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sarg314(at)gmail.com
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 Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:56 am Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the big plate with the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level probe. Is there an easy way to test this for leaks without actually putting fuel in it?
Advice for those who are contemplating doing this soon:
 I used the 3.5 oz "caulking tube" style package of sealant.Â
1- buy the caulking gun van's offers. It speeds thing up and will make it a little neater. (I didn't!). You can't use a hardware store caulking gun because the disk on the end of the plunger is a little too big - really annoying. You could modify it with a smaller disk - about 1/8" or 1/4" smaller in diameter ought to do it.
2- Get everything ready and work fast: I stupidly did not notice (or had forgotten since I bought the stuff a couple months ago) that it has only a 1/2 hour working time. There was enough there to do both tanks, but after I did the first tank it set and that was that. The quart can has 2-hours working time. I don't know why they would even bother to make 1/2 hour. What does it buy you? This is a reason not to buy the 3.5 oz tube, although the quart costs more than twice as much as the tube.Â
Frustrating.
--
Tom Sargent, RV-6A, final assembly.
[quote][b]
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david.nelson(at)pobox.com
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:51 am Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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Hi Tom,
You can use a water manometer and pressure test to 1 PSI.
http://caura.dyndns.org/gallery/Right-Wing/afc
The level will change with changes in temperature and baro pressures. After
pressurizing your tank, let it sit for a couple of minutes to allow the system
to stabilize. You'll know pretty quick (with in minutes if not seconds) if
there's any leak.
If there's a leak and you can't hear it, mix up a solution of dish soap (Dawn is
preferred since it's very mild) and water in a spray bottle and spray all sealed
areas.
PS - You can add a drop or two food coloring to add some contrast to the water
in the manometer.
Good luck,
/\/elson
~~ Lately my memory seems to be like a steel trap .... without any spring. ~~
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, thomas sargent wrote:
| Quote: | Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the big plate with the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level probe. Is there an easy way to test this for leaks without actually putting fuel
in it?
Advice for those who are contemplating doing this soon:
I used the 3.5 oz "caulking tube" style package of sealant.
1- buy the caulking gun van's offers. It speeds thing up and will make it a little neater. (I didn't!). You can't use a hardware store caulking gun because the disk on the end of the plunger
is a little too big - really annoying. You could modify it with a smaller disk - about 1/8" or 1/4" smaller in diameter ought to do it.
2- Get everything ready and work fast: I stupidly did not notice (or had forgotten since I bought the stuff a couple months ago) that it has only a 1/2 hour working time. There was enough
there to do both tanks, but after I did the first tank it set and that was that. The quart can has 2-hours working time. I don't know why they would even bother to make 1/2 hour. What does it
buy you? This is a reason not to buy the 3.5 oz tube, although the quart costs more than twice as much as the tube.
Frustrating.
--
Tom Sargent, RV-6A, final assembly.
|
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Matt Dralle
Site Admin
Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 25781
Location: Livermore CA USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:05 am Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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At 08:53 AM 7/28/2009 Tuesday, you wrote:
| Quote: | Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the big plate with the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level probe. Is there an easy way to test this for leaks without actually putting fuel in it?
Tom Sargent, RV-6A, final assembly.
|
Hi Tom,
I'm just about ready to close the ends on my RV-8 fuel tanks. I talked with Tom Green via email regarding some questions I had. Among other things, he recommended:
1) *Not* using the cork gaskets for the cover plate or the sender.
2) Just using Proseal to form an in-place gasket for them.
3) Pressure testing the tank after the plate went on.
Seems like you could use the same latex-glove/soap-n-water technique to find any leaks. Less messy than filling with gas.
The only problem is that I would really like to calibrate/test the capacitance fuel level senders now. But the only way to do that is to fill them up with 100LL. Guess I just have to wait, although its really going to suck if there is a problem with the sender later.
Matt Dralle
RV-8 #82880 N998RV
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Matt Dralle
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david.nelson(at)pobox.com
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:33 am Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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Aahh, proseal .... which reminds me. Van's has a service buletin out for the
pickups w/in the tanks:
SB 06-2-23 - All models except RV-10 - Safetying of standard and flop-type fuel pickup tubes
http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/sb06-2-23.pdf
It's not impossible to get back in w/ prosealed covers, but it's a lot easier
before you proseal the covers. 
Regards,
/\/elson
~~ Lately my memory seems to be like a steel trap .... without any spring. ~~
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Matt Dralle wrote:
| Quote: |
At 08:53 AM 7/28/2009 Tuesday, you wrote:
> Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the big plate with the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level probe. Is there an easy way to test this for leaks without actually putting fuel in it?
>
> Tom Sargent, RV-6A, final assembly.
Hi Tom,
I'm just about ready to close the ends on my RV-8 fuel tanks. I talked with Tom Green via email regarding some questions I had. Among other things, he recommended:
1) *Not* using the cork gaskets for the cover plate or the sender.
2) Just using Proseal to form an in-place gasket for them.
3) Pressure testing the tank after the plate went on.
Seems like you could use the same latex-glove/soap-n-water technique to find any leaks. Less messy than filling with gas.
The only problem is that I would really like to calibrate/test the capacitance fuel level senders now. But the only way to do that is to fill them up with 100LL. Guess I just have to wait, although its really going to suck if there is a problem with the sender later.
Matt Dralle
RV-8 #82880 N998RV
|
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JohnInReno
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
Posts: 150
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:26 pm Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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thomas sargent wrote: | Quote: | Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the big plate with the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level probe. Is there an easy way to test this for leaks without actually putting fuel in it?
|
I used Vans kit:
Part Number = FUEL TANK TEST KIT
It is an AN fitting with a valve stem in it. Put a toy balloon on the vent and the tire stem in the fuel line. Apply a SMALL amount of air pressure to blow up the balloon. Mine held air for more than a week. Test for leaks with soapy water.
