Here's another issue, then I'll leave it.. If you have not yet had your airworthiness inspection. Your DAR may not pass it with tape used.
Ralph
Here's another issue, then I'll leave it.. If you have not yet had your airworthiness inspection. Your DAR may not pass it with tape used.
Ralph
Teflon tape should be kept a safe distance from any aircraft!
For what it's worth yes I've had an airworthiness inspection. 610 hours later....not one leak in ANY of the hydraulic systems....KNOCK ON FOREHEAD. At the oil change, the Teflon, pepper, and all the other contaminants are drained out with it. Not to mention the oil filter which gets thrown away too. Has anyone ever found Teflon in their oil filter? I HAVE found the 'Holy Grail' 9AR in the fuel filters however. Isn't that why we install filters? To catch all the little chunks?
Incidentally, when you take it apart, ANY kind of sealant is gonna be left in the (female) threads. If you don't clean it out of the threads, it is gonna be pushed into the system when you put it back together; EVEN after applying it carefully (male thread only, and sparingly).
Can you tell, I'm a retired amateur lawn mower mechanic? Nothing better to do than beat dead horses to freaking death. ....See ya, I'm going flying in my death machine!
Hey Floog,
I use teflon tape occasionally (yes, on my airplane) also. I don't really like that 9AR stuff, but did use it on the fuel tank fittings with the fiberglass. I have found teflon tape to be one very sure method of sealing threaded fittings on refrigeration systems in the field, especially if there might be a light oil film that is hard to clean off without polluting the system. But that's not what we're talking about. I've used it, especially on brake fittings that are probably never going to be removed. I'm very careful & particular about how it's applied, as I'm sure you are too. If I have to remove a fitting, I will usually use a tiny round brass brush (like you'd use with a small bore firearm) and carefully insert, then rotate it against the female threads counterclockwise to clean & remove residue. Have there been incidents of teflon contamination with aircraft? Yes, but I believe it's because of not being careful enough. Like I said, how often do you have to remove fittings after they're installed? Whatever you use it has to be used correctly & carefully. Maybe the pastes are more "fool-proof".
I really like the Permatex High Temp thread sealant, & use it a lot. It contains PTFE, so it is a good thread lubricant like teflon tape (very desireable with tapered pipe threads). It's so much more convenient & less messy than 9AR, & cures anerobically so you don't have to mess around waiting for solvents to evaporate before & after installation. If it's good enough for modern automobiles for fuel, hydraulic fluids, coolent, etc., it's good enough for me. Not recommended for plastics, so again, I used the 9AR on the tanks.
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
Another comment on the dead horse: in my 40 year hydraulics career we nearly always used a Loctite product called I believe Hydraulic Thread Sealant. It is a red anerobic product that worked flawlessly on systems up to 7000 psi. I wonder if its similar to what John mentioned.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS