I would appreciate anyone’s help on my desire to install CiES digital fuel senders to replace my sight fuel gauges in my 1952 Cessna 170B. I’m installing the Garmin GI275 engine monitor and when reviewing the CiES website they show a YouTube video by one of their customers that installed their digital fuel senders in his Cessna 180. The customer and CiES quote an estimate of 4-5 hours to install with calibration to GI275 per wing. My avionics shop, who states they’ve installed about 400 of CiES’s senders is quoting me 20 hours per wing plus 6-8 hours to calibrate. He has not installed them in a 170 and I don’t mean to discredit his experience, but I’d like to find someone with experience working on the wing root fuel sight gauges and better yet anyone in our ranks that has installed the digital senders to get your impressions.
Thank you and Merry Christmas to our awesome group of Aviators!
Bill Remington
'52 170B, N118F, s/n: 25329
C-145-2, Electroair Electronic ignition
Decorah, IA
Email: theremingtons at me.com
While the product is a great item , the time for calibration and fittment of 20 hours per wing etc . ???? Does that include lunch breaks ? I have just finished helping a friend fit them to a Cessna 177rg and calibration was just over 2 hours totally . We didn’t have to defuel the tanks due to him flying in on fumes [he is crazy ]. Total time to fit the aircraft was about 12 hours totally. Work really great . Would I fit them to my aircraft ? you bet I would but waiting for the STC to be made. NB. My friend is a lawyer and not very mechanical minded but has a great attitude of “giving it a go”.
I would be looking around different shops for a better quote or have a go yourself with a friendly A/P looking on .
Thank you GhostFlyer for your comments. It's helpful to hear some real world experience. The video on the CiES website that shows a gentlman from Texas install the senders in his Cessna 180 seems like it would be very similar to the 170. I'm hoping others can add to the discussion.
Bill Remington
'52 170B, N118F, s/n: 25329
C-145-2, Electroair Electronic ignition
Decorah, IA
Email: theremingtons at me.com
I haven’t installed the CiES senders, but recently I replaced the floats on both of my mechanical fuel gauges on my 170B. After draining the fuel, removing and re-installing the mechanical gauges took less than an hour per wing (not including replacing the floats themselves). It was an easy job. Only 4 screws per gauge and pretty easy to get at. No wiring to deal with, but still your estimate also seems high to me. Not a one-to-one comparison, but another data point to consider.
Seems like a little more information is in order. Does the shop that quoted the install intend to patch the hole in the fuselage rib? Are they quoting repairing the headliner? As far as calibration goes, they probably intend to do it correctly by draining the tanks, leveling the aircraft and step fueling, ensuring that the totals match published numbers. Face it, we aren't dealing with the same world we were just a few years ago. Shops have to bid high because they can't spread their experienced technicians any thinner than they are. I have these conversations with customers routinely. It is just as frustrating for the shops as it is for the customers.
My local A&P/IA couldn't get CIES senders to calibrate after CIES sent two different versions. We finally contacted Steve at Bend AC Mechanics 541-241-7371. Made an appointment, flew our 1952 170B from Colorado to Bend, Oregon. Steve put his crew on the installation, took about 6 hours total, $1,628. This was in May 2022. Steve's shop is local to CIES so works with them. He made some modifications to the senders we were sent. They have worked perfectly ever since.
