Gascolator o ring/seal kit

[nels]

Where can I find the o ring kit for a Gerdes gascolator on my 78 J model or does anyone have the part number or o ring sizes? Mine has a piece missing out of the small o ring at the end of the stem and it dripping. Thought it best toe place all of them while it's out.

[carusoam]

The quickest fix is to go to Lasar for parts.  They also can rebuild the whole device in the event there is more challenges than just the seal.

Best regards,

-a-

[M016576]

11 hours ago, carusoam said:

The quickest fix is to go to Lasar for parts.  They also can rebuild the whole device in the event there is more challenges than just the seal.

Best regards,

-a-

I'd somewhat disagree on taking it to LASAR in regards to the  gascolator:  it only takes 5 minutes to break down and put back together again- it's very simple. You can get a new mesh screen and o-rings from Spruce for under $5.00.  Taking the gascolator to LASAR for a rebuild will cost you premium shop rates (probably about $100.00)- although if one isn't confident in their ability to take the single screw out, replace the o-rings and screen, and re-install then safety wire, it would be a good idea to have an A&P do it for them- as this is a potential single point failure area.

I cant remember the o-ring part numbers, but they are already listed here on mooney space - I found them using the search function.

[mike_elliott]

3 hours ago, M016576 said:

I'd somewhat disagree on taking it to LASAR in regards to the  gascolator:  it only takes 5 minutes to break down and put back together again- it's very simple. You can get a new mesh screen and o-rings from Spruce for under $5.00.  Taking the gascolator to LASAR for a rebuild will cost you premium shop rates (probably about $100.00)- although if one isn't confident in their ability to take the single screw out, replace the o-rings and screen, and re-install then safety wire, it would be a good idea to have an A&P do it for them- as this is a potential single point failure area.

I cant remember the o-ring part numbers, but they are already listed here on mooney space - I found them using the search function.

This is not an owner maintenance item. While simplistic, doing this wrong can kill you. Spend the .1AMU and have it done right by someone experienced at doing them. An ambulance ride is about $2500, 2 months in a level 1 trauma center is about 765,000

[N6758N]

8 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

This is not an owner maintenance item. While simplistic, doing this wrong can kill you. Spend the .1AMU and have it done right by someone experienced at doing them. An ambulance ride is about $2500, 2 months in a level 1 trauma center is about 765,000

Listen to Mike, he's been there...

[M016576]

5 hours ago, mike_elliott said:

This is not an owner maintenance item. While simplistic, doing this wrong can kill you. Spend the .1AMU and have it done right by someone experienced at doing them. An ambulance ride is about $2500, 2 months in a level 1 trauma center is about 765,000

I know this topic rings personally to you..

but this actually is an owner serviceable part- FAR part 43 Appendix A, Paragraph C- preventative maintenance.  Item number 23.

"cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements."

with that in mind, though- like I mentioned above, if you're not confident in your ability to do it, enlist the help of an A&P.

[mike_elliott]

1 hour ago, M016576 said:

I know this topic rings personally to you..

but this actually is an owner serviceable part- FAR part 43 Appendix A, Paragraph C- preventative maintenance.  Item number 23.

"cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements."

with that in mind, though- like I mentioned above, if you're not confident in your ability to do it, enlist the help of an A&P.

Ok, maybe we are talking 2 different things. Let be begin by saying the topic itself doesn't ring personal to me, but being in a plane with an engine failure on Take off does. I just know that a gascolator that has been rebuilt improperly can easily cause a take off engine failure. 

Removing and cleaning a gascolator screen is not that big of a deal, and as you state, allowed under owner maintenance. Be careful not to overtorque the bolt, and make sure you use a new seal/washer along with a new o ring.

