Dropped Fuel Stick - It can Happen to you

[Robert Eilers]

Interesting thing happened to me this morning. While measuring the fuel level in my right tank - using the Fuel Hawk Dip Stick modified as outlined in the forum - I dropped the stick. The stick immediately darted into the recesses of the right fuel tank. I had never previously considered the possibility that the stick could fall into the fuel tank. I can now state that it can. Fortunately, I was able to fish it out with a pair of long handled needle nose pliers. Needless to say, I am now more careful when using the dip stick. The Fuel Hawk fuel stick is a great tool allowing me to accurately access remaining fuel levels. Just need to be careful you don't drop it. Before finally fishing it out, I ran a series of Holy S&*% scenarios through my head regarding how to recover the fuel stick - including leaving it there.

[dacker]

Robert, you were lucky... if that would have happened to me I would have dropped the needle nose pliers as well!
David

[Plummit]

Robert, you were lucky... if that would have happened to me I would have dropped the needle nose pliers as well!
David

That's where those long claw "grabbers" Harbor Frieght sells come in handy. You can flex them over so that they won't also become fuel-tank-flotsam while fishing out the too-heavy-to hold-on-to dip-stick.

Perhaps you can attach a wrist strap to the dip-tube as a security device.... <g>

regards

~Marc

[iowa]

robert!
i know exactly how you felt!!
when i rebuilt my 1st car; a 63 beetle,
i would use a little home made dipper
to get fuel out of my tank
to pour into the carb to help start it.
this consisted of a wooden dowel
taped to a plastic lid.
one day the tape and lid pulled off
and stayed in my tank.
as you can see from the picture below
i had to remove my tank, drain it,
to find the offending foreign bodies.
dave

[Indopilot]

I have retrieved things to far in for needle nose pliers by getting the required length of 1/8 or 1/4 inch tubing, running .020 or .032 safety wire thru and then doubling it back thru again. This leaves a noose at one end and a pull handle at the other. Slip the noose over the offending object, pull it tight against the tubing and slip it out. Works great when your neighbor drops that fancy extend a spout down into his engine on his 0470 or 520 etc. while adding oil. \
If you need to see to do it you can solder two small wires of the required length to a mini mag light bulb , slip them thru another bit of tubing and plug them into the mag light. Presto you have a light. This works better in the crankcase than the fuel tank of course. Brian

[GAHorn]

I have retrieved things to far in for needle nose pliers by getting the required length of 1/8 or 1/4 inch tubing, running .020 or .032 safety wire thru and then doubling it back thru again. This leaves a noose at one end and a pull handle at the other. Slip the noose over the offending object, pull it tight against the tubing and slip it out. Works great when your neighbor drops that fancy extend a spout down into his engine on his 0470 or 520 etc. while adding oil. \
If you need to see to do it you can solder two small wires of the required length to a mini mag light bulb , slip them thru another bit of tubing and plug them into the mag light. Presto you have a light. This works better in the crankcase than the fuel tank of course. Brian

Now THAT's an example of the vast amount of expertise available here!

[1SeventyZ]

I think about the possibility of dropping the pipet every time I dip, and I think that makes me even shakier and more apt to do so. A lot of guys just use a marked off wood dowel, don't they? I know a 8KCAB guy who does. I wonder if a floating lost stick would be easier to retrieve than a sunken plexiglass pipet?

Actually the 8KCAB guy's fuel stick was about 16" long, so it would stand up and out of the filler opening by itself without dropping in.

[jrenwick]

Seems like a big rubber band (like they use on my Sunday paper) tied around the dipstick and looped over the wrist would prevent accidents! If I ever decide to use one, I'll do that!

[Robert Eilers]

I used a wooden dowel with my Champ. I will use the Fuel Hawk as a gauge to mark a wooden dowel and get rid of the Fuel Hawk.

[GAHorn]

And why wouldn't a piece of safety wire (or better yet, tiny gauge threaded cable) through the Fuel Hawk that is tied to an ordinary nut or spread cotter at the bottom.... and tied to a large stick (that won't fit into the filler neck) at the upper end work?
(I have to admit tho' that it never occured to me that it could actually fall into the tank. Now that you've told me about this hazard, I'm certain it won't be long......)

[blueldr]

Why in hell tie a stick to a Fuel Hawk. Just throw the Fuel Hawk away and use the stick. For the last twenty years I've used a painted stick graduated in three gallon sections that is too long to fall into the tank. One side marked with hacksaw blade notches and a steel number stamp for the right tank and one side for the left tank. Bulletproof!

[GAHorn]

You're right, of course, Dick. But this was beginning to have possibilities that common sense would disrupt. (I personally just recommend that folks not drop their dipsticks/fuel-hawks in the tank.)

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Why in hell tie a stick to a Fuel Hawk. Just throw the Fuel Hawk away and use the stick. For the last twenty years I've used a painted stick graduated in three gallon sections that is too long to fall into the tank. One side marked with hacksaw blade notches and a steel number stamp for the right tank and one side for the left tank. Bulletproof!

What? You shot your paint stick and it's bulletproof. Must be one hell of a paint stick.

[GAHorn]

Dick, why don't you just call SWA and buy a $99 advance ticket to Houston and come via the bigbird to Galveston? We all need to see you in person! (Bring your dipstick.... it'll get deep that week.)