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**Don Eide** · 04-19-2005, 17:14

Re: leaking nose tank

I can only say what I did to a car fuel tank, or was it a Caterpillar fuel tank.
Might have been a flying machine fuel tank. CRS has taken its toll. I took a 1/4 inch #4 screw and a glob of epoxy and screwed it into the hole. Worked great. Bigger hole=bigger screw.

Don

**Victor Gisclair** · 04-19-2005, 18:57

Re: leaking nose tank

For my Last annual I had to remove my fuel tank (nose Tank) and have it welded. It was leaking at the bottom fitting in the tank. It is fine now.
Vic
N95110

**flyguy** · 04-19-2005, 21:36

Re: leaking nose tank

Dan,
I had a thin, short crack in my tank at the same location. Seems to me from all the similar failures it is probably due to the stress the fuel shut-off valve puts on the "thin" aluminum at the tank bottom. Anyway, I fixed it with Evercoat brand "marine finish epoxy."
As follows: Empty tank, let dry. Disconnect outlet hose fitting and remove fuel shut off valve. (I overhauled the valve.) Sweep trash from tank out thru hole. (Cork, sand, old pieces of sealer, ect.) Scrape outside of tank around crack/leak hole to get everything off. Sand some. Clean with MEK. Repeat sanding and cleaning. Cut one inch square piece of woven fiberglass. Mix and apply a coat of epoxy to hole area as big as the patch and then some. Apply fiberglass patch. Coat with more epoxy. Leave it alone overnight.
Clean is everything when bonding stuff.
I can vouch for ONLY the Evercoat marine finish epoxy. I have had it on my tank gauge float for 2 years and on my patch for 6 months. Probably a good epoxy expert could recomment other brands.
Put a sheet of white paper towel between the rudder pedals when not flying in case it starts leaking again.
Darryl
P.s. depending on where the leak is you might not remove the valve.

**Dan Mahalak** · 04-20-2005, 09:35

Re: leaking nose tank

I think the holes are due to corrosion by water, ince this is the lowest point. TO remedy, I am going to leave my fuel "on", so the lowest point then becomes the sump forever, wheihc is more easy to remove then the tank...

ANd I soldered mine last night, so we'll see if the Inspector likes my work or not.

Victor, what was entailed in removing your nose tank?

Danno

**flyguy** · 04-20-2005, 12:10

Re: leaking nose tank

Danno,
You have a way of soldering aluminum? Or, did I really screw up by assuming your tank was aluminum?
If your tank is steel--please disregard everything I said about patching it. EVERYTHING I said was all based on the tank being aluminum.
Darryl

**Victor Gisclair** · 04-20-2005, 12:46

Re: leaking nose tank

A Lot of work. The Intr. Panel has to come out, the control "A" frame has to be dropped and I think I had to remove the seat. The tank will not come out without dropping the control A-frame to the floor of the plane.

Vic
N95110

**Robert Lees** · 04-20-2005, 12:48

Re: leaking nose tank

My own opinion is to remove the tank and get it professionally welded...then you never have to worry about it again. Picture at www.Taylorcraft.org.uk/fuel-tank1.jpg

Out of my Topica archive comes the following text (July 03):

The fuselage tank is held in place by two diagonal steel rods passing through the tank & attached to the airframe. Picture at http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/RodsThruFuelTank.jpg .
One of these rods is aligned ABOVE the fuselage cross member that is at the base of the instrument panel, so to remove the rod you need to either remove the instrument panel or the firewall to withdraw the rod from inside the tank. Aw, darn and damnation, but, however, there is another way to get this rod out.

We had this problem about 10 years ago, and decided to cut a hole in the panel where this rod needs to be pulled out. Pictures at http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/panel2.jpg and http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/panel6.jpg .
The hole is the small rectangular one to the left and slightly below the right hand control column entry point. This small hole can be later covered with a plate with the fuel transfer information on, as shown in http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/panel8.jpg . Text accompanying the photos (and in fact the photos as well) is on http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Brey_rebuild2.htm

You will also need to drop the "H" frame to the floor, which requires disconnection of the universal joints of the control shafts and removal of the main "H" frame runner bearings (just above the floor) with their brass shims. The aileron and elevator cables may need disconnecting to do this...I can't remember that much.

