Bill. I have not heard that sloshing the tanks is prohibited. In the contrary it is a recommendation by ERCO for repairing small leaks. But the leaks they are referring to should not be caused by corrosion. Sloshing over corroded parts is pointless and ruins the whole tank after a while.
But to slosh the tanks you need to take them out. The tanks out and in your hands you can check for corrosion or the cause of the leaks. Sometimes it is a needle pin hole that starts seeping - I had that two times already. These holes you can cover from the outside. Sometimes you will find traces of corrosion that indicate a due overhaul. For wing tanks the latter is almost certain. The page here shows what to expect when opening the tanks http://www.ercoupe.info/?n=Main.TankRepair I'll add a section that shows signs of corrosion that you need to look for. Hartmut From: liggettbill Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 9:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ercoupe-tech] To slosh or not to slosh My Ercoupe 415C wing tanks show evidence of fuel leaking (both odor, loss of fuel, and blue staining). Most of the staining is around one of the drain valve fittings, but there seems to be evidence of seepage along one of the riveted seams. I have been told to use sloshing compound by my AI, but others have said that this is to be avoided and possibly prohibited by an AD (Does anyone have this reference)? Does anyone know a way to stop leaks by somehow sealing from the outside, without the time and expense of drilling rivets and resealing from the inside? If not, is sloshing still a viable option?I would appreciate your recommendations. Bill Liggett
