Hello Dan
I am not sure if Mod 60 with a LTS is what I installed, but it was the Europa
Mod, i purchased from europa with a float style sender and came with a VDO
gauge.
Anyway I installed it in a accelerated CPM. The way i did it was to install it
aft of the recommended location to avoid sitting on the seam of the tank. I
moved it sideways a bit as well to get to a flatter part of the tank as well. I
positioned so I could access the phillips screws with a screwdriver with a 30
or 40 degree offset, it is the type with gears so you turn handle and the tip
turns and stays at the offset. Could really not assemble in the position i
chose without that screwdriver. I had to work through the headrest hole, very
tight, but 1/32 inch extra clearance or 32 feet upon assemble does not matter,
you just need clearance.
The way you install it is to make a hole in tank. Then there is 2 rubber
gaskets that fit 1 on the outside and 1 on the inside of the tank. They supply
a aluminium ring, probably 1/8 thick and the width of the gaskets, perhaps just
a tad wider. Then you rivet the nut plates to the aluminium rings. Using flush
rivets. The nut plates have an o ring and a acorn style cover over the bottom.
This seals them to the aluminium, since the bottom is sealed no vapor can get
in.. thus no vapor can pass through threads and into the cockpit. you were
supposed to split the aluminium and somehow screw it into the tank like you
would a wire wound key ring. Hint from Neville was to cut the aluminium into 2
pieces, one with 3 nut plates, and 1 with 2 nut plates. that is what i did. i
made the mistake of trying to use some EZ Lube grease to get the rubber and
aluminium stuck. I think the name is EZ Lube, maybe EZ Turn. anyway it is a
real real thick grease for sealing threads and lubricating anything that lives
in petro. Mistake, although it worked well to position parts, it allowed the
O-ring to squeeze out sideways.
My CPM was out when installing, so i turned things upside down. It would be a
lot harder if you need to work right side up. If you can figure how to turn
what you have upside down with less than an hour of work, you will save
yourself a lot of hassle.
Since it is such a pain to position stuff, the second time around i made
gaskets from automotive fuel pump diaphragm material, it has a reinforcing in
it to make it more dimensional stable. I used 2 thickness which are the same
thickness as 1 of the original. I used some automotive weather stripping
contact glue thinned with MEK to hold and position stuff. worked great. local
aeroplane guys use it in fuel environment applications with good success.
If you cant find any of those sealed nut plates (call the factory) I would look
hard at machining a wider counter bore on the top face of the sender, then
machine or purchase some screws with wide and flat bottom and cut a gasket out
of 1 thickness of the diaphragm material. You would use a standard nut plate, i
would use the nut plates that are crimped, not elastic nylon. Also run a tap a
little ways into the nut plate to reduce some of the torque needed to tighten.
do this before you rivet in place, it takes a knack to get it where you want
it. BTW this works in other areas of europa, no need to bust your hands and
replace hardware on an inspection cover, just tap it till you reduce friction
where it is easy enough to turn and should not back out.
There ya go.
Ron Parigoris
A-265
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