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hagargs(at)earthlink.net
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 Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:40 pm Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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After having the aircraft down for awhile with the fuel tank drained to avoid having stale gas present I noted a leak upon gassing it up. I was going to bring it over to Phoenix Composites to have the prop rebalanced. It looked like it was coming from the lower feed boss where the big piece of short hose is clamped on. I was in a hurry and going on vacation in 2 days for a few weeks. I didn't want to deal with it then so re-drained the tank to re-address it later.
Upon re-gassing it up upon return the gas started flowing out at a rate of about a third as fast as I was pouring it in! Upon inspection it was determined that it was coming from a crack in the tank near the bottom of the saddle section reserve side where a fiberglass layup support is attached. It appears that the strapping has acted as a stress raiser along with expansion and contraction in the AZ heat.
In any case it looks like it may have to be sawzall time for the top of the cockpit module for repair. Has anyone gone through a repair to a fuel tank an a fully built aircraft? What was the routine? I am not looking forward to this and am possibly considering just parting the aircraft out. I could have been out flying and pumped all the fuel out of the reserve return side in a matter of about 10 minutes if I didn't light it off.
Feed back appreciated
Steve Hagar
A143
Mesa AZ
914
Airmaster
Steve Hagar
hagargs(at)earthlink.net (hagargs(at)earthlink.net)
[quote][b]
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bill.sue(at)orcon.net.nz
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| Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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Steve,
I had to replace my tank after an incident with a cow!
It was not as nearly as bad as I thought it would be. ( The repair, not hitting the cow!)
I removed the tank by cutting the top off the cockpit module about 20mm below the top edge. The tank was stuck hard to the fibreglass straps that hold it in place so I just cut it to pieces in place and took it out bit by bit, this was a bit tedious but did not present any problems.
I prepared the new tank ready so that when I put it in it would be a one time job only with no in and out trials.
To put the tank in I had to spread the fuselage enough for it to slip in on to the original support lay-ups and check that it was in the correct position. When the tank looked to be positioned correctly and not fouling any controls I then lifted it as high as possible and managed to get a redux - flox mix on to the brackets sufficient to hold the tank in place. The top of the cockpit module was replaced using the normal glass splicing techniques.
I also increased the width of the spacers that prevent the tank from expanding forward. I was concerned that the amount it moved when full of fuel could cause cracking.
This all happened 500 hrs ago and it has never shown any defect.
Rgds
Mono XS
914 Airmaster
Steve Hagar wrote: [quote]
After having the aircraft down for awhile with the fuel tank drained to avoid having stale gas present I noted a leak upon gassing it up. I was going to bring it over to Phoenix Composites to have the prop rebalanced. It looked like it was coming from the lower feed boss where the big piece of short hose is clamped on. I was in a hurry and going on vacation in 2 days for a few weeks. I didn't want to deal with it then so re-drained the tank to re-address it later.
Upon re-gassing it up upon return the gas started flowing out at a rate of about a third as fast as I was pouring it in! Upon inspection it was determined that it was coming from a crack in the tank near the bottom of the saddle section reserve side where a fiberglass layup support is attached. It appears that the strapping has acted as a stress raiser along with expansion and contraction in the AZ heat.
In any case it looks like it may have to be sawzall time for the top of the cockpit module for repair. Has anyone gone through a repair to a fuel tank an a fully built aircraft? What was the routine? I am not looking forward to this and am possibly considering just parting the aircraft out. I could have been out flying and pumped all the fuel out of the reserve return side in a matter of about 10 minutes if I didn't light it off.
Feed back appreciated
Steve Hagar
A143
Mesa AZ
914
Airmaster
Steve Hagar
hagargs(at)earthlink.net (hagargs(at)earthlink.net)
__________ NOD32 2458 (20070813) Information __________
[b]
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pete(at)lawless.info
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:07 am Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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Bill
Tell all what did you do to the cow that caused the fuel tank to leak?
Pete
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ptag.dev(at)tiscali.co.uk
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:19 am Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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He vowed to never have her as a passenger again ! Joke ….Not intended that it would be Sue!
D0 not archive.
Robt.C.Harrison
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acrojim(at)cfl.rr.com
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:47 am Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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Steve
I feel like I just wote your letter. I just last week completed installing a new tank. My old tank was leaking in almost the same location. I had a crack about one and a half inches long at the edge of the fiberglass layup in the center of the saddle section. I had planed to take pictures on the replacement, but simply got involved in the teardown for replacement that I forgot. This happened at 702 hours on the Hobbs.
