Fuel shut off

[Peter Collin]

Help!

I have a question for you Taylorcraft gurus.
I just changed my fuel lines from the hose clamp version to the screw on type. Which meant we had to change all the fittings including the 90 degree elbow that goes in the fuel shut off fitting. Before we stared the fuel shut of worked fine, after we was done it wouldn't budge, What happened!!?? I don't think the fitting is long enough to reach the valve but who knows.

Thanks
Peter

[Guest]

Re: Fuel shut off

Hmm

Does it budge if you try grabbing the fuel valve handle directly and turning it rather than pushing or pulling the rod?

Dave

[Peter Collin]

Re: Fuel shut off

Dave
Nope.

Peter

[Guest]

Re: Fuel shut off

Peter,

Is it the old original type Imperial brand valve? I bet it is.

I wonder if perhaps you were tightening the fitting and did not have wrench on the valve and it resulted in some twisting an deformation of the valve body that bound the cone.

Very very very slight chance of this happening. But something happened.

Hard to imagine that the fitting threads went in so far as to interfere with the cone but perhaps some debris on the internal threads of the valve got pressed up against the cone?

Dave

[Peter Collin]

Re: Fuel shut off

Dave.
I had a 3/4 inch on the valve when we installed the elbow. I hate to take the valve off, and I don't know how easy it's coming apart. I don't like to mess with anything down there, it wouldn't be a happy day if I had to take the tank out. I could fly with it open all the time but that is probably not the smartest thing to do, besides I like things to work. Right now I buying the debris theory.

Thanks
Peter

[Guest]

Re: Fuel shut off

Peter,

Agree, debris theory seems most rational.

Wonder if while tightening somehow the valve stem got pushed inward and forced the cone into the taper binding it.

Dave

[Guest]

Re: Fuel shut off

Its best to get it fixed an understand the issue.

About 9 years ago mine fell off!

For years mine had appeared to leak. I changed packings and all that stuff. Tightened the threads...

Always seeped and I figured it was seals or pipe threads leaking.

Turned out to be a cracked thread and one day when reassembling I began to turn it with a wrench and the threaded section broke in half and the valve fell to the floor!

[jdoran]

Re: Fuel shut off

Is it possible that you replaced the original type of fitting with another?

For instance, the new thread might be pipe thread, where the old one was a straight thread. This could explain why the fitting is protruding so much farther into the valve body.

If both were pipe thread, it would be OK to shave some off of the tip of the fitting since it seals via the tapered threads.

[Peter Collin]

Re: Fuel shut off

John.

Both fittings are pipe tread, I would think they would be the same. We had to screw the new fitting on fairly tight to line up the elbow with the gascolator. We are going to come back on the fitting and if that solves the problem it would be great. Like you said shorten the fitting and it should work.

Thanks
Peter

[VictorBravo]

Re: Fuel shut off

While you are already working under the tank, it might be a good idea to remove the valve and have a good look at it, check for cracks, re-pack the seal with teflon string, etc. This might be the first time that valve was looked at in a whole lot of years.