Water in fuel sample

[sierrasplitter]

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Today was the second time I have seen a small bit of water in my left fuel tank Although any water can’t be good what step should I take at this point ? Not enough to worry about or drain the tank ?

[Steve Pierce]

Check the gascolator. It will hold quite a bit of water but better to make sure. Condensation is normal unless you suspect the water is seeping in somewhere from rain etc.

[Steve Pierce]

I had rusty water from the bottom of the skid tanks. Luckily the gascolator caught the muck and the carb inlet screen was clean.
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[Jim]

Hi,

Depending on temperature differential and humity, condensation can form on either the outside or inside of the airports fuel storage tanks. When the condensate is on the inside and the tank gets filled again it can rinse off the water and rust from the tanks interior. I don't know how long it may take for all that to settle in there but it is a possibity for where it came from instead of your tanks interior deterioration. Those days when the concrete floor in our hangars "sweats" or forms condensation on the walls, things are happening with tanks too.

[Jeff J]

We always let our fuel settle at least a day when we get a load in. If we don’t, we have to change filters on the pump because they clog with debris and water (the filtering media swells with water and blocks the flow). We use the same type of filters on the portable tanks. The only time I have seen water in the fuel over the last eleven years (~3300 hours) is after filling using airport equipment.

[sierrasplitter]

IMG_8540[1].JPG
I was out yesterday doing touch and Go's . I had done 5 and was taking off for number 6 Got about 300 feet up and the engine lost power momentarily Maybe 3 seconds ? Though I was going to have to crash land but before I did anything it started back up. This wasn't a dead prop loss of power, more like you just cut power as the engine seemed to keep running during this. ( Trying to recall from memory)
But as I said the engine came right back up to full power.
I was on the right tank, but still had around 8 gallons in that tank. I switched immediately to the left tank. I continued in the pattern and did one more full stop landing on the left tank with no issues. back at the hangar I switched to the right tank and did several run ups to 2000 rpm on the ground.
Needless to say Im a little spooked. Don't know what to do at this point......obviously look at the gascolator and carb screen .
But does this sound like the classic Pacer fuel starvation from taking off on the right tank with not enough fuel ? I do know I was over 1/3 a tank but less than half.

Will be calling the shop this morning.

Oh yeah, as the owner is it legal for me to pull the gascolator? And carb screen ? The pic above is what I got from the drain just behind the right seat , under the belly

[krwill]

IMG_8540[1].JPG
I was out yesterday doing touch and Go's . I had done 5 and was taking off for number 6 Got about 300 feet up and the engine lost power momentarily Maybe 3 seconds ? Though I was going to have to crash land but before I did anything it started back up. This wasn't a dead prop loss of power, more like you just cut power as the engine seemed to keep running during this. ( Trying to recall from memory)
But as I said the engine came right back up to full power.
I was on the right tank, but still had around 8 gallons in that tank. I switched immediately to the left tank. I continued in the pattern and did one more full stop landing on the left tank with no issues. back at the hangar I switched to the right tank and did several run ups to 2000 rpm on the ground.
Needless to say Im a little spooked. Don't know what to do at this point......obviously look at the gascolator and carb screen .
But does this sound like the classic Pacer fuel starvation from taking off on the right tank with not enough fuel ? I do know I was over 1/3 a tank but less than half.

Will be calling the shop this morning.

Oh yeah, as the owner is it legal for me to pull the gascolator? And carb screen ? The pic above is what I got from the drain just behind the right seat , under the belly

I've lost power at about that tank level (think I was 10-11 gal) due to fuel starvation/AOA. I don't care tasty the panel says 1/3. I consider it as 1/2 min to take off on right tank.

Sent from my LM-X210(G) using Tapatalk

[smcnutt]

Oh yeah, as the owner is it legal for me to pull the gascolator? And carb screen ? The pic above is what I got from the drain just behind the right seat , under the belly

Obviously, you should have someone who knows what they are doing walk you thru it but....I would say yes.

FAR 43.3 - Persons Authorized to Perform Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, rebuilding, and alterations

(g) Except for holders of a sport pilot certificate, the holder of a pilot certificate issued under part 61 may perform preventive maintenance on any aircraft owned or operated by that pilot which is not used under part 121, 129, or 135 of this chapter. The holder of a sport pilot certificate may perform preventive maintenance on an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot and issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category.

FAR 43 - Appendix A
Major Alterations, Major Repairs, and Preventive Maintenance

(c) Preventive maintenance

Preventive maintenance is limited to the following work, provided it does not involve complex assembly operations:

(22) Replacing prefabricated fuel lines.
(23) Cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements.

[sierrasplitter]

I've lost power at about that tank level (think I was 10-11 gal) due to fuel starvation/AOA. I don't care tasty the panel says 1/3. I consider it as 1/2 min to take off on right tank.

I agree . Learned a very valuable lesson

[Troy Hamon]

As a further note to what smcnutt posted...the performance rules and standards for maintenance are the same for owners as they are for A&Ps doing the same task. So always a good idea to have somebody with the more advanced qualification walk you through it the first time so you know how to do it to the appropriate standard and how to document it afterward.