John Morgensen
RV9A - wiring
[quote][b]
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John Morgensen
RV-9A - Born on July 3, 2013
RV4 - for sale |
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rickpegser(at)yahoo.com
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:25 pm Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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i know that has been covered here, will go over it again. the reason the small tubes come only in half is that any airline sheet metal guy would have blown through that tube in about five minutes, and the labor costs make them a throw away. you can extend them if you keep them cold don't take them below forty or they will not mix.
to check for leaks, wait two days. it has taken this long to get here, you have time. we wait In case you did not mix the sealant all the way. if it has not kicked off after two days it won't kick.
seal the tank openings with the exception of the vent or fuel pick up it does not mater, but you only need one. Next attach your freshly calibrated 0-5psig gage and regulator to the fitting. fill the tank to one pound of pressure and and dip it to look for leaks. but since you are working in your garage and probably don't have that 500$ conbination of equipment. let do this for about 10$
turn your air compressor regulator down to as low as it will go.
attach a tee to the vent one leg up one leg down
to the top leg attach a hose with a needle valve to you compressor air line
to the bottom leg attach a hose about eight feet in lenght with a five foot loop taped to a board. that is two and a half feet up and down. fill this hose with water untill you have a foot and a half up both sides of the loop. do not use more then a three foot tall loop as this is your pressure regulator. if you blow water out of the loop you have too much pressure in the tank.
slowly open the needle valve untill the water level in the loop differs by two feet. you now have pressurized the tank to one psig approx.
close needle valve. disconnect air line from compressor.
a twenty five % mixture of jhonsons baby shampoo and water sprayed on the tank will show any leak. baby shampoo will not react with the alum and i will not say that about all other soaps.
this level will change with temp so don't be freeked out if it is down in the morning.
rick
--- On Tue, 7/28/09, David E. Nelson <david.nelson(at)pobox.com> wrote:
| Quote: | From: David E. Nelson <david.nelson(at)pobox.com>
Subject: Re: closing up fuel tank
To: "rv-list" <rv-list(at)matronics.com>
Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 9:50 AM
"David E. Nelson" <david.nelson(at)pobox.com>
Hi Tom,
You can use a water manometer and pressure test to 1 PSI.
http://caura.dyndns.org/gallery/Right-Wing/afc
The level will change with changes in temperature and baro
pressures. After pressurizing your tank, let it sit
for a couple of minutes to allow the system to
stabilize. You'll know pretty quick (with in minutes
if not seconds) if there's any leak.
If there's a leak and you can't hear it, mix up a solution
of dish soap (Dawn is preferred since it's very mild) and
water in a spray bottle and spray all sealed areas.
PS - You can add a drop or two food coloring to add some
contrast to the water in the manometer.
Good luck,
/\/elson
~~ Lately my memory seems to be like a steel trap
.... without any spring. ~~
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, thomas sargent wrote:
> Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the
big plate with the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level
probe. Is there an easy way to test this for leaks
without actually putting fuel
> in it?
>
>
> Advice for those who are contemplating doing this
soon:
> I used the 3.5 oz "caulking tube" style package
of sealant.
> 1- buy the caulking gun van's offers. It speeds
thing up and will make it a little neater. (I
didn't!). You can't use a hardware store caulking gun
because the disk on the end of the plunger
> is a little too big - really annoying. You could
modify it with a smaller disk - about 1/8" or 1/4" smaller
in diameter ought to do it.
>
> 2- Get everything ready and work fast: I stupidly did
not notice (or had forgotten since I bought the stuff a
couple months ago) that it has only a 1/2 hour working
time. There was enough
> there to do both tanks, but after I did the first tank
it set and that was that. The quart can has 2-hours
working time. I don't know why they would even bother to
make 1/2 hour. What does it
> buy you? This is a reason not to buy the 3.5 oz
tube, although the quart costs more than twice as much as
the tube.
> Frustrating.
> --
> Tom Sargent, RV-6A, final assembly.
>
>
>
>
>
Forum -
FAQ,
- MATRONICS WEB FORUMS -
List Contribution Web Site -
-Matt
Dralle, List Admin.
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| | - The Matronics RV-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List |
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ceengland(at)bellsouth.ne
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: closing up fuel tank |
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|
John Morgensen wrote:
| Quote: | thomas sargent wrote:
> Last night I closed up my left tank - screwed on the big plate with
> the fuel pickup and mounted the fuel level probe. Is there an easy
> way to test this for leaks without actually putting fuel in it?
I used Vans kit:
Part Number = FUEL TANK TEST KIT
It is an AN fitting with a valve stem in it. Put a toy balloon on the
vent and the tire stem in the fuel line. Apply a SMALL amount of air
pressure to blow up the balloon. Mine held air for more than a week.
Test for leaks with soapy water.
John Morgensen
RV9A - wiring
|
You can get the schrader valves at plumbing supply houses. Plumbers use
them to test natural gas lines. As others mentioned, a water manometer
allows extended duration tests and also serves as a the safety relief if
you overdo the pressure. The tank will probably leak air around the cap.
Vasoline works well to seal up air leaks around the cap. One advantage
(maybe the only advantage) to the cork gasket, if you use proseal on the
gasket instead of gluing the plate directly to the tank, is the ability
to cut the access plate off without destroying the plate. I did a
temporary installation of my access plates (just cork, no sealant) & did
a pressure test before permanently installing the plates. It obviously
leaked, but held air well enough to detect the areas in the rest of the
tank that needed attention.
Charlie
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