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FUEL DRAINS O'RING REPLACEMENTS

RV-4

Well Known Member
Hello All

I will need to remove the fuel drains on my -4 in the next week or so and I was wondering where I could buy replacements O'rings just in case I need one or two..

Any idea where I can get those?? or if you have a part # that will be fine also..

Thanks

Bruno
[email protected]
 
Hello All

I will need to remove the fuel drains on my -4 in the next week or so and I was wondering where I could buy replacements O'rings just in case I need one or two..

Any idea where I can get those?? or if you have a part # that will be fine also..

Thanks

Bruno
[email protected]

Don't waste your time. Just carry a spare drain valve and swap it out. They aren't that expensive, and you can change a valve with full tanks and very little loss. If you had to rebuild the valve (and that's not always possible), you need to remove the valve from the tank anyway.

-Marc
 
Hello All

I will need to remove the fuel drains on my -4 in the next week or so and I was wondering where I could buy replacements O'rings just in case I need one or two..

Any idea where I can get those?? or if you have a part # that will be fine also..

Thanks

Bruno
[email protected]

It's a Viton o-ring. You may purchase from Van's or McMaster-Carr carries them also...part #9464K11 but they come in packs of 100 for $5.70
 
Tip for changing fuel drain O-Ring

The first time I went to change the O-Ring on the fuel drain, it was a pain trying to keep pressure on the drain to remove and install the O-Ring.

I got a little 1/16" diameter finishing nail, pushed the fuel drain open, then interested the little nail through the inside drain hole. This held the drain open to remove the old O-Ring and install the new O-Ring.

2020-04-24-12-24-09-9350.jpg
 
Just replace one this morning. I read elsewhere in another thread to torque to 70 in lbs. That is way too much. I just put a bit of EZ Turn (Fuelube) on the threads, inserted to finger tight, then turned it in 1.5 to 2 turns. Maybe 10 in lbs at the most.
 
Gosh, Gary, that?s inspired! Here I thought it was so smart holding the valve in a pair of Cleco pliers. I?d read that trick here in VAF, too.
 
Fuel Drains O'rings

Thanks a lot for all the info Gentlemen, I'll try to find some here locally ( I'm in Canada after all :D ) if not I'll get some frome the USA.

Chers

Bruno
 
Another tip for near zero gas loss when changing the drain on a less than empty tank: put a short rubber tune over the vent line sticking out the bottom of the fuselage and pinch off the other end with a spring clamp. This is the ONLY time you want to stop fuel flowing from the tank due to a blocked vent! :eek:

This is probably completely obvious to most VAF folks, but I don't remember reading it in the 13 odd years I took for my ultra slow build. You can imagine what happens when you take the drain out, take a little more time than you thought it would take to put one thumb over the hole...and discover the replacement drain is juuuuuuuuuust out of reach of your other hand.

I heard it from a friend. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Another tip for near zero gas loss when changing the drain on a less than empty tank: put a short rubber tune over the vent line sticking out the bottom of the fuselage and pinch off the other end with a spring clamp. This is the ONLY time you want to stop fuel flowing from the tank due to a blocked vent! :eek:

This is probably completely obvious to most VAF folks, but I don't remember reading it in the 13 odd years I took for my ultra slow build. You can imagine what happens when you take the drain out, take a little more time than you thought it would take to put one thumb over the hole...and discover the replacement drain is juuuuuuuuuust out of reach of your other hand.

I heard it from a friend. :rolleyes:

Just a piece of electric tape pinched will work fine.... Just don't forget to remove it.
 
The first time I went to change the O-Ring on the fuel drain, it was a pain trying to keep pressure on the drain to remove and install the O-Ring.

I got a little 1/16" diameter finishing nail, pushed the fuel drain open, then interested the little nail through the inside drain hole. This held the drain open to remove the old O-Ring and install the new O-Ring.

2020-04-24-12-24-09-9350.jpg

Smarter than me!
 
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