shellac in my fuel system

[taylorcraftbc65]

We had an emergency in the family up in upstate New York, so we left for six months, and came back to find my cork on the cowl tank fuel indicator rod partially melted, or with something really stickey on it. the inside of the aircraft smelled like a a furniture factory. The fuel hose between the shutoff valve, and the gascolator was almost melted, but all the rest of the hoses were fine. I pulled the gascolator cup off, and there was perhaps a quarter of a teaspoon of liquid gas that smelled like shellac in it, and after wiping it out, the very bottom of the cup feels sticky.
Can I get a new fuel guage rod/cork assembly? Who from? HOW do I clean what HAS to be sticky shellac off the inside walls of the cowl tank? Can I do it with the tank still in the plane? Brie

[M Towsley]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

Brie,

I plan on eliminating my natural cork, (coated), and use synthetic float material from here: http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/2450

I plan on stacking two together to get what I want. That should take care of your cork issue but as to the rest I will bow to more knowledgeable folks.

My first Taylorcraft used a piece of this synthetic float material and it worked great and does not break down at all. It is a modern material that withstands 100ll and mogas without a problem.

I also plan on using 3/32" stainless welding rod to make the wire, my old one used model airplane wheel collars and large washers to sandwich the float on the wire.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

THANKS Marty, I'll grab a couple of the floats myself, and just wait and see what the fuel system guru's tell me about my fuel tank. Brie

[cvavon]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

Brie

I would like to know if you were using CAR gas or 100 low lead as if you were using auto gas this is a good warning about the use of auto gas in old aircraft auto gas does not store as well as av gas and is destructive to older rubber used in hoses good luck on your clean up Chuck

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

I had a gascolator that had been left with fuel in it until it dried out (unknown what type but suspect it was auto gas because of the plane it came from). It had a thick shellac like material in the bottom that took MEK and Toluene to dissolve. I started with window cleaner and Alcohol followed by Kerosene, gasoline, prepsol and lacquer thinner. NONE of them would cut it till the MEK.

Real shellac will dissolve in alcohol, so I doubt that was what it actually was, but it DID clean out with some really dangerous solvents and now looks like new.

Start with the mildest solvent you have and progress up. Toluene and MEK are BAD STUFF! Don't get it on your skin or breath the fumes!
Hank

By the way, the fuel lines were ruined too.

[jim cooper]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

could this be an ethynol problem? My plane has a BRASS cylinder, handmade, very handsome instead of cork, which always becomes sodden and gives bad readings. Is mine legal? No idea but its sure accurate! I ALWAYS use a long wooden paint stick to double check. ALWAYS! JC

[Marv]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

Jim i do not know how legal the brass cylinder is, but if it is not it should be. It is a hell of a lot better than a peice of cork that comes apart in the fuel system. If the brass cylinder did fail it would just become full of fuel and show empty when you had plenty of fuel, but would not contaminate the fuel supply. That is my opinion. Marv

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

Brie

I would like to know if you were using CAR gas or 100 low lead as if you were using auto gas this is a good warning about the use of auto gas in old aircraft auto gas does not store as well as av gas and is destructive to older rubber used in hoses good luck on your clean up Chuck

It wes CERTIFIED, no ethanol, Aircraft "auto gas" from the pump at the Horizon Airport, (T-27), so I know that this is probably not an ethanol problem. The only fuels that I have ever put in the plane are the certified stuff, and 100LL. Brie

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

I'm with Marv. I have seen a few of the brass floats (very thin wall brass tube that just slips into the fill opening with two end caps and a piece of small tube down the center, all soldered together). The ones I saw always worked GREAT and it was nice that the failure mode (leaks) would cause the float to sink and show LESS fuel than you really had. Not nice to have to make a precautionary landing because your float sinks in a filled tank, but that is a LOT better than showing full when empty or falling apart and plugging the fuel system!

I have a cork float in my planes, but I also have sealed fuel caps that go ON the tank when I land and the float cap is hooked to it or placed on the seat. I DON'T leave the float in fuel and the sealed cap is painted BRIGHT RED. I plan to put a nice big streamer on it too so it will flap all over the windshield if I forget to switch caps.

Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

Hank,

Back in the forties when my mom was flying she took off with the storage cap on, at least for a little while until the vacuum overcame the flow. She landed in the airport parking lot. I think she was in a Chief at the time.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

I worry about that. It is one of the reasons I want to put a ribbon on the cap. My plane has been repainted Ivory over Maroon so the bright red cap doesn't stand out as much as it did in the old colors. If I ever screw up, I want to get that flapping ribbon on the windscreen before I get to the runway.
Hank

[Pearson]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

I had to replace my float several years ago. I chose not to coat the cork with anything. Instead, I lift the wire all the way up and clip a spring clip with a "remove before flight" streamer attached. This way I don't worry about shellac coming off or the cork getting gas logged.

[lfries]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

About 15 years ago my cork needed to be replaced. I experimented with shellac and varnish until I remembered that when I flew model airplanes they always had to be wiped down afterwards. Sometimes I would forget but none of the dope on the plane seemed to be disturbed. I painted the cork with clear model airplane dope and today the cork is still in good shape.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

I agree with that coating . Shellac works too but not with alcohol. Then rumor has it that two ping pong balls with 2 part Epoxy on the holes with a good washer on the bottom has been used by some.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: shellac in my fuel system

I wonder if Shuttle tiles will dissolve in gas or alcohol? I could carve a float from an old tile since NASA doesn't seem to want to fly the Shuttles any more. ;-)

Before anyone asks, I'M JOKING! I doubt I could get a big enough piece anyway.
Hank