Flying_Monkey
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New to me ‘73 Cherokee Six with 4 tanks.
Filled it up the other day and put it away in the hangar. Came back a week later and the left main tank was dripping out the vent. At first I thought it was because of the heat and I had really filled it up but then I noticed the right tip tank was pretty low on fuel and I am 100% positive I filled each tank to the collar. Fuel selector was on left main. I suspect that the right tip is cross feeding into the left main which is full and thus overflows. After a week it was like 11 gallons missing!
We thought maybe there has been some crud that got caught up in the fuel valve so I drained each tank through the belly sump for a long time and wiggled the valve around between all the tanks. I did this A LOT and drained them all for a long time. As a test when I turn selector to OFF and drain belly sump would you expect nothing to come out? Because when I do this it drips at a moderate rate. So some fuel is getting past the selector valve and I suspect it is from the right tip.
Yesterday after draining tanks and playing with the selector I left the plane selected on the left main and put a bucket under the vent. I noted fuel levels in all the tanks. When I came back today the bucket had maybe 1 1/2 to 2 gallons in it. Today I drained tanks out belly sump and jockeyed the selector around again. Same results in off position as before.
I put the selector in the off position tonight and noted the fuel levels and left the bucket under the left main again. I guess I’ll see what happens.
Anyone have any more insight? Next steps? Do I need to overhaul the selector valves? Just the right tip tank one?
Filled it up the other day and put it away in the hangar. Came back a week later and the left main tank was dripping out the vent. At first I thought it was because of the heat and I had really filled it up but then I noticed the right tip tank was pretty low on fuel and I am 100% positive I filled each tank to the collar. Fuel selector was on left main. I suspect that the right tip is cross feeding into the left main which is full and thus overflows. After a week it was like 11 gallons missing!
We thought maybe there has been some crud that got caught up in the fuel valve so I drained each tank through the belly sump for a long time and wiggled the valve around between all the tanks. I did this A LOT and drained them all for a long time. As a test when I turn selector to OFF and drain belly sump would you expect nothing to come out? Because when I do this it drips at a moderate rate. So some fuel is getting past the selector valve and I suspect it is from the right tip.
Yesterday after draining tanks and playing with the selector I left the plane selected on the left main and put a bucket under the vent. I noted fuel levels in all the tanks. When I came back today the bucket had maybe 1 1/2 to 2 gallons in it. Today I drained tanks out belly sump and jockeyed the selector around again. Same results in off position as before.
I put the selector in the off position tonight and noted the fuel levels and left the bucket under the left main again. I guess I’ll see what happens.
Anyone have any more insight? Next steps? Do I need to overhaul the selector valves? Just the right tip tank one?
