My gascolator's busted!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:01 pm

Does anybody know if there is a replacement bowl out there for the gascolator on a 1950 170A? I got some condensation in mine and it froze over night, Causing 40 gallons of $4.00 a gallon av gas to find its way back to its starting place in the earth. I'm hoping not to have to replace the whole gascolator. It doesn't matter if the replacement is glass or aluminum if there is one out there . Any Ideas are always welcome to this 170 newbie.

Post by **GAHorn** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 7:05 pm

One possibility is the salvage yards, of course. The other is Hill Aircraft. They list one available: (superceded part number 0511199-5)
1 result returned.
Part No. Description Your Price (Units)
Order 60B095-002 BOWL
(List Price: $ 175.00) Stock Available $ 148.75 (EA)

Contact Us:
Parts Dept.#: 404-505-2074 | Fax#: 404-696-3922 | Toll Free#: 1-800-998-7832

If you want a new, albeit not original, installation, :
http://www.stevesaircraft.com/amllist.php?aml=aml

About $200.

CraigH · Post by **CraigH** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:51 am

Dusty,
As soon as my airplane gets back from the upholstry shop (late next week) I'm planning to replace my old style gascolator with one of the all aluminum types from Steve's aircraft.

Depending on how big of a hurry you are for a bowl, I'll have one available in a couple of weeks. I can't believe they are actually asking $148 for just the glass bowl!!!! I had planned on putting mine up for auction to recoupe part of the cost of the Steve's version, but would take a whole lot less than $148 for it.

blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:41 am

Gascolators Galore $55.00 ea. Shipping included. New Surplus Edo-Aire Fuel Strainers
P/N 33-199-105-3
Contact:
Robert Brown
1570 Longwood Dr.
Marietta, GA 30008-3786

These parts are advertised in a small, monthly publication called Aviators Bulletin in Ojai, CA. The subscription price is only $14.00 per year and their phone number is (805) 646-6042.
I've found some real bargains advertised in it. For example: a pair of new Bass inertia reel shoulder harnesses for $250.00, a pair of new Bass rear folding seats for $450.00, and a Continental IO-360 engine with a VAR crank and 91 hours since a field overhaul for $4500.00, and the seller delivered it from Arizona to my hangar in Jackson, CA.

Watkinsnv · Post by **Watkinsnv** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:03 am

I had a machine shop make me a aluminum bowl to the exact dimensions of the glass bowl. Works great. A smart old mechanic once told me Go flying with a glass bowl and sooner or later your not comming back! Lance

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:21 pm

Thanks for the fast response guys. I'm gonna try to have a new one milled, but I think I'm gonna have to buy a new glass for the measurements. The old one split up pretty good and not to much is left to measure. I think it was about 3" tall by about 1 3/4" in diameter, Sound right? Worst part is I'm about 4 hours into my tailwhel endorsement!

3958v · Post by **3958v** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:26 pm

Dusty The glass on my John Deere 620 is exactly the same as the one on my C170. Of course I would never make such a substitution as I am sure Cessna uses FAA approved glass. Bill K

3958v · Post by **3958v** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:39 pm

Dusty One more thing if you had enough water to break the glass it sounds like you may have a more serious problem than just condesation. I am not as familliar with your fuel system as I am with the ragwing but that much water in the fuel could be a life threatening situation. I would be real carefull if your plane sits out in the rain. Sump your tanks and gascolator very carefully, then rock your wings good and do it again. I get almost no water from condesation on my plane. I had an emergency landing in my plane after sumping water from the tanks so I take water in the fuel VERY seriously. Bill K

HA · Post by HA » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:00 pm

Bill's right, no reason to have that much water unless yu have really bad fuel cap seals or something - only time I ever got that much water in the gascolator was when some kids siphoned a bunch of gas out of my plane one night and left the caps off, then it rained a lot.

joke was on them though, it was 80 avgas

thought they were getting racing fuel or something I'm sure.

a question for you car gas folks - does cargas develop more water than avgas? by that I mean that I've often heard fuel companies say that there are certain tolerances for water in their fuel, different for summer and winter etc. while there is no water allowed in avgas. I don't use cargas so I don't have any experience to tell if there is a difference?

Indopilot · Post by **Indopilot** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:46 pm

Dusty, I think 3958V is right. Sounds like to much water. Don't know where you are from or if your plane is stored outside, but you might want to look at your fuel tank seals around your filler ports. Another possibility would be cracks around where the tank fillers as well. Could be getting water from rain or washing. Brian

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:25 am

I thouhgt it was a little to much water my self but the caps ,necks and gaskets all look okay. I'll have the pros check it out tomorrow and make sure she 's not taking on water like the Titantic. What a bummer w/ the great weather Maryland is having. Thanks for the input yall! P.S. 3958v The gascolator on my 49' John deere M won't fit. First place I looked.

Post by **GAHorn** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:16 am

HA wrote:...a question for you car gas folks - does cargas develop more water than avgas? by that I mean that I've often heard fuel companies say that there are certain tolerances for water in their fuel, different for summer and winter etc. while there is no water allowed in avgas. I don't use cargas so I don't have any experience to tell if there is a difference?

Hans,... one thing to consider is that many autogas suppliers these days sell a product which has alcohol in it as an oxygenate. This is a good substitute for the MTBE which has become a problem in polluting water tables. Alcohol will absorb water, so any autofuel with it is a hazard in that regard. Any "alcohol based" fuel is prohibited in our Cessnas by the type certificate. This is despite the FAA's allowance of isopropyl in certain percentages as an anti-ice inhibitor.
So, I guess it's possible that autogas has a fairly high risk of alcohol and therefore water in it. Most autogas STC's make statements regarding the necessity to test and avoid the use of autogas with alcohol. (And many retail outlets are not required/do not post whether or not their fuels contain the stuff, either. So if you use it, it's strongly recommended you test for it, even if you always buy from only once source, because many outlets purchase fuel on the spot market and may be serviced by tankers from different suppliers.)

Watkinsnv · Post by **Watkinsnv** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:48 am

How do you know it was water that broke your bowl? when was the last time the bowl was off? My guess is the bowl was tightended to much and the bowel shattered with temperature change. Glass gets brittle with age just like us. Lance

P.S. Are you finding a lot of water in your system? I doubt your plane would have run five minutes with that much water in the Bowl.

N170CT · Post by **N170CT** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:50 pm

Dusty,

Sent you private email with a question....but I been thinking (dangerous). Its been unusually warm in Virginia and Maryland this winter....When did your bowl shatter and are you sure it was result of cold temps??? Can't recall a night that the temperatures dropped enough to do that. Also, cleaned the one on my 170 about a year ago and seem to recall the glass was fairly thick. Something on the order of 3/16".
Regards,
chuck

Indopilot · Post by **Indopilot** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:32 pm

Due to some poor proceedures

and bad fuel we got hold of, we know they will run with the gascloator about 2/3 full of water

Ole girl never missed a beat unlike my heart when I found it. Brian

The International Cessna 170 Association

My gascolator's busted!

My gascolator's busted!

Glass bowl