Fuel tank donut

[senior]

Are header fuel filler neck to boot cowl donuts still available??
If not what are you guys useing.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Fuel tank donut

If you can find an old time hardware store they are. There is a toilet tank to bowl seal that is the perfect size. You just need to belt sand the base a little to get it to match the curve of the boot cowl top for a perfect fit.
Hank

If you want to get REALLY fancy you can cut a groove into the lower edge so it snaps into the boot cowl.

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel tank donut

If you search the forum you will find a post that I made where a guy is reproducing them for the Ercoupe crowd, if I remember correctly. This one is made with a lip that fits around the boot cowl, like it should, and reduces fuel odors from coming into the cockpit from spills. In mine it eliminated all odors from any spillage I may have made during fill-up. It costs a bit more but is beautifully made and looks original.

Oops, for the Aeronca crowd, not Ercoupe. Here is an older forum post but that is where I originally found mine: http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread...+filler+gasket

Joel was a stickler for originality and sunk a ton of money into his to try and make it as factory as possible. I saw the plane in Indiana a few years ago while traveling to Alliance. It was done very nicely.

The grommet was $35, (I think), but don't hold me to that. Pricey but very well made and once installed you won't have to touch it again.

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel tank donut

And another link with pictures: http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread...l+neck+grommet

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Fuel tank donut

Better memories than mine out there. I had forgotten about that thread. I like that grooved one better than mine!

Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel tank donut

I misspoke on the price, it was $30.50 but that was several years ago. Not even sure he has any available. Hope so because they are nice.

[senior]

Re: Fuel tank donut

Has anybody else tried the John Deere fuel neck gasket - JDGFT200Z
I may try one of those.

[TimHicks]

Re: Fuel tank donut

I just tried calling David Jackson, The Aeronca guy who made the nice grommets.
Neither of the two numbers that I saw in the old threads worked.
817 477 9556 has been disconnected or is no longer in service
817 465 7253 is a retail establishment and doesn't have anyone named David there.

[Robert Lees]

Re: Fuel tank donut

I used the Ercoupe grommet, which I got from Univair. It works fine.

Rob

Pictures in the thread linked above.

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel tank donut

The Ercoupe grommet that was on my plane was a cheap type of foam rubber that fell apart. Not sure if they are made of something better, now.

I found this, old info, off an Aeronca page. I will do more research to try and find him:

David Jackson - has original style fuel filler neck grommets for sale. These grommets are molded vulcanized black rubber with a groove around the base to fit the boot cowling. The grommets also fit Cubs, Taylorcrafts, Luscombes, etc. The grommets are $30.50 each (i.e., $29.50 + $1.00 shipping for each in the 48 states, actual shipping charges elsewhere). Payment may be made by either personal check, money order, or bank cashier's check payable to: David Jackson, 1200 Hudson Drive, Mansfield, TX 76063, Telephone: 817-477-9556. Address updated 4/13/10.

More info I found regarding the John Deere part while looking for David Jackson: http://joea.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1369

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Fuel tank donut

I bought a John Deere filler neck gasket. I figure if I sand off the words "John Deere" embossed in the rubber I could make it work just fine.

[TimHicks]

Re: Fuel tank donut

I just got this email below (and the picture) from David Jackson:

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your inquiry. The grommets I sell will work on your Taylorcraft, and I have sold them to many T-craft owners over the years for their restorations.

Dimensions for the filler neck grommets I have available are as follows:
ID: 2 1/8" (made to stretch over standard 2 1/4” OD filler necks)
OD: 3 1/2"
Thickness: 1/2"
Exposed Thickness: 5/16"
Groove Thickness: 0.032"
Groove ID: 2 7/8”

The filler neck grommets are $41.00 US each + $5.00 shipping / insurance each.
Payment may be made via PayPal, or by money order or bank cashier’s check made payable in $US to:

David B. Jackson
1200 Hudson Drive
Mansfield, TX 76063
USA

If paying via PayPal, please let me know your PayPal account address, and I will send you a PayPal invoice. My PayPal account is my e-mail address: (Tim deleted David's email address)

Regards,
David


Tim

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel tank donut

Hey Tim,

You beat me to it, I slept in today. I sent e-mails to several e-mail addresses I found yesterday. One worked, I got this from David this morning:

Hi Marty,

Yes, this is a good e-mail address. Was the man with a T-craft Tim Hicks? If so, he sent me an inquiry on the grommets which I responded to this morning.

Thanks,
David

[TimHicks]

Re: Fuel tank donut

Ha! That's funny!
I wonder what this flurry of activity looks like from David's side. He's probably thinking, "Those TCraft drivers are a strange sort."

Anyway, I placed an order. David said that it was OK to share his email address with the TCraft tribe. It's dbjack at swbell dot net

I wish I had gotten this before I reassembled the airplane. Do y'all think that it will be possible to install it with the fuel tank in place?

[M Towsley]

Re: Fuel tank donut

Tim,

I worry more about the poor business with his old number that is getting phone calls for him, (I called yesterday just to confirm). lol

I installed mine on a completed airplane. I had to open up very slightly around the filler neck, do this slowly. I also had to barely open up the filler neck hole. Someone said to use a silicone spray lubricant, or similar. I had to open it up just a bit. Probably make up for paint thickness and or filler neck size variation. Do everything in small increments and you will be pleased.

I measured the slot thickness and used this as a basis for the opening in the boot cowl around the filler neck.