---------------------------------------------------------- Europa-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 07/13/09: 10 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 02:43 AM - Re: Aircraft Covers in U.K. (William Harrison) 2. 03:39 PM - Fuel Tank Leak (JEFF ROBERTS) 3. 03:54 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (Jeff B) 4. 03:54 PM - Recovery from unusual nose high attitude (rparigoris) 5. 04:08 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (Graham Singleton) 6. 06:14 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (Paul McAllister) 7. 07:13 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (Robert Borger) 8. 07:36 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (JEFF ROBERTS) 9. 09:11 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (Steve Hagar) 10. 11:34 PM - Re: Fuel Tank Leak (Greg Fuchs) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 02:43:00 AM PST US From: William Harrison Subject: Re: Europa-List: Aircraft Covers in U.K. Paddy Mine lives in a weird microclimate inside a WWII nissen hut type hanger, with an unsealed floor, where it is frequently very humid and sometimes rains condensation. The one discovery I'd like to share is that I have found that a chemical dehumidifier (intended for caravans) has clearly kept the inside much drier than it was previously. This can only be a good thing for the instruments and electrics. An incidental benefit is that the misting problem I used to have in cold weather has largely gone away (I suspect that the upholstery had been acting like a reservoir for water which then took 30 minutes of flight to dry out, and in the meantime was redistributing the moisture onto the windscreen and side windows). Good luck finding the right cover. Willie On 9 Jul 2009, at 20:27, Paddy Clarke wrote: > Hi Folks, > Many thanks to all those who replied. > Before deciding on manufacturer I have to decide on which material, > due to my use of Polyfibre products. > Is there anyone out there who used Polyfibre filler and/or primer > and then kept their aircraft outside under covers, who didn't have > bubbles appear in the paintwork?. If so, were the covers breathable > or not?. > Do people who know about Polyfibre think that there are still > potential problems in store with a finish completed 8 years ago? > Do people think you get condensation under fully waterproof covers? > Looking forward to many erudite replies, > All the best, paddy > On 8 Jul 2009, at 20:30, R Holder wrote: ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 03:39:39 PM PST US From: JEFF ROBERTS Subject: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 gallons I started to search for a leak. I'm now becoming painfully aware of the fact that it looks like my tank has ruptured somewhere. It's looking like around where the tank was glassed onto the cockpit module in the port rear inside portion of the tunnel. I can't remember where the seams of the tank are but there must be one back there. Has anyone else experienced this leak there? I remember some talk of someone making an aluminum version. Has that been done anywhere that one might buy a duplicate? Looks like some major surgery coming up. :o( If anyone has a tank in the states I may be interested. Jeff R. A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and now going to be down for surgery. ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 03:54:12 PM PST US From: Jeff B Subject: Re: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak Dude! What a drag! And I thought I had problems with instrumentation and Auto Pilots. WOW! Ok, gut her and get her fixed. You got about nine weeks... Jeff - Baby Blue JEFF ROBERTS wrote: > We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 > gallons I started to search for a leak. I'm now becoming painfully aware > of the fact that it looks like my tank has ruptured somewhere. It's > looking like around where the tank was glassed onto the cockpit module > in the port rear inside portion of the tunnel. I can't remember where > the seams of the tank are but there must be one back there. Has anyone > else experienced this leak there? > I remember some talk of someone making an aluminum version. Has that > been done anywhere that one might buy a duplicate? > Looks like some major surgery coming up. :o( > If anyone has a tank in the states I may be interested. > > Jeff R. > A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and now going to be down for surgery. > > size=2 color="#000000" face="courier new,courier"> > href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List > href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 03:54:12 PM PST US Subject: Europa-List: Recovery from unusual nose high attitude From: "rparigoris" For those of you who have taken for granted you have a good bond between top and bottom fuse seam because you: **Saw a good squeeze come out of top and bottom of fuse seam during bond **Inspected with bright lights from inside out, then outside in **Inspected with a quarter tap Good bond may not be the case! In event you found voids and drilled holes and filled with Redux or Redux/flox after the initial bond cured, be aware that although it may make you feel a little better, there is essential no strength gained from this exercise! Unless you scuff sand, or inject while adhesive is uncured, only gain of perhaps 5 or 10% strength. It will however remove air that if left trapped could cause more delamination when in a lower pressure environment. See link below for test. Humbled once again, but more important recovered from unusual nose high attitude. http://www.europaowners.org/modules.php?set_albumName=album291&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php Thanks Bud for taking my call and helping come up with a quick resolve. Ron Parigoris Bonding on top pictures #66 on: http://www.europaowners.org/modules.php?set_albumName=album257&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php&page=2 Visit - www.EuropaOwners.org ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 04:08:46 PM PST US From: Graham Singleton Subject: Re: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak JEFF ROBERTS wrote: > We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 > gallons I started to search for a leak. I'm now becoming painfully > aware of the fact that it looks like my tank has ruptured somewhere. > It's looking like around where the tank was glassed onto the cockpit > module in the port rear inside portion of the tunnel. I can't remember > where the seams of the tank are but there must be one back there. Has > anyone else experienced this leak there? > I remember some talk of someone making an aluminum version. Has that > been done anywhere that one might buy a duplicate? > Looks like some major surgery coming up. :o( > If anyone has a tank in the states I may be interested. > > Jeff R. Jeff there aren't any seams in the tank, it's rotomolded. A steel mould is heated and plastic granules poured in as it rotates. Not a very precise procedure but it usually works. I once saw a leaking tank, there was a sliver of tobacco moulded into the tank. Obviously fell in during the moulding process. Graham ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 06:14:03 PM PST US Subject: Re: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak From: Paul McAllister Gee Jeff, All I can say is that really sucks. I and hundreds of others out there sure hope we don't have it happen to us. Paul On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 4:31 PM, JEFF ROBERTS wrote: > We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 gallons > I started to search for a leak. > Jeff R ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 07:13:19 PM PST US From: Robert Borger Subject: Re: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak Jeff, Geeezzz. That's awful :-( Really sorry to hear that. Keep us posted on your efforts and any gotcha's you find. I hope you can be back in the air by Rough River. Take care, Bob Borger Europa Kit #A221 N914XL, XS Mono, Intercooled 914, Airmaster C/S http://www.europaowners.org/N914XL Aircraft Flying! 