Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Yes I can be........so, a note to all you builders and a check for all who have purchased a used T-18.....

A few days ago, I completed a de-stress flight to find fuel leaking onto the floorboards from the bottom of the tank on the passengers side. This is the second time fuel has leaked from the tank in the last month. I'm tired of that steady drip, drip, drip of..........uh, fuel (anyone remember Cheech and Chong?).....ahem...anyway...I tore apart the freshly laid new carpet and brand new floor insulation and drained the fuel - it stopped dripping when there was less than a gallon left - with my head up my....cockpit....I inspected the area and found no evidence of my worst fear...a cracked weld...thereby facilitating the removal of the tank, and the old side panel sound insulation seemed to be blue stained higher than the bottom of the tank - out came and the insulation and voila!!! (for you Thierry)- the offending leak revealed itself. Prior to the previous owner re-doing the panel, it appears as though there was a cable of some kind routed between the side skin and the tank - obvious chafing had occurred and the tank wall had finally decided it was thin enough and a small pinhole had finally developed - the solution - clean, sand, wipe with acetone, and a doubler glued to the outside of the tank with pro-seal. Hence the gentle reminder of careful where you route your cables and make sure there is not ANY chafing on the tank walls. Man am I glad I didn't have to remove that tank. I'd sooner listen to a days worth of Chuck Kincer playing a Lady Gaga medley on his bagpipes!!

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Let's hope there was only ONE cable ! Must have been tuff breathing with all the fuel fumes ?

RB

I think Chuck should bring his pipes to OSH for a nightly concert at the house ! A Whitney Houston tune comes to mind ! And I will always love you ! Over and over !

RB