After removal of engine controls (tacho cable, fuel on/off rod, throttle cable, carb heat etc) that pass beneath the tank, the tank should come away through the footwell and out of the door.

Incidentally, I would strongly recommend getting all the threaded fittings in the tank reinforced, pictures of what I mean can be found at my webpage http://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Brey_rebuild1.htm and I also strongly suggest you leak test any repairs before refitting, pictures on the same page.

The steel rods use a rubber hose to protect from chafing where they enter the tank...if these are crazed or rotten, they will need replacing. We used acetylene hose pieces about 2" long.

Make sure the brass shims go back in the correct alignment at the base of the "H" frame...these have lube holes in them.

Hope this helps

Anyway, there you are, as I see it!

Rob

**mhorowit** · 04-20-2005, 13:25

Re: leaking nose tank

Geeze Rob - every time I go thru your restoration pics I get tired! - Mike

**Robert Lees** · 04-20-2005, 14:26

Re: leaking nose tank

I'll take that as a compliment, Mike

**flyguy** · 04-20-2005, 15:58

Re: leaking nose tank

I'll have to do all that the next time I restore the airplane.

Darryl

**Dan Mahalak** · 04-20-2005, 21:42

Re: leaking nose tank

As i undestand it, soldering to aluminum does not work....whatever the tank is, the solder took well to it, therefor i believe that it is steel..

I will take the tank out if the ia does not think it is okay, but i have to go back to work, and time is limited......maybe i shoud just not be a pilot, but sometimes i done have the luxury of bulk time...so welding it in place will have to do.

anyone in rifle colorado, as I am heading there this month to extrlapolate some oil at 50 bucks a barrel to make us all fly another day?

danimal

**NC36454** · 04-21-2005, 06:19

Re: leaking nose tank

Danno,

I have had the tank out of my Taylorcraft 20 years ago. It's not too hard, just tedious. You need to remove your controls (throttle, heat, primer, etc.) then drop your control frame. I never want to do it again unless I have the airplane disassembled.

Recently, I discovered another leak in my tank and was able to repair it without removal. I drained the fuel, sanded the spot to bare metal, and cleaned it with MEK. I then mixed a small spot of JB Weld and applied to the leaky spot. After letting this set up, I rubbed (to retain the original appearance) a small amount of chromate primer. (by next annual it will look as if it has been there forever) Don't tell anyone you made the repair. (everyone reading this is sworn to secrecy...I didn't really do any of the stuff I detailed here...)

Good Luck,
Ken

**Forrest Barber** · 04-21-2005, 08:00

Re: leaking nose tank

Hmmmm J-B Weld ? Rumor has it that I does work well. IF you pull the tank do it GOOD. The tanks in the nose are all aluminum to my knowledge. The neck is steel , special soldering does it, the secret with Oxy-Acy is the flux... big secret back then. Today it is easy. To do it GOOD you must replace a chunk of the bottom usually around the outlet I have done whole bottoms once in a while..... just cut it out, go in an clean real good then form an outside plate and weld it back on with new outlet fitting....

**M Towsley** · 04-21-2005, 14:39

Re: leaking nose tank

Along these lines....I have smell of fuel in the cockpit, more so when the tank is full and sloshes. I usually don't mind 100LL smell, but I burn mogas and it gets overwhelming at times. No visible leaks I can see/feel. I figured is was maybe the neck was cracked from the fuel nozzle being rested against it. I can't really inspect the filler without buggering up my paint to remove the panel around the fuel inlet. I didn't know about any rods running through it until Robert's posts. Any thoughts of what and where to look for this and how to fix it??? Thanks.

Marty
'46 BC-12D

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