sump drain cleaning

I have seen this discussed before, but couldn't come up with any hits on
Google. The sump drains on one wing an at the engine are running very
slowly, so I suspect they need to be cleaned. Also, the one that does drain
well continued to drip after I had drained a fuel sample until I had jiggled
it around for a bit. Interestingly (ominously?), the one that does drain
well gave me a few dark flecks. What is the best way to clean up these
drains, or would it be best to replace them?

--
Mike in Tucson (AVQ)
Archer N54405

If you had an experimental aircraft, you'd just unscrew them from the tank
(after more or less emptying the tank) and clean off any crud that was in or
on them... If a drain was bad, the owner of an experimental aicraft could
simply buy a new one or try and replace the seals in the bad one.

KB


"Mike Noel" wrote in message
...
I have seen this discussed before, but couldn't come up with any hits on
Google. The sump drains on one wing an at the engine are running very
slowly, so I suspect they need to be cleaned. Also, the one that does
drain
well continued to drip after I had drained a fuel sample until I had
jiggled
it around for a bit. Interestingly (ominously?), the one that does drain
well gave me a few dark flecks. What is the best way to clean up these
drains, or would it be best to replace them?

--
Mike in Tucson (AVQ)
Archer N54405

New PMAed drains are not that expensive. The last ones I bought were
about $10 ea. The arcraft parts vendors will not sell you replacement
o-rings for the drains, however, the o-rings are carried by industrial
distributors. Usually, a piece of crud imbeds itself into the rubber,
causing it to drip.

The biggest hassle is draining the tanks. Since the drains have a
standard NPT Pipe Thread, you can go to a hardware store and get a
pipe plug which can be used to temporarily plug the tank while you are
working on the quick drain. You will spill some gas, but if you have a
helper, he/she can do the "little boy with his finger in the dike"
(not dyke) until you get the plug in.

MikeM
Skylane '1MM
Pacer '00Z


On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 19:52:30 -0700, "Mike Noel"
wrote:

I have seen this discussed before, but couldn't come up with any hits on
Google. The sump drains on one wing an at the engine are running very
slowly, so I suspect they need to be cleaned. Also, the one that does drain
well continued to drip after I had drained a fuel sample until I had jiggled
it around for a bit. Interestingly (ominously?), the one that does drain
well gave me a few dark flecks. What is the best way to clean up these
drains, or would it be best to replace them?

Mike Noel wrote:
I have seen this discussed before, but couldn't come up with any hits on
Google. The sump drains on one wing an at the engine are running very
slowly, so I suspect they need to be cleaned. Also, the one that does drain
well continued to drip after I had drained a fuel sample until I had jiggled
it around for a bit. Interestingly (ominously?), the one that does drain
well gave me a few dark flecks. What is the best way to clean up these
drains, or would it be best to replace them?

Mike,

My mechanic just replaced both main tank drains on our 172 after I
noticed the very same symptoms on one of the drains. We technically
only needed to replace the right side drain, but I figured I'd do both
because they're reasonably priced and I wanted to change them to a
"flush" type like that used on the new 172. They now flow like Niagra
Falls. 8^)

He used the "thumb" method to replace the drains rather than draining
the tanks. What's the "thumb" method you ask? Unscrew the drain. When
it comes out, use your thumb to close over the hole, then release, then
close it up again. Lather, rinse, repeat a few more times to make sure
you remove any gunk that might be hanging out in the bottom of the tank.
When done, screw the new drain in, and safety wire accordingly.

We "spilled" about a quart or so into a basin I strategically positioned
beneath the drain during the procedure to ensure we caught it all. Once
we verified the gas in the basin was clean, we poured it into the tug.
Nothing wasted.

HTH,

-Doug

--
--------------------
Doug Vetter, CFIMEIA

http://www.dvcfi.com
--------------------

Thanks for the replies. I ordered 3 new CCA-1550 drains from Aircraft
Spruce. The total with priority USPS shipping was about $30. Curtis Valve
has a nice application chart on their web site that lists which valves are
used in which aircraft. In the Piper their is no safety wire involved.
Looks like it is just a friction fit with the pipe threading. Is it just
metal to metal with no special sealant?

