Looking for a fuel transducer

[231LV]

Hi all. The fuel flow transducer on my 1980 M20K died. Actually, one of the wires (which are potted in an epoxy bloc) broke off. Trying to find a replacement is turning out to be a nightmare. The engine is a TSIO 360 GB. The factory apparently doesn't have any and my shop is trying to figure out how to replace it with a TSO'd replacement. Problem is that I have the spilt gauge so replacing the entire instrument would leave me with a requirement to purchase two seperate gauges or figure out how I can legally run the plane without the CDT 1/2 of the gauge...this is starting to look really expensive. Anyone have a lead on one of these elusive transducers?

[Awful_Charlie]

The vast majority of fuel flow tranducers in use on GA are the FloScan item, and you can get these from JPI or Shadin as well as others.  Is it not one of these? (it is on my Bravo)

[danb35]

I believe EI will sell their transducers separately as well for somewhere around $300, and they should work if your system uses the FloScan parts.  You could also install a separate fuel flow instrument (EI FP-5L, JPI FS-450) and placard that part of the factory gauge INOP, if you have a free 2 1/4" hole in your panel.

[231LV]

Quote: danb35

I believe EI will sell their transducers separately as well for somewhere around $300, and they should work if your system uses the FloScan parts.  You could also install a separate fuel flow instrument (EI FP-5L, JPI FS-450) and placard that part of the factory gauge INOP, if you have a free 2 1/4" hole in your panel.

[KSMooniac]

Wow, that is a very, very good bang-for-the-buck upgrade!  You're gonna love it.

[danb35]

Quote: 231LV

hmmm...well, according to the shop, the transducer they installed won't work because they can't find the K-factor to set it up...matbe I should be asking how to find the appropriate K-factor?

[N601RX]

Start with the K factor of around 6800 and just do flow test into a jug of known capacity until you get it correct.

[robert7467]

My original Hoskins transducer bit the dust two months ago and was replaced with a new FT-60 "Red Cube" by Electronics International. Changing the K-Factor to 68,000 on the JPI-700 took about 30 seconds. I am absolutely amazed at the fuel flow accuracy of the JPI. With each top-off I compare how much is loaded on-board versus how much the JPI said was used and every time it's been within a gallon.

My next project is change the K-Factor on the old FT-101, which is no easy task.

[flyboy0681]

Quote: robert7467

My original Hoskins transducer bit the dust two months ago and was replaced with a new FT-60 "Red Cube" by Electronics International. Changing the K-Factor to 68,000 on the JPI-700 took about 30 seconds. I am absolutely amazed at the fuel flow accuracy of the JPI. With each top-off I compare how much is loaded on-board versus how much the JPI said was used and every time it's been within a gallon.

My next project is change the K-Factor on the old FT-101, which is no easy task.

[pjsny78]

some transducers have a programable k-factor setting. i have a J model and this is the case with myne. im not sure if this helps.

[Piloto]

These fuel flow transducer rarely actually break. What casuse them to stop working is the fuel deposits on them. The device is a simple turbine that blocks the light between an LED and a photocell. Initial symptoms are low fuel flow reading or intermitent. You can fix them by doing the following

1. Remove the transducer from the engine

2. Soak the transducer in carburator cleaner for a day

3. Blow air by mouth into the inlet. If you hear the spining turbine it is good to go

4. Reinstal transducer on the engine

Depending on the fuel quality you may have to the above every 1000hrs.

 

José

 

[flyboy0681]

Quote: Piloto

You can fix them by doing the following...

 

[Piloto]

Quote: flyboy0681

Tried it, didn't work.

[Piloto]

Quote: flyboy0681

Tried it, didn't work.

[Cris]

<p>These fuel flow transducer rarely actually break. What casuse them to stop working is the fuel deposits on them. The device is a simple turbine that blocks the light between an LED and a photocell. Initial symptoms are low fuel flow reading or intermitent. You can fix them by doing the following</p>

<p>1. Remove the transducer from the engine</p>

<p>2. Soak the transducer in carburator cleaner for a day</p>

<p>3. Blow air by mouth into the inlet. If you hear the spining turbine it is good to go</p>

<p>4. Reinstal transducer on the engine</p>

<p>Depending on the fuel quality you may have to the above every 1000hrs.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>José</p>

<p> </p>

Mooneyspace is great! Thanks Jose' for the suggestion. Flew from Atlantic City to Gulfport Ms for Christmas and all three of my fuel flow indicators malfunctioned starting with the Shadin MINIFLOW L which registered zero. Thus no fuel computer. The GPS kept giving me an RS232 data error. The Insight G2 showed incorrect readings while the Moritz digital factory guage seemed to read correctly but low and then halfway thru the flight went to zero. Followed Jose's advice and everything is back to the way it should be. Merry Christmas to all.

[N811SS]

Hello all-

I too have been having problems with my FT-101. The mechanic talked me into replacing the transducer (although the problem was more likely the connections and not the transducer itself). The issue now is that I can not get it to read accurate burn. The totalizer always indicates more fuel consumed then actually burned. He installed a new floscan 201 transducer (serial number 194815). I removed the hoskins ft-101 and noticed that the switch arrangement was set to medium (S1=on, S2 = off) so I changed it to low (S1=on, S2=on). I think this made the accuracy worse, in other words it is now indicating even more fuel used than actually burned. Instead of just trail and error on the switch settings it would be nice if I can figure out what the transducer expects the switch settings to be. Anyone have any ideas? Here is the k-factor options:

S1 S2

Low on on

Medium on off

High off on

High/High off off

[scott poms]

Hello all-

I too have been having problems with my FT-101. The mechanic talked me into replacing the transducer (although the problem was more likely the connections and not the transducer itself). The issue now is that I can not get it to read accurate burn. The totalizer always indicates more fuel consumed then actually burned. He installed a new floscan 201 transducer (serial number 194815). I removed the hoskins ft-101 and noticed that the switch arrangement was set to medium (S1=on, S2 = off) so I changed it to low (S1=on, S2=on). I think this made the accuracy worse, in other words it is now indicating even more fuel used than actually burned. Instead of just trail and error on the switch settings it would be nice if I can figure out what the transducer expects the switch settings to be. Anyone have any ideas? Here is the k-factor options:

S1 S2

Low on on

Medium on off

High off on

High/High off off

Did you ever figure this out? I have the same problem, I do have a EDM-800 but now a wacky FT-101 isnt cool - let me know if you figured it out or replaced the FT-101 with a newer one that could have a K-value entered?