Fuel Vent Line Egress Hole

[macrafic]

The plans (RV-7A) call for 2 7/16" holes in the forward part of the forward bottom skin for fule vent line egress. Well, I accidentally drilled mine to 1/2".

What are my options? Are their larger fittings that I can use that still accomodate the standard vent line diameter? Other options?

 

[Radomir]

Hm.. maybe you can get creative with an AN919 reducer? Or just fabricate a plate and re-do the hole... Or just do the larger bulkhead fitting and then do the reducer down-stream somewhere..

 

[flion]

Personally, I like the second option. Make a plate to fit over the existing hole (be sure to leave room for the rivets, not only edge distance but also for the shop heads to clear the fitting) and rivet it to the inside of the skin. Re-drill and move on. If you want a little better support under the fitting, cut a 1/2 circle of aluminum and tack it into place in the existing hole before drilling again. Then, make sure the resulting 'washer' is captured by the fitting; it's not structural so glue and the fitting itself are sufficient to hold it in place.

 

[dhall_polo]

try nothing

Do a test. Install a fitting and tighten it down. With the nut tighted down on the fitting and the big fat aluminum washer, my guess is that it's not going to move. For this particular application (the fuel vent egress), it may not be worth making a plate just to tighten up the tolerance.

Don

 

[L.Adamson]

Do a test. Install a fitting and tighten it down. With the nut tighted down on the fitting and the big fat aluminum washer, my guess is that it's not going to move. For this particular application (the fuel vent egress), it may not be worth making a plate just to tighten up the tolerance.

And mine have some proseal around them inside the fuselage which would farther seal it all up, and prevent anything from coming loose.

L.Adamson -- RV6A