bobgoodman
New member
i just posted this because there doesn't seem to be much activity on the forum lately. maybe it's because the weather is bad even for hangar flying. i have some projects on my cruisemaster that i was planning to get to this winter but it is just too dang cold to work in the hangar (even in alabama) and the weather has been sucky for flying (although today may be the day, crisp and clear here for a change)
so anyway i somehow got some water in my right tank. i sumped it out but you know you can't get it all. then my gas gauge on that tank quit working, so i took it out and IT WAS ALL RUSTY! that sure got my attention. number one, i try to keep the tanks pretty full to avoid condensation, and number two, the plane has not gotten wet since i've had it, so i have no idea how the water got it.
number 3, since the sender is the only corrodible part in the gas tank, it was the only thing that could corrode. whatever the reason, i don't like it. i just had it out a month or so ago to clean the contacts, and it was fine. this all happened in a very short time frame. the amount of surface rust on the sender was startling.
has anyone ever tried to put some kind of corrosion protection on the sender? the part that sticks down and hold the float lever? i just cleaned it up and put it back it, it works fine. i started to put some zinc chromate on there but i started to worry about paint flakes in my gas if it ever came off, and i don't think i've ever seen a painted one before.
does anybody else's gas tanks make water in the hangar? my old stinson did somehow. maybe it has to do with the wood or fabric wing making condensation more of a problem.
for sure i will be very diligent about sumping the gas tanks in the future. my rv sits in a drive thru and gets wet all the time, but never gets water in the gas, so i guess i have gotten lazy.
in flying, you never know what can kill you, even the little things. i have a quote from orville wright posted on the fridge to that effect but i can't remember it exactly or i would quote it. if i ever go flying without checking the oil i worry about it the whole time, so i always check the oil even if i know it's ok. my late new years resolution now is to always sump the tanks even if i know there's no water in there. and even since i have to crawl on the floor to do it.
im thinking i might put something in there to soak up the water. does anybody have a favorite water dissolver. i put some stabil in there, and i think it has some water absorbing properties, but i just had some on the shelf and figured it wouldn't hurt anything.
bobg
so anyway i somehow got some water in my right tank. i sumped it out but you know you can't get it all. then my gas gauge on that tank quit working, so i took it out and IT WAS ALL RUSTY! that sure got my attention. number one, i try to keep the tanks pretty full to avoid condensation, and number two, the plane has not gotten wet since i've had it, so i have no idea how the water got it.
number 3, since the sender is the only corrodible part in the gas tank, it was the only thing that could corrode. whatever the reason, i don't like it. i just had it out a month or so ago to clean the contacts, and it was fine. this all happened in a very short time frame. the amount of surface rust on the sender was startling.
has anyone ever tried to put some kind of corrosion protection on the sender? the part that sticks down and hold the float lever? i just cleaned it up and put it back it, it works fine. i started to put some zinc chromate on there but i started to worry about paint flakes in my gas if it ever came off, and i don't think i've ever seen a painted one before.
does anybody else's gas tanks make water in the hangar? my old stinson did somehow. maybe it has to do with the wood or fabric wing making condensation more of a problem.
for sure i will be very diligent about sumping the gas tanks in the future. my rv sits in a drive thru and gets wet all the time, but never gets water in the gas, so i guess i have gotten lazy.
in flying, you never know what can kill you, even the little things. i have a quote from orville wright posted on the fridge to that effect but i can't remember it exactly or i would quote it. if i ever go flying without checking the oil i worry about it the whole time, so i always check the oil even if i know it's ok. my late new years resolution now is to always sump the tanks even if i know there's no water in there. and even since i have to crawl on the floor to do it.
im thinking i might put something in there to soak up the water. does anybody have a favorite water dissolver. i put some stabil in there, and i think it has some water absorbing properties, but i just had some on the shelf and figured it wouldn't hurt anything.
bobg
