TANK SEALING

[Steve Hunyar]

I'm looking for a place to get a tank resealed on my M20M Bravo.  Any good places out west to have it done?

[Ron McBride]

Advance aircraft in Troutdale OR. 
 

[Steve Hunyar]

3 minutes ago, Ron McBride said:

Advance aircraft in Troutdale OR. 
 

Thanks, I had heard there was one in Troutdale, but didn't know the name of the business.

 

Pete

[carusoam]

There are four locations around the country...

Texas, Florida, and Paul Beck-istan...

In case you change your mind...

There is also this handy dandy search tool they got here...   

-a-

 

[Steve Hunyar]

Thanks, Been looking at the "big 4" and prices are all over the place.  2K up to 14K with the plane down for at least 4 weeks.  

 

[Hank]

On 4/17/2021 at 12:15 PM, PeteV said:

Thanks, Been looking at the "big 4" and prices are all over the place.  2K up to 14K with the plane down for at least 4 weeks.  

 

There is also Houston Tank Specialists. Not sure of their methods, they are a new player and a Mooney Summit sponsor, I think.

[Steve Hunyar]

Hank,

Thanks, I did talk to them.  They have a good reputation, but are very expensive.  They were the ones who quoted me 14K

[Shadrach]

On 4/17/2021 at 1:15 PM, PeteV said:

Thanks, Been looking at the "big 4" and prices are all over the place.  2K up to 14K with the plane down for at least 4 weeks.  

 

Who quoted you 2K?

[Steve Hunyar]

I talked to Greg at Advance Aircraft in Troutdale, OR  (503) 465 2298 or you can email him, he's pretty good at getting back to you with 24 hrs.  glehman@advancedaircraft.net.  Just east of Portland.  His was not a complete strip and seal.  He told me since the tanks were done 4 and 10 years ago respectively, he would just locate the leak and repair them for the 2K and I should get another 4 or 5 years out of that.  Sorry, didn't mean to mislead you into thinking it was a complete reseal.  The 14K was a complete reseal.

 

Pete

[MooneyMitch]

7 hours ago, PeteV said:

I talked to Greg at Advance Aircraft in Troutdale, OR  (503) 465 2298 or you can email him, he's pretty good at getting back to you with 24 hrs.  glehman@advancedaircraft.net.  Just east of Portland.  His was not a complete strip and seal.  He told me since the tanks were done 4 and 10 years ago respectively, he would just locate the leak and repair them for the 2K and I should get another 4 or 5 years out of that.  Sorry, didn't mean to mislead you into thinking it was a complete reseal.  The 14K was a complete reseal.

 

Pete

Pete.

I trust Greg’s judgment.  That is based on my positive multiple experiences with him.  
 

Trustyworthy, excellent work ethics and competitive pricing.

[Steve Hunyar]

1 hour ago, MooneyMitch said:

Pete.

I trust Greg’s judgment.  That is based on my positive multiple experiences with him.  
 

Trustyworthy, excellent work ethics and competitive pricing.

Thanks, he seemed to steer me in the right direction.  Not trying to get the biggest job, i.e. money.  Doing only what was needed.

[carusoam]

Pete,

You might be getting dragged in a lot of directions...

Long Bodies typically haven’t needed full reseal jobs...

By the time LBs were being built,  the science of sealing tanks had gotten pretty well developed...  less art, more science...

The thing that kills sealant is often the heat of the sun...

Most Long Bodies don’t live outdoors yet...

 

So... if you ask what it costs to have a full strip and re-seal done... is that what you really need?

Often, the first thing affected are individual screws and inspection panels...

When you look in the tanks... are you seeing sealant flaking off and floating around in the fuel?

 

You might find a mechanic that is familiar with tank sealing... this way you can determine how much of a project you want to endure...

My 94 O, had its inspection panels resealed a decade ago, at the time of my purchase....

 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[Steve Hunyar]

1 hour ago, MooneyMitch said:

Pete.

I trust Greg’s judgment.  That is based on my positive multiple experiences with him.  
 

Trustyworthy, excellent work ethics and competitive pricing.

Thanks, he seemed to steer me in the right direction.  Not trying to get the biggest job, i.e. money.  Doing only what was needed.

[Steve Hunyar]

4 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Pete,

You might be getting dragged in a lot of directions...

Long Bodies typically haven’t needed full reseal jobs...

By the time LBs were being built,  the science of sealing tanks had gotten pretty well developed...  less art, more science...

The thing that kills sealant is often the heat of the sun...

Most Long Bodies don’t live outdoors yet...

 

So... if you ask what it costs to have a full strip and re-seal done... is that what you really need?

Often, the first thing affected are individual screws and inspection panels...

