Steve, This fuel tank has been in service for over 5 years and 18 hours of engine operation before this occurance. The tank has been flushed several times over the years and the filters checked for debris. It is only in the past year that I have started to notice the signs of deterioration. Ernest was on the fence about the fuel tank but now is leaning towards aluminum I think. The other Delta Builder who is flying with a Mazda engine has an aluminum tank and has been flying for almost 4 years without incident. If I had used polyester or vinal ester ,as some have pointed out this would not have been an issue as they are both impervious to auto fuel with ethanol. This problem has caused me to re-think my entire fuel system. It will be better.
Jim
Steve Brooks <cozy4pilot@gmail.com>
wrote:
James, Sorry to hear about your problem.
I also have fiberglass fuel tanks on the Cozy, but when I did them, I coated the, with a sealant made by Jeffco, which is impervious to the various fuels out there. Well, at least the ones they knew about back in 2002. I was pretty careful when I built mine, on getting all of the debris out as well, though I did check the fuel filters a couple of times in the first 10 hours, and also replace the one on the primary fuel every year during the conditional inspection. I know that I saw a post earlier by Ernest, who is also building a Delta. He was going with an aluminum tank, I believe, on his plane. Steve Brooks
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