Fuel cap getting difficult to close

[topsun1]

We installed these Marsh teflon friction washers--

https://www.marshbrothersaviation.com/collections/mooney/products/shaw-aero-fuel-cap-washers

Highly recommend!

[DCarlton]

4 hours ago, Shadrach said:

I have lost count of how many times fuel personnel have closed my fuel caps incorrectly, I’ve had to pry them open with a screwdriver I tend to towards staying with the plane when it’s being fueled but that’s not always practical.  It’s a curious thing that a human tasked with fueling an airplane could be so dense as to force a cap closed that is clearly misaligned.

Yep.  I never let anyone else put the fuel caps on.  

[DCarlton]

2 hours ago, topsun1 said:

We installed these Marsh teflon friction washers--

https://www.marshbrothersaviation.com/collections/mooney/products/shaw-aero-fuel-cap-washers

Highly recommend!

A little pricey but looks like the right answer as long as they don't wear out too quickly.  Note.  I'm not a mechanic, not an expert, just a private pilot.  

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, DCarlton said:

Yep.  I never let anyone else put the fuel caps on.  

In an ideal world, sure. It’s not a problem at smaller airports  In a world where you’re at a busy FBO and using the airplane for time compression, it’s not always practical.   I figured for sure that a first class FBO like Epps at KPDK would be fine. Everything but the fuel service was top notch. This was 5 years ago when the economy was swinging. There were probably 8 recips ahead of me for fuel.  Flying the Mooney enabled a 1hr in person meeting, with 500nm on each side and me home before dinner. Sitting around waiting for line personnel to fuel my plane so I could watch me was not on the schedule. 

[Shadrach]

5 hours ago, topsun1 said:

We installed these Marsh teflon friction washers--

https://www.marshbrothersaviation.com/collections/mooney/products/shaw-aero-fuel-cap-washers

Highly recommend!

$75 for two washers? It’s not that I can’t afford it, it’s just such an insult to the practical side of my personality.

[Fly Boomer]

4 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

$75 for two washers?

Might be better than a broken or damaged cap?  I bought a spare so if one is damaged, I don't have to get creative, but I'll probably try these washers.

[DCarlton]

1 hour ago, Shadrach said:

In an ideal world, sure. It’s not a problem at smaller airports  In a world where you’re at a busy FBO and using the airplane for time compression, it’s not always practical.   I figured for sure that a first class FBO like Epps at KPDK would be fine. Everything but the fuel service was top notch. This was 5 years ago when the economy was swinging. There were probably 8 recips ahead of me for fuel.  Flying the Mooney enabled a 1hr in person meeting, with 500nm on each side and me home before dinner. Sitting around waiting for line personnel to fuel my plane so I could watch me was not on the schedule. 

Let me rephrase.  I only occasionally let anyone else put my fuel caps on.  I took off once with a cap ajar and fuel streaming out of the tank and had to turn around and land with firetrucks waiting.  So now I put them on myself whenever possible.  I too was fortunate to make over 85 300 nm trips for work in my Mooney.  It was the perfect mission for my airplane.  Out of 85 flights, I only replanned two due to weather and never cancelled a flight due to maintenance issues.  Good times.  

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, DCarlton said:

Let me rephrase.  I only occasionally let anyone else put my fuel caps on.  I took off once with a cap ajar and fuel streaming out of the tank and had to turn around and land with firetrucks waiting.  So now I put them on myself whenever possible.  I too was fortunate to make over 85 300 nm trips for work in my Mooney.  It was the perfect mission for my airplane.  Out of 85 flights, I only replanned two due to weather and never cancelled a flight due to maintenance issues.  Good times.  

I’ve never put one on wrong, but once on climb out I was horrified to look over and see a dark hole where my cap was supposed to be. I saw it lying on the taxi way on roll out. The only damage was to my pride.

[Shadrach]

1 hour ago, Fly Boomer said:

Might be better than a broken or damaged cap?  I bought a spare so if one is damaged, I don't have to get creative, but I'll probably try these washers.

Perhaps. I never knew there was much of an issue with fuel caps. We lube at annual and maybe once mid year. New o-rings when they show signs of deterioration.  They’ve never been a problem.

[carusoam]

1) clean

2) lube

3) adjust

At annual… these often get adjusted….

there is a limit between too loose, and too tight…

 

Best regards,

-a-