Header tank

If you are going to go thru the trouble of pulling the header tank, why would anyone want to a band aide repair? open up the tank, get rid of the slushing compound that can peel off and clog the fuel system and reseal the tank so it will be good for another 50+ yrs.

If you are going to pull it. You should be able to identify the leak by the lovely blue markings.

Clean the area and pull a mixture of proseal mixed with MEK to thin it out with a SMALL vacuum in the tank will draw the sealant into your pesky leak.

I would tape off the clean area before you begin applying the sealant. Make it look like a pro did the job.

Casey Dwyer wrote:

About to pull the 6 gal. header tank out of my '47CD, to repair a pesky leak.  Leaning toward taking it to a radiator shop and having it welded completely shut vs. trying to repair rivets.  ANY AND ALL THOUGHTS, INPUT, SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.  Thnx

That would be an illegal repair, any A&P can reseal the header tank. 
 

About to pull the 6 gal. header tank out of my '47CD, to repair a pesky leak.  Leaning toward taking it to a radiator shop and having it welded completely shut vs. trying to repair rivets.  ANY AND ALL THOUGHTS, INPUT, SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.  Thnx

Many, many years ago while living in FL, the small gas tank on a small lawn edger rusted thru, inside to out. Removed tank and covered the bottom half of the tank with a layer of firberglass cloth, etc. Probably my first experience with fiberglass. Worked great and was still ok when I gave the edger to my son.

If I had to remove the tank, I would clean all the rivet runs and just use strips of light weight fg cloth and cover all. Without having to remove the tank and able to get to a leaker or so, I would prepare properly and spot patch.

As mentioned above, I had a friend with built in wing tanks on a Mooney with leak along the edge seam who used the small vacuum insside and sucked in pro seal successfully.

On a side note, I have observed that the FAA has used "economics" ($2800) as one of the criteria for "out of the box thinking", as long as not precluded by the OEM manufacturer for use in our vintage aircraft. My interpretation!!
Even to owner/operqtor producted parts.