Fuel Tank Repair

A

atcsdave

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Joined
Feb 20, 2020
Messages
5
I need the right fuel tank on my 1980 Super D repaired. Any suggestions on shops that can do this? I would be open to a replacement if anyone knows of one or where to get one.
 
It is a very big deal, if you have to remove the tank. Once the tank is out, all you need is a really good aluminum welder with gas tank experience. I use a local radiator shop.
 
Dave, do you know how it cracked? Was it along an outside seam? I saw one where the tabs of the inner baffle cracked making it irreparable.
 
The inner baffle has cracked at the attachment points. I have just found a welder that says he can repair it. I will report here how it turns out. This is a common problem in these tanks.
 
I found a welder in Phoenix that was recommended to me. He has a lot of experience with aircraft welding. He opened both ends of the tank, re-welded the baffle and of course welded the ends back on. He did a thorough leak test My mechanic was impressed with the work and plans on using him for future work. .
 
Actually he has not finalized the bill. Settling up on Monday. But he said he had 9 hours into it at $95 per hour.
 
There are no new tanks available. American Champion no longer supplies new tanks for the wood spar models. I searched numerous suppliers and there are none that I could find. Aircraft Spruce and Wag Aero used to have them but they can no longer get them. I also contacted almost every aircraft salvage yard I could dig up on the internet. Nothing. Everyone I spoke to, including the folks at American Champion, said to have the old tank repaired.
 
My 2001 ACA tank has a leak where the drain boss was welded to the tank. I think it was a bad weld. A few years ago when it first started leaking I called Jerry jr at ACA. He mentioned unskinning the whole wing, removing the gas tank, welding it, and recover/paint. He said the charge would be $7500, which is about what I paid for the wing. I was so disheartened, I just let it sit in the hangar.

Can the wing be unskinned a few ribs in, exposing the tank, then weld the tank boss in place in the wing? Pressure test it at ? PSI. Recover the wing where the skin was removed, and match the paint somehow. The paint is the 2001 Dupont automotive paint they used, and has stripes.

She's flying again, but only on one wing tank (and only turning one direction). Just to knock the rust off the cam.
 
Can be done. You need a fuel tank expert, because out-gassing can cause a serious explosion. But turning in only one direction is a serious control problem - fix that before the next flight.
 
Yes you can just remove the fabric in the tank bay. Had to do it on my 7GCBC.

You will have to remove the fabric from the tank bay on the top of the wing, and remove the tank for repair.
 
We did it that way twice on a Decathlon with 2003 factory tanks. The third time the owner just had the welder come to the airport and weld it in place. I was the fabric guy. The younger guys wrestled the tank out. Big pain!

When welding, that tank needs to be filled with inert gas. Or a continuous flow of air needs to be forced through it. Only experts should mess with welding used fuel tanks.

Opinion.
 
How does this automotive stuff get stripped down so new fabric can be applied after the repair? Can you point me to a set of instructions on how to do the fabric? Where are you guys located at? Where was the 2003 tank cracked and leaking from?

I kinda wish the plane was finished in dope.
 
By the way, these planes fly just fine with one tank full, and one empty. The fuel pickup on the ACA tanks is inboard, so turn that direction to keep it covered in gas. There is only half as much fuel flow available to the gascolator though, so don't get crazy with the power.
 
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