fuel dipstick measurements

[bd32322]

Has anyone measured the fuel present in the tank on a dipstick for a J model (66 gal 64 useable tank) ? If so can you please post the numbers here? Although I have a fuel totalizer, it would be nice to know how much fuel I have per tank at the start of a flight to help with refueling etc and to know how long to run on each tank.

Or maybe someone will have a calibrated dipstick for sale somewhere...

Thanks

[John Pleisse]

May I suggest the following...

Run a tank dry (or failing that, drain it & run it dry on the ground), and then add fuel in small increments (I went 2 gallons at a time) and make/calibrate your own dip-stick.

Here's why I suggest this: When I got my airplane, I was given the information you are asking for. It was probably correct -- but not for my particular mooney (the numbers were significantly off).

[Immelman]

Doggonit, that forum software bug is at it again. Me (Immelman/Jesse) made the above post, not N4352H.

[201er]

I have this data but it's for a Mooney with extended tanks and isn't particularly accurate, so can't help. I bet it's a lot easier and more accurate with normal tanks though so you only have to do it 2-3 times to have a solid number. As mentioned above, run a tank dry in the air. I suggest doing it in 5 gallon increments the first time and then in 1 gallon increments the second. If they match up, you're good to go and the 5 gallon scale will generally be close enough.

In mine this doesn't work so well because the tanks are not isolated and depending on the slant of the ground, how the fuel is cross flowing, etc it makes it vary a lot. Good luck.

[Piloto]

Better than the dipstick is the fuel tank sight gauge on top of the wing next to the filler cap. I found them to be accurate and reliable. They can also be read in-flight. If your plane does not  have them I would recommend to have them installed.The are cheap and easy to install.

José

[danb35]

I'd expect at least an AMU to buy and install the sight guages--the kit itself is ~$750.  I did install them on my plane, though, when I did a little fuel tank work last summer, and I'm glad to have them.

[Skywarrior]

Well, you all have brought up a subject that vexes me. I have a '91 Bravo with the Monroy LR tanks. I *never* know how much fuel I really have. My best effort is to smear chicken's blood on the panel fuel gauge, mutter an incantation, and hope for the best.

Anybody have good tips for knowing how much fuel a plane like mine actually has?

Chuck M.

[bd32322]

thanks for the responses - i'll try to calibrate it myself - i'll just start with a full tank and only fly on that tank. Use the JPI to tell me how much fuel i have used from that one tank and then calibrate with a dipstick - I am a bit apprehensive about running a tank dry in the air <grin>

[Piloto]

Quote: Skywarrior

Well, you all have brought up a subject that vexes me. I have a '91 Bravo with the Monroy LR tanks. I *never* know how much fuel I really have. My best effort is to smear chicken's blood on the panel fuel gauge, mutter an incantation, and hope for the best.

Anybody have good tips for knowing how much fuel a plane like mine actually has?

Chuck M.

[sleepingsquirrel]

quote: Skywarrior

Well, you all have brought up a subject that vexes me. I have a '91 Bravo with the Monroy LR tanks. I *never* know how much fuel I really have. My best effort is to smear chicken's blood on the panel fuel gauge, mutter an incantation, and hope for the best.

Anybody have good tips for knowing how much fuel a plane like mine actually has?

Chuck M.

[flyboy0681]

Quote: Piloto

Better than the dipstick is the fuel tank sight gauge on top of the wing next to the filler cap. I found them to be accurate and reliable. They can also be read in-flight. If your plane does not  have them I would recommend to have them installed.The are cheap and easy to install.

José

[jlunseth]

Quote: Skywarrior

Well, you all have brought up a subject that vexes me. I have a '91 Bravo with the Monroy LR tanks. I *never* know how much fuel I really have. My best effort is to smear chicken's blood on the panel fuel gauge, mutter an incantation, and hope for the best.

Anybody have good tips for knowing how much fuel a plane like mine actually has?

Chuck M.

[DaV8or]

Quote: Piloto

Better than the dipstick is the fuel tank sight gauge on top of the wing next to the filler cap. I found them to be accurate and reliable. They can also be read in-flight. If your plane does not  have them I would recommend to have them installed.The are cheap and easy to install.

José

[201er]

^ Looks like someone got a dipstick too far up the ass, can't measure the level of shit coming out of it. Whoever's in charge, can you please delete this spam.

[pjsny78]

In my M20J, I have a Garmin 530w and a shadin miniflow system. On startup the 530 tells me exactly what is in the tanks. It is extremely accurate. The only thing you may subtract is what you waste in straining the gascolator. I have found it as accurate as .3 gallons between top offs. I understand if you do not have this equipment it would be ridiculously expensive to justify. But I have found it very useful.

[jetdriven]

We have s circa 1991 MPI engine analyzer with fuel flow.    It is accurate to within .5 gallons per tank after a few careful adjustments.   

[rainman]

As Jose mentioned the top of the wing gauges in my 231 are very accurate. I will note, that I can't see the right tank gauge from the left seat.  The fuel gauges in the panel are terrible showing full tank until I get below 10 gallons then they drop dramatically.  Can the gauges in the panel be fixed/replaced? Right now I base what I do on the known amount of fuel in each tank at start, and the burn in each tank based on time? Ray