taffy0687(at)yahoo.com
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 Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:49 am Post subject: Fwd: Re: Corroded Fuel Tank/ questions |
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Randy-- sorry to hear about your fuel tank leaks. Could you please share a few more details with the group?
Did you buy your tanks from Zac ? .032-- 6061-T6 ? How many layers of cork did you put on/ around the tank? Did you "slosh" the inside of the tanks with sloshing compound ( not that it would help, if chaffing was the cause)? Do you think any of the leaks were caused by chaffing ? How much trouble to open the wing ? Do you have to open up the complete length of the wing or does ZAC allow you to cut the skin just outbd of the fuel tank so as you only have open about 5' of the wing?
I know ZAC says to use .032--- 6061-T6. I had my tanks built from .040------- 5052-H32. I would have used .050 if I thought my brake could have bent it ok. After bending the .040, I am sure my brake would have bent the .050 just fine and the .050 is what I'd use if doing it again. .050 would have been easier for the welder also.
Thanks for answers in advance, thanks for informing the group and good luck.
Fritz----- Corvair 90/90
Randy Stout <n282rs(at)earthlink.net> wrote:
[quote] Since my plane was going to be out of commission while I get another engine, I thought I would work on my annual inspection. I had a little bit of a blue stain around the fuel sender. Good time to fix that, especially since my wings are not on the plane. When I filled the tank to test it, I could see fuel seeping from under the ribs and out the bottom of the nose skin. I had to pull the nose skin off to see where it was coming from. It appears that the cork had soaked up some water and I have at least 5 holes that have been caused from corrosion. Some of them are actually on the top of the tank.
I think the only reason I did not notice it before, was because the fit between the cork , wing skin, and tank was pretty tight. When we took the wings off to transport the plane home, this wing was upside down on the trailer. I'm sure that shook things loose, opening up the holes. I'll have to pull the other tank to see if it has the same problem.
For those who are building, maybe it would be a good idea to prime and paint your tanks before closing up your wings. I had not done this, but will this time.
For now, I'm trying to decide if I want to make fiberglass tanks like the ones shown on CH601.org, or do like Carlos Sa did with his riveted tanks. I also see that Bill Morelli had to repair his tanks in December and used something other than cork.
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