Robert Welford Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 I have used Kavan fuel pumps for a quite a few years. However, I've got through 3 in the last 12 months or so. My current pump has started to aerate the fuel so the pump rate is abysmal. Has anyone else experienced issues with Kavan pumps? What other fuel pumps are there that are potentially more reliable? Should I go mechanical? Any experience/advice appreciated. BTW I use a Jersey Modeler fuel caddy for petrol and have had no problems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 I use these one for petrol, one for paraffin and the last one for methanol, they last years for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted May 9, 2023 Author Share Posted May 9, 2023 I wonder what I'm doing wrong. Out of interest: Paul do you mount/orientate the Kavan pump as per your picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 I have been using one of these for a few years without problem: Prolux pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 (edited) Paul's pump is just a universal car screen washer pump and best set that way up to keep seals wet. Edited May 9, 2023 by J D 8 spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis 2 Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 I have been using one of these for years now. It's an American product and has proved very reliable. Trouble is, I can't remember where I bought it from! http://www.ohio-superstar.com/dave-brown-product-line/six-shooter-pump 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve too Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 4 hours ago, Robert Welford said: Has anyone else experienced issues with Kavan pumps? I have one which I use for glow. It started acting up last year (or the year before?) and I replaced the seals. It was still a bit temperamental (sometimes it seems to suck air in from somewhere), so I went back to a hand pump. I may give it another go next time I fly glow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 I've never used an electric fuel pump as I like to know how much fuel I've used (based on number of turns to fill the tanks from empty vs number of turns to refill). How do you do that with any electric pump? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Time it? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 4 hours ago, Robert Welford said: I wonder what I'm doing wrong. Out of interest: Paul do you mount/orientate the Kavan pump as per your picture? On my paraffin jet tank, my other two the other way up,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Martin Harris - Moderator said: Time it? That's all you could do I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 My Kavan packed up after about a year, out of warranty of course. It’s still glowering at me in the Mancave, with warranty seals all over the bolt heads and I’ll dismantle it now I’ve been reminded. Nothing to lose. The cheap and cheerful replacement is still going strong after about 5 years. BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Just a thought, I never empty my model fuel tanks after flying, if you do the metal gears will run dry,,, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manish Chandrayan Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) At our field we have had a spate of failures with Dubro and even a Prolux hand pump used with glow and Petrol. Most of the cases the gear wheels started jamming up (when used with glow) and with Petrol the pump would not prime until the fuel container was pressurized some way to force the fuel to reach the pump and it would work thereafter. Similarly yet another make (I forget which one) would have intermittent operation when the gear would slip. Frustrating to say the least. On the other hand my first hand crank fuel pump was the black oval one sold by Tower Hobbies in US under their own brand name and gave a long service until my curiosity made me open it up to check how it worked and though the pump worked after I reassembled it, it started leaking. Same pump (minus the tower brand sticker) that came fitted with Jersey Modeller glow can has been performing faultlessly for almost a decade plus now. For Petrol I bought a DLE hand pump and it has been working fine. Price is reflected in it's sturdy metal build quality. Edited May 10, 2023 by Manish Chandrayan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Maybe your Methanol pumps are suffering from the absence of the magic oil, "Castor",,,😆 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 The JP Fuel Pro hand pump has lasted me very well and is not silly money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 Thank you all for your feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 23 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said: Maybe your Methanol pumps are suffering from the absence of the magic oil, "Castor",,,😆 CASTOR oli. A short arguement or a long argument sir ? 😄😄😄😄 Monty Python ? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 (edited) Dave Brown Six-Shooter hand pump. Had mine for at least twenty years, maybe longer - never had a moments trouble with it - simple principle of operation - never had to do anything to it except use it. Have mine mounted on the outside of my flight box. Not expensive and I'd never bother with any other type - had 'em all over the years and they all eventually leaked or busted. Six-Shooters available from Sussex Model Centre for twenty quid - probably others if you search. https://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/products/dave-brown-six-shooter-fuel-pump-gas-petrol-diesel Edited May 11, 2023 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Wanted one but none available at the above. Like many items today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manish Chandrayan Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 On 10/05/2023 at 14:57, Paul De Tourtoulon said: Maybe your Methanol pumps are suffering from the absence of the magic oil, "Castor",,,😆 You may have a valid point there . Now that I come to think of it, yes haven't used much of castor based fuel. But then on the other hand the black oval one that's fixed to the Jersey Modeller can has not seen any castor based fuel either and has given no issues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Maybe only because yours has run dry, the gears are metal, and they like a bit of oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 2 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said: Maybe only because yours has run dry, the gears are metal, and they like a bit of oil. But they don't like synthetic oil? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David perry 1 Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 On 09/05/2023 at 15:24, Ron Gray said: I've never used an electric fuel pump as I like to know how much fuel I've used (based on number of turns to fill the tanks from empty vs number of turns to refill). How do you do that with any electric pump? When i fly glow i do the same. Im actually just getting back into glow models and am using a hand pump again for this reason. One can time an electric pump of course but nothing as satisfyingly accurate as the gentle grind of a pump full of fuel being mentally counted off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted May 12, 2023 Share Posted May 12, 2023 I'm curious... What do you guys do with this knowledge of exactly how much fuel you used (and have left)? I've only ever worried about having "some" spare when draining down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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