ArVeeNiner
Well Known Member
So, I finished my fuel tanks back in August of 2004. They have had fuel in them since my first flight back in May of 2012.
A little over a year ago I noticed a small fuel seep at the inboard end of my left fuel tank. It was very small and so I worked on other minor issues first...until today.
I pulled the tank and noticed that the Pro-Seal in the vicinity of the leak has turned to goo. It has the consistency of uncured Pro-Seal.
I don't know if the fuel caused the Pro-Seal to turn to goo or vice versa. I find it doubtful that fuel caused it to turn because resistance to fuel is the whole point of Pro-Seal.
Maybe I got the mix ratio wrong but in all areas but the area where the leak occurred, the sealant seemed to cure just fine, including areas adjacent to the leak area. The right tank has no leaks at all.
I only found goo at the bottom of the rear baffle and the bottom of the end rib. All goo locations are external to the tank.
Has anybody else ever seen anything like this?
As far as the repair, I'll clean off all the bad sealant and re-apply. Also, I'll put a large fillet in the area of the leak inside the tank. Here is a shot of the rear baffle from the inside. It looks a bit light on sealant:
Here is the inside corner. This is where I suspect the seepage occurred:
Sound reasonable?
A little over a year ago I noticed a small fuel seep at the inboard end of my left fuel tank. It was very small and so I worked on other minor issues first...until today.
I pulled the tank and noticed that the Pro-Seal in the vicinity of the leak has turned to goo. It has the consistency of uncured Pro-Seal.
I don't know if the fuel caused the Pro-Seal to turn to goo or vice versa. I find it doubtful that fuel caused it to turn because resistance to fuel is the whole point of Pro-Seal.
Maybe I got the mix ratio wrong but in all areas but the area where the leak occurred, the sealant seemed to cure just fine, including areas adjacent to the leak area. The right tank has no leaks at all.
I only found goo at the bottom of the rear baffle and the bottom of the end rib. All goo locations are external to the tank.
Has anybody else ever seen anything like this?
As far as the repair, I'll clean off all the bad sealant and re-apply. Also, I'll put a large fillet in the area of the leak inside the tank. Here is a shot of the rear baffle from the inside. It looks a bit light on sealant:
Here is the inside corner. This is where I suspect the seepage occurred:
Sound reasonable?