Fuel Vent

Wm226 · March 8th, 2004, 15:45

What can cause a fuel vent to leak non-stop (even well after it has been parked and cooled down)?

Thank You,
William

flyguy · March 8th, 2004, 15:55

We've got one parking spot on our ramp that kind of slopes to the left a little, and if you leave the fuel selector set to both, it will crossfeed due to gravity. Leave it overnight and in the morning, the right wing will be half empty while the left wing will be full because the fuel is leaking from the fuel vent(due to gravity) and will be continually replenished from the other wing. I don't know if this is the problem you are having but you might try turning the fuel selector to either left or right, or even off, when parking for extended periods and see if it does the trick.

CAVOK · March 8th, 2004, 20:40

Yep...like flyguy said, try turning off the selector if you are on a slope. Also, when it is hot outside it will leak (becuase the fuel has expanded) until it gets under the overflow.

Wm226 · March 8th, 2004, 21:08

The aircraft I am training in is a C-152... it doesn't have a fuel selector.

Thank you for your responses!

flyguy · March 8th, 2004, 21:27

I train in 172s but if I'm not mistaken there is an fuel shutoff valve in the 152, you just can't select the left or right tanks exclusively. Turning it to the off position should prevent the crossfeed as well.

kellwolf · March 8th, 2004, 21:28

Buddy of mine was flying a 172 with a BENT fuel drain. It was bent from behind the strut, so it was getting ram air like a pitot tube. He just happened to look behind him in flight and saw the fuel streaming out from the vents in the top. (I'm guessing that's where the fuel was coming from. He doesn't seem the type to forget the caps)

flyguy · March 8th, 2004, 21:30

Now that has got to be a scary thing to see in flight.

CAVOK · March 8th, 2004, 21:33

[ QUOTE ]
The aircraft I am training in is a C-152... it doesn't have a fuel selector.

[/ QUOTE ]

Try the fuel shutoff valve. Although it is not a "selector", it is an on-off valve. It has been awhile since I have been in a 152, so I'm not sure where that valve sits in the fuel system...check your POH and see if shutting the fuel off would solve a cross-feed problem if the a/c is sitting on a slope.

FL270 · March 8th, 2004, 21:34

I was standing on the ramp at INT the other day dropping passengers and witnessed a King Air depart trailing fuel vapor behind him ... looked like somebody forgot a fuel cap!

Had it happen to me in a 172 once ... didn't forget the cap, but the vented fuel cap was leaking on one side ... leaving a nice mist cloud behind us. Noticed it shortly after leaving the pattern, returned safely, and replaced the fuel cap.

Grabo172 · March 8th, 2004, 22:05

I just happen to have my 152 info manual right here and the fuel shutoff valve is downstream of where the 2 tanks connect, so turing it off won't help the cross feeding. BUT...

You shouldn't be getting anything out of the vent at all, it is SUPPOSED to have a chack valve in it that lets air in and no fuel out. You might want to have a mechanic look at it.

Hope this helps!

152's RULE!!!

mtsu_av8er · March 9th, 2004, 00:24

Last month, my friend and I were about to depart on an early morning flight out to Asheville, and after I tested the fuel on the right side, the fuel just kept on dripping out (at a steady 10-20 drops per seconds....

). We ended up waiting about 35 minutes for the frost to melt enough to close the valve....

Winter sucks in a Skyhawk!!!!

Wm226 · March 11th, 2004, 10:23

[ QUOTE ]
152's RULE!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions guys!

The problem was the check valve which works with the fuel vent; it was fixed by a mechanic.