3705 Lynchburg Dr. Corinth, TX 76208 Home: 940-497-2123 Cel: 817-992-1117 On Jul 13, 2009, at 17:31, JEFF ROBERTS wrote: > We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 > gallons I started to search for a leak. I'm now becoming painfully > aware of the fact that it looks like my tank has ruptured somewhere. > It's looking like around where the tank was glassed onto the cockpit > module in the port rear inside portion of the tunnel. I can't > remember where the seams of the tank are but there must be one back > there. Has anyone else experienced this leak there? > I remember some talk of someone making an aluminum version. Has that > been done anywhere that one might buy a duplicate? > Looks like some major surgery coming up. :o( > If anyone has a tank in the states I may be interested. > > Jeff R. > A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and now going to be down for > surgery. > > ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 07:36:55 PM PST US From: JEFF ROBERTS Subject: Re: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak Okay, After some closer inspection it appears the fuel may be coming out of the side of the tunnel area about 4 inches from the bottom of the tank right where I bonded a nylon tab with the old re-dux during the build to hold a cable. Is it possible that could have weakened the tank in that spot and it's taken a few years for it to come thru. Graham... maybe there was something in the molding of the tank like you said that created a spot leak. I will check it tomorrow with about 5 psi of air pressure and some soap water on the spot, but here is a question. If it is a spot leak and I can patch it what would be the best patch to use? Any thoughts would be appreciated. I don't want to gut her if I don't have to!!!! ;o(( Jeff R. A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and climbing slowly. On Jul 13, 2009, at 5:52 PM, Jeff B wrote: > > Dude! What a drag! And I thought I had problems with instrumentation > and Auto Pilots. WOW! Ok, gut her and get her fixed. You got about > nine weeks... > > Jeff - Baby Blue > > JEFF ROBERTS wrote: >> We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 >> gallons I started to search for a leak. I'm now becoming painfully >> aware of the fact that it looks like my tank has ruptured somewhere. >> It's looking like around where the tank was glassed onto the cockpit >> module in the port rear inside portion of the tunnel. I can't >> remember where the seams of the tank are but there must be one back >> there. Has anyone else experienced this leak there? >> I remember some talk of someone making an aluminum version. Has that >> been done anywhere that one might buy a duplicate? >> Looks like some major surgery coming up. :o( >> If anyone has a tank in the states I may be interested. >> Jeff R. >> A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and now going to be down for >> surgery. >> size=2 color="#000000" face="courier new,courier"> >> href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List">http:// >> www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List >> href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http:// >> www.matronics.com/contribution >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> -- >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > > ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 09:11:37 PM PST US From: "Steve Hagar" Subject: RE: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak Jeff:; My tank split in underneath the saddle area at an interface where I had a fiberglass strap bonded in place. Take note when pulling the tank out you will have most likely to cut it and take it out piece by piece. You will also get an idea of how much these tanks bulge warp and other wise move around. Which is why they get cracks in them. Kit car tank manufacturers have known about this for decades and will not warrentee anything if it is fiberglassed in! > [Original Message] > From: JEFF ROBERTS > To: > Date: 7/13/2009 3:41:59 PM > Subject: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak > > We'll after seeing my fuel run onto the floor today after I added 5 > gallons I started to search for a leak. I'm now becoming painfully > aware of the fact that it looks like my tank has ruptured somewhere. > It's looking like around where the tank was glassed onto the cockpit > module in the port rear inside portion of the tunnel. I can't remember > where the seams of the tank are but there must be one back there. Has > anyone else experienced this leak there? > I remember some talk of someone making an aluminum version. Has that > been done anywhere that one might buy a duplicate? > Looks like some major surgery coming up. :o( > If anyone has a tank in the states I may be interested. > > Jeff R. > A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and now going to be down for > surgery. ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 11:34:48 PM PST US From: "Greg Fuchs " Subject: RE: Europa-List: Fuel Tank Leak Hi Jeff, Sorry to hear of your tank problems. Tap plastics has a glue called 'TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive' Unfortunately, it requires an open flame to use it. See their usage video, link included below. Any use on a gas tank would have to be EXTREMELY well thought out, and that is IF you can get a flame to the area to be repaired. Windows media: http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video_detail.php?vid=21&format=windowsmedia& Greg Fuchs XS TRI _____________________________________ If it is a spot leak and I can patch it what would be the best patch to use? Any thoughts would be appreciated. I don't want to gut her if I don't have to!!!! ;o(( Jeff R. A258 - N128LJ / Gold Rush 191 hours and climbing slowly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message europa-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Europa-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/europa-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/europa-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.