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Looking for gas leak

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wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:23 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

I opened the door to 824KF yesterday to find that she reeked of gas. I guess I have a leak but I can't find any evidence of it (other than the smell). Any ideas?

AMuller589(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 8:01 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

I don't know what kind of drains you have but check to see if your doors hit the drains when open

barry(at)pgtc.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:11 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Wingnut, I wouldn't discount the possibility or a true leak but it is 

possible that enough vapor comes through the rubber fuel lines.  This is a 

common occurrence in Pulsars and there is a particular type of hose that 

will fix the problem that has a teflon inner lining.  If you want to pursue 

it, I will dig out the type of hose.



Barry West



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wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:15 am Post subject: Re: Looking for gas leak

Doors don't hit the drains. Also, the odor is definately inside the cockpit. Any suggestions on where I can look to check for a tank leak? If the only way to check inolves cutting fabric then I guess I'll try changing the fuel lines first. Since I'm using mogas can I just use automotive fuel lines?

runwayrex(at)juno.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:03 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

If you're using mogas, do not use mil spec fuel lines. Mil spec lines have been known to soften/ separate inside and collapse, restricting or even stopping fuel flow. I went to NAPA and replaced all my fuel lines, both in the cabin and engine compartment. I still suspect that you are smelling fuel that is in the plastic header tank. My buddy and I have had that problem for many years. There's no leak, it's just the smell of gas permeating through the tank. Let us know what you find out, ok? 

Rex in Michigan



-- "wingnut" <wingnut(at)spamarrest.com> wrote:

--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "wingnut" <wingnut(at)spamarrest.com>



Doors don't hit the drains. Also, the odor is definately inside the cockpit. Any suggestions on where I can look to check for a tank leak? If the only way to check inolves cutting fabric then I guess I'll try changing the fuel lines first. Since I'm using mogas can I just use automotive fuel lines?





Read this topic online here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=50986#50986

cliffh(at)outdrs.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:10 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

I had a gas leak on my model 4 speedster. It was the fitting at the left 

wing tank. I removed the fitting and reinstalled it with some sealant and 

solved the problem.



Floran H.

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Richard Rabbers

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 114
Location: Benton Harbor, MI - USA

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:45 am Post subject: Re: Looking for gas leak

I'd assume ethanol blend / vapors would be more noticable than straight gas. Could this be a factor?

_________________
Richard in SW Michigan
Model 1 / 618 - full-lotus floats (restoration)

Bill Willyard

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
Location: Grandville, Michigan U.S.A.

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:58 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

> I opened the door to 824KF yesterday to find that she reeked of gas. I guess I have a leak but I can't find any evidence of it (other than the smell). Any ideas?

 

 

 I had the same situation. I replaces all the fuel lines with automotive grade and no more fuel odor.

    

   Bill W.

_________________
Bill Willyard
Classic IV 912UL

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:59 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

If the tank is indeed leaking, it will eventually stain the fabric.  My tank 

leaked on top and there is a slight yellowing of the fabric in the area of 

the leak.  This was with Aerothane and I presume it would affect Polytone 

also.



My cockpit smell is most heavy on hot days.



Lowell

---

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:06 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

If you have the poly header tank, there was early list discussions on 

sealing the AN fittings as they attach to the tank.  These can leak enough 

to get a smell without a visible drip.  One way I found to check fittings is 

to use a small strip of papertowel or tissue and put the edge to the suspect 

joint and check the paper for dampness.



It doesn't take much of a leak to cause an oder.  I suspect my smell is due 

to fuel line permeability as mentioned.  I can detect the oder at the line 

with the turtle deck off.



Lowell



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barry(at)pgtc.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:53 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Randy, does the Tygon darken?  Mine darken to the point where they are hard 

to read after a couple of years.

I have the rigid plastic that came with the kit.  Probably polycarbonate.



Barry





t

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janderson412(at)hotmail.c
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

I would say use ONLY automotive fuel line and it's latest specification, way ahead of aeronaut stuff

 

 [quote]   

From:  "wingnut" <wingnut(at)spamarrest.com>

Reply-To:  kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

To:  kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

Subject:  Re: Looking for gas leak

Date:  Mon, 31 Jul 2006 06:15:49 -0700

--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "wingnut" <wingnut(at)spamarrest.com>



Doors don't hit the drains. Also, the odor is definately inside the cockpit. Any suggestions on where I can look to check for a tank leak? If the only way to check inolves cutting fabric then I guess I'll try changing the fuel lines first. Since I'm using mogas can I just use automotive fuel lines?





Read this topic online

rjdaugh(at)rapidnet.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Barry,

The Tygon may be a little darker - but not much.  I do keep my fox in the

hangar most of the time.



The sight tube (might be poly carbonate) did darken enough so that I do a

double take each time I check the fuel level on that side.  I am looking for

hose fittings an am replacing the hard sight tubes with Tygon at some point.

May be with a wire inside it to make it keep it's shape better.  I think

some one on the list suggested that and I like the idea.



Randy



.           

--

Jim Shumaker

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 106

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:27 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

I dusted the tank with carpenters chalk.  It helped show up the leak.

  

 If you are using auto fuel you must use auto hose.  Aviation hose will fail sooner.

  

 Jim Shumaker

 ---

_________________
Jim Shumaker

barry(at)pgtc.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:14 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Randy and all; talking about a fuel leak - when I took off from Oshkosh last 

Thursday, my wife said she smelled gas and I did too.  Then it started 

pouring out of the right wing and running all down the right door and side. 

I called and was cleared back to the runway and went to aircraft maintenance 

and repair.  Volunteers helped me swing the right wing and we found the site 

gage was cracked.  This thing was more than 5 years old and was too dark to 

read.  We replaced it with some colored Tygon which did not leak but was 

also unreadable.  I did not replace the scale and extra tubing was used so 

the bend did not have to be so tight.



I am trying to figure out a better way to gage the fuel but not having much 

luck so far.  I replaced the left one a couple of years ago and it is pretty 

dark now.



Any ideas other than annual replacement.



Barry West



PS.  I need to remind that there should be a restriction in the site gage to 

help prevent the level from constantly moving up and down with airplane 

motion.



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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 6:10 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Replacing the hard sight tubes with Tygon is exactly what I did.  I got 

tired of the large plastic compression fittings working their way loose over 

time and leaking.  I found that the Tygon could be bent with heat just like 

the poly tubes and look exactly the same, but with no more leaking at the 

fittings.



Lowell

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barry(at)pgtc.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:41 am Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Lowell, did you plug the Tygon tubes to dampen the fuel level going up and 

down with the motion of the airplane?  I had a piece of something in the 

tube at the top with a small hole in it.  Don't remember what it was but it 

looked like wood.  And do we need something to keep the tube from 

collapsing?



Barry West



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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject: Looking for gas leak

Barry,



I made the wood block with the edges aligned with the fuel fittings per the 

hard tube kit instructions - I switched back to barb fittings and I think I 

cut off one or more of the barbs to gain some room - and heated the 

appropriate areas of the tubing and bent it around the block giving a 

squared off  "U".  I trimmed this to size and clamped it onto the barb 

fittings.  No, I didn't put anything inside to dampen the fuel motion. 

Maybe the not perfect bends added a bit of restriction.  I haven't had any 

problem gauging fuel levels, though I guess it moves a bit.  It wouldn't be 

hard to add the restricter if desired.



Lowell



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