Recommendation to stop fuel tank seep/leak in southeast

[Htwjr]

My right fuel tank is seeping or leaking. Who do y'all recommend to repair it? Preferably in the southeast. I don't think it needs a total reseal but would like it fixed before it gets worse. I have read prior posts regarding stripping and resealing but prefer to try patching first. Thanks for any recommendations.

[Jeff_S]

Joey Cole in Rome GA will do patches. He patched up my tank nearly two years ago and so far it has worked. His website seems to be in a perennial state of flux but give him a call at 706-295-4353 and talk to him about your situation.

[rbridges]

I recommend Joey, also.  He told me that he does patches, but made it clear that it isn't guaranteed.  I ended up having him install bladders.

[bdjohn4]

When was your last total strip and reseal? I have Monroy LR tanks installed by Jose Monroy's protoge Edison Gomez, of Wet Wingologists East at KFXE (Ft. Lauderdale Exec). He does nothing but Mooney wings, so there is hardly anyone that knows more about a Mooney wet wing. Had one wing done in 2012 and one in 2013. He offers a 7-year garrantee. Prior to that, the wings were done in 2007 (with Monroy kit installed) when the previous owner bought it from a Mooney shop up the coast a ways (that will remain unnamed). Edison was not impressed with the quality of the sealant installation and noted that the mechanic clearly didn't adequately clean the aluminum surface prior to application of the sealant. The shop up the coast (who I won't mention) was called, and the A&P that did the LR tank installation was long gone. I just said the heck with it and had Edison do the whole thing. With care, properly sealed wet-wings will last a long time. The lesson I learned is that it is never a bad idea to have an STC installed by the writers of said STC. They will do it by the book.

 

I am leary of patches if the sealant is old, since if it is leaking in a spot now, that means it will leak elsewhere in the near future (again, if the sealant is already old and dry-rotted), so I just had the wings completely redone. Since repair is such a specialized job (not many A&Ps want to fool with wet wing leaks), might as well just have them completely stripped and resealed. Very happy with the results.

 

Bladders won't work if you want LR tanks, unfortunately.

JML

[bdjohn4]

Clarification: Edison did not do the original 2007 installation of the STC he helped develop. Edison did only the reseal of a botched Monroy Installation that lasted only 5 years. bdjohn

[clh]

Had edison do a complete reseal on my E.   It looks like he did a pretty good job.  (The plane had never been actually resealed since it left the factory in '64)  There were MANY patches in various condition.......

[bdjohn4]

I think the moral is: If the sealant is really old, bite the bullet and do a complete strip/reseal (and why not have them put in LR tanks at the same time )

[Hank]

Edison resealed my tanks, too. Some of the sealant was so crumbly it was like sand. No more leaks, drips or stains. The wing walk is also redone. I'm a happy customer! Even the flight down and back was good--down VFR, and the length of Florida north-bound in the clouds.

[lamont337]

If you are going to attempt a patch I highly recommend using Don Maxwell's method of identifying where the leak is coming from:

 

http://donmaxwell.com/publications/MAPA_TEXT/_overlay/Fuel%20Tank%20Repair_How%20We%20Fix%20Them%202-05.htm

 

I showed this to my mech and we used it to find 4 leaks on 2 separate occasions (didn't apply suction long enough the first time). Instead of using soap though, we used several gallons of fuel as I think the bubbles are easier to see through the plexi that way. One of the leaks was originating from the bottom/middle of the outboard tank and making all the way inside the cabin and it was several minutes before we saw the bubbles!

 

Good luck

[rockydoc]

What does Edison charge?