Fuel tank leak

[jimkwalton]

I have a 2018 RV-14 built by a professional builder in Oregon, I assume they used a quick-build kit. I bought the plane 5 years ago and had to deal with several rivets leaking by putting a vacuum on the tanks (yes, both sides) and applying epoxy. That seemed to work well, although it looks like crap at the moment since I have not touched up the rivets or the blue stains. But here is the real issue:

Recently, the right tank has had a significant leak coming out the bottom of the tank somewhere, appearing at the back joint where the tank is screwed on about half way between the two inspection plates under the right wing. It is enough (if it sits for a couple days) to run towards the wing root and eventually drips off the back of the flap to the floor. Not enough to measure, but enough to stain and be a pain.

What are going to be my options for trying to mitigate this leak? I have run the tank down to about 2-3 gals and it seems to have just about stopped but that only means it is still pretty low in the tank, probably along the bottom seam. Suggestions?

 

[Bill.Peyton]

I would pull the tank, order several of the vans repair kits and a leak detection kit. A leak like you described should be easy to isolate and then repair. If you don’t feel up to it, there is a guy who posts on here quite often, who repairs fuel tanks. A search of these forums should yield you his contact info. In addition, you could also do a search on fuel tank repair. Of course shipping them would be costly. I recall a post from a few years ago with a detailed description of a tank repair. Vans has a YouTube video detailing the build of a fuel tank. It would be an excellent watch for you. If the plane was painted with the tank screws installed and tightened, you will have to carefully use an exacto knife to cut the paint before you remove the screws I would not continue to fly the plane until the leak is repaired

 

[airguy]

Leaking tanks from a "professional" builder, eh?

 

[lr172]

With that many occurrences of leaks, I would strongly consider a full strip and reseal. Attacking individual leaks in a tank with poor sealing work is like whack a mole.

Don’t know if bill was referring to me, there is another guy that does this as his day job as well, but have done 8 reseals / slosh remediation work for folks here. Feel free to DM me if looking for someone to do this or advise for doing it yourself. And ask dugaru about having a professional shop do the repairs. As you learned alreadt, professional doesn’t necessarily equal quality. Weep no more can be trusted, but very difficult to get on their schedule, if they even do rvs anymore. That was how I started doing them. Folks were getting pushed out for 12-14 months and came here begging for help and i accepted.

 

[Steve Barnes]

Check your messages.
Steve

 

[Snowflake]

Weep no more can be trusted, but very difficult to get on their schedule, if they even do rvs anymore. That was how I started doing them. Folks were getting pushed out for 12-14 months and came here begging for help and i accepted.

When I approach 3D weep-no-more two years ago they said no to Experimental work.

With guidance from people here on VAF I am Ackles it myself, and (so far) seem to have solved the leak I had.

 

[bruceh]

Leaking tanks from a "professional" builder, eh?

Most all of the tanks I have helped repair were QB tanks from Van's. Serious lack of quality and craftsmanship on those QB tanks.
Don't even try to argue. I have lots and lots of photos to back up my assertions. Maybe they are better now, but those tanks built in the Phillipines were horrible quality.