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Strange leak what is it?

V

Vlad

Well Known Member
It is not fuel. I opened the covers and checked with mirror. It's not oil too far from the engine. It's not brake fluid all connections checked. Tubes inspected inside, penetrating AN fitting clean fluid level normal.

The spot looks sticky and greasy. Doesn't smell. I didn't taste it :D


This is how it looks. What is it? :confused:


leak1.jpg




leak2.jpg




leak3.jpg
 
Maybe the grease or lubricant you used to persuade your wing spar bolts into place?
 
tkatc said:
Maybe the grease or lubricant you used to persuade your wing spar bolts into place?
Click to expand...

Unlikely. Why it showed up in the middle of brutal winter and not in July heat of Phase One?

jthocker said:
Maybe fiberglass/aluminum chafe residue mixed with water?
I see it all the time.
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Interesting. A flight was performed not so long ago in pouring rain. Maybe water got inside and washed that chafe :confused:
 
Me too!!!!

...Tire and brake dust that travels up the fairing. I filled them up with expanding foam, stopped this from forming and also stopped most of the 9-A whistle people talk about. Regards, Allan:D
 
I like the brake dust theory. I flew my -6A without wheel pants and leg fairings for a while, then bowed to peer pressure and installed them over Christmas. Every landing is accompanied by a short burst of tire smoke smell from the landing. It took me a little while to figure out that the smoke was traveling up the fairing and into the cockpit. I just plan to use some aluminum tape to close up the gap around the main gear legs and see if that works. I don't know if I want to foam inside the leg fairings...I might need to take them off someday.

Jim Bower
St. Louis
RV-6A N143DJ
Flying since August!
 
Looks like oil blown out from the exhaust which gets trapped under the intersection fairing then mixed with everything else your flying through.
 
Our gear leg fairings are installed with foaming adhesive

It did a great job. It was the method specified by Tracy Saylor who designed and manufactured the fairings.

Bob Axsom
 
My vote is for a minor brake fluid leak when applying brake line pressure. Just a drop will cause any passing dirt to not pass by.
 
I have the same spot, same location.

Feels oily between fingers. Bet it is brake hydraulic fluid and tire/brake pad soot. Wonder where the leak is?
 
PerfTech said:
...Tire and brake dust that travels up the fairing. I filled them up with expanding foam, stopped this from forming and also stopped most of the 9-A whistle people talk about. Regards, Allan:D
Click to expand...
A word of caution to those who've done similar things, I read an article by Ken Scott in the 1/2009 RVator about this stuff being able to trap water against the gear leg allowing corrosion to eat away at it. It may not happen to you, but could be something that warrants checking if it's not already done on your annuals.
 
KRviator,
I like your tag line,"Once you have tasted flight you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return - Leonardo DaVinci"

For this topic maybe it should read." Once you have tasted what flight gives, you will never fly skywards again"
 
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