Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

I was able to get out for some airtime today....
First time since early December!

I took my Surdy Birdie..and My super sportser.

Since it's been so long..I fueled up the Sturdy Birdie first..you know to work out the buttterflies!

after fueling, I noted fuel was dumping on the ground out the Fuse.

That stinking stopper in the fuel tank was leaking AGAIN!!!

This must be the 5-6'th time this has happened to me...so I tear everything apart..and re-tighten the stopper screw.

Made 3 flights..and decided to take the sportster up.

SHe has a YS 45 2-stroke..and wouldn't fire up!

I checked for tank pressure..NONE!
I look and fuel is dumping out the plane!

Another leaking stopper!!!!!

What is the trick to a fuel tank that doesn't leak?!?!?!

I'm getting sick of this real quick!

Never took the girl up....as the tank isn't something that you can get at in the field!

I've had it with this style tank!

What can I do..and what can I buy to be able to solve this once and for all!!!

Nothing worse that gettting all ready to fly, then get grounded by a stupid leak!

Give me a solution..and I'm going to swap out the tanks in all my planes!

Larry

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

Larry,
I do lots of repair work for club members. Every plane gets a real good once over after repair including the fuel tank. Often times the tank will need replacing because the stopper was over tightened. If the stopper is over tightened it usually stretches the tank or cracks the tank. This may or may not be your problem, but it is a good thing to keep in mind, for your next new tank is installation.

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

what type of fuel tank are you using, i had this same problem with a WM tank, leaked half a tank of fuel through my fuse, but still flys today with a new fuel tank of course. a sullivan or du-bro tank would do nicly as they are top quality, try to get around the same size tank, i have used both and have had no problem .

the reason for your tank leaking may be because of the bung being stripped were the screw goes.

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

I use mostly Sullivan and sometimes Dubro but I have never had a leaking fuel tank in 8 years. Its not talent here either, Maybe your not assembling them right?

There are many rules with Arfs, One of my main rules is to throw out most of the hardware that comes with an Arf and I never ever even remotely think about using the fuel tank that comes with it. If you are, thats your problem.

Now many will disagree and thats fine, you want to stop the problem, chuck the tanks.

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

2 words: Hayes.

Oh, I guess that was only one word. Okay, again: Hayes.

Use Hayes fuel tanks, no tubing to bend, no silly stoppers.

:)

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

I agree, Hayes. I have a couple that are ten years old and still don't leak. Every Sullivan, Dubro or World that I've had has leaked after a while, but never the Hayes.

Jim

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

I too had the same problem. I only purchase Hays tanks. As for gas, I really love the B&B tanks although they are a bit expensive. A quick word of advise-- on the tank with the YS, a couple of strips of duct tape around the tank will help keep the seams intact under the pressure of the YS system.

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

You guys are teasers. Please gimme a link to where these hayes tanks can be seen.

Personally I run the tank that came with the ARF. I have never had a problem with my tanks. Just don't over tighten and also do a leak check. Do that by pressurizing it with your mouth and then sticking it under a sink full of water. Look for bubbles.

Sean

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

http://www.hobbypeople.net/mfr/hayes01.asp

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

Hayes is the only tank I will use, they never leak.
Plus the set up on one is about 30 seconds.

Jerry

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

I had this problem on the first ARF I bought which was a H9 Cherokee. The fuel tank was ok but the outside of the stopper was a soft black rubber. It passed the leak test at the sink but would start to leak when you throttled up and the tank became pressurized. It was too soft to tighten up against and get a proper seal. The tank was a non standard shape so hard to replace but I just bought a replacement stopper from another brand and it worked fine. :D

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

How do attach the fuel clunk in the Hayes tanks?? The pic show the tubing and the clunk but the end doesn't come off so?!?

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

Larry:

Yes, the Hayes tank is the simple solution. I have been using them for quite a while. I use a 3-line system and it is nice not to have to bend any tubes.

However, on my tail-draggers I still use the Du-Bro/Sullivan styles as I drill a hole in the back of the tank and install a Foremost fitting to use for fill and drain (makes tank drain a slap on a tale dragger). I have found if you tap - DO NOT DRILL - just tap the screw hole on the plastic stopper plate with a 4-40 tap and use a 4-40 hex head screw there are no leaks. You can snug the stopper well and I have never (6 years) had one work loose or leak. You can also smear a light coating of RTV around the outside of the stopper where it meets the tank.

My .05 on this one.

Dan

RE: Fuel Tank design STINKS!
 

The rubber stopper on the tanks that come with ARFs is harder than the ones from DuBro and Sullivan. In addition, those two have wrap around the flange on the tank to keep it from splitting.

After a buddy's tank leaked in his fuselage, I ran a test on ARF and US made tanks. If you search in the Engine Forun for tank test, you'll find it. The bottom line was, even if I tightened the ARF tank down very tight, I could push on the side of the stopper with my thumbs and push it out of the tank!! Try it yourself. Replacing it with the softer DuBru or Sullivan rubber made it better, but their tanks are a great improvement.

When I can use a tank with a taller vertical cross section, I'll use the Hayes tank every time. It doesn't use the rubber stopper and I've never had one leak. I am flying 2 twins right now and the one where they'll fit has 2 Hayes tanks. The other that has lower cross section nacelles has 2 Sullivan slant tanks.

Ditto on tank problems from the newer Great Planes tanks. theolder ones were like the Thunder Tiger tanks with a screw on cap. These worked well. The newer ones have a large tube that goes through the rubber and a nut on the outside. The rubber is hard and difficult to compress. I had one of these fall out of a tank that was on a plane hanging in the ceiling of my garage for a month.

See this URL: [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1394123/anchors_1394123/mpage_1/key_tank%252Ctest/anchor/tm.htm#1394123]Tank Test[/link]