AviationBanter - View Single Post - Citabria Fuel-Flow Problem

**Bertie the Bunyip[_25_]** · May 9th 08, 05:10 PM posted to rec.aviation.owning,rec.aviation.piloting

wrote in news:429fbca0-f93a-4b0e-a37f-
:

On May 8, 8:18 pm, quietguy wrote:

The deflector business is something nobody else has mentioned yet;
I'll pass it on to the A&P. He's got a couple planes needing
attention to their engines and the Citabria, being under-utilized and
still flyable in the pattern, isn't a high priority, so resolving
this
may take until next week. I'll post what's been found after the
whole
system's been gone through thoroughly. Thanks.

The deflector does nothing more than keep bugs and ice out of the
vent. Cessna places theirs behind the lift strut to do the same thing.
When the airplane isn't in flight it makes no difference whatever, and
older Champs and Citabrias didn't have it.

Not so, according to my friend, but I agree, if it's not draining back
whilst sitting, it's unlikely to be the cause.

I would still suspect rotten hoses, on both the fuel and vent
lines. Especially if they're old or have been run on Mogas. Or if some
mechanic installed the wrong MIL-Spec hose the last time they were
replaced. It's the only thing short of a blocked aluminum fuel line
that would do this, especially if it won't crossflow overnight to the
lower wing or equalize between tanks if the airplane is level. It
doesn't take much slope to make it run from one side to the other,
BTW.

Yeah, gotta be, really. I have to say, i wouldn't consider the airplane
airworthy in this state, though.

Bertie