THE LONGER RPTR FLEW THE MORE FUEL HE SHOWED IN ONE TANK. CAP WAS LOOSE; FUEL SYPHONED OUT; SLIP STREAM HELD THE FLOAT UP AND GAVE ERRONEOUS FUEL READING.

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BEFORE YOU RECOMMEND SPI FOR HIS FLT TEST; PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS REPAIRED THE FUEL GAUGE. IF HE WERE TO SUPPLY AN UNAIRWORTHY ACFT FOR THE FLT TEST; I WOULD BE REQUIRED TO GIVE HIM A NOTICE OF DISQUALIFICATION. I WOULD NOT LIKE TO DO THAT AS IT WOULD SEEM TO BE MERELY A LEGAL VIOLATION OF THE GARS (91.205) AND NOT RELATED TO SAFETY. IN FACT; IT COULD BE ONE OF THE FACTORS IN A FUEL EXHAUSTION ACCIDENT. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE L TANK WAS ABOUT 1/8 FULL. SPI ASSURED ME THAT BOTH TANKS WERE; INDEED; FULL. IF THE FUEL CAP ON THE R TANK BECAME LOOSE; THE SLIP-STREAM COULD SIPHON FUEL FROM THAT TANK AND FUEL WOULD XFEED FROM THE L TO THE R. AT THE SAME TIME; THE SLIP-STREAM WOULD HOLD THE FLOAT IN THE R TANK UP. NOW WHAT MAKES ME THINK OF THIS; IS IT A VIVID IMAGINATION? NOT AT ALL; IT HAPPENED TO ME ONE NIGHT ON A FLT FROM NORTHERN; ME TO NY. I NOTICED THAT THE LONGER WE FLEW; THE MORE FUEL WE HAD. I FELT A LITTLE DISCOMFORT AND; WHEN THE PAX SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THE CITY FROM THE AIR. I PLEADED THAT I WAS TOO TIRED. WHEN I REFUELED THE NEXT DAY; I LEARNED THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO CIRCLE THE CITY. IN OUR MECH'S OPINION; WE HAD A LOOSE FUEL CAP AND POSSIBLY A FUEL VENT PLUGGED WITH ICE. HE RELOCATED THE VENT BEHIND A STRUT.