ORIGINAL: Speedracer2112
I have run across another problem to report or at least to think about as you build. Its the fuel tanks. Easy enough right? Well after a year of flights and a little wear my right tank is sucking air when I de-fuel. I have holes in my lines!! The tanks are literally burried in the nacells. To rework them means removal of everything down to the wood core of the nacelle and cutting them out. I have to do this now or pay for it when I loose a fuel line or lean out and overheat. I admit that after 200 flights this should be done anyway to check the tanks for wear, but geeze its a big job. Anyway, I will begin tearing her down next weekend. I may be able to fix this with just the removal of the motors and mounts working from the front of the firewall. We will see. I will make a post after I am done to discuss the stress damage of 200+ flights within the nacelles if I have to tear them down. I can easily see this rock solid plane making several hundred more flights easily with proper maintenance.
Cheers!!
SR
Hi all,
I did tear down the nacelles this weekend. I found that the tank in question did have a split fuel line. Fortunatly, it was on the fuel/de-fuel line and not to the motor. I tore down both sides in about five hours and replaced all of the fuel lines and clamps. I had used the factory silicone lines and when I pulled on them all but one of the four fractured easily.
I then took her to the field to fly that day. I ran both motor and re-tuned them. About five minutes in the right motor abruptly stopped and smoke billowed from it. I took off the cowl and found one of the lines had popped off. I rechecked everything and restarted. I flew a few times and everything was fine but the motors were out of tune. I hate that! Before the tear down it was perfect! I decided to land to tweek the motors. On touch down the plane landed on the mains and then the nose slammed into the runway. The nose gear was up. *#@$*!. I never noticed it. It took out both props and sanded down my nose canopy during a 100 ft skid. I was so focused on the motors I failed to air up the retracts before take off!! Boy I was bent. I appologized to her profusely, and took her home and repaired her that day. I only hope she doesnt hold it against me.
If you installed the factory lines PLEASE replace them this year. I had to take off to the engine mounts and worked from the front of the fire wall. It will save your plane. Granted I had hundereds of flights, but its just not worth it, not to change them.
Cheers!
SR