You will need to remove the upholstery from the seat back and top.The entire top of the seatback needs to be cut loose. make the cut about 2 inches below top of the seatback.(you will need room to refiberglass the top back on.)
My tank would not release itself from the layups that was done to hold in place in the build process. I had to cut the tank out in small pieces, what a pig of a job that was.
Once the tank is installed, you need to cut about, a one inch wide recess in the seat module and about the same in the top that you removed to get at the tank. Leave the inside layer of fiberglass on both the top and the seat module, when you cut the recess.
Then place the top back on the module, layup one layer of fiberglass in the recess, and let cure.
Once you return lay up at least two more layers in the recess. Then I laid up 3 more layer of glass that I had cut 5 inches wide. This is a structural part of the cockpit. Once this cured I mixed up some epoxy filler to fill in some of the low places, then I reinstalled the upholstery.
If you need to talk. Cell 352-250-0712
Jim and Augustene Brown
N398JB
[quote][b]
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bill.sue(at)orcon.net.nz
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:42 pm Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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It was turned into a can of pet food. Beware all animals that get in the way of a forced landing!
R.C.Harrison wrote: [quote] 14 Hantone Hill <![endif]--> Clean Clean DocumentEmail MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} <![endif]--> <![endif]--> <![endif]-->
He vowed to never have her as a passenger again ! Joke ….Not intended that it would be Sue!
D0 not archive.
Robt.C.Harrison
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budyerly(at)msn.com
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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<?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]--> Steve,
When I was at Flight Crafters, Russell and I cut out Joe Deriders tank. Cut the cockpit module top off about 1 inch or so down.. Once the tank top is exposed, you will best be served by drilling small holes to get the saw in and then cutting the tank out in pieces. We used an air saw with a Dremmel and air cutters with every imaginable attachment. Clean up the reinforcing plies and then look hard at what caused the split. The glass reinforcements do really stick quite hard. Check also that the front spacers are not putting too much push against the tank causing it to buckle under the tank expansion. Your tank split is the first one I have heard of not as a result of a really hard landing or something that may have caused the fuselage to buckle. A Tri gear can bend the fuselage and cause a lateral tension failure on the bottom of the aircraft, but you have got to hit really hard. Mono can bend more longitudinally, but you have got to hit really hard.
Replacing the tank was no major problem for us and if I remember, Joe had an enlarged the fuel access holes, or we cut it to make one long "Double D" which made the refit of plumbing and lower attach bracket a breeze. Two days of sweat. Like eating an elephant....One bite at a time.
Bud Yerly
Custom Flight Creations.
[quote] ---
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alan(at)kestrel-insurance
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:43 pm Post subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak |
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Steve
I had exactly the same problem at the beginning of the year and documented it on this forum under the title “ Who says life is fair”. My leak was in the same spot as yours. We initially tried a repair, but that didn’t work, so don’t bother trying it’s a waste of your time. The only solution is to replace the tank as others have said already. Its strange that when I had my leak no one seemed to have heard of this problem, now we have had a couple more? Are they all occurring in hot climates or is there another problem?
If you want any help with the actual removal and installation speak to Bob Berube who did mine for me and did a great job.
Good Luck
Alan
From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Steve Hagar
Sent: 15 August 2007 06:48
To: europa-list
Subject: Down for the count - fuel tank leak
After having the aircraft down for awhile with the fuel tank drained to avoid having stale gas present I noted a leak upon gassing it up. I was going to bring it over to Phoenix Composites to have the prop rebalanced. It looked like it was coming from the lower feed boss where the big piece of short hose is clamped on. I was in a hurry and going on vacation in 2 days for a few weeks. I didn't want to deal with it then so re-drained the tank to re-address it later.
Upon re-gassing it up upon return the gas started flowing out at a rate of about a third as fast as I was pouring it in! Upon inspection it was determined that it was coming from a crack in the tank near the bottom of the saddle section reserve side where a fiberglass layup support is attached. It appears that the strapping has acted as a stress raiser along with expansion and contraction in the AZ heat.
In any case it looks like it may have to be sawzall time for the top of the cockpit module for repair. Has anyone gone through a repair to a fuel tank an a fully built aircraft? What was the routine? I am not looking forward to this and am possibly considering just parting the aircraft out. I could have been out flying and pumped all the fuel out of the reserve return side in a matter of about 10 minutes if I didn't light it off.
Feed back appreciated
Steve Hagar
A143
Mesa AZ
914
Airmaster
Steve Hagar
hagargs(at)earthlink.net (hagargs(at)earthlink.net)
| Quote: | | http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List |
01234
13/08/2007 10:15
13/08/2007 10:15
[quote][b]
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