Need tips for fuel sump drain replacement

[howelldw]

Hello everyone,

I need some tips for replacing the fuel sump drains in the wings. It is a 48 rag wing. I have most of the fuel burned out of the right wing. My question to mitigate the mess/spillage; should the tail be up on a stand or down on its wheel? I'm not sure if it will matter much, but thought I'd ask for some opinions.

Also, these have been in there a while. Is there a trick to getting them out without cause any damage? Should they be sprayed and soaked with some type of lubricant?

TIA!

[cessnut]

You could remove a fuel line after the gascolator and drain the rest of the fuel. The drains should back out with no issues. Use a good six point socket to prevent rounding the brass, and start slowly. Lubricant will not do anything.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Generally speaking, if you open a drain and let it drain till it stops, no matter what position the tail is in, there will be less than a gallon or two that will come out with the drain removed. With the fuel selector on that tank, you could drain most of the remaining fuel if any from that tank at the gascolator.

I drain the fuel into 5 gal pales with the pails perched on something to get them up near the drain at the wing. When removing the valve, you will be working with your hands higher than your arms and when you loosen the drain some fuel is likely to move out. It will run down your arms and depending on how much fuel, into your arm pits. You will find out how sensitive your skin is in your arm pits as the burn from the full. To avoid this, take to rags long enough to tie around at least the your wrist of the hand you're going to wrench with. Tie the rag tight enough any fuel with be stopped by the rag from running down your arm, don't cut off your circulation. Have enough bucket available to capture fuel in case there is more that you anticipate. I also like to take off my shirt (sweat shirt or jacket) or have another ready in case your shirt gets fuel soaked.

As Cessnut says, use a 6 point socket. If you use an open end wrench, you will deform the valve and make mess of it.

When you get really good at this and learn the hard way how to prepare, you won't even drain the fuel to change these.

[howelldw]

Thanks for the tips Bruce! I got a fuel leak on that wing that I am about to post separately. I'll have to postpone the replacement I'm afraid.

Generally speaking, if you open a drain and let it drain till it stops, no matter what position the tail is in, there will be less than a gallon or two that will come out with the drain removed. With the fuel selector on that tank, you could drain most of the remaining fuel if any from that tank at the gascolator.

I drain the fuel into 5 gal pales with the pails perched on something to get them up near the drain at the wing. When removing the valve, you will be working with your hands higher than your arms and when you loosen the drain some fuel is likely to move out. It will run down your arms and depending on how much fuel, into your arm pits. You will find out how sensitive your skin is in your arm pits as the burn from the full. To avoid this, take to rags long enough to tie around at least the your wrist of the hand you're going to wrench with. Tie the rag tight enough any fuel with be stopped by the rag from running down your arm, don't cut off your circulation. Have enough bucket available to capture fuel in case there is more that you anticipate. I also like to take off my shirt (sweat shirt or jacket) or have another ready in case your shirt gets fuel soaked.

As Cessnut says, use a 6 point socket. If you use an open end wrench, you will deform the valve and make mess of it.

When you get really good at this and learn the hard way how to prepare, you won't even drain the fuel to change these.

[howelldw]

Thanks for the tips Cessnut! I'm about to post about a fuel leak on that side.

You could remove a fuel line after the gascolator and drain the rest of the fuel. The drains should back out with no issues. Use a good six point socket to prevent rounding the brass, and start slowly. Lubricant will not do anything.