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Slosh poll

Slosh poll if built before 2000

  • Didn't use slosh to seal fuel tanks

    Votes: 51 48.1%
  • Slosh used and no evidence of peeling

    Votes: 25 23.6%
  • Found evidence of slosh peeling and rebuilt or replaced fuel tanks

    Votes: 13 12.3%
  • Found evidence of slosh peeling, but haven't rebuilt or replaced fuel tanks

    Votes: 7 6.6%
  • Slosh used, no evidence of peeling, but had slosh removed or rebuilt tanks

    Votes: 10 9.4%

  • Total voters
    106

WillyEyeBall

Well Known Member
I didn't built my RV-4, but bought it 8 years ago. Going through the builder's log, I found the tanks had been sloshed in 1994 (18 years ago). The week before my conditional inspection, I saw a few white particles for the first time when I drained the gasolator. During the inspection, the A&P found larger and more particles in the gascolator. With a mirror and light, he then found two patches of the peeled slosh in thefuel tanks.
Anyone who has tanks that were sloshed should read these links:
Van's service bulletin: http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/sb11-9-13.pdf
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=76590&highlight=slosh
http://www.evansaviationproducts.com/concerning_slosh.htm
The third paragraph in the evans link- When it does come off, you'll start to see small white particles in your quick drains and gascolator. It could also be red or yellow.
Just another reminder of what it looks like when peeled off.
100_3817.jpg
 
RVs with slosh

There are over 4000 completed RV3,4,&6s, most before 2000. How many of these used slosh in the fuel tanks? We only had 19 responses to the poll from last month. My toy is still down after rebuilding the tanks when it developed an idling/surge problem on the first flights after the tank rebuild. It looked like some of the debris got into the throttle body, and it's being serviced now. If your aircraft has slosh in the tanks, best to diligently continue to check for peeling evidence on the preflights.
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
Alabama
 
There are over 4000 completed RV3,4,&6s, most before 2000.
RV-4 slider
Alabama

Hi Bill. Not to be argumentative, but I would bet that most where probably built after 2000, at least for the 6's, which make up the biggest percentage of the fleet. I started mine in 1998, but by the time I was doing my wing tanks the slosh issue had been brought up and people where well aware. I think that skews the numbers a bit.
You still make some very good points. Everyone should visually inspect their tanks to insure they have not been sloshed before it starts to peel and might be too late, even newer models. You never know what a builder may have done.
I am sure someone like Van's has a running record of how many where flying before 2000 and it would be interesting to see. I could be wrong with my assumption.
 
I just wanted to add myself as another data point on the slosh. I recently finished an early RV6 kit and applied the slosh circa 1991. I had my first flight last October and was aware to keep an eye out. Small flakes indeed started appearing after just a few hours. (I am pretty sure I did not scuff the tanks as I don't think it was called for other than at the proseal seams.) By about 50 hrs flakes were more numerous and bigger and I decided to pull the tanks and have Paul at Weep no More clean them out. Here is a pic of the gascolator screen right after shipping the tanks
slosh_zpsf4b8929f.jpg

On return the tanks looked very good but had slight interference with sealant around the spar since (at least in my case) that was a very tight tolerance fit. After adjusting for that, tanks are back on with no leaks so far and a clear sample cup! I just added myself to the poll.

Chris Moody
N156CM
 
Tanks rebuilt here

My 6 was finished in 1997 and was built with slosh. Found the slosh peeling during pre-buy, so we had tanks stripped and resealed. No worries now.

Fernando
 
There are over 4000 completed RV3,4,&6s, most before 2000. How many of these used slosh in the fuel tanks? We only had 19 responses to the poll from last month. My toy is still down after rebuilding the tanks when it developed an idling/surge problem on the first flights after the tank rebuild. It looked like some of the debris got into the throttle body, and it's being serviced now. If your aircraft has slosh in the tanks, best to diligently continue to check for peeling evidence on the preflights.
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
Alabama

I inspected my RV4 tanks and found peeling slosh inside. The tanks were built many years ago and haven't yet seen service. I drilled out rivets in one tank to get the back off but I couldn't loosen it and get it off. The Proseal held it firmly in place. How do I get the back off? Would it help with some gentle heat from a heat gun or what?
If I decide to rebuild the tanks how do I get the screw holes to fit those in the wing spar? Any ideas?
 
Hans, I recently disassembled my fuel tanks to clean out the slosh. I removed the whole rear panel for the best access. After drilling out the rivets I started to use a thin blade to loosen the proseal and soon found it to be very stuck. I knew heat would be the best thing to try but didn't want a flame or heat gun near these used tanks for fear of blowing up... So I heated a piece of steel about 20mm x 40mm and 150mm long just enough to barely start turning blue and layed it on the area where I was going to start prying. Once separation started I moved the steel block along and reheated (with a torch) the block as necessary. This worked very nicely.

For prying, I used a piece of 3/4" alum. angle 3 feet long and cut one side of the angle to taper from the end about 18" back to be shaped like a long wedge and pushed it in behind the back panel from each end of the tank. As I was prying the rear panel off I added small C clamps to hold it away from the ribs and kept heating my block moving to where I wanted to pry. Each tank took about 1/2 an hour to remove the panel after the rivets were removed.

I found a chemical stripping company locally hear in Oregon to strip every thing out of my tanks. I didn't want brain damage from all that MEK it would take to remove the slosh.
 
Much easier to simply cut holes in baffle and install inspection plates.
 
I sent my tanks to Paul at Weeps No More. He takes the baffle off after removing the rivets by letting solvent sit on the baffle side overnight to dissolve the Proseal. His work and service are excellent. Kept me updated with emails and pictures of the process, and the inside of the tanks are spotless and everything was done ahead of schedule. i tried cleaning one section of one tank myself by going in through the plate on the inboard side?. that was enough for me. A very unpleasant job but worse is the difficulty inspecting the interior to be sure all the slosh was removed. Actually I doubt it is possible to get it all without removing the baffle.
Bill
 
Randolph or PRC 1005 L Buna?