--
Mike in Tucson (AVQ)
Archer N54405

"Doug Vetter" wrote in message
. net...
Mike Noel wrote:
I have seen this discussed before, but couldn't come up with any hits on
Google. The sump drains on one wing an at the engine are running very
slowly, so I suspect they need to be cleaned. Also, the one that does
drain
well continued to drip after I had drained a fuel sample until I had
jiggled
it around for a bit. Interestingly (ominously?), the one that does
drain
well gave me a few dark flecks. What is the best way to clean up these
drains, or would it be best to replace them?

Mike,

My mechanic just replaced both main tank drains on our 172 after I
noticed the very same symptoms on one of the drains. We technically
only needed to replace the right side drain, but I figured I'd do both
because they're reasonably priced and I wanted to change them to a
"flush" type like that used on the new 172. They now flow like Niagra
Falls. 8^)

He used the "thumb" method to replace the drains rather than draining
the tanks. What's the "thumb" method you ask? Unscrew the drain. When
it comes out, use your thumb to close over the hole, then release, then
close it up again. Lather, rinse, repeat a few more times to make sure
you remove any gunk that might be hanging out in the bottom of the tank.
When done, screw the new drain in, and safety wire accordingly.

We "spilled" about a quart or so into a basin I strategically positioned
beneath the drain during the procedure to ensure we caught it all. Once
we verified the gas in the basin was clean, we poured it into the tug.
Nothing wasted.

HTH,

-Doug

--
--------------------
Doug Vetter, CFIMEIA

http://www.dvcfi.com
--------------------

"Mike Noel" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies. I ordered 3 new CCA-1550 drains from Aircraft
Spruce. The total with priority USPS shipping was about $30. Curtis
Valve
has a nice application chart on their web site that lists which valves are
used in which aircraft. In the Piper their is no safety wire involved.
Looks like it is just a friction fit with the pipe threading. Is it just
metal to metal with no special sealant?

--
Mike in Tucson (AVQ)
Archer N54405


Pipe threads don't *require* a sealant. However, I would recommend a dab of
fuel lube. You could also use some of the teflon goo, but DON'T use teflon
tape.

KB

Kyle Boatright wrote:

... but DON'T use teflon
tape.

Why not?

Tim

Tim Bengtson wrote:
: Kyle Boatright wrote:
: ... but DON'T use teflon
: tape.
: Why not?
: Tim

Tim, it's because the Teflon tape can shear off small flakes of the Teflon,
and get clogged up in the carb, fuel injection, selector valves, etc.

--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

"Doug Vetter" wrote in message
My mechanic just replaced both main tank drains on our 172 after I
noticed the very same symptoms on one of the drains.

Lather, rinse, repeat a few more times to make sure
you remove any gunk that might be hanging out in the bottom of the tank.
When done, screw the new drain in, and safety wire accordingly.
Once we verified the gas in the basin was clean, we poured it into the tug.
Nothing wasted.
-Doug

Doug, you mention you drained the fuel several times to ensure you
"got the gunk out." I'm curious how your mechanic verified the fuel
was clean? Does one use a paper (coffee?) filter or some other
contraption to ensure the dark flecks & gunk don't get poured back in
the tank.

(Newbie owner and not a mechanic.)

Greg H.
Cols, OH
N4691X

Aaron Coolidge wrote:
: ... but DON'T use teflon
: tape.
: Why not?
Tim, it's because the Teflon tape can shear off small flakes of the Teflon,
and get clogged up in the carb, fuel injection, selector valves, etc.

Theoretically, you're supposed to skip the first thread or two when you
wrap threads with Teflon tape. If you do this, the tape won't ever come
into contact with the fluid (gas, in this case).

-- Jay
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino/ ! ! !

Checkout http://www.oc-adolfos.com/
for the best Italian food in Ocean City, MD and...
Checkout http://www.brolow.com/ for authentic Blues music on Delmarva