Fuel smell Bravo

[Danb]

I topped off my Bravo long range tanks for a trip tomorrow. Went over to hanger today to clean up snow and there was a gas smell, the vent or whatever under the copilot seat was dripping a little, since the tanks were topped off it's never done that before, vent or gascolator?

[Marauder]

I topped off my Bravo long range tanks for a trip tomorrow. Went over to hanger today to clean up snow and there was a gas smell, the vent or whatever under the copilot seat was dripping a little, since the tanks were topped off it's never done that before, vent or gascolator?

Is there a sump under the co-pilot on the Bravo? If it is the fuel tank vent, I wouldn't be surprised if you fuel your plane yesterday and then brought it into your heated hangar and saw the fuel expand a bit and coming out of the vent. The vent is under the wing, not the co-pilot seat.

It's COLD out there!


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[Danb]

41 minutes ago, Marauder said:

 

Is there a sump under the co-pilot on the Bravo? If it is the fuel tank vent, I wouldn't be surprised if you fuel your plane yesterday and then brought it into your heated hangar and saw the fuel expand a bit and coming out of the vent. The vent is under the wing, not the co-pilot seat.

It's COLD out there!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

That's what I did Chris hanger 45 degrees outside 18

[Danb]

1 hour ago, Marauder said:

 

Is there a sump under the co-pilot on the Bravo? If it is the fuel tank vent, I wouldn't be surprised if you fuel your plane yesterday and then brought it into your heated hangar and saw the fuel expand a bit and coming out of the vent. The vent is under the wing, not the co-pilot seat.

It's COLD out there!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

That's what I did Chris hanger 45 degrees outside 18

[bonal]

Had an old RD350 back in the day that had an after market tank with a vent tube that protruded through the cas cap. topped it off for the next day and parked in garage on a hot night.  About a half hout later there was a big expolsion that blew the garage door off and a huge fire in the garage.  fuel expanded leaked out to vapor crept over to hot water heater and KABOOM!!!  be careful if your smelling fuel it might be a bigger problem than you think

[Danb]

Thanx big B, 

[carusoam]

Things that come to mind...

full tanks and expansion should show up at the vent at the far outboard end of the long body's tank.  The vents are nicely hidden behind a NACA duct shaped space.

They are pretty high up in an area that is usually an air pocket.  Meaning it is tougher to have expansion challenges than my old C with real short 52 gallon tanks.

If it is leaking there, there should be some aroma at the vent, blue color may be showing on the paint as it is drying.  It may be running down the length of the wing due to gravity.

Check the usual drippy locations.  Fuel sample drain valves. Collator drain valve.

Check the unusual drippy locations. Fuel pump leaky diaphragm drains. Leaky fuel caps and the underlying fuel level.  If the tanks were filled while the plane was on an angle, in the hangar it might be different enough to leak some fuel around a loose gasket?

good luck, hope it is something simple...

 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

[thinwing]

I think a photo would be helpful....I am not aware of any fuel tank vents directly under pilots seat...the gascolater drain is located under copilots legs...that is checked by ring pull ...perhaps it is leaking...

[Danb]

It was at the gascolater, the tanks were filled to the skin and put in a warm hanger, I l left for Florida this morning, it looks dry now, there topping it off expect leaving an inch from this skin I hope it stopped for real.

[thinwing]

Ok...my thought the fuel is running down the side ,flowing along the belly panel and out the cutout for the gascolator drain.