Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug?
| Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310620] |
Sat, 19 November 2016 20:02  |
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GMC Jimmy
Messages: 199
Registered: September 2016
Location: Niagara, Ontario
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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I filled up prior to heading home after I picked-up my coach, drove approximately two and a half hours and parked in my shop. It's been there for 3 weeks.
Today I noticed a couple of additional water drains in the floor, kitchen area, directly across from doorway. I'm not certain if the kitchen was always located in this area (75 Royale), so I opened the taps and placed a small bucket under the coach to catch whatever was there, not much, however, while there I noticed a smell of gas. Small stain on the floor.
Got a light and had a look, it appears to be a very small leak, maybe a few drips per hour? It looks like there is a drain plug directly above where this leak is coming from but I'm not certain, I'll have a better look tomorrow.
Did our coaches have drain plugs in the gas tank/s?
If not is there a quick fix until I can get this?
Thanks,
Mike
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310621 is a reply to message #310620] |
Sat, 19 November 2016 20:20  |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Yes, there is a drain plug in each tank. It has a hex opening which will take an Allen wrench or a socket with a hex shaft. They sometimes rust and strip out. If so I have once used a small pipe wrench on a couple of exposed threads to turn a plug out.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
> On Nov 19, 2016, at 7:02 PM, Mike wrote:
>
> I filled up prior to heading home after I picked-up my coach, drove approximately two and a half hours and parked in my shop. It's been there for 3
> weeks.
>
> Today I noticed a couple of additional water drains in the floor, kitchen area, directly across from doorway. I'm not certain if the kitchen was
> always located in this area (75 Royale), so I opened the taps and placed a small bucket under the coach to catch whatever was there, not much,
> however, while there I noticed a smell of gas. Small stain on the floor.
>
> Got a light and had a look, it appears to be a very small leak, maybe a few drips per hour? It looks like there is a drain plug directly above where
> this leak is coming from but I'm not certain, I'll have a better look tomorrow.
>
> Did our coaches have drain plugs in the gas tank/s?
>
> If not is there a quick fix until I can get this?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
>
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| Re: Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310625 is a reply to message #310620] |
Sat, 19 November 2016 22:54 |
Atom Ant
Messages: 170
Registered: October 2016
Location: Austin, TX
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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To jump onto the thread here, it seems that my PO went the one big tank route. Using the drain plugs to combine tanks. I haven't had too close a look yet, but any thoughts/ideas on a repair here? It looks like he added 45 degree nopples to the drain openings. Am I screwed? Can this be reverted? Assuming the drains are not stripped.
1976 Palm Beach
Austin, TX
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| Re: Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310658 is a reply to message #310620] |
Sun, 20 November 2016 13:00 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Put a wrap of teflon tape on the plug and set it tight.
As to connecting the drains together, it strikes me as a Bad Idea. If the selector is still there, on a hill you can set it such that you pull air even when there's gas, depending the setting and whether you're going uphill or downhill. With the selector removed, one way or the other has the potential to leave you pulling air before your time. In addition to which there's not a lot of clearance under there. The frame rails protect the tanks, but a well placed rock or curb will remove the coupling if it's below the frame level - which it surely must be.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310666 is a reply to message #310620] |
Sun, 20 November 2016 14:34 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Lemme know if it does dissolve. Cos if it does, I have committed three or four dreadful sins which I'll need to atone. Ricky the (large) Onan Guru always sealed the fuel lines with paint on Teflon sealer, Diesel doesn't seem to bother it.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310702 is a reply to message #310620] |
Mon, 21 November 2016 07:57 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Well, I've learnt something else. Fortunately when I tape a joint, I keep the tape to about half the threads, and never lap it over the bottom of the fitting for the reasons noted. I'm gonna go to the Permatex product though and save the teflon tape for home plumbing.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310706 is a reply to message #310620] |
Mon, 21 November 2016 10:01 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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My best guess would be that I have disagreed with Ken Burton twice in the last decade, and I can't remember (and don't choose to) the first time.
In this application I would not use any of the older Permatex family. Ken can use it in aircraft because avefuel does not contain any alcohol of any type. Permatex 1, 2 & 3 all have some solubility in alcohol. It is different with different alcohols but ethyl* and methyl* are very real. This killed a lot of 2-stoke engines with the introduction of alcohol in motor fuels, but I won't go into that in great detail here and now.
I would use teflon tape or a teflon loaded pipe thread sealant.
