I was doing some thinking about the fuel tank vents in my RV8. If a bug were to get stuck in the mouth of the vent, it could lead to fuel starvation or the pump collapsing a fuel tank. I understand that the vent needs to point forward so that positive pressure is created to prevent siphoning. Would it be reasonable to also drill a small hole in the forward side of the tube so that if the mouth were to become plugged, there is an alternate way for the tank to vent?
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Fuel tank vent
- Thread starter BrianP
- Start date
Ordered a pair. Thanks
No need for positive pressure on a fuel tank vent. Access to atmospheric pressure is all that is required. If your tank was built correctly, the end of the vent tube sits in air, not fuel, and therefore no siphoning even if you pulled a negative pressure on it. True that when filled to the VERY top of the tank it may be exposed to fuel, but need a lot of negative pressure to siphon (remember that the fuel pump is pulling an even stronger negative pressure). Gas coming out of the vent on the ground is a different phenomena; That is expanding gas creating positive pressure in the tank and PUSHING the fuel out.
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Before the REALLY NICE JD Air vents, we use to epoxy a screen over the slant cut hose of a bulkhead fitting. Works well too.
Tom
Tom
