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Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:57:03 -0400
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
From: CCI <brecab@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Auto Fuel - composite tanks
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References: <list-1330371@logan.com>
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Hi Al, I don't know if this has any relevance to=20
your problem or not, but about a year ago some=20
fuel that came from the Thorton chain around our=20
area was eating up fuel senders. Several people I=20
know had this problem, Thorton's took care of=20
replacing I don't know how many senders. What I=20
heard was there was an extremly high sulphur=20
content in the fuel that was attacking the=20
senders. I don't know if this is related to your=20
problem or not, but I would drain the fuel and=20
see if someone in your area might be able to test=20
a sample of it to see what it has in it.  Fred



At 10:14 AM 7/31/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>Not sure where to go with this because there are=20
>only a few here with epoxy fuel tanks, and on=20
>the Velocity list very few interested in the use=20
>of mogas.  I=92m suspecting fuel compatibility isses.
>
>I first put fuel in the tanks nearly 2 years ago=20
>and used Chevron regular. Everything was=20
>fine.  When I moved the plane to the airport 3=20
>months ago (tanks empty) I filled with=20
>Exxon-Mobile.  Four troubling things have come up in the past few weeks.
>
>    * I have Vance Atkinson site gauge that has=20
> a white plastic back plate for easier reading=20
> of the fuel level. The small hole through the=20
> backing has been swelling shut so the sight=20
> gauge no longer works. I contacted Vance who=20
> said that there are hundreds of these gauges in=20
> EZs using mogas without problems, but he has=20
> had 3 incidents like mine in the last three months.
>    * A couple of weeks ago there was suddenly a=20
> pinhole leak in one of the gear well=20
> enclosures.  These enclosures are part of the=20
> fuel tank wall, and are parts that come with=20
> the Velocity kit.  These are also made and coated with EZ-poxy.
>    * Looking in through the filler cap I see=20
> reddish-purple splotches and streaks on those=20
> gear leg enclosures.  Poking and scratching=20
> with some safety wire on a stick does not=20
> indicate any softness of the surface.
>    * Yesterday, under the leading edges of one=20
> of the strakes, I noted an area with some=20
> slight surface irregularity.  Pushing on it=20
> suggests some sponginess.  This is =BD=94 foam core=20
> material, and indicates the possibility of a=20
> pinhole leak in the inner skin, and fuel=20
> softening the PVC foam.  PVC foam is supposed to be unaffected by fuel.
>
>My tanks (strakes) were made and coated with=20
>EZ-poxy back in 1998.  At the time I polled EZ=20
>flyers about there experience, and talked to=20
>reps of various epoxy manufacturers about auto=20
>fuel compatibility.  All the evidence said go with the EZ-poxy.
>
>Any others with composite tanks having any=20
>trouble?  Anybody using Exxon-mobile fuel?  Know=20
>of any new additives that are an issue?
>
>I=92m thinking I should drain this fuel ASAP, but=20
>then what?  Other brand?  That expensive=20
>Avgas?  Regardless I may be faced with cutting=20
>open a strake at some point, but right now we=20
>are trying to get first flight done this coming weekend.
>
>


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<body>
Hi Al, I don't know if this has any relevance to your problem or not, but
about a year ago some fuel that came from the Thorton chain around our
area was eating up fuel senders. Several people I know had this problem,
Thorton's took care of replacing I don't know how many senders. What I
heard was there was an extremly high sulphur content in the fuel that was
attacking the senders. I don't know if this is related to your problem or
not, but I would drain the fuel and see if someone in your area might be
able to test a sample of it to see what it has in it.&nbsp; Fred<br><br>
<br><br>
At 10:14 AM 7/31/2006 -0700, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite=3D""><font face=3D"Verdana" size=
=3D2>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.&nbsp; I=92m suspecting fuel compatibility isses.<br>
&nbsp;<br>
I first put fuel in the tanks nearly 2 years ago and used Chevron
regular. Everything was fine.&nbsp; When I moved the plane to the airport
3 months ago (tanks empty) I filled with Exxon-Mobile.&nbsp; Four
troubling things have come up in the past few weeks. <br>
&nbsp;
<ol>
<li>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.=20
<li>A couple of weeks ago there was suddenly a pinhole leak in one of the
gear well enclosures.&nbsp; These enclosures are part of the fuel tank
wall, and are parts that come with the Velocity kit.&nbsp; These are also
made and coated with EZ-poxy.</font>=20
<li><font face=3D"Verdana" size=3D2>Looking in through the filler cap I see
reddish-purple splotches and streaks on those gear leg enclosures.&nbsp;
Poking and scratching with some safety wire on a stick does not indicate
any softness of the surface.</font>=20
<li><font face=3D"Verdana" size=3D2>Yesterday, under the leading edges of on=
e
of the strakes, I noted an area with some slight surface
irregularity.&nbsp; Pushing on it suggests some sponginess.&nbsp; This is
=BD=94 foam core material, and indicates the possibility of a pinhole leak i=
n
the inner skin, and fuel softening the PVC foam.&nbsp; PVC foam is
supposed to be unaffected by fuel.</font>=20
</ol><font face=3D"Verdana" size=3D2>&nbsp;<br>
My tanks (strakes) were made and coated with EZ-poxy back in 1998.&nbsp;
At the time I polled EZ flyers about there experience, and talked to reps
of various epoxy manufacturers about auto fuel compatibility.&nbsp; All
the evidence said go with the EZ-poxy.<br>
&nbsp;<br>
Any others with composite tanks having any trouble?&nbsp; Anybody using
Exxon-mobile fuel?&nbsp; Know of any new additives that are an
issue?<br>
&nbsp;<br>
I=92m thinking I should drain this fuel ASAP, but then what?&nbsp; Other
brand?&nbsp; That expensive Avgas?&nbsp; 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.<br>
&nbsp;<br>
&nbsp;</font></blockquote></body>
<br>
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