas out there.
 
Seems to me a gascolator does have a fine mesh screen in it. (at least the Andair does, don't about the Van's unit) Fuel comes down a center pipe to the bottom of the bowl and rises up through the screen on its way to the engine. The Andair gascolator now has an improved 70 micron filter that can be easily removed and cleaned.

One gascolator/filter screen is enough with a low pressure carb system. With fuel injection and the high pressure pump, it is a good idea to have an inline filter before the pump. In that case, there usually is no filter down stream going to the engine although a gascolator could be installed, the Andair is good for 100 psi.

I have one inline filter before the pump, no gascolator or filter down stream. I believe that is the RV standard for fuel injection and with a carb it is the gascolator only.
 
fuel filters

The instructions that came with Van's electric boost pump says to use a filter upstream.

I put a filter from the tanks to the fuel valve.

I don't think it'll hurt anything.

Dave
-9A finish kit
N514R reserved
 
If you are making fun of my bumpy wings, then you mean AN470 rivets.

:eek:

I'm considering an electric fuel only system, with dual pumps and NO fuel valve. Simple and safe. Maybe more safe if alcohol gets into the system. Green is Go. :)

Electrical supply is most serious point of failure, but Electronic ignition and EFI guys have the same concern.

Still just in thinking mode. :confused:

Thanks for the note. I'm looking for all the feedback I can get.

N941WR said:
David,

Why not use AN426 rivets then?

One simple piece of advice, don't mess with the fuel system. Build it as designed, there are thousands of RV's flying with just a gascolator. (Mine is one of them.)
Click to expand...
 
I am using two Andair gas colaters. One in each wing root prior to the pump. They will act as my prepump filter. After the pump, an additional very fine filter is part of my fuel injection system. That's it.
 
I had the same question about whether or not to use a fuel filter. My concern is "how restrictive to flow is a fuel filter compared to a gascolator"? Fuel injected systems use a filter but have a high pressure pump. A gascolator has nearly zero flow restriction. As it uses mostly gravity to separate water and junk from the fuel. I am considering a filter but want one suitable for the pump (s) that I have.

Anyone have a recommendation for a filter?
 
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