|
Continued Air Worthiness
Tips for trouble free operation
Problems?
Rebuilds/Repairs
Flight Manual Supplements
Tips for purchasing used tanks
Continued Air Worthiness
The following recommended maintenance should be performed in conjunction with Cessna's maintenance procedures.
1.Pre-flight check:
a.visual check entire aux fuel system for leaks
b.drain fuel sample fro aux tanks and check for contamination
c.visually check wing to aux tank mounting screws
d.inspect tanks for damage such as impact or abrasion
e.turn on power and check fuel gauges for correct reading
2.Periodic maintenance (100 hour check) all of the above plus:
a.ensure that all placards are in place per installation drawing
b.clean aux tank fuel pump screen
c.torque pump mounting bolts to 50 to 70 inch pounds
d.check fuel line mounts and connections for tightness
e.inspect all electrical connections for chaffing and correct mounting
f.inspect tip tank nav lights for correct operation, proper sealing , signs of chaffing on wires and secure connections (see installation drawings for sealing information)
Tips for trouble free operation
- Keep the tanks full when on the ground to prevent condensation from getting into the fuel.
- Use a kitchen timer when transferring fuel to know when to turn the pumps off.
- Follow the Flight Manual Supplement
Problems?
We have been building tanks since 1967 with very few problems. Here are the few we have run into:
Gauge doesn't work: Generally, it's not the gauge. Most often it's the fuel level sending unit located in the tank itself. If the tanks aren't kept full (see tips), condensation can form. Not only does this introduce water into the tank but this water is hard on the senders. We changed our senders to a "marine" type about 1998 but even these can only tolerate so much water. You may have the older metal type anyway. So, back to the gauge. Swap the leads to the two gauges to see if the problem travels with the wire. If it does, it's the sender. If it doesn't, we have gauges in stock. We'll need to know how many gallons your tanks hold and the voltage of your system when you order. If it's the sender, we also stock those. We need to know the model airplane when ordering. By the way, it's very difficult to change the sender without removing the tank but sometimes it can be done. Usually it's easier to remove the tank.
Gravity transfer: This is the fuel moving from our tanks to your main tanks when the plane is just sitting on the ground. You have a check valve problem. It's easily cured. Some small bit of debris under the ball in the check valve that is preventing the valve from closing. The check valve can be opened and cleaned in some solvent. Do not compress or extend the spring in the valve and put a small amount of oil on the o-ring when re assembleing the valve. Now that you've fixed that you have to determine what got in there. Check in inside of the tank. If there's more gunk in there, you'll have the problem again.
Electrical noise: If you hear noise in the headphones when the transfer pump is running, you have electrical noise. This is generally caused by a bad ground somewhere. The problem is, where? It can be almost anywhere, at the battery, the pump itself or in the radio. If you look and can't find a loose ground, we have a solution. We offer a noise supression kit. It consists of a special capacitor which is installed on the power lead to the pump and shielding for the wire from the capacitor to the pump. We always have them in stock.
Leaks: We don't have many leaks but they sometimes do happen. Especially when the tanks get above 25 years old. Some leaks are simple like a leak at the quick drain or the cap which only requires an o-ring change. We stock them. Others are more difficult like fuel getting into the tube that runs through the leading edge of the tank. This fuel would appear at either the nav light dry bay or the inboard, forward corner of the tank. That one is best dealt with by sending us the tank.
Rebuild information
If you have a problem with the integrity of your tank, we may be able to rebuild them to factory specifications. This is not to be confused with a repair, which we are not certified to do. The difference is, a repair can solve one problem out of many, where a rebuild will solve all problems and bring your tank back to factory certification.
Rebuilds are can be a complicated process with many factors involved. But we will work with you to help solve your problem.
- All rebuilds require a $49 per tank pressure test. You should understand the a pressure test can cause leaks. This can happen after the test when the pressure is released. While this is not common, we want you to understand the risk.
- We will require you to have knowledge of your tank, or be able to do a visual inspection to determine their revision level (digital pictures can be a great help in determining this).
- We only carry parts for a few revision levels, and may not be able to rebuild your tank to it's original revision level. If we cannot rebuild your tank to it's original revision level, we will rebuild it to the current revision level, which may require you altering your installation to accept the new revision tank.
- It may be necessary to alter the tank (eg. remove paint, drill a seized screw, etc) to determine if and how the tank can be rebuilt. We are not responsible for returning the tank to it's original condition (aka. the status before any alterations).
- We reserve the right to refuse to rebuild any tanks for any reason.
- Other unforeseen issues may arise during the process.
The following are the steps for a rebuild:
- Contact us regarding the rebuild of your tank and let us know what you are shipping to us.
- Ship us your tank with a $49 payment, your contact information, as well as an explanation of the problem.
- We will do a visual inspection to determine if the tank can be rebuilt. If they cannot be rebuilt, we will contact you.
- We will perform a pressure test to confirm what is needed for your rebuild.
- We will contact you with an estimate to rebuild your tank. At this point you can choose to have them rebuilt, shipped back to you, or destroyed.
- You send payment for the rebuild.
- Once payment is received the rebuild will commence.
- After the tanks have been opened there is a possibility that other problems may be found. These problems must be repaired before the tanks are certified. We will contact you with a estimate to rebuild the new damaged area.
- When your rebuild is complete, a included (no charge) pressure test is done to test integrity of tank.
- Your tank will be shipped back to you (If tank are not shipped in a container that is in re-usable condition for return shipping, a packaging fee will be added to your invoice).
- Invoices must be paid in full before tanks will be returned.
Flight Manual Supplements
Current Flight manual supplements can be found online. Simply go to the "What we have" section and select your aircraft model. Your FMS should be linked to on that page. Note: Some early aircraft may not have a FMS and all information is communicated to the pilot through the use of placards. Check your STC to see if you have all the placards you need.
This is an inspection reference to be used if you obtain a used set of our tip tanks
We stock many parts that you may need to update. Before calling please look over these parts of your tip tank system:
- Do you have a STC and permission statement?
- The FAA requires you to keep a copy in the aircraft and it must carry the aircraft 's serial number and registered owner's information.
- Do you have installation drawings for the install process or to verify the tanks were installed properly?
- If you are doing an install on a new aircraft you may need new or different fittings. You can determine what you will need by checking the installation drawings to the parts you have. If you do find you need something or have a question please feel free to contact us .
- Look the tanks over very carefully for any blue stains that may indicate a leak.
- Inspect the mounting holes for any elongation. The edge distance of these holes is very important.
- For example, a 206F, G or H model, distance from the center of these holes to the edge of our tank must be .75 inches, plus or minus .25 inches
- Other models can have different measurements, please contact us for your specific model.
- Which fuel cap do you have?
- Inspect the check valves. They should be our newer brass version or they must be replaced.
- The older aluminum check valves have been known to spring pinhole leaks.
- Inspect the pumps. Run them for a few seconds on the bench before installing them. Rremove the bottom of the pump and clean the basket screen and look for rust.
- Remove the sending units and check for the presence of rust and insure free movement.
If your tanks check out ok with the above inspections, you probably have a good set.
|