When you look in the tanks... are you seeing sealant flaking off and floating around in the fuel?

 

You might find a mechanic that is familiar with tank sealing... this way you can determine how much of a project you want to endure...

My 94 O, had its inspection panels resealed a decade ago, at the time of my purchase....

 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

Thanks,  I was just trying to get a feel for the cost.  I'll have to do a little more research on it.  I appreciate everyones input.

[MooneyMitch]

As Anthony stated, it appears LB’s have held up much better.

Greg spot repaired my Ovation twice...... two different locations each time.

No complete strip/reseal needed.

[Steve Hunyar]

12 hours ago, MooneyMitch said:

As Anthony stated, it appears LB’s have held up much better.

Greg spot repaired my Ovation twice...... two different locations each time.

No complete strip/reseal needed.

That's good news!  Greg did tell me that it would probably only need spot repair, but he would know until he looked at it.  Chance for a nice cross country.

[MooneyMitch]

11 minutes ago, PeteV said:

That's good news!  Greg did tell me that it would probably only need spot repair, but he would know until he looked at it.  Chance for a nice cross country.

Agree.  He’s will be honest about it.

While there, make it a must to fly up the Columbia River gorge to at least Hood River (actually on out to The Dalles is even better).  

3,000 feet or less if you feel comfortable (from a view point, lower is better). Behold the beauty of the gorge as you wind your way along the rivers edge.

A tip from the local pilots, heading east up the river, stay on the right, return trip heading west, again stay on the right.  

Lunch in Hood River (4S2) is super fun! Great burger joint just on the east end of the runway. The name of the place escapes me at the moment, but I’ll think of it in about a week or so 

Ah ha, just looked it up...... Twin Peaks is the name..... short walk from transient up to the restaurant...... maybe 1/4 mile or so.  Can’t miss it, it’s just off the end of runway 25. 

[ilovecornfields]

Just watch that hill as you turn base into TTD. Someone rudely put a hill right in the way of the traffic pattern.

+1 for Greg. He’s a great guy.

[Steve Hunyar]

I've seen that hill, many times as I passed over going into PDX.  Got a couple of hundred landing into PDX.  

[Steve Hunyar]

53 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said:

Lunch in Hood River (4S2) is super fun! Great burger joint just on the east end of the runway. The name of the place escapes me at the moment, but I’ll think of it in about a week or so 

Ah ha, just looked it up...... Twin Peaks is the name..... short walk from transient up to the restaurant...... maybe 1/4 mile or so.  Can’t miss it, it’s just off the end of runway 25. 

Great, thanks!!  Always looking for good places to eat.....   I've never flown up the gorge but did do that at Lake Powell.  100' off the water.  Pretty cool

 

[MooneyMitch]

Lucky no drones were observing you!! 

All seriousness aside, do do the Gorge flight...................it's truly gorgeous !

Also, while flying in that area, on a clear day and at the right altitude, you can see Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and more, all with just a few turns and some head swivels ...............it's a wow!!

[N201MKTurbo]

24 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said:

Lucky no drones were observing you!! 

All seriousness aside, do do the Gorge flight...................it's truly gorgeous !

Also, while flying in that area, on a clear day and at the right altitude, you can see Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and more, all with just a few turns and some head swivels ...............it's a wow!!

I did the scud run down the gorge once from The Dells to Troutdale. The clouds were below the ridge both north and south side. It was like flying in a tunnel for 50 miles.

[Steve Hunyar]

31 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said:

 

Also, while flying in that area, on a clear day and at the right altitude, you can see Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and more, all with just a few turns and some head swivels ...............it's a wow!!

I flew for the airlines for 36 years, and saw those from a different altitude than you probably did.  But had many a flight going into PDX and also the departure out of SEA going to DEN where we told the controller we would provide our own terrain separation through 16K.  Got to do some passes by Mt. Ranier where we could see the trails up the sides.  Pretty cool.  Im looking forward to the "low level"  flying.  Been flying a Cirrus for a guy but he sold it.  So now onto my own plane to come and go when I want. 

Thanks for all the input.

[Steve Hunyar]

5 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I did the scud run down the gorge once from The Dells to Troutdale. The clouds were below the ridge both north and south side. It was like flying in a tunnel for 50 miles.

That sounds like a blast.  Only problem I would see with that is if the clouds kept getting lower and lower.  Kind of like flying up a canyon, hoping there is an opening at the other end.

[N201MKTurbo]

Just now, PeteV said:

That sounds like a blast.  Only problem I would see with that is if the clouds kept getting lower and lower.  Kind of like flying up a canyon, hoping there is an opening at the other end.

The cloud base was flat as a board and the METARS at both ends were the same. I’m not suicidal....