X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from fed1rmmtao08.cox.net ([68.230.241.31] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1c.2) with ESMTP id 1330369 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:15:45 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=68.230.241.31; envelope-from=ALVentures@cox.net Received: from BigAl ([72.192.132.90]) by fed1rmmtao08.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.06.01 201-2131-130-101-20060113) with ESMTP id <20060731171456.OLFQ27857.fed1rmmtao08.cox.net@BigAl> for ; Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:14:56 -0400 From: "Al Gietzen" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" Subject: Auto Fuel - composite tanks Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 10:14:58 -0700 Message-ID: <000001c6b4c4$d9c16e00$6400a8c0@BigAl> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6B48A.2D64DFF0" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6B48A.2D64DFF0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Not sure where to go with this because there are only a few here with = epoxy fuel tanks, and on the Velocity list very few interested in the use of mogas. I=92m suspecting fuel compatibility isses. =20 I first put fuel in the tanks nearly 2 years ago and used Chevron = regular. Everything was fine. When I moved the plane to the airport 3 months ago (tanks empty) I filled with Exxon-Mobile. Four troubling things have = come up in the past few weeks.=20 =20 1. I have Vance Atkinson site gauge that has a white plastic back plate for easier reading of the fuel level. The small hole through the backing = has been swelling shut so the sight gauge no longer works. I contacted Vance = who said that there are hundreds of these gauges in EZs using mogas without problems, but he has had 3 incidents like mine in the last three months. = 2. A couple of weeks ago there was suddenly a pinhole leak in one of the gear well enclosures. These enclosures are part of the fuel tank = wall, and are parts that come with the Velocity kit. These are also made and coated with EZ-poxy. 3. Looking in through the filler cap I see reddish-purple splotches and streaks on those gear leg enclosures. Poking and scratching with some safety wire on a stick does not indicate any softness of the surface. 4. Yesterday, under the leading edges of one of the strakes, I noted an area with some slight surface irregularity. Pushing on it suggests some sponginess. This is =BD=94 foam core material, and indicates the = possibility of a pinhole leak in the inner skin, and fuel softening the PVC foam. PVC = foam is supposed to be unaffected by fuel. =20 My tanks (strakes) were made and coated with EZ-poxy back in 1998. At = the time I polled EZ flyers about there experience, and talked to reps of various epoxy manufacturers about auto fuel compatibility. All the = evidence said go with the EZ-poxy. =20 Any others with composite tanks having any trouble? Anybody using Exxon-mobile fuel? Know of any new additives that are an issue? =20 I=92m thinking I should drain this fuel ASAP, but then what? Other = brand? That expensive Avgas? Regardless I may be faced with cutting open a = strake at some point, but right now we are trying to get first flight done this coming weekend. =20 =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6B48A.2D64DFF0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Not sure where to go with this because there are = only a few here with epoxy fuel tanks, and on the Velocity list very few = interested in the use of mogas.=A0 I’m suspecting fuel compatibility = isses.

 

I first put fuel in the tanks nearly 2 years ago = and used Chevron regular. Everything was fine.=A0 When I moved the plane to the = airport 3 months ago (tanks empty) I filled with Exxon-Mobile.=A0 Four troubling = things have come up in the past few weeks.

 

  1. I have Vance Atkinson site gauge that has a = white plastic back plate for easier reading of the fuel level. The small = hole through the backing has been swelling shut so the sight gauge no = longer works. I contacted Vance who said that there are hundreds of these = gauges in EZs using mogas without problems, but he has had 3 incidents = like mine in the last three months.
  2. A couple of weeks ago there was suddenly a = pinhole leak in one of the gear well enclosures.=A0 These enclosures are = part of the fuel tank wall, and are parts that come with the Velocity kit. = =A0These are also made and coated with EZ-poxy.
  3. Looking in through the filler cap I see = reddish-purple splotches and streaks on those gear leg enclosures.=A0 Poking and = scratching with some safety wire on a stick does not indicate any softness of = the surface.
  4. Yesterday, under the leading edges of one of = the strakes, I noted an area with some slight surface irregularity.=A0 = Pushing on it suggests some sponginess.=A0 This is =BD” foam core = material, and indicates the possibility of a pinhole leak in the inner skin, and = fuel softening the PVC foam. =A0PVC foam is supposed to be unaffected by = fuel.

 

My tanks (strakes) were made and coated with = EZ-poxy back in 1998.=A0 At the time I polled EZ flyers about there experience, and = talked to reps of various epoxy manufacturers about auto fuel compatibility.=A0 = All the evidence said go with the EZ-poxy.

 

Any others with composite tanks having any trouble? = =A0Anybody using Exxon-mobile fuel? =A0Know of any new additives that are an = issue?

 

I’m thinking I should drain this fuel ASAP, = but then what?=A0 Other brand?=A0 That expensive Avgas?=A0 Regardless I may be = faced with cutting open a strake at some point, but right now we are trying to get = first flight done this coming weekend.

 

 

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