Author: "Mark Olson" <molson1@...> Time: Thu Jul 7, 2005 7:51 am PDT Link
This one kind of pisses me off. I just found a leak in the right wing QB
fuel tank, on the inboard flange. It appears they didn't seal the flange
well enough and the upper surface (wingwalk) where the tank attaches to the
spar, has started to leak. Looks like I'll have to remove the tank, remove
the access plate, and put Pro Seal inside the tank to better seal the
flange. I guess I should be happy that, of all places to leak, it's here
where it seems it can be fairly easily repaired.
Since I didn't build the tanks, is there anything I should look for/be aware
of when doing this? It seems that all I have to do is carefully clean the
area and smear more proseal into the flange. Is it any more complicated
than this? I'm hoping that the leak isn't somewhere else and running down
to the area I saw fuel emerge, I guess it should be obvious if this is the
case once I get the tank off and have a look at it.
On another fuel tank note, I noticed that I've also got seepage around the
screws that hold the fuel sender plate on.
I didn't use any sealant on this part, should I have done this? It seems
like the thick rubber gasket that came with the SW float sender should be
enough - but apparently not. I guess I could Pro Seal it on but I thought
I'd ask for advice before I go to this extreme. I figure at least on the
right tank I'll have the access plate off so I can really make sure this is
sealed correctly, but on the left tank (unless I find a leak there as well)
I'll only have the fuel sender plate that I can remove.
Thanks in advance for your advice -
Mark Olson
N407V (getting close to inspection except for some stupid squawks, like
leaking fuel tanks)
Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
www.vansaircraft.net
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Author: Mickey Coggins <mc@...> Time: Thu Jul 7, 2005 12:29 pm PDT Link
Hi Mark,
The seal is not enough - the fuel will leak out the nutplates,
and down the screw. You've gotta put proseal on there, or use
very special nutplates that are sealed on one end. I used
proseal, no gasket, and it does not leak (according to my
pressure test). Here are some pictures:
http://www.rv8.ch/article.php?story=2004082222240152
Mickey
> On another fuel tank note, I noticed that I've also got seepage around the
> screws that hold the fuel sender plate on.
> I didn't use any sealant on this part, should I have done this? It seems
> like the thick rubber gasket that came with the SW float sender should be
> enough - but apparently not. I guess I could Pro Seal it on but I thought
> I'd ask for advice before I go to this extreme. I figure at least on the
> right tank I'll have the access plate off so I can really make sure this is
> sealed correctly, but on the left tank (unless I find a leak there as well)
> I'll only have the fuel sender plate that I can remove.
--
Mickey Coggins
http://www.rv8.ch/
#82007 finishing
Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
www.vansaircraft.net
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Author: "Cary Rhodes" <rhodeseng@...> Time: Thu Jul 7, 2005 4:13 pm PDT Link
Mark
Not sure about the leak in the rivet line, but the seepage around the
inspection hole is most likely along the threads of the screws
holding the plate on.
The standard nutplats are open on the backside allowing fuel to
travel out the threads.
A gob of proseal covering the screw heads and bonding to the plate
itself will stop that. I have first hand experience.
And you can get to this without removing the tank from the wing.
I don't have a clear picture in my mind of the other leaky area.
Sounds like a troublesome spot.
cary r
--- In RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Olson" <molson1@m...> wrote:
> This one kind of pisses me off. I just found a leak in the right
wing QB
> fuel tank, on the inboard flange. It appears they didn't seal the
flange
> well enough and the upper surface (wingwalk) where the tank
attaches to the
> spar, has started to leak. Looks like I'll have to remove the
tank, remove
> the access plate, and put Pro Seal inside the tank to better seal
the
> flange. I guess I should be happy that, of all places to leak,
it's here
> where it seems it can be fairly easily repaired.
>
> Since I didn't build the tanks, is there anything I should look
for/be aware
> of when doing this? It seems that all I have to do is carefully
clean the
> area and smear more proseal into the flange. Is it any more
complicated
> than this? I'm hoping that the leak isn't somewhere else and
running down
> to the area I saw fuel emerge, I guess it should be obvious if this
is the
> case once I get the tank off and have a look at it.
>
> On another fuel tank note, I noticed that I've also got seepage
around the
> screws that hold the fuel sender plate on.
> I didn't use any sealant on this part, should I have done this? It
seems
> like the thick rubber gasket that came with the SW float sender
should be
> enough - but apparently not. I guess I could Pro Seal it on but I
thought
> I'd ask for advice before I go to this extreme. I figure at least
on the
> right tank I'll have the access plate off so I can really make sure
this is
> sealed correctly, but on the left tank (unless I find a leak there
as well)
> I'll only have the fuel sender plate that I can remove.
>
> Thanks in advance for your advice -
>
> Mark Olson
>
> N407V (getting close to inspection except for some stupid squawks,
like
> leaking fuel tanks)
Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
www.vansaircraft.net
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RV7and7A/
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RV7and7A-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Author: "Mark Olson" <molson1@...> Time: Thu Jul 7, 2005 11:47 pm PDT Link
> Mark
>
> Not sure about the leak in the rivet line, but the seepage around the
> inspection hole is most likely along the threads of the screws
> holding the plate on.
