20/10/2019 Airfield Models - Model Airplane Engine Fuel Systems

March 01, 2016

Fuel Systems for Model Aircraft

Fuel tanks come in a wide variety of shapes and
sizes. There is a commercially made fuel tank that is
perfect for 99.9% of all R/C aircraft applications.

I will be using the terminology for Sullivan fuel tanks

to describe the different tank shapes. In addition to
Sullivan tanks, I also recommend those made by
Hayes and Dubro. I have had no problems with any
of these brands.

I do not recommend the tanks made by Hangar 9 due to the screw on caps.
These caps can come loose easily and then your model becomes fuel soaked.
Things become really unpleasant when this happens.

Not only is the fuel-oil extremely difficult to remove from the wood but it can
also get into your radio gear or cause glue joints to fail.

Also see

Assembling a Model Aircraft Fuel Tank

How to Install a Fuel Tank in a Radio Control Model Aircraft

Choosing a Tank Size

With some experience you will know what tank size to use for any given
engine. Until then compare the engine manufacturer's recommendation
against the kit manufacturer's.

A mistake I made for years was picking the largest tank that would fit in the
tank compartment. The center of gravity changed significantly during each
flight as the fuel level goes down. Now I select a tank that will provide
approximately ten minutes of flight. As a side note I think it's a good idea to
time the flight of a new modeluntil it runs out of fuel. But don't do it until
you're comfortable flying the model and you know what it's low speed habits
are.

Surround fuel tanks with latex foam rubber inside the tank compartment.
The foam should be snug but not compressed when the tank is put in the
aircraft. If the tank is a loose fit even with the foam, stuff more scraps of
foam in the tank compartment until the tank stays in place.

If necessary I will use a smaller tank so I can wrap it with foam rather than a
larger tank that does not leave room for foam padding. The foam helps
prevent vibration from foaming the fuel.

The foam will absorb some of the fuel if the tank leaks or breaks although
that is really a minor point because your plane will become fuel soaked if the
tank breaks whether you use foam or not.

It is always a good idea to use a coat of epoxy or some type of fuel-proof

paint in the fuel tank compartment.

Tank Shapes
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Tip: Most fuel tanks including every tank shown on this page can be turned
sideways if necessary to fit the installation.

Rectangular Square (RST) tanks

(left and bottom right) have fuel
lines that come straight through
the front of the tank. These tanks
are used for most applications
where the lines pass through
middle of the firewall and are then
fished between the engine mount
and the engine.

Slant tanks (top right) are

Typical fuel tanks. At the lower right is
hardware for one fuel tank.
rectangular with a 45° bevel on
the top front of the tank. These
tanks are used when the back of
the engine mount is solid or there
is some other reason why the
lines can not pass through the
center of firewall. The bevel on
the tank allows the fuel lines to
exit at the top of the firewall
without kinking.

Round tanks (not shown) have

lines that exit straight through the
front of the tank similar to the
RST tanks. They are used in
applications where a rectangular
tank will not fit, such as in engine
nacelles or similar.

Oval tanks (not shown) are used

in applications where the fuel tank
compartment is too narrow for
another type of tank.

The tank in the center of the

image is a hybrid. It is rounded
on the top and bottom and flat on
the sides. But it is not narrow
enough to be an oval tank.

There are other shapes of tanks

as well but the above tanks are
the most common. In fact,
almost all R/C aircraft use either
an RST tank or a Slant tank.

Some models, such as those

powered by turbines, have tanks
molded in Kevlar and are shaped
to fit a specific location in a
specific aircraft.

There are also special shape fuel

tanks made for boats that have a
"V" shaped hull.

Tanks intended for R/C aircraft (all of the above) are called stunt tanks.
That means the engine can draw fuel regardless of the attitude of the
aircraft. This is accomplished by having a weighted pick-up line in the tank
that can move to remain submerged in the fuel. The weight is called a
Clunk. It is basically a metal fitting that has a hole in it that connects to the
end of the fuel line.
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Two and Three Line Tanks

For most purposes a two-line tank is used
as shown here. The feed line connects to
the engine's carburetor (with a fuel filter
in the line) and the vent line is hooked up
to a fitting on the engine's muffler. The
muffler provides pressure to the fuel tank
which gives more consistent engine runs.

I recommend a two-line setup like this

unless you have a specific reason to use
a different setup. It is simple and
trouble-free in most cases. The tank is
filled by disconnecting the line from the
fuel tank side of the fuel filter and
pumping fuel into the tank.

A three line tank can still be pressurized

as long as the third line is plugged.
Three lines are sometimes used in
applications where the feed line cannot
easily be disconnected. In these cases,
the third line comes through the cowl at
some point for filling and is then capped.

The same thing can be accomplished by putting a T-fitting in the feed line,
but you have to ensure the system works well so as not to pump the engine
full of fuel.

Note the fuel filter in the feed line and the air filter on the carburetor. This
air filter was purchased from a hobby shop when I was in Germany. I have
not seen a similar filter here in the U.S. but there are other air filters
available.

