First off, this is just an informational post for anyone with leaky quick drains.
I have a 1965 PA-28-235, so two 25gal main fuel tanks and two 17gal tip tanks. When I took possession of my aircraft, the right tip tank had been “worked on” to resolve a leak through the fiberglass fuel tank. I noticed the quick drain was different from the others (silver colored as opposed to brass on the rest). Both tip tank quick drains were leaky after the preflight fuel drain test and took a lot of playing with to stop leaking fuel. Within the first few flights, this leakiness progresses to they never sealed after a fuel check. I was confused, the right tip drain was new, and the left never showed issues during pre-buy.
My first instinct was to clean the quick drains–a little carb cleaner and a soft brass wire brush. They looked great after that, but still leaking. As I was running out of kitty litter to soak up the spilling fuel, I figured I had to escalate to replacing the quick drains. Looking in the Service Manual, my Piper uses either Curtis CCA-1250 or CCA-1550. I ordered two 5gal fuel containers, a fuel drain hose designed to fit the quick drains, and two CCA-1550s from Aircraft Spruce (I’m at KAJO, so AS is literally in my backyard) and went to work draining my tip tanks starting with the left tank first as it was the leakiest. This was far messier than I expected–especially for the right tip tank.
After each tank was drained, I applied a minimal dab of EZTURN Fuel lube to the last threads of the CCA-1550 drain and twisted it into the fuel drain boss. Easy-peazy. When I removed the “new” quick drain from the right tip tank, I noticed it was the incorrect part number (CCA-4850?) and I guessed that was why it never sealed correctly.
I refilled both tip tanks with 5gals of fuel and checked the drains. No more leaks. I taxied out, did run-up with the left tip tank selected, then did run-up with the right tip tank selected and taxied back to my hangar on the right tip. No engine fuel starvation and no leaks once back in the hangar.
Attached is a pic of the culprits. You see the worn-out correct part and the new incorrect part. Both were dripping fuel at the rate of one drop every 20-30 seconds.
I had my mechanic verify my work and he signed it off. One more quick repair done. I am really enjoying aircraft ownership so far with these less than AMU cost fixes!
Next up, compass issues and KX-155 replacement–so much for less than an AMU…
