Removing gascolator bowl

bsacks05 · #1 01-26-2010, 05:52 PM

I have the Van's blue anodized gascolator. Every oil change (50hrs), I remove the bowl in order to inspect it and the screen for debris. However, the bowl is a real PITA to remove. It just does not want to come off and I think the problem is that the O ring is doing its job too well. This past weekend I changed the oil and tried to remove the bowl again but gave up and decided to make it an annual inspection item only.
I have only once found debris on the screen and that was in the first few hours of my -9s life.
Is there an easier way to remove the gascolator bowl? I thought there may be a vacuum created by trying to pull it off so I removed the quick drain plug but no joy.

lorne green · #2 01-26-2010, 08:19 PM

I'm wondering if a thin coating of "fuel lube" would help to lubricate the threads making it easier to remove the bowl.
Or, would the fuel lube react with the "o"-ring?

vlittle · #3 01-27-2010, 08:52 AM

Hi Bruce.

What you have here is (essentially) a sealed fuel system. When you try to remove the bowl, you are working against the suction of this system.

Simple fix is to remove one of the 1/4 npt plugs in the gascolator to relieve the suction. You can also depress the quick drain, but thats harder to do without a third hand.

Just did this yesterday.

Vern

bsacks05 · #4 01-27-2010, 10:22 AM

Thanks Vern and great seeing you the other day at FFC!
I thought about the suction and removed the quick drain plug but that didn't solve the problem. I hate to pull hard and wiggle the bowl excessively to get it off but that is the only thing that seems to work. I think the next time I can remove it, I will lube the O ring and bowl-to-mount interface and see if that helps.

N941WR · #5 01-27-2010, 10:26 AM

Bruce, the one thing I hate about the Gascolater is the screws. While you have yours off, let me know what size screws they are, if you would.

I'm thinking of putting some cap screws with the heads drilled for safety wire. That would make getting those screws in and out much easier.

longranger · #6 01-27-2010, 01:11 PM

Bruce,

You might try reassembling with a bit of Dow Corning DC-4 on the o-ring. I use it on oil filter gaskets and no longer have trouble removing them, and never a leak either. DC-4 is silicone-based, so you want to be careful to not get it on anything you'll ever want to paint.

bsacks05 · #7 01-27-2010, 02:35 PM

Bill,
Mine came with drilled cap screws. I run a single strand of safety wire through all four. Easy peazy. I will check the size for ya. I think the threads are #8 though.

Miles,
The lube idea is definately gonna be tried. Even though I haven't found trash since the early hours of my plane, I still like to look at each oil change just for fun.

N941WR · #8 01-27-2010, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsacks05

Bill,
Mine came with drilled cap screws. I run a single strand of safety wire through all four. Easy peazy. I will check the size for ya. I think the threads are #8 though...

Thanks Bruce!

Mine came with regular sloted screws (drilled for safety wire) and they are a real pain to get on and off.