Installing Steve's Gascolator - helpful hints?

[JohnW]

If you need to work alone, six inch Vice Grips work a lot cheaper (and without the smartalec comments) than a Warm-bodied Helper. When you hear the "ka-THUMP" inside the airplane, you know its time to reset the "holdin' guy". Works just fine for re-install, too, once you get 'em started. Crude, but very effective.

[Gilbert Pierce]

When I was a maintenance chief on an aircraft carrier I always made a great show when I found a pair of vise grips or an adjustable crescent wrench in a tool box. The offending mechanic and I any of his cohorts who were around would walk over to the side of the flight deck and they would watch while I flung the offending tool over the side. Vise grips are great for holding something while you weld it. Other then that they just ruin whatever they are clamped on. The crescent wrench makes a good sheet metal bender.
This not intended to be a smart elec comment. Just my true feelings on the matter. Just ask my son what happened when he used vise grips on his bicycle. :twisted:

[Steve Pierce]

Crescent wrenches and Vise Grips were likely to get you a lecture at our house.

[Bultaco Jim]

My Vice-grip holds my trim tab on just fine.

[JohnW]

It's not the tool itself that should be objected to. It's the manner in which it is used. I also have {out-} spoken before about hammers, but no self-respecting mechanic will use a 1/2" drive RATCHET for a job that actually calls for a hammer (like stoving in the lower longeron to properly align the front gear fitting when you are modding a trike back to a "real airplane". Just like Piper specs on the Factory Drawing). I didn't say "make sure you booger up the fastener with a ham-handed approach". I said "It works nicely" for this particular job (note a presence of respect for the tool and the accompanying implied disrespect for it's abuse). The only Crescent wrench I own is monster Craftsman 18" that I use for trailer hitch balls, tractor implement duty and killing rats (that fortunately doesn't occur often at all, in fact, I haven't actually USED IT for that, but I will if I ever need to!). It certainly is "more proper" than employing a four-foot pipe wrench. "Proper tool for the job" is the call, and in this case, forceps or hemostats just don't cut the mustard even if you DO have twelve foot long arms. Also...only the "proper amount of force required to accomplish the task" (think Martial Arts) is required. Ever.

[Glen Geller]

Vice grips belong in every motorcycle tool kit, they make great shift levers etc. They have their place in the plane too but you must be smart about their use. Count your tools after maintenance (pre-startup) to be sure none are lost in the airframe or engine compartment. Clank, clunk & crunch are all bad sounds in flight.
Y'all ever hear bout the Space Shuttle mission where during the post flight maintenance they found a 8 foot ladder (used as a horizontal scaffold) in the huge engine blister (SSME Pod) on one side of the tail? Upon reviewing the previous maintenance record, it was indeed checked off the list as removed from the spacecraft following the work. Yet there it was.
Anyway I have lots of help in the hangar so I will use the proper tools and the buddy system to remove the obstinate gascolator bracket.
GG

[Kelliots]

I finally pried open my wallet and bought a Steve's Gascolator for my Colt. I am installing it now, have the old one out and grit blasted the old paint/grease off the Piper bracket yesterday, it is stainless steel so may not paint it white like I first planned. I also bought new fittings except for the Weatherhead fitting which I will reuse. I am worried about screwing the weatherhead/nipple into the new gascolator and getting it to line up with the fuel line inside cockpit. I trial fitted it and its about 120 degrees off without tightening yet so hope it will work.
Question: What about thread sealant/lube to use? After reading previous threads, I thought only fuel lube is needed. But now I'm thinking maybe small amount pipe thread paste/sealant would be good on some of the fitting connections. This is apparently a controversial issue among mechanics. Any thoughts/installation hints from those that have done this Steve's gascolator install are appreciated.....

[cozzmo81]

I have installed several of these on different airplanes and have always used EZ Turn fuel lube on the Threaded connections. I have never had one leak with the fuel lube.

[JPerkins]

Yup, fuel lube for sure. Seals well and things actually come back apart when you need it to.

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[Steve Pierce]

PTFE Teflon pipe sealant works but I usually use EZ Turn (fuel lube) on fuel line pipe threads.