Fuel Drip Containment

Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel vent when
the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything I know to
stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it down.

I'm getting ready to patch the asphalt under the drip and paint the hangar
floor. Since I can't stop the drip, I want to contain it safely. Anybody got
any thoughts on how to neutralize gasoline and contain the drip without being a
fire hazard?

One thought is to provide a bucket with a nonflammable liquid lighter than
gasoline. Let the gas drip into the bucket with a "blanket" of nonflammable
liquid on top of it. The problem is finding such a liquid.

Another thought is to put some sort of oven pan with a mat of some sort that
would let the gasoline evaporate slowly from under the mat. The problem is
finding a nonflammable mat that gasoline will not attack chemically.

Any ideas?

Jim



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
...
Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel vent
when
the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything I
know to
stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it down.

snip
Any ideas?

Jim

I used to use a coffee-can with a small wire hangar, hung from the overflow
pipe. If the drips were slow enough, it would evaporate before the can
filled......but not always....if I filled the tanks too agressively. So for
the last few years, I just gave up and now I do not fill the tanks
completely. I just got tired of the fuel dripping. I have not noticed any
significant amount of water from condensation (as the tanks are nearly
full).

Yes, I'd like a better solution too.

John Severyn

Hi Jim,

I have seen people hang an empty plastic oil bottle on the fuel vent to
catch the dripping fuel on Cessnas. Have you tried this? It shouldn't be too
much of a fire hazard and will save your hangar floor. Just make sure that
you drain the bottle regularly because the angle it sits on the vent, it
won't hold a whole quart of fuel. Using a GATT jar or some other filter, you
can reuse the fuel.

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
...
Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel vent
when
the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything I
know to
stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it down.

On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 18:33:46 GMT, "Sven"
wrote:

Hi Jim,

I have seen people hang an empty plastic oil bottle on the fuel vent to
catch the dripping fuel on Cessnas. Have you tried this? It shouldn't be too
much of a fire hazard and will save your hangar floor. Just make sure that
you drain the bottle regularly because the angle it sits on the vent, it
won't hold a whole quart of fuel. Using a GATT jar or some other filter, you
can reuse the fuel.

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
.. .
Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel vent
when
the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything I
know to
stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it down.

The RIGHT way to solve the problem is to go flying!!!!

And the WRONG thing is to be dicking around trying to fuel an aircraft at
0-dark-30 in the morning.

But thanks for trying.

Jim



clare @ snyder.on .ca
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:


-The RIGHT way to solve the problem is to go flying!!!!

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Not an acceptable fix. Liquid fuel in an open container is not where I wanted
to go. I could just have used a bucket on the floor instead of taking a chance
on bending the vent with a quart (1½ #) of fuel hanging on the line.

But thanks for trying.



"Sven"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-Hi Jim,
-
- I have seen people hang an empty plastic oil bottle on the fuel vent to
-catch the dripping fuel on Cessnas. Have you tried this? It shouldn't be too
-much of a fire hazard and will save your hangar floor. Just make sure that
-you drain the bottle regularly because the angle it sits on the vent, it
-won't hold a whole quart of fuel. Using a GATT jar or some other filter, you
-can reuse the fuel.
-
-"Jim Weir" wrote in message
.. .
- Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel vent
-when
- the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything I
-know to
- stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it down.
-

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

How about a piece of tygon tubing with a inside diameter the size of the
vent tube. Let that hang (or support it with the wing strut) and let it
drain into a gas can. If you are careful you might even be able to reuse
it. I am lucky, my 172F has never had this condition. A friend with a
150 always had it and only fueled when he got ready to fly.

I use a short piece of hose with some wire mesh in it and a orange
"flag" hanging from it. I put that over the vent tube to keep the pesky
bugs from building a nest in it. Orange flag reminds me to remove before
flight.

How about letting it drip into a fuel cell of the type used by NASCAR?

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
...
Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel vent
when
the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything I
know to
stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it down.

I'm getting ready to patch the asphalt under the drip and paint the hangar
floor. Since I can't stop the drip, I want to contain it safely. Anybody
got
any thoughts on how to neutralize gasoline and contain the drip without
being a
fire hazard?

One thought is to provide a bucket with a nonflammable liquid lighter than
gasoline. Let the gas drip into the bucket with a "blanket" of
nonflammable
liquid on top of it. The problem is finding such a liquid.

Another thought is to put some sort of oven pan with a mat of some sort
that
would let the gasoline evaporate slowly from under the mat. The problem
is
finding a nonflammable mat that gasoline will not attack chemically.

Any ideas?

Jim



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

"Jon Woellhaf" wrote in
news:Jrzmb.12980$9E1.63303@attbi_s52:

How about letting it drip into a fuel cell of the type used by NASCAR?

"Jim Weir" wrote in message
...
Snarly Charlie, the 182, has the classic "Cessna drip" from the fuel
vent
when
the tanks are filled and the hangar gets warm. I've tried everything
I
know to
stop it, but all I can do with all the mechanical fixes is slow it
down.

I'm getting ready to patch the asphalt under the drip and paint the
hangar floor. Since I can't stop the drip, I want to contain it
safely. Anybody
got
any thoughts on how to neutralize gasoline and contain the drip
without
being a
fire hazard?

One thought is to provide a bucket with a nonflammable liquid lighter
than gasoline. Let the gas drip into the bucket with a "blanket" of
nonflammable
liquid on top of it. The problem is finding such a liquid.

Another thought is to put some sort of oven pan with a mat of some
sort
that
would let the gasoline evaporate slowly from under the mat. The
problem
is
finding a nonflammable mat that gasoline will not attack chemically.

Any ideas?

Jim



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com




Battery mat or fiberglass mat in a cookie sheet. Lots of area for
evaporation.

What's a battery mat? And won't fiberglass tend to mat down after a while?

Jim



Frank
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-Battery mat or fiberglass mat in a cookie sheet. Lots of area for
-evaporation.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com