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Ovation Fuel Filing Levels


Brian Stuart

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Our 2005 Ovation GX2 has 102 US gallon tanks.  When the fuel caps are removed there is a small metal dropper protruding into the tank vertically about 1 and 1/2 inches.  Someone told me that when filling the measurement to "full", 102 US gallons is taken from the bottom of this metal dropper.  Filing past this point is over-filing and above the 102 gallons.  Is this correct?

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If it’s like my Acclaim, the neck has two holes inboard and outboard side. The placard says 44.5 per side to the bottom of the neck and 50 per side to the holes.

 

that is accurate, too:5.5 gallons to go from bottom of the neck to the holes

Edited by exM20K
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Brian,

Current brochures for the O3 state fuel capacity at 102gallons.  Unusable fuel may be stated as 6gallons...

Often That little piece of metal is called the fuel neck... depending on the model, and year of build, that goofy device has caused a lot of issues. Like rusting, or causing filling issues...

That ’someone’ that you referenced should have done you the favor to include his data with the discussion.... :)

What you want to do, before relying on any data for filling your plane is make sure your plane fills properly...

While doing that you also get to check what level the low fuel lights turn on, and how to enable them in the first place.

Realistically, your POH is really well written with the proper procedure for how to fill your plane and proper limitations for how much usable fuel can be put in each tank...

Ready for the next set of secrets?

102 gallons is probably the most you can squeeze in there on a level surface.  When carefully filling....

That will require allowing for some air bleeding through sets of small holes in the wing ribs. Adding a few minutes to get a few more gallons to get to that number...

And that will leave the fuel cap getting damp when locking it down....

As a follow-up make sure your WnB accounts for the actual fuel load.  Know your usable vs unusable fuel...

 

When you complete this volume test on your own plane, please share with that other ‘someone’ because it sounds like he might be more than 5 gallons short of his expectation with his method?

many  things can cause a few gallons of difference... the speed brakes occupy space in the tank area. Air holes need to not be blocked.... and the fuel pick-up needs to be in its original location in case it could have moved or something?

The POH probably states how and where to fill to, and has limitations when you fill to that spot, and it’s a number smaller than 100gal?

Let us know what you see...

 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic or CFI....

Best regards,

-a-

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@exM20K nailed it and there should be a picture of the filler neck showing this in your POH as @carusoam points out. But since yours is a 2005, i believe yours would have to have been a modification (My recollection is that is earlier than when this mod was done at manufacture) and therefore there should be a AFMS supplement added to your POH - which is required to be legal (at least here in the US). If you're missing this documentation you should be able to find it on the Mooney.com website under technical support. If you need it, print it out and add it to your POH. If you don't have the holes in the filler neck described above, then you are not legal for 102 gal capacity till you get the modification. I only say that because some people hearing the tank will hold that amount figure they can get the gas in without getting the mod to make it legal.

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