RH Fuel Tank Leak -- Patch Possible?

[TCUDustoff]

Welp, my second largest fear has come true;  what was a very slight weep only on really cold or really hot days and turned into something I can't ignore anymore. I came home from three weeks away for work and I found a wet puddle the size of a dinner plate under the right main and also under the lowest part of the belly where the fuel drained down the spar.  I pulled the OAT cover and this is what I found. 

There are a few guys in the Houston area who will do the work, but it sounds like patching the leak can end up costing almost as much as a full strip and seal if your unlucky.  While nothing is guaranteed in life, I was hoping I could get y'alls opinion on the chance of success with a patch based on what I found.   Unfortunately, I am so busy with work that if I take it outside of the local area I won't be able to get it done till May or June at the earliest; my wife works 100 hours a week on-average and I can't be away from home for more than a day without huge prior planning.

Like I mentioned earlier, I used to only get very small seeping out of the same two holes and only when there was a huge temperature swing.  Its possible this too will stop as it warms up, but I think the dam is starting to break with the increase in amount leaking.  Enough leaked out in the three weeks it stained the paint bad enough I can't get it off even with brake cleaner.  I wiped down all of the fuel I could, but it was flowing all along the front edge of the gear well down to the belly and dripping there as well.  Inside of the gear well is dry with no leaks. 

Trying out using an IMGUR Album...lets see how this works for photos.   https://imgur.com/a/u0USbTH

Edit:  I should have mentioned -- photos are from the access panel just outboard of my hand (where the OAT is) in case its not obvious.

Edited March 1, 2022 by TCUDustoff
Editorial

[Rjfanjet]

I used Houston Tank Specialist back in August. Carl is the man to ask that question. And you're close. I flew in from SLC.

[0TreeLemur]

When was it last done?   Most shops guarantee their work against leaks for 7 years.   It your last reseal was considerably more than 7 years ago, chasing leaks is probably a bad idea.   If  you search "tank reseal site:mooneyspace.com" you'll get a lot of info.   We had our tanks resealed a couple of years ago.  It ain't cheap.  Chasing leaks sounds cheap if you're lucky, expensive if you're not.

I recall reading one or more posts saying that there is a shop doing reseals in Houston.  I recall reading satisfied reviews.

 

[EricJ]

You're local to one of the reputable full-seal shops, and it sounds like that tank is ready for it.

 

[RobertGary1]

25 minutes ago, EricJ said:

You're local to one of the reputable full-seal shops, and it sounds like that tank is ready for it.

 

Hard to tell from one leak. Patches every 10 years or so is part and parcel for wet wings. 

[carusoam]

Good news…. The Imgur album was easy to see…

 

In all of that mess…

Is there an obvious source of the leak?

certain rivets or bolts leaking can be obvious…

Seams are more difficult…

 

How handy are you?

How motivated to find the leak are you?

Some people around here have used the DMax vacuum and plastic window method of defining where the leak is…

 

Pics down inside the tank may reveal how bad the sealant really is…

If the sealant is falling off all over the place….  You probably already decided to get it stripped and resealed…

 

If you are super motivated to do this yourself…

There are pics and descriptions from some who have come before you….

Good luck with your next steps.

Best regards,

-a-

[A64Pilot]

If the leak occurs because the sealant is old, it’s not likely the patch will work for long as even if you do the patch perfectly, a new leak will often soon open up.

If it’s leaking because it just wasn’t sealed well in that area, but the sealant is in good shape then it’s likely that a patch will work for a long time.

Edited March 1, 2022 by A64Pilot