n801bh(at)netzero.com
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 Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:51 am Post subject: Why the "Do Not Archive" Usage Was: Alcohol proof fue l tan |
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Hi guys,,, I probably should have not DNA'ed my post because in my situation the sloshing compound treatment worked perfectly. From watching the TV show Mythbusters I always try to run through my mind the thought " what if my comment lead to a accident" scenerio. As a builder who is developing a firewall forward powerplant for RV-10's, Lancairs, Murphy Moose's and other airframes I am VERY reluctant to pass on info till I am overwhelming sure it is correct and repeatable. As for the one poster who inquired about the RV-10 tanks being similar, yup the Zenith and Vans have almost the exact fabricating sequence so my thoughts should translate between both models. My next build will most probably be a RV-10 to use as a test bed for my motor program simply because as it sits now my Zenith 801 is "mildly" overpowered and borders on being dangerous when I get down to the slow flight area. These Matronics's lists are a wealth of knowledge and experience and I don't want to corrupt its concept in any way by passing on an" urban legend".
Safe flying and Happy building,
Ben Haas
www.haaspowerair.com
The below is a great post about thorough preparation of a tank for sealant...but had Don'tArchive at the end. I reproduce the post here with the DNA and the author's name removed.
I'm just wondering why, on posts like these with useful info, do the authors put the DNA label. Prevents finding the good info in the future.
Ralph Finch
| Quote: | Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 5:23 PM
To: rv-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Re: RV-List: Alcohol proof fuel tank sealer?
Jim. Here is my take on this rather touchy issue. On my Zenith 801 I researched this topic quite extensively and came to this conclusion. When properly applied the Randolph 912 sloshing compound will stand up to the demands of alcohol laced fuel. The earlier product will degrade when used with gas mixed with alcohol. Several reports have any sloshing compound suspect with downing of aircraft. This might be true, to a point. There was a DC-3 that crashed on takeoff and the conclusion was the sloshing compound came loose and plugged the fuel lines. The real story is the operator tried to seal up leaking tanks that were 50+ years old to save some money. Of course in those 50 years the fuel in the tanks, like any gas will do, coated the inner surface of the tanks with a varnish. Since they couldn't properly clean and prep the tanks they apparently just added sloshing sealer and let it dry. Common sense says the chain is only as strong as the weakest link and that turned out to be the layer of scum that the sealer attached itself to. It did delaminate and that apparently sent the sloshing compound/varnish into the tanks to float around and plug up the works. The proper way and the way I did my tanks is to take a virgin tank, before it is mounted in the wing, add MEK and shake it good. I then added a cup or so of gravel and shaked again for several minutes. This abraded the inner surface and scuffed it up to let the sloshing compound get a grip. I then emptied the tank, flushed it with hot water and detergent a few times and dumped a little more MEK in it, shook it more. poured that out and let it air dry. Then I added the 912 product and rotated the tank to throughly coat the inner surface with the compound, poured the remaining product out and let it dry for a week or so. The stuff is bonded to my satisfaction. After 5 years and thousands of gallons of fuel through the tanks there is absolutly no signs of failure of the sloshing compound or delamination from the tank surface. I suspect the bad rap the sloshing compound gets is from people who try to fix a tank and not prep the surface correctly. It is not like one can take a DC-3 and shake it good enough to remove 50 eyars of crud build up..
YMMV.
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