Fuel Tank Resealing - Willmar Process-AAS KTTD OR

[testwest]

Hi Folks

Just an update on Mooney 201JX, she is now in the care of Greg, Ed and Charlotte at Advanced Aircraft Services, the MSC in Troutdale, Oregon. AAS licenses and uses the Willmar tank stripping and sealing process called "Weep No More" at their shop. Here are a few before and after pictures of the tanks being stripped and resealed.

This is a 1977 Mooney M20J, it has had several attempts to patch fuel leaks in the past, without full success. Looking forward to NO LEAKS before we go in for paint.

Check out the medieval looking machine AAS uses to strip the tanks. That monster churned away on our tanks for three days per side.

[KSMooniac]

You won't be disappointed!  Willmar did mine in 2008 and I'm still happy and leak-free, as expected.  You might consider adding the wing sight fuel gauges too "while you're in there." 

[Vref]

Very interesting pictures! I was just wondering what the maschine is doing? Is it recycling (flushing) the fluid for removing the sealant? What I understand is that there is new product on the market called  Polygone 300 (Gel) that should make this process more easy...

[KSMooniac]

I believe that machine is circulating the Polygone fluid (in liquid form) through the tank and catching the debris with a filter.  The gel formulation is useful for the hard-to-reach areas that need to be finished by hand from what I understand.  It sure beats manual scraping!

[Cruiser]

to get the top of the tank stripped wouldn't you need to have the tank full of Polygone? Or does the circulation splash enough of it up to remove the sealant.

Buying 64 gallons of stripper would be very expensive.

[Guest Anonymous]

Quote: Cruiser

to get the top of the tank stripped wouldn't you need to have the tank full of Polygone? Or does the circulation splash enough of it up to remove the sealant.

Buying 64 gallons of stripper would be very expensive.

[Vref]

It looks like this process goes fast, three nozzles spraying in all directions inside the tank the liquid under pressure. the fluid is then recovered through a filter and again injected through a pressure pump distributed over three lines...

The other line is for adding fresh chemical ....but hey..maybe I am wrong..

 

[KSMooniac]

Fast is all relative....it takes several days per tank from what I understand, but that is indeed faster than 40-80 man hours scraping!

[testwest]

Scott, you're right. The machine runs for two to three days per tank....after that there is still a rather painstaking process of removing remaining bits of sealant. Ed at AAS calls it "tank picking", sort of like picking your teeth....for several days straight.

Then comes two coats of the polysulfide sealant, after replacing all the sealed nutplates that are bad....we had about 30 to replace. New fuel cap seals and new drains are also included.

After hearing about the effort to reseal the tanks, writing the check (for us) is a far better choice. About 7.5 western count MMUs.

[Vref]

Quote: testwest

...after that there is still a rather painstaking process of removing remaining bits of sealant. Ed at AAS calls it "tank picking", sort of like picking your teeth....for several days straight.

[piperpainter]

Was that 7.5k for both tanks or just one tank and does it cause any problems with your paint?

[GeorgePerry]

Quote: testwest

This is a 1977 Mooney M20J, it has had several attempts to patch fuel leaks in the past, without full success. Looking forward to NO LEAKS before we go in for paint.

[piperpainter]

That takes away Useful load so its def not worth it!

[GeorgePerry]

Quote: piperpainter

That takes away Useful load so its def not worth it!

[testwest]

For Bryan, the cost was for both tanks! You may have to do some paint touch up where they pull off the panels to get inside the tanks, though.

BTW, still not leaking a single drop, no stains, no weeps, nothing. Worth every penny, and KSMooniac was right, as he usually is!

[Amelia]

I'm still pleased with Willmar's re-seal from several years ago. The so-called re-seal from a notorious blow-hard Florida 'expert' didn't last a year. Neither did his 'warranty' repair to the crappy job he did the first time.

[Sabremech]

Isn't there an AD out for the bladders installation? Seem to recall reading that when I was in the hunt for my Mooney.

[Ron McBride]

I have seen my A&P replace bladders in Bo's and Aztec's, probably many others.

Ron

[GeorgePerry]

Quote: Sabremech

Isn't there an AD out for the bladders installation? Seem to recall reading that when I was in the hunt for my Mooney.

[richardheitzman]

I have heard many people with their happiness in the "weep no more" system. The sprayers send fluid throughout the tank, and over the couple days it removes a vast majority of the old sealant. There is some manual removal from the corners, but that is usually already soft from the spray so no big deal. ALSO, no one mentioned this, the solvent is environmentaly (sp?) friendly. MEK will kill you, the weep no more fluid will not. As a mechanic I will stay FAR away from MEK. With MEK there is damage to paint (and your liver) and with the other, as long as you wipe it up fairly quickly there is no damage (and your liver will thank you)

I recommend to everyone, first replace your landing gear biscuits, then get the tanks stripped and resealed using the weep no more process.  Then go out an practice landing soft.

 

[fantom]

Quote: richardheitzman

I recommend to everyone, first replace your landing gear biscuits, then get the tanks stripped and resealed using the weep no more process.  Then go out an practice landing soft.

 

....and stop landing on grass, and doing that bounce dance the tanks hate.

[N201MKTurbo]

I had my tanks re-sealed by Wilmar a couple of years ago. They did a terrible job – they didn’t even finish one side ( I have pictures if anybody wants to see). They charged me $2000.00 more than estimated and the tank they didn’t finish leaks worse than before It was resealed. Not to mention they ruined the paint on the bottom of both wings, the landing gear and the wheel wells. I never called them for corrective action because it is such a hassle to take the plane to the other side of the country to get it done. It took me about 20 Hrs to repair the paint damage. And I have spent another 20 Hours doing repairs to the tanks along with about $200.00 worth of materials.

[piperpainter]

If I ever went back to not landing on grass, dirt, gravel whatever then I might as well go back to renting a darn airplane at a flying club cause jeeze...I couldn't do it there. Its a plane, enjoy it for all its worth grass dirt and asphalt!

[carusoam]

I think Bryan has the first concrete reason for using bladders.   His mooney has a serious addiction to unpaved fields.

-a-