March 8th, 2004, 15:45	#1
Wm226 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: 34-39-16.1000N / 112-25-10.5000W Posts: 392	Fuel Vent What can cause a fuel vent to leak non-stop (even well after it has been parked and cooled down)? Thank You, William

March 8th, 2004, 15:55	#2
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,074	Re: Fuel Vent We've got one parking spot on our ramp that kind of slopes to the left a little, and if you leave the fuel selector set to both, it will crossfeed due to gravity. Leave it overnight and in the morning, the right wing will be half empty while the left wing will be full because the fuel is leaking from the fuel vent(due to gravity) and will be continually replenished from the other wing. I don't know if this is the problem you are having but you might try turning the fuel selector to either left or right, or even off, when parking for extended periods and see if it does the trick.

March 8th, 2004, 20:40	#3
CAVOK Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 123	Re: Fuel Vent Yep...like flyguy said, try turning off the selector if you are on a slope. Also, when it is hot outside it will leak (becuase the fuel has expanded) until it gets under the overflow.

March 8th, 2004, 21:08	#4
Wm226 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: 34-39-16.1000N / 112-25-10.5000W Posts: 392	Re: Fuel Vent The aircraft I am training in is a C-152... it doesn't have a fuel selector. Thank you for your responses!

March 8th, 2004, 21:27	#5
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,074	Re: Fuel Vent I train in 172s but if I'm not mistaken there is an fuel shutoff valve in the 152, you just can't select the left or right tanks exclusively. Turning it to the off position should prevent the crossfeed as well.

March 8th, 2004, 21:28	#6
kellwolf Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 13,525	Re: Fuel Vent Buddy of mine was flying a 172 with a BENT fuel drain. It was bent from behind the strut, so it was getting ram air like a pitot tube. He just happened to look behind him in flight and saw the fuel streaming out from the vents in the top. (I'm guessing that's where the fuel was coming from. He doesn't seem the type to forget the caps)

March 8th, 2004, 21:30	#7
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,074	Re: Fuel Vent Now that has got to be a scary thing to see in flight.

March 8th, 2004, 21:33	#8
CAVOK Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 123	Re: Fuel Vent [ QUOTE ] The aircraft I am training in is a C-152... it doesn't have a fuel selector. [/ QUOTE ] Try the fuel shutoff valve. Although it is not a "selector", it is an on-off valve. It has been awhile since I have been in a 152, so I'm not sure where that valve sits in the fuel system...check your POH and see if shutting the fuel off would solve a cross-feed problem if the a/c is sitting on a slope.

March 8th, 2004, 21:34	#9
FL270 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,101	Re: Fuel Vent I was standing on the ramp at INT the other day dropping passengers and witnessed a King Air depart trailing fuel vapor behind him ... looked like somebody forgot a fuel cap! Had it happen to me in a 172 once ... didn't forget the cap, but the vented fuel cap was leaking on one side ... leaving a nice mist cloud behind us. Noticed it shortly after leaving the pattern, returned safely, and replaced the fuel cap.

March 8th, 2004, 22:05	#10
Grabo172 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Peterborough, NH Posts: 1,270	Re: Fuel Vent I just happen to have my 152 info manual right here and the fuel shutoff valve is downstream of where the 2 tanks connect, so turing it off won't help the cross feeding. BUT... You shouldn't be getting anything out of the vent at all, it is SUPPOSED to have a chack valve in it that lets air in and no fuel out. You might want to have a mechanic look at it. Hope this helps! 152's RULE!!!

March 9th, 2004, 00:24	#11
mtsu_av8er Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Utopia Posts: 12,468	Re: Fuel Vent Last month, my friend and I were about to depart on an early morning flight out to Asheville, and after I tested the fuel on the right side, the fuel just kept on dripping out (at a steady 10-20 drops per seconds.... ). We ended up waiting about 35 minutes for the frost to melt enough to close the valve.... Winter sucks in a Skyhawk!!!!

March 11th, 2004, 10:23	#12
Wm226 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: 34-39-16.1000N / 112-25-10.5000W Posts: 392	Re: Fuel Vent [ QUOTE ] 152's RULE!!! [/ QUOTE ] Anyways, thanks for the suggestions guys! The problem was the check valve which works with the fuel vent; it was fixed by a mechanic.

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