DavidH
07-28-2006, 07:08 PM
I see someone post every couple of weeks or so about the OMI Fuel Magnet.
They are using muffler pressure to pressurize the fuel tank. And after a few or maybe a couple dozen tanks. They will look in the tank and see the foam has dissolved from the fuel magnet. It is the exhaust gases from the muffler that causes this problem. Pilots that are using YS engines or OS engines with crankcase pressure and Cline setup don't really have any problems.
There is a few retailers that sell the OMI fuel magnet that have notices on there site about this problem with muffler pressure and fuel magnet.
So if your using the OMI fuel magnet and have muffler pressure going to your tank. Keep a check on the fuel magnet foam every few tanks. Also be sure to run a fuel filter between the tank and the carb. You should do that with or without a fuel magnet.
http://www.eastcoastextremehelis.com/eld%20fuel%20magnett.htm
http://www.ronlund.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=heli&Product_Code=OMIFUELMAG
The fuel magnet works great. I would not fly a closed looped pressure system without a fuel magnet in the tank.
Update from Ron Lund and Marshall Burroughs
David is correct about the hot gases but there is a simple fix for your problem even if you run muffler pressure. I just told James O'Neal about it.. After you fly, immediately refuel and leave fuel in the tank. If you are done for the day, and the motor and exhaust have cooled, you can remove the fuel from the tank. Never, and I say never, remove fuel from the tank right after a flight. What that will do is bring the hot exhaust gases right through the foam and destroy it in short order. I had this same problem and thanks to the brain of non other than Ron Lund we decided to do a test. I have at least 35 flights on the foam in my Stratus. Re-fueling after each flight is what solved the problem. If after a flight, you pop the lid, you will see a cloud of exhaust gas float out. Not good.. Just refuel and all is good for quite awhile.
I have not replaced a foam element since.....
The exhaust degrades the fuel system, not the fuel...
David
They are using muffler pressure to pressurize the fuel tank. And after a few or maybe a couple dozen tanks. They will look in the tank and see the foam has dissolved from the fuel magnet. It is the exhaust gases from the muffler that causes this problem. Pilots that are using YS engines or OS engines with crankcase pressure and Cline setup don't really have any problems.
There is a few retailers that sell the OMI fuel magnet that have notices on there site about this problem with muffler pressure and fuel magnet.
So if your using the OMI fuel magnet and have muffler pressure going to your tank. Keep a check on the fuel magnet foam every few tanks. Also be sure to run a fuel filter between the tank and the carb. You should do that with or without a fuel magnet.
http://www.eastcoastextremehelis.com/eld%20fuel%20magnett.htm
http://www.ronlund.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=heli&Product_Code=OMIFUELMAG
The fuel magnet works great. I would not fly a closed looped pressure system without a fuel magnet in the tank.
Update from Ron Lund and Marshall Burroughs
David is correct about the hot gases but there is a simple fix for your problem even if you run muffler pressure. I just told James O'Neal about it.. After you fly, immediately refuel and leave fuel in the tank. If you are done for the day, and the motor and exhaust have cooled, you can remove the fuel from the tank. Never, and I say never, remove fuel from the tank right after a flight. What that will do is bring the hot exhaust gases right through the foam and destroy it in short order. I had this same problem and thanks to the brain of non other than Ron Lund we decided to do a test. I have at least 35 flights on the foam in my Stratus. Re-fueling after each flight is what solved the problem. If after a flight, you pop the lid, you will see a cloud of exhaust gas float out. Not good.. Just refuel and all is good for quite awhile.
I have not replaced a foam element since.....
The exhaust degrades the fuel system, not the fuel...
David