GA-912 oil tank location?

[nomadpete]

I'm Moving along with my maintenance, and I discover that my oil reservoir is alloy. It seems that many years ago Rotax issued a SB requiring replacement by a stainless steel tank. The alloy ones had been known to crack.

 

Anyone with a GA please tell me what tank you have and where it is mounted.

 

Mine has been modified (by factory), and it is located on the inside of firewall without an access hatch to check oil level. It has a non standard hose welded into the bottom of the tank, plumbed throught firewall to a dipstick in the engine bay.

 

So, to install the correct SS tank, I'll have to modify the fibreglass cowling to make an access hatch. Or get a non standard pipe welded into bottom of the new tank.

 

Any ideas?

 

 

[storchy neil]

Why not put new oil tank where alloy one is remember the height of of that tank is critical

 

I have this thought it's the same size different plumbing I don't like the idea of excessive welding of stainless steel

 

I would make access to dipstick as easy as possible

 

How is the oil drained Neil

 

 

[facthunter]

If it's 19xxxx or such just keep using it and inspecting it. Aluminium is used for many motorcycle and race car tanks. Arguably better than fibreglass. Your oil cooler is aluminium. Nev

 

 

[storchy neil]

I will go with that nev Neil

 

 

[nomadpete]

Thanks guys. Oil draining is a painful task. Crawl into the foot well space and balance a shallow basin on the rudder pedals.... Refilling is done through the dipstick tube in the engine bay.

 

It's a 55- registered factory built flying machine, so modifications are not allowed (without CAR 35 certification). Maybe I can drill a hole for the extra outlet, and fit a brass hose fitting secured by a nut on the inside of the new tank. That way it complies with the Rotax directive without modifying the aircraft (or welding anything)

 

 

[facthunter]

Unless it's very thin I would modify it with an aluminium fitting and TIG it in place. Clean it out thoroughly at the same time. It's a standard repair technique. Can't be rocket science and aluminium is probably lighter than the alternative. Nev

 

 

[storchy neil]

Nev I have though may be do the ad with new tank then he is complying then plumb in drain tube to out side fire wall Neil

 

 

[P4D]

I would have a talk with Nick at Lightwing. Costs nothing to talk and I'm sure they would have already have seen this problem if there is an AD out for 55 Reg. This sounds as if it is a Lightwing problem not a Rotax problem.

 

 

[CLAYT]

Thanks guys. Oil draining is a painful task. Crawl into the foot well space and balance a shallow basin on the rudder pedals.... Refilling is done through the dipstick tube in the engine bay.It's a 55- registered factory built flying machine, so modifications are not allowed (without CAR 35 certification). Maybe I can drill a hole for the extra outlet, and fit a brass hose fitting secured by a nut on the inside of the new tank. That way it complies with the Rotax directive without modifying the aircraft (or welding anything)

Doug Evans (on this forum)has a 55-GA912 so he maybe able to help. As for draining the oil have you tried releasing the rudder pedal springs and laying the pedals flat on the floor.Clayt

 

 

[Downunder]

[nomadpete]

Thanks folks. It's all good information.

 

 

[Riley]

My GR912 Lightwing has the oil reservoir in the hat rack space behind the pilot's seat with 17 kilometers of hoseing under the floorboards back to the lower right firewall (made for much bad language when doing the obligatory 5-year hose change). Topping up oil tank is a ring-tailed bitch in the limited space of the hat rack. Oil drain off bottom of reservoir is via tubing to belly of fuselage near lower left longeron. Obviously there was a weight & balance consideration with the reservoir positioning as the battery is also fitted in the underneath ventral area with only 16 kilometers of battery cabling. I reckon Bill Whitney was mad at Howies Hughes or Howies Hughes was mad at me when the system was thought up! cheers

 

 

[nomadpete]

Yes Riley. I had heard about the rear location on the GR.

 

I think they didn't do the sums very well on weight andbalance. My GA has battery and oil on firewall for w&b. Maybe a couple of inches longer engine mount would have moved c of g forward (for the GA) and allowed room for the oil reservoir in the engine bay where it belongs.

 

I note that the new Lightwing is longer in the tail. Maybe that allowed them to move battery and oil forward?

 

 

[Doug Evans]

Yep Peter mine is mounted in the cab with an panel hatch to check oil and a Hose setup for draining the oil within the cab !

 

 

[P4D]

 

 

Item # CCA-2450, ROTAX OIL DRAIN VALVE

 

Brass •12mm-1.75mm •Length: 1.45-Inch •Lock Wire Drilled •Action: Spiral, Lock Open Application: Rotax 912F2, 912F3, 912F4, 914F2, 914F3, 914F4

 

 

[Doug Evans]

This is my setup

 

 

 

[nomadpete]

Thanks Doug. I decided to copy yours. Can you post a pic of the hatch I have to make in the cowling?

 

 

[Doug Evans]

Thanks Doug. I decided to copy yours. Can you post a pic of the hatch I have to make in the cowling?

am trying can i get your phone no mine 0417154415 and i will text the pic

 

 

[Doug Evans]

am trying can i get your phone no mine 0417154415 and i will text the pic

cant get the picture too load up said file too large

 

 

[nomadpete]

Final update:

 

Thanks to Doug for supplying me photos of his GA oil tank setup. I copied his as I believe that all GA912's after mine were made that way. I installed a ROTAX s.s. Oil tank. Deleted the external dip stick tube and blanked off the hole in the fire wall. I cut out a inspection hatch directly above the oil tank to allow access to the inbuilt dip stick.

 

Not sure, but maybe my Aircraft (#90) was Howie's first factory built GA and they hadn't figured out how to set up the oil tank?

 

Anyway, problem solved.