Fuel Tank Level

[Bob R]

Question gentlemen, has anyone found a device to accurately measure the amount of fuel in an M20E with 26 Gallon tanks? If so, can you post the measuring device you are using?

Thanks, Bob

[RLCarter]

I've had the fuel out 3 separate times and have yet to make a fuel stick so I'm kinda curious too  

[Andy95W]

This is one of the threads from a while ago.  It works for the 52 gallon tanks and is a little bit conservative to the tune of about .5 gallon or so.  There is a table as you scroll down with measurements and gallons to mark a stick.

I used a standard paint stirrer and a simple ball point pen.  In 8 years it hasn't even faded.

 

 

[Bob - S50]

We use this one:

Fuel Stick Master

[Hank]

I'll take a picture of mine tomorrow, preflighting to go to the Summit. I'll even include the brand name. Printed markings go one direction, scribed Mooney 52-gallon tank marks go the other direction. Fuel Hawk, maybe?

[Yetti]

One of the bigger Sherwin Williams paint sticks.    Mark a line.  Fill to top.   Subtract what is on the pump.  Repeat at each fill up and you will have a pretty good stick and not burn down the hangar.

[Jeph357]

6 minutes ago, Yetti said:

One of the bigger Sherwin Williams paint sticks.    Mark a line.  Fill to top.   Subtract what is on the pump.  Repeat at each fill up and you will have a pretty good stick and not burn down the hangar.

This is basically what I did with one of the universal fuel dipsticks. Then keeping a note book in the back with all the numbers. Can post pics later of exact dipstick and the corresponding readings to gallons Ive come up with if anyone wants it.

[Immelman]

Universal fuel hawk dipstick.

Run a fuel tank dry (now you're at 0 usable). Add fuel in a couple gallons at a time, measure.

I did an excel linear regression to then get the fuel level at each spot on the dipstick.

It works very well vs. my JPI totalizer.

[Im_an_FNG]

13 hours ago, Immelman said:

Universal fuel hawk dipstick.

Run a fuel tank dry (now you're at 0 usable). Add fuel in a couple gallons at a time, measure.

I did an excel linear regression to then get the fuel level at each spot on the dipstick.

It works very well vs. my JPI totalizer.

How does one run a fuel tank dry? Asking for a friend...

[RLCarter]

1 minute ago, Im_an_FNG said:

How does one run a fuel tank dry? Asking for a friend...

Fly on one tank until the engine stumbles 

[Im_an_FNG]

6 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Fly on one tank until the engine stumbles 

That doesn't sound like much fun (to my friend).

[Hank]

5 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Fly on one tank until the engine stumbles 

Then switch quickly to the other tank that you know has plenty of fuel in it. Know because you have looked inside it, not because of what the gage says . . . .

[Hank]

17 hours ago, Jeph357 said:

This is basically what I did with one of the universal fuel dipsticks. Then keeping a note book in the back with all the numbers. Can post pics later of exact dipstick and the corresponding readings to gallons Ive come up with if anyone wants it.

Here's mine, engraved into the plastic by the Previous Owner.

[RLCarter]

3 minutes ago, Im_an_FNG said:

That doesn't sound like much fun (to my friend).

I agree, but my POH recommends it for knowing how much fuel (time) is remaining 

[kortopates]

1 hour ago, RLCarter said:

I agree, but my POH recommends it for knowing how much fuel (time) is remaining 

True, but that's a left over artifact of times - you sure won't find that in a modern POH. Of course many pilots are quite capable of running a tank dry and switching without an issue; especially with a carbureted C model. But we've also seen a number of Mooney's go down because the tank ran dry too close to ground and startled the pilot. I don't mean to bring up the debate again on the pro's and con's but if someone is going to do that, its a lot less exciting if the pilot is at altitude watching the fuel pressure and expecting it to happen momentarily - which I do believe those that make a practice of doing it do intend. Just don't get surprised. 

[gsxrpilot]

18 minutes ago, kortopates said:

True, but that's a left over artifact of times - you sure won't find that in a modern POH. Of course many pilots are quite capable of running a tank dry and switching without an issue; especially with a carbureted C model. But we've also seen a number of Mooney's go down because the tank ran dry too close to ground and startled the pilot. I don't mean to bring up the debate again on the pro's and con's but if someone is going to do that, its a lot less exciting if the pilot is at altitude watching the fuel pressure and expecting it to happen momentarily - which I do believe those that make a practice of doing it do intend. Just don't get surprised. 

