Bonaco Fuel Lines and Andair bracket

posted Apr 30, 2012, 9:31 AM by Bill Thomasson   [ updated Apr 30, 2012, 11:48 AM ]
I liked the idea others had presented on minimizing the number of connections of the fuel lines in the cockpit.  I went with Bonaco fuel lines that are continuious from the fuel tanks to the fuel valve.
-6 Teflon w/ Clearcoat 38" long center to center with 90 degree fittings on each end, clocked 12 & 3 (right wing)
-6 Teflon w/ Clearcoat 38" long center to center with 90 degree fittings on each end, clocked 12 & 9 (left wing)
These were $41 each.
To better explain what that all means (as I did not know until talking with Brett).  The steal braided lines will bend, but not twist (at least not much), so if your fittings need to be pointed a specific directions (for ones that are not straight such as the 90 degree fittings) you have to specify what direction they need to be facing.  For the left wing, the fitting points at the fuel tank, but the line goes too the rear (Fitting pointed at 9 o'clock).  The line does a big U though the plane, and then the fitting needs to point up into the fuel valve (12).  The right tank is the mirror image of the left line, with the fitting pointing to the right (into fuel tank) and the other fitting pointing up (into the fuel valve).
 
I constructed a mount for the andair fuel valve.  I am mounting the andair valve near the bottom of the tunnel, so that the fittings can connect into the valve without having to go up.  There needs to be just enough space to get the special T-fitting that Vans has for the Andair fuel valve, and then a 90 degree fitting going forward to the fuel filter.
 
The Valve is installed backwards so that the left fuel line connects on the right side of the valve. This is needed as the braided fuel lines don't have the bend capability to bend that tightly. The valve extention with 180 degree coupler is used to have the valve handle work correctly.
After installing the fuel lines and valves I was worried that the control tubes were going to hit the valve, but once I connected the stick it was clear that it would never be pushed that far forward.
The shortest hose that Bonaco can make is about 6", and there is only about 3" from the fuel valve to fuel filter, so I am going to make an aluminum tubing line for that.
 
 
I don't have the fuel flow meter (RedCube) yet, and need to buy/borrow a flairing tool, so the rest of the fuel system is on hold for now.  I also need some new bushings for the fuel line that are on order.
 
 
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