All: I built my tanks in 1984. We were using PRC 1005L in those days. Randolph came on the scene much later. I have never heard of a PRC peel/flake issue. My impression is weepnomore uses a similar if not identical slosh as does Mooney....I mention this because "slosh" in RV world has become a 4 letter word...if I had Randolph/white slosh, I would certainly agree with that sentiment...the only problem is it is overbroad and takes in a reliable, well-performing product and process....so, a little more specificity would be helpful...I suggest "Randolph slosh".....John N95JF
 
I will add to the fun. Notice the vertical wall on the right is mostly peeled clean, and you can see flakes dangling. Definitely a 4 letter word in this case.

IMG_1972.jpg
 
Resurrecting an old thread here. Just leak checking fuel tanks on an RV4 project (not the original builder) and noticed a red sealer has been brushed over the pro sealed seams. Suspect it is PR-1005-L but not sure.
I realize there is an SB for slosh removal so I?m trying to determine if this red sealer falls under the SB guidance.
I understand the ?white? slosh will peel off and needs to be removed but has anyone experienced issues with a red sealer?

Thanks, Tom
 
Tom,

All ?slosh? falls under the preview of the SB. As you noted, there are two types. The quality of the original work is what?s critical (actually how well the tank was prepped and cleaned). My ?bad? white slosh has been in service for 25 years. I inspect the tanks regularly and have replaced both end plates as the old cork seals that were pro sealed in place eventually started to weep; but haven?t had any other problems. I?m not advocating for not removing slosh, just pointing out that if properly done and regularly inspected, it?s possible that a sloshed tank is serviceable. I do recommend compliance with the service bulletin. If you are concerned, by all means, remove the slosh.

Cheers,

Vac
 
Unfortunately, even the red slosh is subject to the SB, which requires a fairly extensive inspection program of the entire fuel system at intervals not to exceed 25 hours. If anything is found, it must be corrected. I assume this means removing the offending slosh or replace the tank before further flight. If you don?t find any evidence of slosh failure in your fuel lines, fuel selector, fuel filter, fuel pumps (both), carburetor screen, FI spider, injectors, or fuel flow transducer, then you are fine to continue operating with your sloshed tanks. You still have to inspect these fuel system components again every 25 hours. You could build new tanks, but match drilling the holes for the installed nut plates might be your biggest challenge. You could send your sloshed tanks to the guy in MN (Weeps-No-More) and have him fix your existing tanks, or you could do that yourself.
 
Slosh in RV for Sale

Hello, I am considering an RV for Sale that has slosh in the fuel tanks(I have previously owned a RV6 that didnt have any slosh). It seems very well built by a meticulous builder....about 26 years ago. There is white slosh in the tanks however to date he has never found any floating or anywhere else in his system. He suggests that in his meticulous preparation for slosh he prepared the metal well (he said but I forget....scuffing up and/or etching or something I think) and the slosh has held very well.

In everyone's experience is it a matter of when not if the slosh will start to deteriorate and flake off?

Thank you,

Glen
 
I won't comment on how long that slosh will stay put - it could be a month, it could be for ever. But I will say that every single person who looks at that plane, except the builder, will view the slosh as a negative and adjust their value accordingly. I wouldnt let it stop me from buying the plane, but I would factor the required work int the offer price. If you can fly it as-is for a few years then that is a bonus.
 
Slosh in RV for Sale

I have contacted weepnomore and been quoted $1200 per tank plus shipping (as I am in Canada the shipping, duties and taxes would be more than if I was in the USA) so I expect $3000 or so plus the Removal and Replacement and down time. I guess I would take that off my offer price (which I am not at all sure about either).
Thank you,
Glen
 
I have a -4 completed in 1989 that used the sealant painted on in a thin layer after prepping properly. The fellow who did it also worked building commercial aircraft and he indicated he used the same sealant. His description of how he prepped was pretty involved.

Clean screens and no signs of failure so far. 31 years and counting, knock on wood.:rolleyes:

I may have to redo the tanks at some point, but I think that can be true no matter the sealing system.

I looked at two older RV's that had the slosh removed and weren't resealed well. Both had blue wings due to seeping fuel.
 
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I have a -4 completed in 1989 that used the sealant painted on in a thin layer after prepping properly. The fellow who did it also worked building commercial aircraft and he indicated he used the same sealant. His description of how he prepped was pretty involved.

Clean screens and no signs of failure so far. 31 years and counting, knock on wood.:rolleyes:

I may have to redo the tanks at some point, but I think that can be true no matter the sealing system.

I looked at two older RV's that had the slosh removed and weren't resealed well. Both had blue wings due to seeping fuel.
Ditto.
My 4 was completed in 2000 but the tanks were built several years prior, in the mid-90s. That was the one part of the project I just did not want to deal with so I sent them out for completion (Carl Finch?? I think). I did all of the drilling & trim, he did the sealing.

Although the tanks were not "sloshed" in the normal sense (pouring via the filler and gyrating the tank), he did brush on a thin layer of slosh over the rivet seams, some of which is visible via the filler.

I am very much aware of the issues with the slosh and trust me, I think about it every time I pop the filler cap for fueling, every time I sump the tanks, every time I sump the gascolater, and at every condition inspection where I take a good look at the filters at the carb and gascolater (It's a Steve's gascolator and has a very fine steel mesh screen).

I don't want to jinx myself here but I have NEVER seen any indication of slosh failure.

If/when I do, the airplane will be immediately grounded and the tanks will come off.
 
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