Aux fuel tank management

[wpowell]

I just bought a 1940 J5A that was beautifully restored with some J5C mods like the O-235 engine and pressure cowl. The fuel tank arrangement is the main 18 gal in the right wing, a 1 gal header tank and an aux 13 gal in the left wing. placards say to always fly with the main fuel valve for the right tank ON. the aux tank has a separate ON/OFF valve.

i'm trying to figure out how to manage the two tanks. we tried switching the main fuel OFF and the aux ON, it fed fuel fine to the gascolator. (we did this on the ground, not running), but this is not allowed via placard for some reason. what do folks do? running both on all the time seems like it would empty the aux first since it’s smaller. or do they somehow balance out. the header tank should take care of any imbalance from a starvation POV, but i’m not sure how they feed when both are on.

of course the best way is for me to get out there and fly with both ON and see what happens, but i’m interested in what others do. being a low wing flyer for most of my life, my habit is to manage left/right as i fly. cessna folks just run on the both setting usually. what is the thinking on the long wing piper world?

thanks

 

[reileyr]

 

[BeaverBill]

 

[reileyr]