Fuel Management Questions - various strategies

[n86121]

Good Morning Gents,

I have a T337D. While the T C&D models return fuel goes to the manifold, instead of the main tank, I am still totally paranoid about running a tank dry. Probably a good thing.

The mains have 92 usable, and the aux 36, for a total of 128 gals. If I remember correctly thats out of 131 on board, or about 4 gals in various fuel lines, etc.

My car has a nice way of expressing fuel: X miles to empty.
Would that it be so simple.

I dont want to run a tank until an engine quits. That seems like a bad idea.

I have a totalizer on board. Very nice, but....

For whatever paraboid reason, I assume the tanks may not really be full (even though I fill them), as 210's dont always get full unless perfectly level. Also the heater draws fuel that doesnt run through the totalizer. Etc.

What should I plan to leave in a tank before switching? 4 gals? 2 gals? More? Less?

Whatever the moosh factor, it should apply to all four tanks. If the moosh factor is 4 gals per tank, then that effectively means assume 16 gallons less than 128 available, or 112 available. Maybe too conservative?

My general strategy has been to mostly use the mains. My habit is to refuel always and often. For lots of shorter flights, this means the totalizer is always indicating simply and the aux fuel is 'along for the ride'.

For longer flights, I run the main until they have about 16 gals left, (worst case safely over 30 mins), then switch to aux.

Then run aux down until 8 gals left (4 in each, in case not filled completely or whatever), then back to mains to land.

Thoughts? Discussion? New TSA jokes?

I'm about 1 month from getting my 'thrasher back. She's going to be very very pretty.

D