Weeping rivet

[Black8]

OK guys I have a single rivet that is weeping(very slight) fuel around it. It's located on the bottom side about 3 rivets back from the leading edge. How is this addressed properly?? thanks, JMc

[mannanj]

Originally Posted by Black8

OK guys I have a single rivet that is weeping(very slight) fuel around it. It's located on the bottom side about 3 rivets back from the leading edge. How is this addressed properly?? thanks, JMc

I drilled mine out (after emptying the tank of course), scuffed the area around the rivet dimple with a scotchbrite pad, and cleaned the area really well with Coleman Lantern Fuel.

Then I slightly enlarged the hole for a MK-319-BS pop rivet and cleaned the rivet well with the same cleaner.

I shoved a little blob of pro-seal into the hole and gooped the rivet up with pro-seal and popped that lil' darlin' in there and let it cure for a couple of days.

Of course you're gonna have to touch up the paint.

Others have applied a particular color of thread locker or thinned pro-seal to the rivet while pulling a small amount of vacuum on the tank with good results.

I'm sure there's a ton more info in the archives.

[Black8]

Thanks for the quick response! I'll have it fix ASAP!

[rocketbob]

A friend of mine did a neat trick to seal a seeping rivet. He made a fitting to go on an air blow gun with an o-ring on the face of the fitting, that gets pressed onto the surface around the leaking rivet. He then took some loctite and smeared it around the leaking rivet, then put pressure on it with the blow gun. After holding it there for a few minutes he took it off and wiped the extra loctite off. Then he left it overnight and filled up the tank the next day, no more leak. That was a year ago or better and I think its still holding up ok.

[Jeff Vaughan]

I used green Locktite and modeling clay. Took a hunk of clay and made a well in it with a #5 bolt head, filled it with the green stuff and pushed it up against the leaking rivet. The dank was dry. I had a friend put a shop vac hose around the gas filler hole to draw a vaccum for a few minutes. Duct taped the blob on the wing and let sit for 24Hrs. 30 hours so far no leak.

[airguy]

Shop Vac + fuel vapors = bad episode of Junkyard Wars! Caution is advised!

[AutopilotAR]

Shop Vacs and flammable liquids/fumes are a bad idea. Used to work for a company where some lab guys tried to suck up some spilled acetone with one. Needless to say the motor became a rocket propelling flames about 20 feet into the air and nearly burning the lab down. Bad part was the flaming vac was about 15 feet away from a 3K gal tank of acetone-based product, and two 5K tanks of 99% alcohol.

Lesson is, electric motors and flammable materials are hazardous to your health. Don't do it!!!

[Phil]

Time to try the toilet plunger....

I bet it might work...

[loopfuzz]

I used something called "Seal All". Only costs around $3 at most hardware stores. I just put some of that on the rivet and it hasn't leaked since. I think I applied it 3 times (let it dry before another application of it).