Removing and rebuilding (cleaning corrosion, drain plunger reseating, etc) the gascolator is an entirely different beast of a task warranting experience and not permitted by the FARs, which is what I thought you originally were referring to. I watched Ivan James spend an hour plus rebuilding mine from my 1970 F while he explained some of the dangers and pitfalls that could occur by the inexperienced. While removing is allowed by an owner, replacing has to be supervised and signed off by an A&P that by CFR 65.83 has to have experience at this task.

 

[M016576]

26 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

Ok, maybe we are talking 2 different things. Let be begin by saying the topic itself doesn't ring personal to me, but being in a plane with an engine failure on Take off does. I just know that a gascolator that has been rebuilt improperly can easily cause a take off engine failure. 

Removing and cleaning a gascolator screen is not that big of a deal, and as you state, allowed under owner maintenance. Be careful not to overtorque the bolt, and make sure you use a new seal/washer along with a new o ring.

Removing and rebuilding (cleaning corrosion, drain plunger reseating, etc) the gascolator is an entirely different beast of a task warranting experience and not permitted by the FARs, which is what I thought you originally were referring to. I watched Ivan James spend an hour plus rebuilding mine from my 1970 F while he explained some of the dangers and pitfalls that could occur by the inexperienced. While removing is allowed by an owner, replacing has to be supervised and signed off by an A&P that by CFR 65.83 has to have experience at this task.

 

Oh, ok!  Yeah, I was just talking about the screen and the o-rings- not a complete overhaul of the whole assembly- I'm pretty sure that's what the OP was after, as he was just asking about the o-rings used in the gascolator.  If I ever found any signs of structural or corrosion damage within the gascolator, you can bet that I'd defer that to a professional (and probably try to just find a brand new one... if they still make them).

[RobertGary1]

I keep an extra just in case it leaks after annual inspection. With shipping that gasket cost me $50 at lasar. I may never have to change I though.

-Robert

[nels]

20 hours ago, M016576 said:

I know this topic rings personally to you..

but this actually is an owner serviceable part- FAR part 43 Appendix A, Paragraph C- preventative maintenance.  Item number 23.

"cleaning or replacing fuel and oil strainers or filter elements."

with that in mind, though- like I mentioned above, if you're not confident in your ability to do it, enlist the help of an A&P.

After taking the canister off and taking a look at it, I can't imagine needing an A&P to do this kind of work. It could not be simpler. I had planned on having the mechanic look at it but to do so would almost be embarrassing. Probably the most important thing is making sure the correct o ring is used and the wire tie is correctly in place. Checking for leaks, cyciing the dump valve etc is part of the process. This is my third plane in five years and just doing little things like tracking down oil leaks, looking at my spark plugs etc makes me more comfortable when in the air. This plane had a small oil leak I had trouble finding until the other day. I noticed the return hose from the valve cover had a clamp out of position. When I tried to tighten/loosen it I discovered the clamp was actually stripped and I'm sure it was done when the hose was replaced. I assume the mechanic thought it wasn't worth the difficult job of replacing the hose clamp so just let it go. My old Mooney had the grounding lead nut loosely attached to he mag. The nut was ready to fall off which would have left me with a hot mag if I decided to hand rotate the prop. Quite often I feel more competent than your typical A&P, especially when my butt is on the line. If I feel at all inadequate or I am not allowed to perform a task I have no problems signing on professional help to do the job or work me through it.

[N6758N]

1 minute ago, nels said:

After taking the canister off and taking a look at it, I can't imagine needing an A&P to do this kind of work. It could not be simpler. I had planned on having the mechanic look at it but to do so would almost be embarrassing. Probably the most important thing is making sure the correct o ring is used and the wire tie is correctly in place. Checking for leaks, cyciing the dump valve etc is part of the process. This is my third plane in five years and just doing little things like tracking down oil leaks, looking at my spark plugs etc makes me more comfortable when in the air. This plane had a small oil leak I had trouble finding until the other day. I noticed the return hose from the valve cover had a clamp out of position. When I tried to tighten/loosen it I discovered the clamp was actually stripped and I'm sure it was done when the hose was replaced. I assume the mechanic thought it wasn't worth the difficult job of replacing the hose clamp so just let it go. My old Mooney had the grounding lead nut loosely attached to he mag. The nut was ready to fall off which would have left me with a hot mag if I decided to hand rotate the prop. Quite often I feel more competent than your typical A&P, especially when my butt is on the line. If I feel at all inadequate or I am not allowed to perform a task I have no problems signing on professional help to do the job or work me through it.

