Yes I have both the original plans and the thumb drive Vans sells. The original plans show the Z brackets being attached prior to the bottom skin, which is why I asked about access.
-Marc
A bit awkward but all the bolts are accessible thru those 3 inspection holes. Most folks can remove a tank in about 30 minutes.
A bit awkward but all the bolts are accessible thru those 3 inspection holes. Most folks can remove a tank in about 30 minutes.
Final question: I want to add a purge valve return line to a tank. The builder returned the purge valve to the tunnel, but not all the way to the QB tank. What fitting should I use at the tank and where is the best location?
-Marc
Final question: I want to add a purge valve return line to a tank. The builder returned the purge valve to the tunnel, but not all the way to the QB tank. What fitting should I use at the tank and where is the best location?
-Marc
What's wrong with how the purge is setup? I'm imagining it is set like mine:
You set the purge return where it tee's into the feed line from one tank. Let's say you set that up on the left tank.
So, to do a hot start, select the right tank, pump on, purge valve open, and the warm fuel is pushed back into the left tank.
A bit awkward but all the bolts are accessible thru those 3 inspection holes. Most folks can remove a tank in about 30 minutes.
I'm pretty sure the purge tee's into the output of the A/P electric pump in the tunnel. That would seem to negate the benefit of the cool fuel in the tank. The purge instructions say you don't have to have a dedicated return to the tank, but then go on to say the port stamped as "return" should return to any tank.
-Marc
Yeah, that isn't a good solution. Just use the same hardware and feed the return into either of the feed lines upstream of the fuel valve. That'll return it to that side's tank as long as that tank is *not* selected on the fuel valve.
Much easier (IMO) than pulling a tank and installing a new fitting.
Final question: I want to add a purge valve return line to a tank. The builder returned the purge valve to the tunnel, but not all the way to the QB tank. What fitting should I use at the tank and where is the best location?
-Marc
Well after 3+ hours I still don't have the tank off. Things were going pretty good until I tried to get this -3 bolt out:
View attachment 6189
Either the bolt of (more likely) the riv-nut insert is spinning but bolt no loosen. The only good news is that it's right up in the access panel so if I have to grind the head off with a Dremal it won't be too bad...
-Marc
There’s a nutplate on the other side of that bolt.. I would think the nutplate is probably not spinning, but I bet the threads on the -3 bolt stripped, leaving the bolt spinning in place. If the nutplate cleans up with a tap, that’s the better case. If you have to change the nutplate, you may have to use pulled 3/32 rivets, as the space under the Z-bracket is tight. If you use the Dremel to cut the head, be super careful not to nick the spar! I would probably tape some scraps of aluminum where I could just in case the dremel cutoff wheel jumps! The washer should protect the spot under the bolt head.
+++There’s a nutplate on the other side of that bolt.. I would think the nutplate is probably not spinning, but I bet the threads on the -3 bolt stripped, leaving the bolt spinning in .
+++
This has happened to me once. I attributed the cause to a bad nut plate or defective bolt threads.