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 Posted - January 10 2010 : 01:30:16 AM
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quote:Not to mention that single-screw fuel tank, as suspended from one pitifully narrow and brittle post, has got to be one of the cheapest, stupidest things I've even seen designed in the hobby. I want to say every one I've seen was broken. Only good fix I found was Walthers Goo on the sides, and some cable ties as it sets.
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I didn't want to hijack the other thread, but seeing GiC's post about the single post mounted fuel tanks got me to wondering what solutions, if any, people have found for fixing these.
The Walthers Goo worked for me at first. After a number of months however, the fuel tanks slowly began dropping out of the shells. I've had this happen on two seperate engines.
One thing I thought of the other day was body filler (the stuff they use to fill dents on cars). Unlike rubber cement, this stuff dries completely solid. I don't know if it will have any affect on the plastic, but it's worth a shot.
Any other ideas?
cheez
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Posted - January 10 2010 : 01:33:18 AM
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Hey Cheez:
What about drilling through the top of the shell into the weight and then camoflauging it with someting?
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - January 10 2010 : 11:05:32 AM
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quote:
The Walthers Goo worked for me at first. After a number of months however, the fuel tanks slowly began dropping out of the shells. I've had this happen on two seperate engines.
Originally posted by DaCheez-January 10 2010: 01:30:16 AM
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Doh!  Well of course I don't run mine as much... I wonder if this has happened?
One thought comes to mind about that: Gravity pulling down on that weight perhaps makes this problem inevitable. Maybe store the engines on their sides when not in use to prolong the repair?
Bondo might work, but has the problem of being very brittle when it cures. Any type of direct shock is going to result in cracking, which of course weakens it. Obviously it doesn't crack so readily when used on automobiles, but then it's not recommended as adhesive filler between parts in such cases. But that's a compelling idea. It may work if you're careful. Or it may eventually give out like the goo.
Could also drill through the fuel tank skirting in the shell, into the weight, and use some small fasteners or pins. But that might require more finesse than the Bondo idea.
Cut the slots in the skirts and swap in the fuel tank from a junk PT Shark or F-unit... might be the best solution overall.
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Posted - January 10 2010 : 12:02:25 PM
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Atleast with something solid/brittle the tank is either on or not on. None of this hanging crooked out the bottom and scraping the track crap Once the Goo starts to fail you have to take the tank out completely to fix it...but of course it's not that simple. I had alot of trouble getting the crooked tanks out.
I have auto tech next semester. I'll bring one of the engines in and see what I can do. The idea for swapping in a snap-in tank sounds like a good idea also.
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Posted - January 10 2010 : 3:19:48 PM
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The only Austrian Tyco that I have, with the PMU2 in SF passenger colors, has two little teeth, four total, that stick out from the sides of the shell at the bottom to help hold the tank. That's the way that they got around using more than one screw in the weight.
I think I'd try epoxy, at the top, before modifying the shell. Also put some epoxy on the side teeth, shim it with epoxy because the tank is thinner than the shell, and clamp it till it dries.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on January 10 2010 7:34:12 PM
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Posted - January 12 2010 : 8:18:10 PM
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I'm trying to remember how I repaired the screw boss in mine. I think I just kept reattaching it with CA, and also using CA to re-form the threads.
If you still have the screw boss (the post), CA and baking soda is the best way of reinforcing it so it will never come loose.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - February 16 2010 : 3:27:24 PM
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An old Mantua F7A had the weight and cover in place, but both posts holding the MU2 truck were broken.
I thought of epoxy and building up material to hold the posts, but one post is gone. Epoxy a piece of hard plastic tube? Hmm, a bit of Bic ink pen perhaps. Or a length of wooden dowel? Too much thinking!!!
Where excess dribbles won't be noticed, I find a hot glue gun works great. Very sticky when hot; flexible when cool.
(don't use on hot motors or near hot light bulbs) Just the thing for broken holders or adding metal weights.
Dribble a glob on, build it up with multiple globs or spread it out with the gun tip, adjust height and angle, hold your work in place for some seconds and then you are ready to go.
I hot glued MU2 yoke edges to the F7 shell. It now looks and runs as well as ever.
The glue stuff is fairly soft; sticks well enough but can usually be removed from smooth plastic and metal surfaces. Mistakes can be rectified by cutting, gouging, pulling, and prying. I have been known to hold my mistake above a hot stove burner for a few minutes until the glue melts but before the plastic melts or catches fire; I am sure my MU2 yoke will release from the shell using gentle wrenching without heat and without breaking anything.
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Posted - February 17 2010 : 02:05:39 AM
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A rubber cement solvent called Bestine dissolves all hot melt glues. It crumbles almost instantly.
The Tyco Depot
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