Is epoxy not resistant to gasoline? Why not just coat the filler tube with a
few
layers of epoxy? Maybe even with a layer or two of bid? If there is no
interaction with the gas and the epoxy, that would take care of the seeping
problem?
Tom Friedland, A 079 XS Mono
Graham Singleton wrote:
> > John Hurst was
> > > telling me that the pipe between the tank and the filler tube was prone to
> > > "Weeping".
> > > I was wondering if this was a common problem, and possibly the hose was
> > > not
> > > really intended for fuel.
> >Paul,
> >Our XS has a fuel smell, much of which
> >comes from the rubber filler pipe, as you
> >mentioned.
>
> I do know that Europa tried hard to get the right materials for the job.
> They were let down by suppliers on more than one occasion.
>
> I think there are two problems here. (hopefully only two)
> 1, vapour getting through rubber hose.
> 2 ventilation of the cockpit area.
>
> It's not easy to ensure perfect hose joints everywhere using worm drive
> clips so there will inevitably be some fuel vapour floating about in the
> airplane. Vapour transmission through rubber hoses can be prevented by
> using solid aluminum fuel lines, which I would recommend (except in the
> engine bay for vibration reasons.) Europa #1 also had a carbon fibre filler
> tube, (Jon's son broke his windsurfer mast, so there was a nice bit of tube
> spare, just the right diameter.)
>
> With a little research and ingenuity, which may well already have been done
> by some of our Australian friends, (they had to test for CO in the cockpit)
> it should be possible to dump all of this noxious vapour overboard. This
> would also help to keep exhaust fumes out of the cockpit, another
> occasional problem. One sometimes gets that smell on slowing down and
> lowering flaps and gear. This implies that there is some air entering
> through either the undercarriage bay, the flap drive slots, or even the
> firewall, (unless you have a nice moulded phenolic one) {:>))
>
> Graham
>
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