I suspect you are right. I'm going to try (at the suggestion of my EAA tech
advisor) to Permatex #2 the gasket and screws, if that doesn't work I'm
going to proseal it on as you suggested and forget about it.
> The standard nutplats are open on the backside allowing fuel to
> travel out the threads.
>
> A gob of proseal covering the screw heads and bonding to the plate
> itself will stop that. I have first hand experience.
>
> And you can get to this without removing the tank from the wing.
Thanks for the advice, I think I'll do this on the right wing when the tank
is removed to fix the leak. The left wing is the one that had the seepage,
and is now Permatexed. At least I used socket head screws on the plate so
it is not very difficult to remove it if there are problems.
> I don't have a clear picture in my mind of the other leaky area.
> Sounds like a troublesome spot.
It's the flange on the top inboard side of the tank, right where it meets
the spar. It looks like there are several flanges sealed together at that
point, and slight pressure there causes it to leak when the tank is full. I
now believe the tank has to be removed from the wing and proseal put inside
the tank to better seal the corner. It should be easy to get to, anyway. I
left fuel in the tank for several days and didn't see this leak until we
mounted the fairing to the wing - it put enough pressure on the flange to
expose the leak. All it takes is finger pressure to make it leak, but it
doesn't seem to leak at all by itself.
Thanks for the advice -
mark
> cary r
> --- In RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Olson" <molson1@m...> wrote:
> > This one kind of pisses me off. I just found a leak in the right
> wing QB
> > fuel tank, on the inboard flange. It appears they didn't seal the
> flange
> > well enough and the upper surface (wingwalk) where the tank
> attaches to the
> > spar, has started to leak. Looks like I'll have to remove the
> tank, remove
> > the access plate, and put Pro Seal inside the tank to better seal
> the
> > flange. I guess I should be happy that, of all places to leak,
> it's here
> > where it seems it can be fairly easily repaired.
> >
> > Since I didn't build the tanks, is there anything I should look
> for/be aware
> > of when doing this? It seems that all I have to do is carefully
> clean the
> > area and smear more proseal into the flange. Is it any more
> complicated
> > than this? I'm hoping that the leak isn't somewhere else and
> running down
> > to the area I saw fuel emerge, I guess it should be obvious if this
> is the
> > case once I get the tank off and have a look at it.
> >
> > On another fuel tank note, I noticed that I've also got seepage
> around the
> > screws that hold the fuel sender plate on.
> > I didn't use any sealant on this part, should I have done this? It
> seems
> > like the thick rubber gasket that came with the SW float sender
> should be
> > enough - but apparently not. I guess I could Pro Seal it on but I
> thought
> > I'd ask for advice before I go to this extreme. I figure at least
> on the
> > right tank I'll have the access plate off so I can really make sure
> this is
> > sealed correctly, but on the left tank (unless I find a leak there
> as well)
> > I'll only have the fuel sender plate that I can remove.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your advice -
> >
> > Mark Olson
> >
> > N407V (getting close to inspection except for some stupid squawks,
> like
> > leaking fuel tanks)
> Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
> www.vansaircraft.net
> Yahoo! Groups Links
Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
www.vansaircraft.net
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RV7and7A/
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RV7and7A-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Author: "Mark Olson" <molson1@...> Time: Thu Jul 7, 2005 11:47 pm PDT Link
Thanks Mickey - I think I'll end up doing just that. I do not want to have
to take it apart again if I can avoid it.
mark
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com [mailto:RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com]On
> Behalf Of Mickey Coggins
> Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 1:32 PM
> To: RV7and7A@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [RV7Yahoo] QB fuel tank leak
> Hi Mark,
>
> The seal is not enough - the fuel will leak out the nutplates,
> and down the screw. You've gotta put proseal on there, or use
> very special nutplates that are sealed on one end. I used
> proseal, no gasket, and it does not leak (according to my
> pressure test). Here are some pictures:
>
> http://www.rv8.ch/article.php?story=2004082222240152
>
> Mickey
> > On another fuel tank note, I noticed that I've also got seepage
> around the
> > screws that hold the fuel sender plate on.
> > I didn't use any sealant on this part, should I have done this?
> It seems
> > like the thick rubber gasket that came with the SW float sender
> should be
> > enough - but apparently not. I guess I could Pro Seal it on
> but I thought
> > I'd ask for advice before I go to this extreme. I figure at
> least on the
> > right tank I'll have the access plate off so I can really make
> sure this is
> > sealed correctly, but on the left tank (unless I find a leak
> there as well)
> > I'll only have the fuel sender plate that I can remove.
> --
> Mickey Coggins
> http://www.rv8.ch/
> #82007 finishing
> Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
> www.vansaircraft.net
> Yahoo! Groups Links
Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
www.vansaircraft.net
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RV7and7A/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
RV7and7A-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
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