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Fuel stick

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Fuel stick

Postby David DeWalt » Thu May 30, 2013 1:28 am

I'm a new owner of a twin Comanche, and find the fuel gauges to be questionable. Does anyone have a fuel stick they could recommend? Preferably there's one out there calibrated for the main and aux tanks.

Thanks

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Re: Fuel stick

Postby Kristin Winter » Thu May 30, 2013 2:33 am

There are pretty much a make it yourself item. Matt Kurke at ComancheGear.com and Airparts of Lock Haven can help you get the quantity gauges working again. An even better option is a JPI or Shadin fuel totalizer. I love my Shadin and it is accurate to within 1%.
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Re: Fuel stick

Postby steen » Thu May 30, 2013 5:58 am

Yup.
Made my own by fueling an empty tank 5 gal. at a time and measuring on a wooden fuel "stick".
One for mains, other side of stick for alts.
Keeping it simple is my motto.
Also have Shadin and love it.
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Re: Fuel stick

Postby William Flood » Thu May 30, 2013 9:44 am

Hi,
There is a thread on the Delphi forum about this. Basically a guy posted a table from excel that's calibrated for a PA30 using the universal fuel hawk 16" dipstick. I've tested it out and it seems very accurate, and I would recommend buying the dipstick. You just have to carefully read the way the stick is inserted for the tip tanks to make sure you did it like he did. Pm me with your email if you can't find it on Delphi.

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Re: Fuel stick

Postby N3322G » Thu May 30, 2013 12:47 pm

David,

Welcome to this Forum.

Any of the above suggestions will work. I admit to being biased to the Shadin as it is linked to the GPS and makes continue or stop decisions so much easier.

We also keep the bladders full after each flight to maintain the rubber tanks in as good as condition as possible so not as much need to stick the tanks.

Pat

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Re: Fuel stick

Postby Jim Worley » Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:50 am

I bought one of these and I am satisfied with it so far. The fuel it reads seems to match up with my JPI FF. I primarily use it to refresh my memory or to confirm what JPI is saying. They will even put your very own tail number on it.

http://www.dipstikfuelgauge.com/index.htm

v/r
Jim

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Re: Fuel stick

Postby Michael Bryant » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:23 am

Comanche Tips under the Technical tab has instructions for making them for a 250. Select Tip 03 Fuel System, then go down the right side until you see page 37. The author says he uses the same stick for has Twinky.
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Re: Fuel stick

Postby SLIMDREDGER » Tue Jun 04, 2013 11:11 pm

I go double bone simple on fuel sticks. The soft pine paint sticks they give away at paint stores are easily marked with a ball point pen as you add 5 gallons at a time into an empty tank, and when checking the fuel levels the liquid gas is quickly absorbed or evaporated from the surface so there is no waiting between checking tanks. I store them in the baggage compartment by poking them in between the back springs and the mid seat brace of the back seat. AHP
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Re: Fuel stick

Postby Alejandro Cantarini » Thu Jun 06, 2013 5:11 pm

I got a nice fuel stick from the web no to long ago, cheap, and have my tail number on it was under 19 bucks I think the guy is selling them of ebay will check and post were I got it.
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Re: Fuel stick

Postby David DeWalt » Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:11 am

Thanks for the replies. I contacted Steve at dipstickfuelgauge.com, and he says he has them calibrated for the twinco. I'll just have to wait a few weeks while he rehabs from knee surgery.
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Re: Fuel stick

Postby David DeWalt » Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:06 am

Just got my stick from http://www.dipstikfuelgauge.com/index.htm , it works great....thanks for the intel

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Re: Fuel stick

Postby N8632Y » Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:27 pm

Love my JPI w/ FF, usually start from full, which is not always exactly full, that last gal can be off a bit.
As a note, the mains and auxs on my twinky and not symmetrical in shape, also i've heard some mains hold only 27 total, others more.
So i recommend, as i have, calibrate a stick yourself, create a spreadsheet or something.
I've taken a measurement just prior to each refill, jot it down, and eventually come up w/ graph, since i've never run a tank bone dry.
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