Piper Cherokee 140 Fuel Tank Paint

Mooney Fan

Mooney Fan

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Sep 17, 2017
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998
Location
Indian Mound, TN
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Mooney Fan
Anyone have paint cracking issues just on the topside of the fuel tanks? I have small cracks forming in the paint that eventually leads to chipping. Do the topside of the tanks need periodic touch ups or maybe its just a poor paint job on the tanks themselves?
 
Maybe just crappy paint. Only time I had to paint my fuel tanks is when I removed them to change out the senders, and that was only where the screws were. Touch up paint and a toothpick - fun.
 
Are we talking about the fuel tank that's hidden inside the wing, or the wing skin that covers the fuel tank? Don't often find aluminum tanks painted.
 
Mooney Fan said:
I guess Avgas spillage is causing this?
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More than likely it was a poor prep job prior to repainting that area. Can you see any primer stuck to the backside of any white paint chips?
 
Bell206 said:
More than likely it was a poor prep job prior to repainting that area. Can you see any primer stuck to the backside of any white paint chips?
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Sure looks to be part of the problem. If there was no primer, there was likely no acid-etching either. See all the scratches in the metal where the paint has flaked off, and still visible under the surviving paint? Paint seems to crack a lot more easily over stuff like that. I'd think that the lift in flight pulls up on the skin and flexes the scratches open somewhat, cracking the paint.

Someone has been real careless with the fuel nozzle, it seems.
 
Bell206 said:
More than likely it was a poor prep job prior to repainting that area. Can you see any primer stuck to the backside of any white paint chips?
Click to expand...

Dan Thomas said:
Sure looks to be part of the problem. If there was no primer, there was likely no acid-etching either. See all the scratches in the metal where the paint has flaked off, and still visible under the surviving paint? Paint seems to crack a lot more easily over stuff like that. I'd think that the lift in flight pulls up on the skin and flexes the scratches open somewhat, cracking the paint.

Someone has been real careless with the fuel nozzle, it seems.
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I'll take a look to see if primer is under a chip. I know of 2 times I have myself had some fuel drain from the hose on the tank. Underneath skin is OK. IA said we can sand, prime and paint the tanks at annual.
 
Htaylor said:
Might be a good time to comply with Piper SB 1006 as well if it's due.
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We did that during 2018 annual. Changed fuel lines etc. I consider SB 1006 a show stopper for any Piper Cherokee purchase if it hasn't been done.
 
Looks like age, to me. Just strip, and paint.
 
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