Fuel cell repair

[Skelly]

Does anyone know a company that does fuel cell repair.. I think mine might have a tiny leak, and want to get it pressure tested and fixed if need. Any help would be great.

Thanks
Sean

[Nardi]

Have you tried Harmon racing? I know the y make new at good prices.

[AIShelby]

I have used Aero Tech Services Santa Fe Springs, CA twice with excellent results

[Shelly Sadwin]

You can repair leaks in fuel cells with JB Weld

[Laird]

I have used Aero Tech Services Santa Fe Springs, CA twice with excellent results

I've used AeroTech twice as well, but they don't recommend repairing them.

[J Leonard]

Search fuel cell repair on the site. 121 hits

[jkeller]

Hartwig Fuel cell repair rebuilds cells and builds new fuel cells for aircraft, helicopters, boats and race cars.
Interesting man to talk to.

www.hartwigfuelcell.com

[Rick Kirchner]

Depends on the material - neoprene, the beige ATL stuff, or the Fuel Safe stuff.

If it's Neoprene ATS is your best bet.

The others - if you don't do it yourself you are probably looking at a new cell.

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

I have used the Canadian location to fix a fuel cell, and I would not recommend having them work on yours.
PM me if you need more details.

Hartwig Fuel cell repair rebuilds cells and builds new fuel cells for aircraft, helicopters, boats and race cars.
Interesting man to talk to.

www.hartwigfuelcell.com

[pacratt]

You can repair leaks in fuel cells with JB Weld

Race gas will eat through JB Weld.
Been there...done that.

[Rick Kirchner]

That is not my experience. Years ago I did a test with various glues and sealants - several day's of complete immersion in AVGAS.

The only material unaffected was JB Weld. Everything else either swelled up and lost adhesion or dissolved completely into the gas.

[aims20]

That is not my experience. Years ago I did a test with various glues and sealants - several day's of complete immersion in AVGAS.

The only material unaffected was JB Weld. Everything else either swelled up and lost adhesion or dissolved completely into the gas.

Just curious: what other materials did you test? Did you apply the material to little sample pieces to test the "bond" strength? Seems like a good garage experiment. I did the same "submersion test" with some tubing I wanted to try out for an oiling system and dated the bottle. and left it on a shelf for a long period of time.

[DaveW]

Depends on the material - neoprene, the beige ATL stuff, or the Fuel Safe stuff.

If it's Neoprene ATS is your best bet.

The others - if you don't do it yourself you are probably looking at a new cell.

Not the main point here, but fuel cell rubber is Buna-N (Nitrile), not Neoprene. Buna-N has a much greater resistance to gasoline. In fact, Nitrile is rated excellent, and Neoprene unsatisfactory.

Buna-N is what Eagle (the manufacturer of my custom cell) uses.

[Jon Jeffords]

http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74740

[Rick Kirchner]

Thanks dave - you're correct as usual!

In my experiment I tried several types of silicone gasket maker, jb weld, shoo goo, and some other glues (it's been something like 12 years since I did this) and put them on popsicle sticks (not the best substrate, if I had to do it again I'd use aluminum).

Put them in a paint can submerged in avgas for a week.

The shoo goo and several other adhesives just disappeared, the silicones swelled up and lost adhesion, but the JB was unaffected.

[Charlie Schmidt]

Anyone have any experience with the urethane glues they install windshields with? I used some once when a crack showed up just before a race weekend. It got me thru the weekend, but no idea on long term durability.

[J Leonard]

Hardman urethane D-50. McMaster part number could be 7493A21. $17,34 for 10 packs. Liquid enough to pull through pin holes with vacuum.

[SV@RHC]

Hey Sean,

Missed you up at Thunderhill. I've had great luck with Aero Tech. reasonable price and quick turn around. The ethanol in the pump fuel seams to just destroy the cell if left with any fuel in it. I now drain my tank after every weekend and run the motor dry.

Scott

[DaveW]

Hey Sean,

Missed you up at Thunderhill. I've had great luck with Aero Tech. reasonable price and quick turn around. The ethanol in the pump fuel seams to just destroy the cell if left with any fuel in it. I now drain my tank after every weekend and run the motor dry.

Scott

The Ethanol issue is worse with urethane cells. I have had no issues with the Nitrile rubber cell I got from Eagle. They say with E10 it should last more than 15 years.

BTW, they say to store the Nitrile cells full, and I have done that.

Fuel-cell foam is also an issue with E10. The "normal" foam may degrade, but there is higher-quality foam available. I have not yet had a foam issue in 3 years of use with E10 and the "normal" foam.

[Diamond Level Motorsports]

I have used this product with good success.



http://www.hrpworld.com/store/defaul...epair-kit.html

[J Leonard]

I could not find it on their site. That's the Hardman D-50.

[formulasuper]

I have used this product with good success.



http://www.hrpworld.com/store/defaul...epair-kit.html

http://www.grainger.com/product/HARD...ethane+hardman

10 double bubble packs for $27.20. Received mine in 3 days.

[J Leonard]

I don't work for Hardman or McMaster. 10 packs at McMaster for $17.34 plus whatever freight.

[formulasuper]

I don't work for Hardman or McMaster. 10 packs at McMaster for $17.34 plus whatever freight.

Even better.

[formulasuper]

I don't work for Hardman or McMaster. 10 packs at McMaster for $17.34 plus whatever freight.

Hey James, can you give a link to this product thru McMaster? I'm unable to find it using the internet, or do you have to have an actual catalog of their's? Thanks.

[NPalacioM3]

Hartwig Aircraft Fuel Cell Repair
Erich or Butch Hartwig
Hallock, MN 56728 US

http://www.hartwig-fuelcell.com/

[DaveW]

Hey James, can you give a link to this product thru McMaster? I'm unable to find it using the internet, or do you have to have an actual catalog of their's? Thanks.

Maybe this one? http://www.mcmaster.com/#7538A12

[J Leonard]

The urethane D-50 I think is 7493A21. 3 to 5 minutes work time, remains flexible. Number on package is 04022. You can call their tech line, sometimes they can tell you who makes what they sell.

[formulasuper]

Maybe this one? http://www.mcmaster.com/#7538A12

Thanks Dave. However I'm not sure about the part of McMaster's description that says "Begins to Harden - 2 hrs."

It says "Work Time, 3-5 minutes. Handling Strength, 60 minutes." right on the double/bubble packet it comes in and I can verify that to be true. You have to work fast but it is an excellent product.