Something to watch out for with your Gascolator

[John Lawton]

Greetings team,

I discovered a little issue yesterday with my Ximango I thought would be worth mentioning. After returning from my western trip last month I changed the oil and filter and while I had the cowl off I sumped the Gascolator. Until yesterday I hadn't flown since returning from Minden/Parowan and changing the oil. I think the Gascolator in mine is an ACS part. Machined aluminum, anodized gold.

Anyway, yesterday when I went to start up my engine would just turn over. I figured maybe the battery was weak, even though I keep it on a charger. The battery is getting a little long in the tooth and it probably won't be too long before I have to replace it. I figured it just wasn't developing enough RPM's for the ignition to fire. I caught a little whiff of fuel and though maybe I'd flooded the carbs. So, I decided to pull the top cowl off and investigate. When I pulled off the top cowl and found that the Gascolator drain was pouring fuel all over the inside lower left side of the cowling. It seems that when I sumped the Gascolator back when I did my last oil change the petcock drain did not fully close. It wasn't leaking a drop until I switched on the fuel pump. With the fuel pump on it poured fuel out like a cow in Alabama pissing on a flat rock. So, what was happening was the carbs were starved for fuel because all the fuel was being pumped out at the Gascolator and pouring down all over the radiator.

A slight tap on the petcock was all it took to make it reseat itself and stop leaking. If the engine had been hot this could have been very bad.
Something to keep an eye on when you sump your Gascolator.

Regards,

John Lawton
Whitwell, TN (TN89)
Ximango #135

[Cliff Goldman]

Great thought John. Any time you sump the gascolator on ANY airplane you need to double check the drain valve. All it takes is a tiny piece of crud between the "O" ring and the seat for it to leak.

Cliff Goldman
#160