Fuel tank leaking through plate mounting screws/nutplates
 

Hi all,

I am having issues with fuel leaking through the screws mounting the float plate to the tank. Since my kit was a QB, I did not have the option of using sealed nutplates. I now have a conic leak no matter how tightly I tighten the screws. Is there any sealant that I can put on the screw threads (LocTite or otherwise) to prevent the seepage?

Thanks,
Gerry

Chunk the cork gasket and use pro-seal is what most people do for this.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/...roduct=proseal

EZ TURN LUBE
 

I had the same problem and fixed it with EZ TURN.
You will have to drain or fly off the fuel to about 2 gallons otherwise the fuel will drain out the screw hole. Remove one at a time and spread EZ TURN on the threads and install. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ezturnlube.php

Best,
Rich

Formerly known as Fuel Lube.

I'd be interested in seeing how the fuel lube will work in the long term....I'd go ahead and re-install the screws, encapsulating them with pro-seal. Thousands are done that way, and you never have to worry about it again.

Paul

We used the Permatex Aviation Form-a-Gasket (sticky brown stuff) on the screws, nutplates, and cork gasket. No leaks in a year and a half on the RV-8. Also no leaks in 7 years on a similarly-prepped RV-4.

Thanks guys for the quick and varied solutions. I need some pro-seal on hand so, I think I'll start there.
Thanks again,
Gerry

Gerry
The proseal is the way to go, I put a little on the threads screw it in and then cover the head with a bead of the stuff. If you want to make it look neat as the sealer begins to set wet your finger (rubber glove maybe) with a little soapy water and push/mold the bead to a nice rounded dome over each screw.
Jerry

Fuel leaks
 

For my 6A, the fuel system is the weakest link. In the course of removing the slosh, I cut new access ports in the rear tank wall. I installed the stock cork gaskets with 'fuel lube' and they held so far. The rubber gaskets for the fuel senders leaked when installed with the lube. I must have torked them too much. I removed the rubber gaskets and prosealed the senders metal to metal. On the up side, I can remove a tank in 40 minutes but I don't enjoy it as much as I used to. The old cork was seeping very badly at 10 years and 700 hours.

John,

I just cut four access holes in the rear wall of my RV-4 left tank. I have a number of leaks and figured it was best to open the tank, clean everything, then pro-seal all seams. I cut four plates to rivet over the holes, and was going to pro-seal metal to metal. I am unclear from your comment above whether you used the cork gasket on the rear wall access ports, or on the rib access hole and fuel sender hole. If on the rear wall, can you elaborate on why you used cork instead of pro-seal the covers on?

Thanks,