If I were to use a thread sealant, I would (as demonstrated in a study by the ASTM Sealing System Group) apply it to the female thread and the male thread both. It was suggested that applying it to the male thread is solely for the purpose of allowing an inspector to confirm that a sealant was applied. When applied to the male thread it is only a slight improvement over a light lubricating oil. The sealant will be scraped off as the fittings are assembled. But, if the first two threads of the female are loaded (not even a 100% fill) the sealant will be carried into the joint during assembly and can even in some cases form an interior bead. This also means that the appropriate thread sealant be used for the service and that is why this is less popular with trade plumbers.
I would (I believe I did many of the times I have had my tanks down - other long stories) use teflon tape - plain white - The tape was the width of the threads on the plug and I would use about 1 & 1/2 turns wrapped in the thread direction. This will prevent water or alcohol intrusion from both the top (inside the tank) and the bottom (road salt). In this fashion, there is a better than even chance that when you (or some SO) want to drain the tanks again, that plug might be useful. There will be no loose teflon to foul things.
Unlike the KenB's airplane story, our fuel systems are different. We have a "sock" on the fuel pick up and there is a fine filter at the carburetor inlet (if it exists) and many have an added filter along the way. If you have fuel injection of almost any type, debris filters should have been included.
I kind of hate to include any more negative comments about Permatex, I use it to advantage and have seldom had problems that I did not cause, but there is one that I remember well. Another story not for here/now, but "non-hardening" does not mean never hardening. If it is a screw thread that you might ever have to disassemble, you may find that after a few years it has become what I would call hard, quite hard.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug? [message #310716 is a reply to message #310706] |
Mon, 21 November 2016 14:50 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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G'day,
Matt's message got me to thinking a bit and here's some comments:
1) I have used Teflon tape on pipe fittings FOREVER and never had any problems with pieces winding up where they should not be.
HOWEVER, when wrapping the fitting it is important to use the correct width tape be it 1/8 inch wide or 3.8 inch wide. Start the
tape 2 threads up from the end of the fitting and use a MAX of 2 wraps pulling the wraps tight as you wrap.
2) I have used Teflon tape on pipe threaded fuel fittings, if I remember correctly when gasoline came in contact with the tape it
turned from white to translucent. I didn't think it mattered because when the taped male fittings were screwed into the female
fittings they did not leak.
3) I'd bet dollars to donuts that pipe fittings when screwed together have places that are a metal to metal fit with no tape in
between them.
4) I have purchased fittings from McMaster Carr that came with what I believed to be Teflon sealant on the pipe threads.
Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
USAussie - Downunder
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808
-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@list.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Matt Colie
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2016 3:02 AM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Do our coaches have a gas tank drain plug?
My best guess would be that I have disagreed with Ken Burton twice in the last decade, and I can't remember (and don't choose to)
the first time.
In this application I would not use any of the older Permatex family. Ken can use it in aircraft because avefuel does not contain
any alcohol of any type. Permatex 1, 2 & 3 all have some solubility in alcohol. It is different with different alcohols but ethyl*
and methyl* are very real. This killed a lot of 2-stoke engines with the introduction of alcohol in motor fuels, but I won't go
into that in great detail here and now.
I would use teflon tape or a teflon loaded pipe thread sealant.
If I were to use a thread sealant, I would (as demonstrated in a study by the ASTM Sealing System Group) apply it to the female
thread and the male thread both. It was suggested that applying it to the male thread is solely for the purpose of allowing an
inspector to confirm that a sealant was applied. When applied to the male thread it is only a slight improvement over a light
lubricating oil. The sealant will be scraped off as the fittings are assembled. But, if the first two threads of the female are
loaded (not even a 100% fill) the sealant will be carried into the joint during assembly and can even in some cases form an interior
bead. This also means that the appropriate thread sealant be used for the service and that is why this is less popular with trade
plumbers.
I would (I believe I did many of the times I have had my tanks down - other long stories) use teflon tape - plain white - The tape
was the width of the threads on the plug and I would use about 1 & 1/2 turns wrapped in the thread direction. This will prevent
water or alcohol intrusion from both the top (inside the tank) and the bottom (road salt). In this fashion, there is a better than
even chance that when you (or some SO) want to drain the tanks again, that plug might be useful. There will be no loose teflon to
foul things.
Unlike the KenB's airplane story, our fuel systems are different. We have a "sock" on the fuel pick up and there is a fine filter
at the carburetor inlet (if it exists) and many have an added filter along the way. If you have fuel injection of almost any type,
debris filters should have been included.
I kind of hate to include any more negative comments about Permatex, I use it to advantage and have seldom had problems that I did
not cause, but there is one that I remember well. Another story not for here/now, but "non-hardening" does not mean never
hardening. If it is a screw thread that you might ever have to disassemble, you may find that after a few years it has become what
I would call hard, quite hard.
Matt
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GMCnet mailing list
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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