Fuel gauges whacked

[GearUp]

Cies with digital outputs: https://ciescorp.net/applications/sm...rcraft/cessna/
and your favorite glass engine monitor or a standalone from Aerospace Logic: http://www.aerospacelogic.com/index....category_id=70

[mshac]

When I was learning to fly, half the beater flight school 152s and 172s didn't have reliable fuel gauges, so I learned early on to visually inspect the fuel level before every flight, and when topping off, always check to make sure my estimated burn and the actual burn were in the same ballpark. We used a glass straw fuel level indicator that worked great on those planes. You could dip it and see exactly how many gallons you had.

When I was flying my Twin Bonanza, some guy had created a dipstick that went sideways into the tank to measure fuel. He sold lots of them to other Twin Bo owners.

Today with my Skymaster I always reset my JPI when I top off, and I use that to determine fuel on board. My analog gauges seem to work fine, but I still never use them as the primary information source.

[wslade2]

Ditto all.

I learned in planes that had gauges that were worthless or bounced so much essentially said nothing at all. My 182 has been that away all along, worthless. Once, on a trip from out west to the east, the cessna fuel gauges said I had a 1/4 tanks with a fuel truck "top off" at the last stop. We were in light the fires and go mode and left without dipping the tanks. But after a while pit of stomach didn't feel right. Landed and we were on fumes. Got reminded again to dip the tanks. So have never trusted those gauges and haven't looked at them for years. Gauges could give you a false sense of security. I added a fuel flow and dip the tanks, dip the tanks, dip the tanks.

I also don't fly down to "legal reserves" and always stop with excess fuel. (Wife says about to die if there isn't plenty of fuel.)

Just added a JPI engine monitor with fuel flow in my 337. 337 gauges have been beyond worthless from the getgo. Likewise reset the JPI at top off. But even with fuel flow, I still dip the tanks. (what if they are a little shy of full top off by teenage lineman? Experienced that more than once. You've entered "x" amount when really you have "y" amount.)

I have concocted a number of scenarios in my mind where fuel flow can mislead me and I don't rely on it entirely (for example recently had the fuel flow sensor run slow on rear engine and returned to normal after flushing it-must have had some sediment. Or what if a fuel leak somewhere.). Therefore would like some working gauges. Even so, at that point I will continue to dip the tanks. The perfect trifecta will be dipping the tanks, fuel flow and accurate gauges.

I keep a folding plastic step stool in the plane....so I can (you guessed it) dip the tanks. You can get clear dip tubes with markings from many sources. With regular use, you will get familiar with how much fuel you have at a given marking.

I plan on Cies probes and aerospace logic indicator when I can catch a break. (as I understand it will require removing upper wing panels and a project like that will certainly lead to surprises that will add time to install.)

[n86121]

Tim

Your gauges probably similar to mine.

"The technology that got man to the moon"
Scary, right?

The mains have two senders, and each aux has one sender.

They are all low resistance, so anything less than perfect contact and they jump.

Every few years I take mine out
and clean the wiper contacts w a touch of copper cleaner.
Good 'as new'

I have also found a way to modify custom orderable commercially available senders
that I have been thinking of trying.

Despite the allusion above, these are NOT rocket science.

MUCH better ways these days to get same measurements,
that will feed the same gauges but accurately and reliably.

Let's chat when you're bored.

Other option is/was Lockhaven airparts could/can overhaul each sender
(for around $200 ea?) if not smoked.

AND OF COURSE
On any trip of any length I always top off (plenty of payload available)
And rely on Shadin for the rest.

D

[TimJ]

Originally Posted by n86121

Tim

Other option is/was Lockhaven airparts could/can overhaul each sender
(for around $200 ea?) if not smoked.

D

I had them do 4 senders for me. took them just 3 days. Up until then I had never seen an older airplane with fuel gauges that didn't resemble windshield wipers. In addition after adjusting the gauges to the overhaul senders they actually pointed at the correct fuel amount.