What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

tank slosh update

splinter

splinter

Active Member
All,

I have been working for the past few months to remove slosh from my fuel tanks of my RV-8 I bought about a year ago. Long story short, it was missed in the pre-buy inspection, and I was not well educated enough on the subject at the time. Regardless, such is life, and as Mike Holmes says, "I had to make it right". So, for the past couple of months I have been working on the removal and re-sealing. I have had so much incredible help from folks at the Rosamond Skypark (L00) in Rosamond, CA that I can not begin to thank them enough as well as advice from folks on VAF (directly, and through previous posts).

I also took this opportunity to add ER Tanks while I was already going at the fuel system. Thanks to folks Hotel Whiskey Aviation for their awesome support and product as well as their customization for me.

I'm in the US Military, and work schedules and TDY's have contributed to the lengthy delay in completing the de-sloshing, but I am nearing the end. The right tank was closed up this past weekend and the left tank was re-prosealed on the inside. Both are curing now, and I will close up the left in the next week (I hope!) Attached are a few pictures of one tank before removing slosh, de-sloshed, re-sealed and closed.

Thanks to all at L00 and VAF for knowledge shared and wisdom gained.

Splinter

zo807s.jpg


99gj91.jpg


29fp9vm.jpg
 
...oh yea, I didn't leave the re-sealed tank in the Sun!! That was just for a quick photo. Figured someone might ask! haha

Splinter
 
Hello Splinter, I am about to do this myself on a RV-6. I can see that you have used screws to fasten the covers for the access holes. What is on the inside? Is it a flange with threads for the screws?

Rgds Tom
 
I may need to remove the slosh in my tanks also. What is the chemical used to remove the slosh?
 
Z-Brackets ?

Looks like you cleaned up the tanks and resealed pretty well.
Curious though, where are the Z-brackets that belong on the back of the tank baffle for an RV-8 ?
 
Mission accomplished. Looks really good.
For those contemplating this task, I would be tempted to use closed end pop rivets. You should never have to gain access to any of the bays again but if you did you could easily drill them out.
Save you a bit of weight and quite a bit of time not having to deal with the nutplates.
 
I'm surprised no one has asked why it was necessary to cut an access hole in the rear baffle of the most inboard bay. I have always been able to clean out the slosh from the inboard bay through the access panel on the inboard rib.
 
AX-O said:
Those are RV-4 wings. Dont need the Z brakets.
Click to expand...

Affirm, I have one of a few "franken-RV's" that exist out there, or so I've heard. RV-4 wings on an RV-8 fuselage.

This slosh removal was no easy task. I used Aircraft Paint Stripper, even though I knew it would also destroy my pro-seal. I poured in a healthy amount, aluminum taped over all openings and 'baked' (left it to do its work) the tank with the stripper inside -- occasionally sloshing (ha!) the stripper around inside, and making sure all inner surfaces were exposed to the stripper. It gave me a clean slate to start with and a little easier than trying to preserve the pro-seal along every edge via other techniques. Tanks have been leak-checked GOOD and have been sealed back up.

I used dome nutplates on the inside ring. As for the closed end pop rivets, that is a valid option as well!

Yes Dave, this is the RV-8 Section, indeed -- there wasn't an RV-4/8 section for me to post in! ;-)

Splinter
 
Mine has showplanes cowl and rear deck, side opening canopy, grove streamline legs, and smoking airplanes smoke in the back luggage,
The cowl required that I have the MT prop built with a longer hub
When its sat next to my friends RV8 mine is a foot longer!

Dave
 
Back in the air!

Thanks again to everyone at Rosamond Skypark that lent their time and experience to me to help me complete my slosh removal and ER tank installation! Flew again this past weekend, and loved it as much as the last time!

Splinter

IMG_20121021_163041.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top