Airplane smell or a leaking tank?

[Mooney13]

I was wondering if there is anyway to determine if my wings are leaking other than seeing blue stains. I don't see any rivets anywhere with stains or any other obvious signs.

Prior to owning my Mooney, I have not had much experience with them. I do know my Cherokee and the Cessnas that I have flown had an  "airplane smell" to them and my Mooney deos too.

Is there somehting I should look for or a place I can look to determine that this is just the "airplane smell" and not a fuel tank leaking? It's not overwhelming or anything, but all the fuel tank leaking talk can make a guy paranoid..

Thanks!

[KSMooniac]

My plane gave a whiff of a gas smell when opening the cabin door when I bought it.  I new the tanks were leaking a little bit and I ended getting a strip-n-seal the next year, which cured it.  A small fuel leak in many different places can find it's way into the cabin to give you that smell, too.

I agree with you about "airplane smell" as well!  How old is the interior in your Mooney?  What kind of materials?  If the smell is just "funk" and not "fuel" then perhaps you don't have to worry yet.  I would speculate that if it is fuel, you would be able to smell it distinctly.  Perhaps as a test you could leave a little sample of sump fuel in the cup, and close it in your cabin overnight, and try your nose the next day to see if it is different.  Use just a little fuel though! 

If it is just funk, then perhaps some good spring cleaning would help.  Remove the carpet, get it steam-cleaned or something.  Thoroughly vacuum and wipe down all of the surfaces.  Perhaps use some Febreeze spray, etc.

Good luck!

[Mooney13]

Thanks Scott, it is original interior'78, so it could be the smell. It actually doe not smell bad, it just smells like "airplane" is my best description..I am not worried about the smell at all actually, but rather the gas leak if it happens to be that....I was just wondering if there was any way to check ...I guess when I buy new carpet and have the seats re-done I will know and I am going to try the gas in the cabin trick...thanks

[Parker_Woodruff]

Yeah, I've got that gas/airplane smell in mine.  It doesn't smell like Avgas, but it doesn't smell like just airplane smell either.  There are no fuel stains on the wing, but we'll see if Don Maxwell finds anything at 100 hour.

[Mooney13]

Let em know if Don finds a source of the smell. I have no signs of a leak either...thank you!

[KSMooniac]

Welcome Parker!

If you have a leak getting into the cabin, it should be quite noticeable as an avgas smell when you open the door after it has been closed/sitting for a day or two.  Leaks can be from transducers at the wing root (behind interior plastic) or along the wing spar leaking into the leading edge cavity that is essentially open to the cabin as well.  It might be noticeable right after putting the gear down in flight, too.  You can inspect the wheel well areas for leak evidence, and peak behind the interior plastics or look for stained carpet.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Thanks, Scott.  I'll check out everything I can, though I'm guessing (and hoping) it's just this rotting Airtex mixed with 7000 hours.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Yeah it was an Embry Riddell trainer from 1991 to about 1999 or so.  It's only had about 500 hours from the second owner till I bought it last month.

 

It's now in the training fleet at my startup...we'll see how it goes.