Anyone got any ideas for catching the fuel from the belly fuel drain on a c182 while on floats? I'd really like to avoid dumping the fuel in the water

Garth

Unless you hold somekind of large pan under the sump drain its going to be hard to avoid getting fuel in the water. The fuel stays on top of the water and evaporates quickly though. The fuel sample from the wing sumps can be thrown on the float tops or dock to evaporate.

nofate wrote:Unless you hold somekind of large pan under the sump drain its going to be hard to avoid getting fuel in the water. The fuel stays on top of the water and evaporates quickly though. The fuel sample from the wing sumps can be thrown on the float tops or dock to evaporate.

Everything evaporates except for the lead. Oh shit I didn't say that I'm here in California we can't even have lead wheel weights anymore here.

gear wrote:Anyone got any ideas for catching the fuel from the belly fuel drain on a c182 while on floats? I'd really like to avoid dumping the fuel in the water

Garth

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Don't you use a fuel checker for water ? Don't just throw it out pour it in a plastic jug or back in the tank if OK. Lots of folks just throw it to the wind or put it in there tug. Years ago in VNY there was a blue van that drove around the airport checking to see if you threw your fuel on ground tiedown with ¿ sniffer" .there was a significant fine . I pour mine in A jug and add it too my tug.

I think he means that it's hard to catch it when you are inside the cockpit pulling the drain knob?

Helps with mosquito control.

low rider wrote:I think he means that it's hard to catch it when you are inside the cockpit pulling the drain knob?

No, but close. On the 182, you drain the belly sump by pulling a handle near the oil dipstick on the side of the cowl. Impossible to do that and catch fuel at the same time. Once i catch it, i know how to deal with it from there.

garth

On the 182, you drain the belly sump by pulling a handle near the oil dipstick on the side of the cowl.

......Yes, and it is a VERY good habit to look under and make sure it stopped when you think it has.....
The fuel doesn't last near as long with a 'pee stream' of fuel as you taxi and takeoff into the 'wild blue yonder'....

Just a reminder...
lc

When I was at Kenmore, folks had some fuel hose attached to the drain. They pushed it up into the cowl when they were done somehow. Maybe 4' long, held the valve open at the cowl door while holding the end. Then released handle, and lowered the end to drain into the fuel sample cup. Then they rolled it up somehow inside the cowl. When I took lessons in a172, the instructor drained right into the water, adding to the slick. Yikes!

My one and only seaplane lesson in a 172, the preflight was done on dry land. Then the instructor put it in the water with this:

Note that the back half of the Toronado isn't.

Cary

Same setup in my 185 Garth, no answer, it just goes in the water. Off topic, but did you get the float issue figured out?

Steve

steve wrote:Same setup in my 185 Garth, no answer, it just goes in the water. Off topic, but did you get the float issue figured out?

Steve

Hi Steve - i believe you are referring to the leaks in the floats - yes - figured it out - coming from the float hatches - a lot of the screws just needed some tightening. Bulk of problem solved. When it does rain, i still get a small amount in there but nothing significant. That was the only positive on the EDO's - with crowned caps - almost no leaking from above,....

hope you summer is going well. I'm fly in fishing every weekend

I'm thinking the belly drain is right about under the fuel selector and really hard to reach on floats without getting wet. I was thinking if you are pulling the knob by the oil fill that dumps by the gascolator? maybe you could take like a bird net or butterfly net type of device and put like a plastic cup or the like in place of the net at the end of the stick and hold it under the sump drain and when done and cap it?
Something like this