First off, let me preface this by saying this is not meant as a personal attack against you or anyone on the forum specifically. Here's the issue with what you're saying. While some of this work might be approved under owner allowable maintenance, a lot of it is not. I see people on this site all the time openly speaking of work they do to their airplanes that is not listed under owner approved maintenance. While some owners are certainly more competent than others, owner-approved maintenance still requires you to be shown the task before you attempt it yourself. You feel more competent than most A&Ps? I have to take issue with that statement as most of us A&Ps and IAs are competent, albeit a few bad ones that slip through the cracks. You probably have no idea the level of training an aircraft mechanic receives in school and on the job before they are allowed to take their tests. 

Let me play out a scenario for you which I know has happened in the past. You hire me (the IA) to perform a thorough annual for you. I find a few squawks on your airplane, which are addressed, and then I sign off your annual. A week after I sign your logbooks, you decide to mess with the fuel pump or a magneto. After you think you've fixed it you take off and the engine quits. You crash and kill yourself, know what happens next? Your wife sues me! Of course there is no evidence in your logbooks to mention you fiddled with an important fuel/ignition system. Now your wife is coming after me and my family for everything I've got. Doesn't sound like fun does it? Again, I don't mean this as a personal attack, but I see people mention all the time about themselves doing non approved owner maintenance. There is a guy on this forum who routinely mentions patching his fuel tanks, like its a simple oil change. What happens when a piece of sealant clogs the pick up tube and the engine quits? Who pays? Litigation is why aviation is so expensive. Rant off.

[nels]

2 hours ago, N6758N said:

First off, let me preface this by saying this is not meant as a personal attack against you or anyone on the forum specifically. Here's the issue with what you're saying. While some of this work might be approved under owner allowable maintenance, a lot of it is not. I see people on this site all the time openly speaking of work they do to their airplanes that is not listed under owner approved maintenance. While some owners are certainly more competent than others, owner-approved maintenance still requires you to be shown the task before you attempt it yourself. You feel more competent than most A&Ps? I have to take issue with that statement as most of us A&Ps and IAs are competent, albeit a few bad ones that slip through the cracks. You probably have no idea the level of training an aircraft mechanic receives in school and on the job before they are allowed to take their tests. 

Let me play out a scenario for you which I know has happened in the past. You hire me (the IA) to perform a thorough annual for you. I find a few squawks on your airplane, which are addressed, and then I sign off your annual. A week after I sign your logbooks, you decide to mess with the fuel pump or a magneto. After you think you've fixed it you take off and the engine quits. You crash and kill yourself, know what happens next? Your wife sues me! Of course there is no evidence in your logbooks to mention you fiddled with an important fuel/ignition system. Now your wife is coming after me and my family for everything I've got. Doesn't sound like fun does it? Again, I don't mean this as a personal attack, but I see people mention all the time about themselves doing non approved owner maintenance. There is a guy on this forum who routinely mentions patching his fuel tanks, like its a simple oil change. What happens when a piece of sealant clogs the pick up tube and the engine quits? Who pays? Litigation is why aviation is so expensive. Rant off.

