For Want of $10 in Parts

Saw a fuel stain on the belly of the RV-6 today. After investigating, it
turns out that the carb bowl is loose and I need to replace the gasket
between the bowl and the body of the carb.

The problem is that my local source - Aircraft Spruce, only has the gasket.
They don't have the little bent-tab washers that are required to safety the
bolts holding the carb bowl. With only 3 working days until I head to Osh,
I need some suggestions on a source for those washers.

By the way, I'm near Atlanta.

KB

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...
Saw a fuel stain on the belly of the RV-6 today. After investigating, it
turns out that the carb bowl is loose and I need to replace the gasket
between the bowl and the body of the carb.

The problem is that my local source - Aircraft Spruce, only has the
gasket. They don't have the little bent-tab washers that are required to
safety the bolts holding the carb bowl. With only 3 working days until I
head to Osh, I need some suggestions on a source for those washers.

How about an alternate method of safetying the bolts, such as drilling the
heads and safety wire? Is that not completely allowable, (and of course
safe)especially for a homebuilt?
--
Jim in NC

Kyle Boatright wrote:
Saw a fuel stain on the belly of the RV-6 today. After investigating, it
turns out that the carb bowl is loose and I need to replace the gasket
between the bowl and the body of the carb.

The problem is that my local source - Aircraft Spruce, only has the gasket.
They don't have the little bent-tab washers that are required to safety the
bolts holding the carb bowl. With only 3 working days until I head to Osh,
I need some suggestions on a source for those washers.

By the way, I'm near Atlanta.

KB


Remove the bolts. Mark the safety washers with a sharpie pen so that you
can flip them over on reassembly. That way the chances of bending them
in the same place is negligable, and you can use them again...once.

Rip

"Morgans" wrote in message
...



"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...
Saw a fuel stain on the belly of the RV-6 today. After investigating, it
turns out that the carb bowl is loose and I need to replace the gasket
between the bowl and the body of the carb.

The problem is that my local source - Aircraft Spruce, only has the
gasket. They don't have the little bent-tab washers that are required to
safety the bolts holding the carb bowl. With only 3 working days until I
head to Osh, I need some suggestions on a source for those washers.

How about an alternate method of safetying the bolts, such as drilling the
heads and safety wire? Is that not completely allowable, (and of course
safe)especially for a homebuilt?
--
Jim in NC

These are fairly small bolt heads. It *might* be worth trying to drill
them, but if I can get the parts, I won't have to worry about drilling them
wrong, then needing washers, a gasket, and bolts.

"Rip" wrote in message
. net...
Kyle Boatright wrote:
Saw a fuel stain on the belly of the RV-6 today. After investigating, it
turns out that the carb bowl is loose and I need to replace the gasket
between the bowl and the body of the carb.

The problem is that my local source - Aircraft Spruce, only has the
gasket. They don't have the little bent-tab washers that are required to
safety the bolts holding the carb bowl. With only 3 working days until I
head to Osh, I need some suggestions on a source for those washers.

By the way, I'm near Atlanta.

KB
Remove the bolts. Mark the safety washers with a sharpie pen so that you
can flip them over on reassembly. That way the chances of bending them in
the same place is negligable, and you can use them again...once.

Rip

Unfortunately, I've already re-used the washers once, so the chances of
successfully using all 4 of 'em again is pretty low.

One idea is to fabricate some washers. They wouldn't have to be nearly as
pretty as the ones sold by Marvel Schlieber (sp?). I'm not ashamed of ugly
as long as it works.

The only question is what material to use from the Home Depot metal bin?

KB

The only question is what material to use from the Home Depot metal bin?

KB

Would an external type star washer be secure enough?

"cavelamb himself" wrote in message
link.net...

The only question is what material to use from the Home Depot metal bin?

KB

Would an external type star washer be secure enough?


Presumably, the folks at Lycoming know what they are doing, and the funny
washer is necessary. Otherwise, I can't imagine them substituting an oddball
part for something that is relatively common.

KB

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 20:47:29 -0400, "Kyle Boatright"
wrote:


"Rip" wrote in message
.net...
Kyle Boatright wrote:
Saw a fuel stain on the belly of the RV-6 today. After investigating, it
turns out that the carb bowl is loose and I need to replace the gasket
between the bowl and the body of the carb.

The problem is that my local source - Aircraft Spruce, only has the
gasket. They don't have the little bent-tab washers that are required to
safety the bolts holding the carb bowl. With only 3 working days until I
head to Osh, I need some suggestions on a source for those washers.

By the way, I'm near Atlanta.

KB
Remove the bolts. Mark the safety washers with a sharpie pen so that you
can flip them over on reassembly. That way the chances of bending them in
the same place is negligable, and you can use them again...once.

Rip

Unfortunately, I've already re-used the washers once, so the chances of
successfully using all 4 of 'em again is pretty low.

One idea is to fabricate some washers. They wouldn't have to be nearly as
pretty as the ones sold by Marvel Schlieber (sp?). I'm not ashamed of ugly
as long as it works.

The only question is what material to use from the Home Depot metal bin?

KB


aluminium. or alooooooominum as you guys call it. or brass or soft
annealed stainless steel. it isnt structural. it just needs to bend
and hold and it only comes into play after the nut loosens.

star washers are also an option.

you might also add just a *small* drop of locktite to the threads on
reassembly.

Stealth Pilot

Kyle Boatright wrote:
"cavelamb himself" wrote in message
link.net...
The only question is what material to use from the Home Depot metal bin?

KB
Would an external type star washer be secure enough?


Presumably, the folks at Lycoming know what they are doing, and the funny
washer is necessary. Otherwise, I can't imagine them substituting an oddball
part for something that is relatively common.

KB


keeping screw/bolts/nuts in place isn't rocket science. It doesn't
matter if its a carb or something else. The carb isn't magic, its a thing.
Look at the rest of the things on your airplane, are they falling apart?
If you don't want the chance for the nut to back off do something. Bent
washer of any kind should work fine. Star washers or or split lock
washers hold well also. If in doubt, add loctite to any combination of
the above and go fly.

Dave

"Kyle Boatright" wrote

The only question is what material to use from the Home Depot metal bin?

Aluminum step flashing is sometimes pretty stout. Aluminum siding parts,
perhaps.

They do have a metal bin that might have stainless sheet metal.

They have sheetrock mud pans and putty knives that are cheap enough to chop
up, and some of the mud pans and perhaps putty knives are stainless.

I would not think you would want galvanized, but if you did, there is more
of that stuff than you can swing a cat and miss.
--
Jim in NC