Water Leaks in Cabin

[170C]

George, you mentioned to me in Branson how to possibly stop leaks in my cabin. Give me (and others) some details about using duct tape and/or the other material to seal the wing/fuselage joint.

[GAHorn]

When tied down outside in a heavy rain, water tends to find it's way into the cabin via the front doorposts and air-vents.

First, make certain to close all air vents when storing outdoors. (In fact, go to the store and buy a few of those plastic pot-scrubbers known as "Tuffy's" and stuff them into the air inlets from the outside to keep wasp's/mud-daubers out of them even if stored INdooors. I also use the large-size Tuffy's to block off the sump cool-air inlet below the prop flange, and the cabin air/heater inlets in my cowlings. Remove them all during the pre-flight, but even if you forget it's unlikely to cause a problem. I also use wax-paper "Dixie Cups" stuffed upside down into my exhaust stacks to keep mud daubers from building nests up in my exhaust system. I imagine big blobs of baked mud are a pretty good resistance to exhaust gases, should those buggers get up in there. In addition, the cups keep moist air from entering/exiting my cylinders thru open exhaust valves while the airplane is stored. Remove them during preflight, or forget them and they'll simply blow-out during engine start.)

But be certain to CLOSE the air inlet vents so as to avoid blowing winds propelling water into the vents where it can drip down into the cabin.

Another method that can improve the situation is to remove the wing-root fairing screws from the bottom of the wing and let the fairing "dangle", so you can apply duct tape or wide vinyl wing leading-edge tape to the front of the wing's leading edge beneath the fairing at the forward end/leading edge/windshield. Rain will drive into that area between the wing leading-edge/root and the windshield and run down inside the front door post, and drain out onto the cabin carpet. This is a corrosion instigator as well as a rotten-carpet initiator.
By completely bridging-the-gap between the wing leading edge/root and the windshield you can prevent most of, if not all, that water from getting inside.

Inspect the general area above that root fairing while you're in there.

Hope this helps.

George

[HA]

I used some 2" wide foam weatherstrip tape (called "camper tape" around here, for sealing your pickup shell to the box) under my leading-edge wing root fairings.

it stops wind noise and any water leakage, seals across from the windshield to the wing. and since it is sticky on one side, I just affixed it to the fairing, then it stays with the fairing at annuals and I don't have to put new stuff on every year.

[170C]

Thanks for the suggestions George (and others). My headliner was wet from the hat rack up to, or just forward of the back of the door post (latch side). Had the same problem when it sat out in the rain at Dearborn. I had removed the panels at the rear of the wing/fugelage and put silicone on the screws as well as around the edges and thought I had the problem licked, but guess not. I suppose ole pokey hasn't sat out in a sustained rain since Dearborn. It doesn't appear to leak when I wash the plane---maybe because its subject to the water for a short time frame I will give it a good inspection tomorrow.

[GAHorn]

Well, Frank... THAT'S a horse of a different color! You didn't mention WHERE your water ended up!

Headliner and hat rack area is usually due to antennas on the roof. Second most popular cause is loose/unsealed rivets on roof.

Look at your antennas closely and be certain your mating gaskets are in good shape and not cracked at their edges, which allow water to enter and drain down thru the coax lead. A new gasket and/or sealant* around the edges beneath the antenna (not around the outside where it will hide corrosion) will probably help. Keep in mind that antennas need a good bonding to the skin of the aircraft to work properly, either thru metal baseplates or ground-straps.

*Avoid RTV (commonly called "silicone") sealants because the ammonia in them will facilitate corrosion. I like Pro-Seal, PR1422, or ordinary Permatex #2.

[170C]

WHAT--------George, you mean you can't read my mind I forgot to mention that didn't I I kind of suspect the antenna on that side as possibly being the culprit. I'll have to check it early some morning before the heat gets too high. I was in the hangar briefly yesterday to pick up some things and it was 112 F in there Not too bad early this morning, but after lunch it was back up to 110 F We need some of that cold air to mix with our TX heat and come up with about 75F to suit me
I have to say this now (Bruce) because it might not be true next flight, but on the flight to and from Branson I didn't have ANY OIL LEAKS I might start worrying about my tail springs rusting up, but I have not doubt that a source of lubercation will appear before long, but right now it sure is neat to put that drip pan under the engine after a flight and only find what comes out of the crankcase vent on it

[GAHorn]

Bruce, ... we gonna tell 'im?

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

George since it's not likely we would ever pull it off we might as well share.

Frank I don't know why it came up but there was more than likely a few empty bottles about our table one night at the convention. When it occurred to me what fun it wound be to drip some oil about the ground under your engine cowl and maybe a few well place drops in the cowl, just enough to hang from the bottom lip. Of course we would make sure it didn't point to any obvious origin.

I shared this thought with George and we both had a good laugh over how we would accomplish this. Then I think just as fast we were on to another hot topic.

But next time you have a drip of oil from that spotless engine, you may want to evaluate who might be in the area.

[4-Shipp]

But next time you have a drip of oil from that spotless engine, you may want to evaluate who might be in the area.

Several years ago we had an airport barbecue to celebrate the maiden flight of a friend's RV-4. Well after the flying was done and the gluttony had commenced, most everyone was across the way at the beer/food hangar. The star of the show - the new RV - sat proudly in her hangar with the door open, the lights on and the floor spotless, ready for the proud father Tim to bring folks by every so often for some show and tell. This hangar happened to be right next door to my hangar and having returned to my hangar for some reason I was overcome by the urge to yank Tim's chain a bit. I found a fresh bottle of Aeroshell 100 and poured a nice 18" circle of oil on Tim's spotless and well lit floor right under the RV's cowl. I then gathered anyone I could find to sit across the taxiway and wait for Tim's next tour. It didn't take long for Tim to show, and just as we expected he failed to notice the cleanliness of the oil, the lack of any evidence actually on the airframe itself, nor did he notice the six of us across the way trying hard to contain our laughter and not give up the gag. He had enjoyed an adult berverage or two by that point and the resulting side show was not exactly family-friendly. His first reaction was to cuss up a blue streak. I never thought I would see someone have a stroke and heart attack both at the same time. His second act was to go for his tools to pull the cowling (not a small task on an RV) We let him off the hook before he actually disassembled anything but he still gets a bit sore when anyone asks about his massive leak on a brand new engine. Oil was about $3 a quart back then - the best $1.50 spent at the airport in a long time.

[GAHorn]

Bruce thinks ahead. When I mentioned we should drain some old oil from my quick-drain for the purpose.... he remarked that he already had plenty of old oil on hand.