I'm one of the proponents of running a tank dry and have done it many times. I learned about this and was convinced of it while taking the APS course in Ada, OK. 

1. It's an intentional event, never unexpected.
2. I'll have my hand on the fuel selector ready to make the switch anticipating the stumble.
3. Only in cruise flight with plenty of altitude beneath me and nothing else going on at the same time.

The benefits...

1. Filling the tank after such an event allows for very precise calibration of gauges, dip stick, etc.
2. It's a demonstration of what happens with fuel exhaustion, so if it ever does happen unexpectedly, the natural reaction is to immediately switch tanks.
3. When stretching range on a long flight I prefer to arrive with my last 10 gal all in the same tank rather than arriving into the pattern with only 5 or so gal in each tank.

Just my $0.02

BTW... doing this above FL200 is a different situation and might require several (10 to 15) seconds of high boost pump to restart.

[jaylw314]

7 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

I'm one of the proponents of running a tank dry and have done it many times. I learned about this and was convinced of it while taking the APS course in Ada, OK. 

1. It's an intentional event, never unexpected.
2. I'll have my hand on the fuel selector ready to make the switch anticipating the stumble.
3. Only in cruise flight with plenty of altitude beneath me and nothing else going on at the same time.

The benefits...

1. Filling the tank after such an event allows for very precise calibration of gauges, dip stick, etc.
2. It's a demonstration of what happens with fuel exhaustion, so if it ever does happen unexpectedly, the natural reaction is to immediately switch tanks.
3. When stretching range on a long flight I prefer to arrive with my last 10 gal all in the same tank rather than arriving into the pattern with only 5 or so gal in each tank.

Just my $0.02

BTW... doing this above FL200 is a different situation and might require several (10 to 15) seconds of high boost pump to restart.

Even if done safely, it can still make poo come out! 

[steingar]

I have a stick I picked up off the floor of my mechanic's hangar.  I put 5 gallons in my empty fuel tank of my '62 C and measured.  Put in another 5 and measured.  Put in another 5 and so on.

Probably own't work for an E, 'cause they're just so fast.

[gsxrpilot]

30 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

Even if done safely, it can still make poo come out! 

That's why you do it enough times until it becomes a non-event and poo is not triggered. 

Poo in an airplane is never a good thing. You want to calm, cool, and very collected at all times. It was scary the first time, but after a few times one comes to realize it's really no big deal. 

[jaylw314]

Just now, gsxrpilot said:

That's why you do it enough times until it becomes a non-event and poo is not triggered. 

Poo in an airplane is never a good thing. You want to calm, cool, and very collected at all times. It was scary the first time, but after a few times one comes to realize it's really no big deal. 

I know, even though I was prepared and deliberate, the first time I did it, it still seemed like it took the engine forever to run smoothly again (even if was only a 10 seconds or so)...

[Hank]

2 hours ago, jaylw314 said:

Even if done safely, it can still make poo come out! 

Poo should only threaten when the empty tank is a surprise. If you're planning and waiting, why the excitement and poo when it happens?

[jaylw314]

31 minutes ago, Hank said:

Poo should only threaten when the empty tank is a surprise. If you're planning and waiting, why the excitement and poo when it happens?

See above--it was the 10 second wait while the engine continued to stumble that I was not prepared for... hence, poo

[RLCarter]

Maybe my response was too brief and assumed you would switch tanks.....and by the way, I might not have near the Regs the FAA has but pooing in my aircraft assures your last ride 

[MooneyMitch]

Alright, I’m starting to laugh now!  This thread is headed somewhere else ......

[Ragsf15e]

While I haven’t pooped my airplane (yet), my wife and I have changed 2 poo diapers on the 4 hr flight between Spokane and grandmas house in Carson City.  It’s an adventure. Sprawled out child across laps in the front seat, wipes, diapers, and yes, poo.  We’ve been flying our twins since they were a couple months old.  The pilot window is placarded at 140mph, it’s just big enough, and the landlubbers should be real happy that theres no civilization or even roads over Eastern Oregon and northern Nevada.  I bag the pee diapers because I love Mother Earth, but by god, you’ve got to draw the line somewhere in these tiny airplanes!

Edited September 27, 2019 by Ragsf15e