how to plumb EI fuel flow transducer on IO-360

[lotsofgadgets]

I have an Insight G2 engine monitor on my 82J and I need advice on the best placement for an EI red cube fuel flow transducer.  I am pulling the IO-360-A3B6D for overhaul (thanks to Lycoming lifters and cam).  Since I will be replacing all the hoses at the same time, now would be a good time to modify the fuel lines to integrate the transducer.  There doesn't appear to be an easy/obvious spot to simply disconnect a fitting and insert an extra section of hose.  The line from the servo to the fuel spider goes through the baffle on #1 and # 3 cylinder.  the hose comes off a 90 degree fitting and makes a gentle sweep upward.  This is a possibility, but I've been told you should avoid adding 90 degree fittings close to the servo.  Where do you have your transducer?

[PT20J]

Transducer should go between the fuel pump and the servo. The Mooney IPC shows the factory location for the Flowscan transducer including hoses. You should be able to mount the red cube in the same location by fabricating a bracket.

Skip

[flyboy0681]

When I replaced the OEM Hoskins transducer several years ago I went with the Cube. It was highly accurate but failed after about 15 months. I then had my A&P replace it with another Cube and it too failed within two years. At that point I called the manufacturer to ask why so many failures. They asked me to take a picture of where the unit was mounted, which was on the engine block similar to this Bonanza. They replied that the location was bad because the vibration was shaking the unit apart. With that information in hand my A&P installed a new unit and relocated it to the firewall, where it's been working flawlessly for the past five years.

I found a picture from when my engine was being reinstalled after its overhaul. The arrow is pointing to its location.

Your registration and mine are two off, yet my serial number is 71 higher. Go figure.

 

[jetdriven]

It appears that hose has a 90° fitting on it which is a no-no either of the inlet or the exit of the transducer

[carusoam]

Given the free range of opportunities...

Mounting on the firewall away from heat sources is a great idea...

Make sure you know which way is up for the sensor...

+1 For long straight lines, in AND out of the sensor...  

Similar to laminar airflow and Mooney wings... fuel sensors like that un disrupted flow too...

Sometimes we get away with crummy installation situations... some times we fight them for years...

Many have been installed on the engine amongst exhaust tubes... heat and vibration can be bad for sensors... and hot starts... and fuel leaks...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[N201MKTurbo]

7 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

When I replaced the OEM Hoskins transducer several years ago I went with the Cube. It was highly accurate but failed after about 15 months. I then had my A&P replace it with another Cube and it too failed within two years. At that point I called the manufacturer to ask why so many failures. They asked me to take a picture of where the unit was mounted, which was on the engine block similar to this Bonanza. They replied that the location was bad because the vibration was shaking the unit apart. With that information in hand my A&P installed a new unit and relocated it to the firewall, where it's been working flawlessly for the past five years.

I found a picture from when my engine was being reinstalled after its overhaul. The arrow is pointing to its location.

Your registration and mine are two off, yet my serial number is 71 higher. Go figure.

 

Nice looking engine!!

[flyboy0681]

13 hours ago, jetdriven said:

It appears that hose has a 90° fitting on it which is a no-no either of the inlet or the exit of the transducer

In the final assembly, connectors were placed between the Red Box and the lines, thus eliminating any immediate 90 degree limitation.

[hammdo]

With rubber vibration isolators :o)

-Don

[Guest]

9 hours ago, GEE-BEE AEROPRODUCTS said:

Nothing vibrates like a Lyc “

GB

i might design a Cnc transducer mount in the future, my focus is now on the Turbine market.

I found that adding a few extra cylinders helps.

Clarence

[M20F]

On 5/27/2021 at 5:29 PM, flyboy0681 said:

When I replaced the OEM Hoskins transducer several years ago I went with the Cube. It was highly accurate but failed after about 15 months. I then had my A&P replace it with another Cube and it too failed within two years. At that point I called the manufacturer to ask why so many failures. They asked me to take a picture of where the unit was mounted, which was on the engine block similar to this Bonanza. They replied that the location was bad because the vibration was shaking the unit apart. With that information in hand my A&P installed a new unit and relocated it to the firewall, where it's been working flawlessly for the past five years.

I found a picture from when my engine was being reinstalled after its overhaul. The arrow is pointing to its location.

Your registration and mine are two off, yet my serial number is 71 higher. Go figure.

 

This is where Maxwell installed mine.  From my experience and general conversations they last about 500hrs (I have the red EI transducer).  You can tell when it starts going as it will intermittently show normal to 0 to 30gph then back to steady state. 
 
Mine isn’t affixed to anything just in line with the hose. 

[kellym]

IIRC, from when I put the red cube on my old E model, the only location approved on the STC is between the mechanical fuel pump and the fuel servo. You want to have it somewhere alongside the oil sump. Requires new hoses to lengths your A&P determines. There are ways to install on the line from the servo to the spider and is commonly done on experimentals, but I don't think you can do that legally on your Mooney. The STC will be explicit about where you can install.

[M20F]

13 minutes ago, M20F said:

This is where Maxwell installed mine.  From my experience and general conversations they last about 500hrs (I have the red EI transducer).  You can tell when it starts going as it will intermittently show normal to 0 to 30gph then back to steady state. 
 
Mine isn’t affixed to anything just in line with the hose. 

Ignore the last paragraph…..

[PT20J]

On 5/28/2021 at 3:50 PM, M20Doc said:

I found that adding a few extra cylinders helps.

Clarence

My favorite number is 9. Nothing beats flying behind a P&W R-985!

[kellym]

26 minutes ago, M20F said:

This is where Maxwell installed mine.  From my experience and general conversations they last about 500hrs (I have the red EI transducer).  You can tell when it starts going as it will intermittently show normal to 0 to 30gph then back to steady state. 
 
Mine isn’t affixed to anything just in line with the hose. 

The most common reason for intermittent readings is poor or broken connections in the FF sensor line. You need to use the EI OLC-2 connector and support the wires to avoid vibration flexing. (https://www.iflyei.com/product/olc-2/). The original spade connectors would oxidize or come loose causing bad readings.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, PT20J said:

My favorite number is 9. Nothing beats flying behind a P&W R-985!

More is better

[M20F]

4 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

More is better

But what if you just made 10 louder, yeah but this one goes to 11…..

[N201MKTurbo]

Those 12 cylinder Cessnas I’ve been flying lately run pretty smooth.