You probably misinterpreted. I respect you guys for sure but I do check your work. If I didn't feel comfortable changing my oil or spark plugs I'd have you guys doing it. But, to be honest, if I didn't feel comfortable checking plugs etc I wouldn't feel as comfortable flying so I wouldn't fly. I really do like participating in annuals etc just to learn something. Nobody is infallible ncluding me, you or anybody else. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, N6758N said:

First off, let me preface this by saying this is not meant as a personal attack against you or anyone on the forum specifically. Here's the issue with what you're saying. While some of this work might be approved under owner allowable maintenance, a lot of it is not. I see people on this site all the time openly speaking of work they do to their airplanes that is not listed under owner approved maintenance. While some owners are certainly more competent than others, owner-approved maintenance still requires you to be shown the task before you attempt it yourself. You feel more competent than most A&Ps? I have to take issue with that statement as most of us A&Ps and IAs are competent, albeit a few bad ones that slip through the cracks. You probably have no idea the level of training an aircraft mechanic receives in school and on the job before they are allowed to take their tests. 

Let me play out a scenario for you which I know has happened in the past. You hire me (the IA) to perform a thorough annual for you. I find a few squawks on your airplane, which are addressed, and then I sign off your annual. A week after I sign your logbooks, you decide to mess with the fuel pump or a magneto. After you think you've fixed it you take off and the engine quits. You crash and kill yourself, know what happens next? Your wife sues me! Of course there is no evidence in your logbooks to mention you fiddled with an important fuel/ignition system. Now your wife is coming after me and my family for everything I've got. Doesn't sound like fun does it? Again, I don't mean this as a personal attack, but I see people mention all the time about themselves doing non approved owner maintenance. There is a guy on this forum who routinely mentions patching his fuel tanks, like its a simple oil change. What happens when a piece of sealant clogs the pick up tube and the engine quits? Who pays? Litigation is why aviation is so expensive. Rant off.

We'll said!  I have no issue with people doing their own maintenance, just sign it in your log books to save all the legal BS at the crash site.  

Clarence

[Andy95W]

I've taken pictures- with date and time stamp- of people doing their own maintenance after I've signed off an Annual, just to cover my own ass (one guy was changing his propeller to one that wasn't authorized for his airplane).

But I appreciate those owners who take an interest and participate in their airplane's maintenance.  I figure an owner who takes an interest in his airplane and isn't afraid to get his/her hands dirty is also an educated and interested pilot who probably won't do something stupid- which means I have less chance of getting sued for someone else's  screw-up.

[nels]

1 hour ago, M20Doc said:

We'll said!  I have no issue with people doing their own maintenance, just sign it in your log books to save all the legal BS at the crash site.  

Clarence

Good thought. I need to do that and will.

[Oldguy]

53 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

But I appreciate those owners who take an interest and participate in their airplane's maintenance.  I figure an owner who takes an interest in his airplane and isn't afraid to get his/her hands dirty is also an educated and interested pilot who probably won't do something stupid- which means I have less chance of getting sued for someone else's  screw-up.

In my past I have rebuilt car engines, rebuilt manual and automatic transmissions, replaced rear ends and restored entire cars (MGB w/ Stage 5 engine going back together at the moment), but I have never worked on an airplane before my Mooney. Everything I have done on it has been with the approval and sign-off of my mechanic (A&P/IA) or under his direct supervision. Heck, I even paid him to watch me do my first oil change to make sure I did it right. And I hate checking the screen, but he said if I was going to do it, I had to do it all. He had me do several tasks during my last annual and checked behind me to see they were done right. I think I could probably do much more than I did, but I am unwilling to go outside of the FARs or common sense.

Most mechanics in business for as long as many I know, have earned the respect of their clients by doing the best work they can for a reasonable price. But every one I know tells me to take a test flight to see if anything is not like it should be, and anything I found was corrected without a problem.

I know my mechanic is a better mechanic than I am a pilot.

[larrynimmo]

Can someone tell me how to get the shaft out so that I can change the upper “O” ring….

[larrynimmo]

Follow up message…me and my A&P removed gascolator from plane….we found there were burrs on shaft by pull ring ….once deburred the shaft pulled straight out…cleaned, lubed and reassembled