Ellen and I spent the weekend getting our daughter reinstalled in college. After a record-setting (for us) 5.8 hour drive back from Delaware to Boston, we’re both feeling flashbacks of empty-nest syndrome.
Before we left, I made the basic fuel selector/filter/pump housing structure including the fuel selector mounting plate.
This afternoon I fitted the selector, including installing nutplates on the selector for the #10-32 screws that attach it to the plate and selector fascia. NAS1097AD3 reduced-head rivets made the job easy.
Here’s the selector valve and plate temporarily attached to the forward seat floor structure, with the filter and pump laid out on the tunnel cover. Tomorrow I’ll fabricate the “?” shaped fuel line that connects the selector to the filter, and will then check to make sure that there’s enough space for the pump output line to exit and submerge through the cutout I’ve marked in blue on the tunnel.
If everything fits correctly, the pump housing should fit nicely over the whole assembly.
I am building an RV-7A Slider working the QB Fuselage Kit and installing my Andair Fuel Boost Pump/Filter and fuel lines prior to wing join. How did you connect the fuel filter to your Andair Boost Pump? Andair’s RV7 Fuel Pump Installation drawing shows the filter just upstream of the pump. My filter will not simply thread into the Andair pump housing.
Great web site. Thank you
Bruce Mason
Kaysville, Utah
RV-7A Kit 74211
Hi Bruce,
With either the pump or the filter there should have been some sort of AN union fitting that adapts the filter output to the pump input. If I recall, mine was already installed on the pump. Did you get one of those? If not, I’d call Andair. If you did, could it be the wrong size on the filter end?
If you’d like, send some pictures and I’ll help however I can.
Thanks for your words on the website!
Best regards,
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for your assistance. I have the Andair PX375-TC #2 Fuel Boost pump. Per the little Andair OPeration Manual it states in the “General Specification” section that the Pump Inlet Fitting is “Female 1/4 NPT. Andair did provide a union fitting with a male 1/4 NPT that goes into the Inlet side of the pump. The other end of the union is a male AN-6 fitting same as the fittings on both ends of the filter. I believe that I need a filter with a male 1/4 NPT fitting on the outlet side to thread directly into the inlet end of the Boost Pump. I will email Andair with this inquiry.
Dave,
When I bought the boost pump and filters at Sun N Fun in April of 2014 I talked to Andy about installing a fuel filter in each wing root so that when I performed the annual inspection each year I would not need to disassemble in the cabin. Perhaps he gave me a set up for hook up of the fuel pump directly to the fuel selector.
Bruce,
I’ll be at the hangar today and will open up my pump and filter to see what kind of fitting I’ve got, and send you a picture.
Cheers,
Dave
Dave,
I may have figured it out while I was drafting my inquiry to Andair.
Per Andair drawing “RV7 Fuel Pump Installation” Page 1 of 6, the fuel filter P/N is FX375-MK. I bought (2) fuel filters from Andy at Sun N Fun with the intention of eliminating the fuel filter in the cabin and installing a filter in each wing root for ease of servicibility during the annual inspection and to keep fuel spills out of the cabin.
The fuel filters Andy sold me are P/N FX375-M. These fuel filters have male AN-6 fittings on each end and would therefore work in the wing root (if I have enough room). Do you think I should proceed with my original plan (and Andy’s recommendation) to eliminate the filter in the cabin and put filters in each wing root? If I decide to go with only one filter I will need filter P/N FX375-Mk with the male 1/4 NPT fitting on the exit end.
Do you think there is enough room in the space between the fuselage & wing to loop a fuel line with the filter prior to fuel tank ? Thanks for your assistance with this issue.
Bruce
Bruce,
Sounds like you’ve ID’d the problem…good!
I’ve seen other builders install full-blown Andair gascolators in each wing root, so I’d be surprised if it weren’t possible to fit the smaller Andair fuel filter in there.
About whether or not to install filters in the wing root, I’m not sure I can be of much help. I’m building a -7, and the lowest point in the fuel system is at the tank drain so a filter for each tank would probably be overkill. I don’t see any harm in going belt-and-suspenders with a filter for each tank, though, if that’s something you’re more comfortable with. The only advice I can offer is that simple is usually better, and I’ve tried to stay pretty close to Van’s fuel system layout.
Hope this helps…
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for your input on this Andair Fuel Filter issue. I am proceeding with installing a fuel filter in each wing root as suggested by Andy at Andair. I think that I have enough room to do just that. This will require that I service (2) filters instead of only (1). The best advantage is that I will not spill fuel in the cabin when the filter is removed.
Thanks again for your input and thank you for a great web site that is a great resourse for many builders.
I have a work associate that has been flying his RV-8 now for 2 years with 150 hours on the engine/airframe. He always says that “life is hard and then you fly”. I need to stay focused and keep building and eventually I will run out of parts like everyone else who has completed the kit.
Best regards,
Bruce