gas tank leaks !!!

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Offline spy

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gas tank leaks !!!
« on: August 26, 2005, 11:33:39 PM »
hello all,

   i have developed a gas tank leak on my left tank...is coming from a crack in the  fuel sights....my varieze has the original ones that wher made of epoxy...on the inside walls...
    can anyone make suggestions on HOW  to repair on make a  BETTER  FUEL SIGHT GAUGE?..  flox?..techniques   would be great !

Offline Strider

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VariEze sight gauges
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2005, 07:15:28 AM »
Our VariEze had the original per-plans sight gauges, too. After 21 years they weren't leaking, but they were no longer transparent. So we installed Vance Atkinson's fuel sight gauges. Depending on where the crack is on yours, these may fix the problem. Once installed, the space behind Vance's gauges is flooded, yet contained. I followed Vance's instructions, and also floxed the periphery of the gauges in FOUR separate applications. The plastic is Lexan, IIRC, and floxed 4 times this is an extremely tough and permanent area of our plane. I would recommend this as the repair that your plane needs. Here's an image of one of the gauges in our plane:

http://www.vigilanceaero.com/sightgauge.jpg

And here's Vance's email address. His sightgauge kit is still only about $40, including the floating indicator balls and instructions.

nostromo56 <at> attbi.com
I'm not into sports much, as so many who rave about their ball teams. When I say my favorite team is the 19th FS F-15s from Elmendorf, they have no idea what I mean. http://www.topcover.com/

Offline Guest

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tank leak
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2005, 07:13:25 PM »
drain tank, purge with air to get all of the fumes out and make sure  tank is  dry. It might take a while. Buy some tank leak seal from a/c spruce.  sand around the lower area of the leak just around the sight gage. put a small amount of compressed air in the tank. Block off the vent for that tank and with a soap solution find your leak. After you have found it and marked the area clean off all of the soap and water so that it is really dry. now   put a small vacum on the tank and let it suck in the tank seal that you brush on the leak area. Brush on several coats , stop vacum on tank, let dry and your leak is gone. I did this to my Long-EZ and it worked out just fine.  N5DN

Offline show car motors

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use HYSOL (spruce catalog
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2005, 12:14:32 PM »
i let tanks dry week and mask off around wing and tank neck,  1/4 inch rod of aluminum and 1/4 inch cut off paint brush taped to alum rod. the rod is flexable . paint area with hysol and let dry 3 days,fill and check twice