Van's Air Force
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RV6 Fuel Shutoff
- Thread starter grumman41
- Start date
PaulvS
Well Known Member
What does your fuel selector look like, can you post a pic? "Standard" brass valve supplied by Vans and installed per plans has one "off" position and "on" for left and "on" for right positions. Valve passes through "off" when switching from left to right. The builder might have chosen to install it another way, that can happen.
There are alternative aftermarket valves e.g. by Andair that have positive action required to select off.
There are alternative aftermarket valves e.g. by Andair that have positive action required to select off.
Southern Pete
Well Known Member
Get an Andair FS20 type 7 valve.
D-Dubya
Well Known Member
This is one of those topics that polarize people on this forum for some reason. There are thousands of RV's flying with the original brass valve. But I'm with Pete--I'm a fan of the Andair valve. It's very positive, clearly labeled, and as long as you don't pull up the safety detent knob, you can't accidentally rotate it through OFF.
When I was in the early stages of building, I talked to a guy at a fly-in that built an RV with the original valve. He crashed on the plane's maiden flight into a mobile home park because his leg bumped the valve to "off" when he stomped on the right rudder during take off. Granted, he was a healthy-sized guy, and that may or may not have contributed to the accident chain. And some people have told me there's no way that was possible. I just know what the guy told me and saw the pics of the wings all mangled up. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and he was able to rebuild the plane, but seeing his pics and hearing that story stuck with me.
You may have to make a few new pieces of tubing to hook up the valve. Get a fellow builder to help with that, as the fuel lines are kinda important.
When I was in the early stages of building, I talked to a guy at a fly-in that built an RV with the original valve. He crashed on the plane's maiden flight into a mobile home park because his leg bumped the valve to "off" when he stomped on the right rudder during take off. Granted, he was a healthy-sized guy, and that may or may not have contributed to the accident chain. And some people have told me there's no way that was possible. I just know what the guy told me and saw the pics of the wings all mangled up. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and he was able to rebuild the plane, but seeing his pics and hearing that story stuck with me.
You may have to make a few new pieces of tubing to hook up the valve. Get a fellow builder to help with that, as the fuel lines are kinda important.
The brass valve has a detent in it also to help stay in the selected port.
Basically a washer with little indentations in it that correspond to similar indentations in the teflon spool. The spring adds alittle pressure, so inadvertant force shouldn't move the handle and uncover the fuel ports. Very simple design, use in ALOT of different applications, and inexpensive.
Tom
Basically a washer with little indentations in it that correspond to similar indentations in the teflon spool. The spring adds alittle pressure, so inadvertant force shouldn't move the handle and uncover the fuel ports. Very simple design, use in ALOT of different applications, and inexpensive.
Tom
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The statement standard valve needs to be more specific, because there are two different valves that have been supplied through the history of the RV-6 kit
The earlier valve is the one with the brass valve cone. It has a single off position.
The later supplied valve, which is the one that has been supplied in a lot of the other kits as well , has a plastic valve cone, and it does have two off positions.
Plan ahead
The Andair valve won’t be a direct replacement for your current valve.
You will probably have to remake all of the fuel lines that connect at the valve.
Roadjunkie1
Well Known Member
Fuel Selector Valve
I'm not sure what the setup for the -6 is but this is a (fuzzy) picture of what I made for SuzieQ. It is RIGHT tank, LEFT tank and I have to push down a spring stop to get to go to off. The "other" off position is blocked by a stop just off the RIGHT wing section. I have never 'inadvertently' shut the fuel off!
I have the one with the nylon plunger and a recent inspection showed no wear. A little fuel lube and back in s m o o t h business! Doesn't leak either!
Yes, there is a screw missing on the left fitting from the center console but has since been fitted with an allen head screw that I could actually get to with a wrench!
I'm not sure what the setup for the -6 is but this is a (fuzzy) picture of what I made for SuzieQ. It is RIGHT tank, LEFT tank and I have to push down a spring stop to get to go to off. The "other" off position is blocked by a stop just off the RIGHT wing section. I have never 'inadvertently' shut the fuel off!
I have the one with the nylon plunger and a recent inspection showed no wear. A little fuel lube and back in s m o o t h business! Doesn't leak either!
Yes, there is a screw missing on the left fitting from the center console but has since been fitted with an allen head screw that I could actually get to with a wrench!
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and set you back $300-400.
My early kit came with the one that has the brass valve cone that Scott talks about.
I did not like the way it felt and replaced that valve with the newer nylon or plastic valve cone that Scott talks about before the airplane was inspected and flown.
That was over 26-years and 3,500 hours. The valve has worked well. It has been cleaned and serviced once in that time.
TS Flightlines has a photo of the valve in one of the above posts.
I have some experience with the bras “cone” style in different airframes. It required a re lap every few years and fuel grease applied. Real time killer as both tanks had to be drained, etc.
I thought about the fuel lines, VERY likely they will need to be replaced to be correct as I’m not a bend to hook up guy. My biggest concern is high workload (IMC) where the implications are even higher for mis management. I’ve had very experienced pilots tell me not to sweat it but I think it’s a detail worth consideration.
I thought about the fuel lines, VERY likely they will need to be replaced to be correct as I’m not a bend to hook up guy. My biggest concern is high workload (IMC) where the implications are even higher for mis management. I’ve had very experienced pilots tell me not to sweat it but I think it’s a detail worth consideration.
pa38112
Well Known Member
The brass valve works just fine. The two off positions are 180 degrees apart. if the pointer facing forward or backwards then the fuel is off. If it is facing a wing, then you are drawing from that thank.
The biggest issue is in interpeeting the pointer. The handle can look like a pointer. For this reason I filled off the pointer and set mine up so that the handel faces the tank you are drawing from.
I woud not replace the valve, but you are free to do what you want...
The biggest issue is in interpeeting the pointer. The handle can look like a pointer. For this reason I filled off the pointer and set mine up so that the handel faces the tank you are drawing from.
I woud not replace the valve, but you are free to do what you want...