A common problem with model aircraft engines is that the needle valve
ratchet becomes loose after a while and the needle will not hold its setting.
This condition will drive you nuts if you don't notice it. A piece of fuel tube
can replace the ratchet in most cases and solve the problem. Additionally,
the fuel tube will seal the needle against air leaks.

Fuel Line
Fuel line for glow engines is made of silicone and is very flexible. It comes in
four sizes that I know of:

Small
Used for 1/2A to .10 engines.

Medium
.15 to .60 engines.

Large
.90 and up.

Larger
This tubing is also called Large, but there is an obvious difference in
size. It is used for fueling pumps.

If you acquire new planes on a regular basis, then it is more economical to

buy a 25 yard roll of fuel line rather than three foot pieces.

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Before you purchase a full roll, make sure you buy a shorter length to find out
if you like it. Fuel line varies a lot between manufacturers and some is better
than others. I have never had "bad" fuel line, but I have had some that was
very difficult to remove from fittings or tore when removing it.

Fuel line does not need to be extremely tight on fittings. It just needs to be
tight enough to seal and to stay in place under normal operating
circumstances.

Before installing the fuel line, be sure to deburr all fitting on the fuel tank
because silicone does cut easily. Also, be sure to sand fuel line exits in the
firewall so that vibration from the engine does not cause the line to abrade.

I also radius the fuel line exit holes on the front and back of the firewall using
a counter sink so there are no sharp edges. Seal the exits with epoxy or
polyurethane before fuel proofing the entire firewall. These two coats will
make the exit nice and smooth assuming you sanded the holes smooth in the
first place.

I normally cut each piece several inches longer than needed. There are two
reasons for this. First, it makes it easier to fish the lines through the firewall.
Secondly, I would rather have the line too long than too short and have to
pull the tank back out to put on new lines.

Ensure that the lines are not kinked and have large radius bends. I have
never had an engine that couldn't draw fuel because the line was too long.
Larger bends will help prevent kinking as well as give you extra length to
make refueling easier.

Filters
Always use a fuel filter and an air filter. A fuel filter will keep dirt from
clogging the carburetor and an air filter will keep sand and dirt from getting
into the engine. Fuel filters are made by several manufacturers, are
inexpensive and should not be considered optional.

Air filters are difficult to find though. Bru-Line makes a good air filter that is
adequate for flying. This filter can extend into the propeller arc on some
engines and can not be used. In this case I will use a piece of lady's nylons
rubber banded to the carb. At the very least it will keep larger chunks of dirt
out of the engine.

The most important thing you can do is not run your engine on the ground
any more than possible — especially if the engine is low to the ground (small
aircraft or inverted engine). Do not taxi model aircraft any longer than
necessary. If I can, I carry the model to the runway. Taxiing around in the
dirt does not do anything good for your engine.

Clean Fuel
To keep the fuel system as clean as possible, I wash out the fuel container in
my flight box with bleach water a at least at the beginning of each season. If
I notice crud in the bottle, then I will strain the fuel and wash out the bottle
as needed. Coffee filters make good strainers.

I also filter the fuel going from the jug into the fuel tank. The most important
filter of all is between the tank and the carburetor. If you are using muffler
pressure then there is a lot of gunk going from the exhaust of your engine
into your fuel tank.

Fuel Pumps
There are two types of fuel pumps. One type is designed to get fuel from the
fuel can into the fuel tank and the other is to get fuel from the tank to the
engine.

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Fueling Pumps
To get fuel from the can to the tank you
can use a squeeze bulb or manual or
electric pump. Squeeze bulbs are good
for smaller aircraft models, but become
tedious with tanks larger than four
ounces.

I prefer a manual pump because every

electric pump I have owned has died
after a few months of service. The
instructions state that all fuel must be
removed from the pump at the end of the
flying day. I do that and they still break
quickly.

Manual pumps seem to last forever. I have never had one go bad so now I do
not bother with electric pumps any more. Pumps are made that either mount
to the fuel container or the side of your field box. Either type works.

Engine Fuel Pumps

Engine fuel pumps are made to give the most consistent flow of fuel to the
engine possible. These prevent the engine from going lean as the fuel level
goes down, inconsistent performance during aerobatic maneuvers or to pull
fuel from tanks that are located farther than normal from the engine.

I have owned only one engine with a fuel pump (K & B .40 with built-in
pump). Other than that I have not had a lot of experience with them and
have not had a need for one either.

Nevertheless, I can understand how a pump could be useful — especially for

scale models where engine failure can be the demise of the model or
aerobatic contest ships where an inconsistent engine run can cost you the
victory.

For sport flyers they are just something else that can go wrong and to tinker
with. I suggest you stay away from them until you definitely have a need for
a pump.

Previous Spinners for Model Airplane Engines Comments about this

— How to Assemble a Model Airplane Fuel article
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Copyright © 2003 Paul K. Johnson

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