Drip Drip frickin Drip HELP

[SuperchargedRS]

Hey guys,
Got a slight problem/annoyance I have a fuel sump drain on the bottom of my wing that has a chronic drip, I will go to sump the tanks and I will see it dripping after I drain some fuel from it. It does not drip enough to notice in the tanks, but it is annoying and I dont think the black top agrees with it lol

Anyone out there have a easy fix for this?


Thanks

[kilpicki]

check your IPC for the o-ring

[hangarline]

Replace it.

[wrenchturner]

I was going to suggest penicillin, but I suspect Kilpicki is right

[bombardierfixer]

In the mean time a generouse (Sp yeah I know) application of petroleum jelly. But it needs to be replaced.

[iflyforpie]

Don't mess with an O-ring. Just replace the whole thing.

Should be an hours' labour and between $10-$20 for a new drain. Use fuel lube on the threads to ensure they don't leak.

Find another AME if one wants to drain the whole tank, throw away the fuel, and charge you more for labour. I can change one with the fuel in the tank in five minutes and still not come out smelling like 100LL.

[Hedley]

I can change one with the fuel in the tank in five minutes

+1

Every toolbox should have a 1/8 NPT CAV110 (flush) and curtiss
(locking) drain in it.

[2R]

Don't mess with an O-ring. Just replace the whole thing.

they I can change one with the fuel in the tank in five minutes and still not come out smelling like 100LL.

That would be impressive if you never took a lit cigarette out of your mouth while you where doing the magic

[iflyforpie]

Another reason why smoking is hazardous to your health.

[SuperchargedRS]

Thanks guys, so just replace it eh?

What is the consensus on the timeto replace per valve?

[mag check]

You have asked a trick question. Without knowing what kind of aircraft you have, noone can give an accurate time.

A standard 1/8' npt curtiss drain would take under 5 minutes.

A flush mounted drain in an aircraft with a wet wing and a nut on the inside of the tank would be the better part of a day to change.

[cgzro]

Often they drip not because the O-ring is bad but because there is a tiny bit of crap between the o-ring and the seat it sits in. The best solution is to replace it, then take a look at the one you removed see if there is crap and if so, use it as a spare because its perfectly fine after you clean it.

As the others say, you can literally remove one, plug the hole with a finger and put the new one in without draining tanks in 5 minutes. Of course its wise to have jugs around to catch the gas just in case the threads are screwed up and you can't get the new one in or some such fun. Imagine the pleasure of standing there under the plane with you finger over the drain hole and nobody to help you and nothing else to plug it with

Peter

[c170b53]

5 Minutes... unless of course its corroded inside causing the slow drip and corroded threads which strip out on removal. I guess it all depends whether you have black cloud syndrome.

[AntiNakedMan]

Often they drip not because the O-ring is bad but because there is a tiny bit of crap between the o-ring and the seat it sits in. The best solution is to replace it, then take a look at the one you removed see if there is crap and if so, use it as a spare because its perfectly fine after you clean it.

As the others say, you can literally remove one, plug the hole with a finger and put the new one in without draining tanks in 5 minutes. Of course its wise to have jugs around to catch the gas just in case the threads are screwed up and you can't get the new one in or some such fun. Imagine the pleasure of standing there under the plane with you finger over the drain hole and nobody to help you and nothing else to plug it with

Peter

You are absolutely right. I stood there for about five minutes with no one to help me........ until I figured out I could just put the drain back in and go grab a jerry can

In my experience once you have the drain out a little bit of compressed air (wear safety glasses!) and a good awl is all you need to get it working tip-top again. Until the next time it jams up.

[bombardierfixer]

Ever see someone pull a boost pump out and the check valve dosn't work. It was a 146 and a "tool" pulling it. Yeah it was messy and there was some paper work but still funny.

[SeptRepair]

Tie a rag around the elbow of the arm you will be using. Ever have 100LL in your armpit?

[snoman]

An experience I had...

During a morning walk around, I was doing the fuel sumps when one kept streaming, not dripping but streaming. I was told in the past that it was easy to change with fuel in the wing, as I couldn't leave it, and had no where to drain the tanks. So I went to change the drain in a wing full of fuel (King Air), but it was in a bladder secured with a hose clamp, as I quickly pulled the old one out and went to push the new one in, I lost my grip and the bladder went up the wing while pouring fuel every where, in a hurry. So I ended up standing there alone at 5:30 in the morning with my finger in the hole blocking the fuel in, an overflowing bucket underneath, my tool box just out of reach, and a bladder of fuel stuck up in the wing. In the end, I was soaked head to toe with JetA (some one week old $130 shoes!), two bags of sorball lighter and pretty grumpy. It ended up being a piece of paint that was stuck in the valve. This was the first job of the day, I think it got better after that though.

Don't be offended if an AME wants to drain the tank, I would probably insist after that experience.

Snoman.

[niss]

I can change one with the fuel in the tank in five minutes and still not come out smelling like 100LL.

You are a better man than I. I end up pouring it all over the place like its Cristal and I am in a rap video.

[Hedley]

Ever have 100LL in your armpit?

It itched a bit, but it finally fixed my B.O. (for a day or two).

[bombardierfixer]

Skydrol in the pit, wow that is invigorating!

[SuperchargedRS]

This is on a Stinson Voyager btw.

[iflyforpie]

Ever see someone pull a boost pump out and the check valve dosn't work. It was a 146 and a "tool" pulling it. Yeah it was messy and there was some paper work but still funny.

Check valve? Oh yeah, way back in the M2 days I remember something like that... The Boeing fuel pumps were the easiest in the world to change...

Had to do a boost pump on the Skymaster the other week. Full tank, upstream of the SOV. Got some plugs and managed to stop the fuel flow so I didn't get soaked (towel around the forearm helped though).


Back to the original question. IIRC, the Voyager just has metal tanks in the wing. Should be just unscrew and screw in--unless they are the original 60-year-old ones.

Design engineers are a cruel lot; but I've never seen any as cruel as to put a nut in a tank you can't fit your hand into.

[AntiNakedMan]

Tie a rag around the elbow of the arm you will be using. Ever have 100LL in your armpit?

I've been lucky enough to have 2 or 3 full body 100LL baths. I remember the first one, at age 8, and screaming "my bum is burning". Good times. Not as bad as siphoning regular gas, sneezing, and having it come through your sinuses and out your nose. Mind you, there was not a drop of snot in my nose for a week.

[ybp]

If you suspect dirt on the o-ring seat you can use an air nozzle and blow some (a little bit) of air up the drain valve while it is open, while there is still fuel in the tank. It has worked for me in the past. But keep in mind that then there is a piece of crud floating in your fuel tank that should be drained out. (Safety glasses are recommended for this procedure)

[tiggermoth]

Poor ole' ybp, the summer must be getting to him. If you do the air nozzle trick OPEN the fuel cap before hand. Yes I know all fuel tanks have a vent, but sometimes a hamfisted individual will blow air in faster than the vent can handle it, and that can be bad for your tanks. The air nozzle does work well though