Pressure test fuel tanks & seal leaks
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:26 pm
Looking for comments & suggestions for pressure testing my fuel tanks later
this week. Here's what I plan to do per input from some A&P friends:
- Close/seal the filler cap
- Mist (spray) a soapy water solution over the top & bottom of the
fuel tank area
- Place a big (??) balloon over the fuel drain fitting
- Hook up low pressure (maybe 20psi) compressed air to the fuel
cross-feed output fitting, thereby.
- Inflate the balloon to a reasonable size, then turn off the air
compressor
- Watch the balloon for perhaps 20 minutes to insure it
(hopefully!!) remains the same size
- Look for air bubbles while continuing to mist more soapy water
over the entire fuel tank area.
If I do find leaks (who am I kidding-"If" <grin>), I have some flowable
Type-A Proseal. Per another Moose builder, he reported good results by
spreading a thin layer of the Type-A Proseal over the offending rivet or
seam then putting a very slight suction on the tank using a shop vac and
holding the hose over the filler cap with cupped hands. This method
resulted in a small bit of the Type-A Proseal being sucked into the leak.
I'm aware that one has to be VERY careful not to create any adverse air
pressure or risk collapsing/expanding the tank. Hence, this shop vac
portion of the procedure has me a bit concerned.
Suggestions, alternate approaches, ideas, comments all appreciated.
Ted Waltman
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this week. Here's what I plan to do per input from some A&P friends:
- Close/seal the filler cap
- Mist (spray) a soapy water solution over the top & bottom of the
fuel tank area
- Place a big (??) balloon over the fuel drain fitting
- Hook up low pressure (maybe 20psi) compressed air to the fuel
cross-feed output fitting, thereby.
- Inflate the balloon to a reasonable size, then turn off the air
compressor
- Watch the balloon for perhaps 20 minutes to insure it
(hopefully!!) remains the same size
- Look for air bubbles while continuing to mist more soapy water
over the entire fuel tank area.
If I do find leaks (who am I kidding-"If" <grin>), I have some flowable
Type-A Proseal. Per another Moose builder, he reported good results by
spreading a thin layer of the Type-A Proseal over the offending rivet or
seam then putting a very slight suction on the tank using a shop vac and
holding the hose over the filler cap with cupped hands. This method
resulted in a small bit of the Type-A Proseal being sucked into the leak.
I'm aware that one has to be VERY careful not to create any adverse air
pressure or risk collapsing/expanding the tank. Hence, this shop vac
portion of the procedure has me a bit concerned.
Suggestions, alternate approaches, ideas, comments all appreciated.
Ted Waltman
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List archives located at: https://mail.dcsol.com/login
username "rebel" password "builder"
Unsubscribe: rebel-builders-unsubscribe@dcsol.com
List administrator: mike.davis@dcsol.com
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