danielhv

danielhv

Well Known Member
So last night, I guess I just mis-understood the directions... I have riveted the rear baffle in place... but this morning saw on another builders site that he put a bead of sealant on the root & tip ribs to form the same fillet like you do on the skin to baffle joint... I did NOT do that. :eek: I DID do the skin to baffle joint, but not where the baffle joins the root & tip ribs... I just put a layer on the rib flange. So I'm curious... will it leak? :( I'd bet I can get my hand in through the inspection hole to do the inboard side... but as far as the tip rib, I'd have to get creative. Im thinking I can use a couple of long nozzles on the Semco gun with a curved tip to reach in through the fuel cap hole and maybe get a bead on the tip rib... Thoughts?

baffle.jpg
 
If you already have the rear baffle on it, just go with what you have. Don't take anything apart until you know you have a leak, then if they are at the end ribs, they are easily dealt with from the outside and through the access panel. Wow, that is a lot of proseal in that tank :).
 
I agree with Scott.

Since you can get to the inboard one, I'd reach in there with a popsicle stick and seal that for good measure. For the outboard one, I just wait and see what, if any, leaks you end up with. More than likely you'll be able to fix those from the outside without cutting into the tank. Just make sure you cover each of the rivets and fill in the seam between the rib and the baffle from the outside.
 
If you're going to add pro seal you might try cutting the corner off of a heavy duty plastic bag and squeeze the Proseal in. Kind of like a baker would decorate a cake, it may even keep the stuff off your hands.
 
If it leaks fix it from the inside

RyanM said:
Just make sure you cover each of the rivets and fill in the seam between the rib and the baffle from the outside.
Click to expand...

If by chance it leaks internal fixes seem to always work better than external ones. It's easy to cut an access panel in the leaking bay, do the repair, and then seal the access opening.

A couple of years ago we fixed two leaks in two different tank bays on a friends airplane. Total time of the repair took 2 hours and than included removing and installing the tank. It was on a 6 so the tank remove/replace operation was a little faster than on the current planes.
 
We developed a leak on the outside end rib after pulling a bit of vacuum in the tank (blocked vent line.) This was on a painted/flying airplane! With a clever use of a mirror, light and bent wire with a ball on the end, we went around the complete inside of the end rib--through the fuel filling hole. It wasn't pretty in there, but it didn't leak. First squirted proseal close to where it was to go with a tube and wire attached to a syringe, then spread it with the ball. Took about an hour after practicing with the bent wire thingy. Bottom is easy, top is tough. It can be done...

Bob Kelly
 
I had a leak on the BNC connector for the fuel sender. Right in the middle were the pin goes in. I thinned out the proseal with acetone, put a vacuum on the tank (with a hose and my moth, very scientific) and placed a few drops of the proseal on it. I did it 3 times and left it to dry for a week. The leak was gone. The vacuum thing may be an option for you as well.
 
My suggestion would be to deal with the problem now. It'll save time versus having to remove and rework the tank, and will save serious time and money compared to what it would cost if the tank leaked in service and you damaged the paint removing and reinstalling the tank.

All you have to do right now is duplicate the hole, doubler, and cover you have on the root end. You should be able to do it in a 2-3 hours including applying the filet of proseal. Then, you never have to worry about it again.
 
Sealing in the outboard bay

I had a leak in my outboard bay. Here's what I did:

Borrowed a dinky little camera from a buddy of mine and duct-taped it to a wooden stick:
20070908-02-tn.jpg


It fit through the gas filler hole. With it hooked up to a TV, I could see the inside of the tank:
20070908-03-tn.jpg


Then I bought a piece of 1/2 inch aluminum tube from the aviation aisle at Home Depot and bent it up so it, too, would fit through the gas filler hole. I mixed up some proseal and squeezed it into the end of the tube. Then, with the tube back through the hole, I could watch the TV and blow through the tube to dispense the proseal in the right spot. Worked great. Here is a crappy video showing how the camera worked out.

Notice the pool of spit in the bottom corner that came out after blowing out all the sealant. Eww. Ahh well, it's the price I pay for a leak-free tank. :D
 
I don't have the plans in front of me so forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I seem to remember plugging the big hole in the middle of the first internal rib. It has the little flapper and I think that is the only hole in it. It looks like yours is open.
 
You've already sealed all the mating surfaces. The proseal on the flange did that. It looks like you were very generous with the proseal also, so I'd be surprised if when you mated the tank and baffle it did not ooze out and form the filet you are concerned about anyway. I definitely would not start cutting and fabricating additional penetrations at this point. Test the tank! If you have any problems (which I doubt you will from what you've done to this point), then deal with them.

The proof's in the puddin'.
 
szicree said:
I don't have the plans in front of me so forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I seem to remember plugging the big hole in the middle of the first internal rib. It has the little flapper and I think that is the only hole in it. It looks like yours is open.
Click to expand...

hmmm... :confused: I truly hope you are wrong (with all due respect!) :)

I have the trap door on there, but do not see anything on the plans indicating the hole in the middle of the rib needs to be plugged... the trap door is just to keep the fuel from rushing away from the flop tube, which is hanging below the hole in the middle of the rib. I checked a couple of other builders sites and have not seen any mention of this...

Anybody know if I left two things out instead of just one? :eek:
 
SteelMike said:
Umm... Seriously? You should see my tank... I guess I won't be posting any pictures or inviting anyone over for inspections...
Click to expand...

lol... now you have me wanting to see some pics. :D I was pretty generous with the proseal... hoping it would provide a little more insurance.
 
danielhv said:
hmmm... :confused: I truly hope you are wrong (with all due respect!) :)

I have the trap door on there, but do not see anything on the plans indicating the hole in the middle of the rib needs to be plugged...
Click to expand...

That is correct. The plans do not indicate to cover the middle hole in the rib- just to fabricate & install the trap door.

That is how I built mine as well - per plans. I've seen it done both ways on people's build logs.
 
danielhv said:
lol... now you have me wanting to see some pics. :D I was pretty generous with the proseal... hoping it would provide a little more insurance.
Click to expand...

Let's just say that where you guys have nice little dots over your rivet heads, I just have a nice big layer.
 
danielhv said:
hmmm... :confused: I truly hope you are wrong (with all due respect!) :)

I have the trap door on there, but do not see anything on the plans indicating the hole in the middle of the rib needs to be plugged... the trap door is just to keep the fuel from rushing away from the flop tube, which is hanging below the hole in the middle of the rib. I checked a couple of other builders sites and have not seen any mention of this...

Anybody know if I left two things out instead of just one? :eek:
Click to expand...

I searched around on the web a bit and found opinion seems to be divided about whether it needs to be blocked or not. I did read one post that said that Vans says to close it. Incidently, in your photo it looks like the end of the flop tube could get stuck in the center hole. Not trying to rattle you and I wouldn't open the tank up either unless I had a real good reason.
 
szicree said:
I searched around on the web a bit and found opinion seems to be divided about whether it needs to be blocked or not. I did read one post that said that Vans says to close it. Incidently, in your photo it looks like the end of the flop tube could get stuck in the center hole. Not trying to rattle you and I wouldn't open the tank up either unless I had a real good reason.
Click to expand...

Bah, I'll just close the right one up and always use the right tank for T/O & Landing. :) Im not cutting that tank open unless it leaks... Im so ready to be through with Proseal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.