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Fuel Tank Selection

Standard practice for almost all R/C airplanes is to use a "clunk-type" plastic fuel tank. This type of
tank will continue to feed fuel regardless of the attitude of the model in flight. A weighted pickup on
the end of a flexible fuel feed line inside the tank follows the movement of the fuel throughout the
flight. There are several different brands, shapes, and sizes of plastic clunk tanks from which to
choose.

How Big Should The Tank Be?

Most kits specify the exact size and shape of fuel tank that
will work best in the model. Their recommendation is
determined by the amount of space available inside the
model. Round, rectangular, or slant shaped tanks perform
equally well in flight, but the structure of the airplane may
make one shape more desirable than the other for
installation. The following list gives a general indication of the
appropriate tank capacity to use with certain size engines.
Note: Since four-stroke engines are more fuel efficient than
two-stroke engines, the tank size can be reduced about 25%
for equal running time.

Engine Capacity/Tank Size

.049 - .09

01 to 02 oz.

0.10 - 0.19

04 to 06 oz.

0.20 - 0.40

06 to 08 oz.

0.40 - 0.45

08 to 10 oz.

0.45 - 0.60

12 to 16 oz.

0.60 - 0.90

16 to 20 oz.

0.90 - 1.20

20 to 24 oz.

1.20 - 1.80

24 oz. or larger

Tank Assembly
When you buy a fuel tank of any brand, the final assembly of the tank is left to the modeler, who
must first decide whether he wants to use a "single-vent" or "double-vent" set-up.
Single-Vent
This is the simplest and best fuel tank set-up for
most R/C sport models. There are two brass
tubes installed through the rubber stopper going
into the tank - one for fuel feed to the carburetor
and one for an overflow vent (see photo). Inside
the tank, the vent tube should curve up to the
top of the tank. The brass fuel feed tube stops
just inside the rubber stopper and has a piece of
flexible rubber tubing attached to it. The flexible
tubing is just long enough to reach the back of
the tank and has a heavy metal "clunk" on its
back end. The clunk will stay submerged in the
fuel no matter what the attitude of the aircraft.
During assembly, be sure that the fuel feed line
swings freely without hitting the back of the
tank.
To fuel an airplane with this tank set-up, simply remove the fuel feed tubing from the carburetor and
pump the fuel into that line. When fuel runs out of the vent line, the tank is full. Reconnect the feed
line to the carburetor and you are ready to fly. This simple single-vent tank set-up is recommended
for any R/C model that has the engine exposed enough for you to take the fuel feed line on/off of
the carburetor.
Double Vent

Models which have the engine completely

cowled in, or where the fuel feed line is hard to
get at, will need to have three brass tubes
installed through the rubber stopper - one for
fuel feed to the carb, one for an overflow vent,
and one for a filling vent (see photo). The brass
tube that goes to the top of the tank is the
overflow vent, the brass tube that goes to the
bottom of the tank is the filling vent. Pump the
fuel into the filling vent until it runs out of the
overflow vent. Then plug the filling vent hose
with a short bolt to keep the fuel from siphoning
out of the tank, and you are ready to fly.
Check For Leaks
After assembly of the tank, check it for leaks before installing it in the model. Plug all but one of the
tank lines, then pressurize the tank by forcing air into the remaining line (with a fuel bulb, fueling
syringe, empty squirt bottle, or your lungs) while holding the tank under water and watching for air
bubbles. If you see any bubbles, correct the problem before proceeding. A leaky fuel tank will not
work!

Tank Installation
You need to plan for your fuel tank installation during construction of the model. The tank can be
mounted with the stopper assembly poking completely through a 1" diameter hole in the firewall, or
it can be installed with the stopper behind the firewall with only the fuel lines going through smaller
holes in the firewall. Plan ahead so you can drill or cut the necessary holes in the firewall before you
glue it in the fuselage.
Fuel Tank Location
A lot of engine problems can be traced back to improper fuel tank location. Model engines draw
fuel by suction created as the intake air flows through the venturi in the carburetor. If the tank is
mounted too low, too high, or too far back, the engine may not be able to draw fuel during the
entire flight. The basic rule of thumb is to mount the tank so that when the plane is level, the
centerline of the fuel tank is at the same height or slightly lower (no more than 1/2") than the highspeed needle valve on the engine. You should also keep the tank as close to the back of the
engine as possible so the fuel lines can be kept short.

Fuel Tank Mounting

Modern plastic fuel tanks are virtually indestructible under normal use - bursting or cracking is very
rare - so it is quite practical to mount the tank semi-permanently once the model is finished. Make
scrap balsa supports for the bottom and back of the tank to hold it in place. Glue the supports to
the fuselage sides. Seal around any holes in the firewall where the fuel lines come through with
silicone rubber sealer to prevent exhaust oil from leaking inside the fuselage. Should the need ever
arise to remove the tank for servicing, simply break away the balsa supports and silicone, and the
tank can be taken out.
Some modelers prefer to wrap their fuel tank in foam rubber to help isolate it from
engine vibration. While this is not always possible in some tight fitting installations, if
you do have enough room inside the model it can provide additional insurance against
fuel foaming. After getting the tank positioned correctly, more foam rubber can be
stuffed around the tank to hold it in place.

Fuel Line Tips

There are several types of flexible rubber fuel line tubing available, but by far the most popular type
is the kind made with silicone, like Sig's Heat-Proof Silicone Fuel Tubing. This fuel line tubing will
not melt even if it is touching the hottest part of the engine. Also, it will not harden or deteriorate in
raw fuel. Before using any fuel line, check it over carefully for pin holes or cracks. Any flaws in the
line will be easy to see by stretching it while you look. When installing a fuel line, it is very important
that it is not kinked and that it's not touching any sharp edges. Connect the feed line to the engine's
carburetor, cutting it to its minimum

Hooking Up Muffler Pressure To The Tank

If your engine's muffler is equipped with a
pressure tap, you can utilize it to pressurize the
fuel tank to provide a more uniform fuel flow to the
carburetor. The hookup for pressure is shown in
the picture. Simply connect the pressure tap to the
open vent line (the overflow vent in a double-vent
set-up) of the tank with a piece of fuel line tubing.
This makes the entire fuel system closed, with
none of the lines open to the atmosphere.

Air pressure that is being bled off the muffler will now pressurize
the tank and force feed fuel to the carburetor, instead of relying
totally on the suction of the engine. During refueling, remove the
line from the pressure tap so that you don't fill the muffler with fuel
when the tank gets full. Do not try to fill the tank in reverse from the
pressure line, the tank will not fill properly and fuel may be forced
into the engine. One other important note - although muffler
pressure helps improve the fuel flow, don't count on it to cure
problems created by locating the fuel tank in the wrong place!
These glass-ruled engine mounts displayed above are provided in most Sig kits. The mounts are
shown here bolted to a typical plywood firewall. The engine is fastened to the mounts using bolts and
aircraft lock nuts.