Repairing trimtap hydraulic oil pump cannister

[BartW]

This is the cannister for holding the hydraulic oil from the trimptap pump,
that floater floats on the oil, and the metal rod moves in a coil, for showing the position of the cylinders / trimptaps, on the displays in the helm stations
There is one pump on each side, connected with 2 cylinders each



This plexiglass canister is slightly cracked on the bottom, and the side, where the connection bolt with O-rings sits, and oil is seaping out, …


Any advice on how to repair this,
The system is rather old, but apart from this issue, it still works,

 

[Portofino]

Clean with wife nail varnish remover .Allow time 10 mins in the sun for it to evaporate .
Use cyanoacrylate ( super glue ) it’s runny and will run into the crack self sealing , apply 2/3 smaller coats with 10 mins in between .
Then apply a thick coat of 2 pack epoxy glue over that with at least 5mm overlap of the crack .

I recently had a similar crack in a plastic see through fuel bowl on a largish racor FG 900 .
When dismantled it was cracked where the WIF sensor goes in .
Noticed it as a small seep , checked up the various jubilee clips on fuel hoses and wiped down etc .
Eventually I found it .
I did the above temp repair and it worked until the new part arrived .

That threaded connection is just a tad too large or the tap on the plastic a micron or so too small and it’s stressed cracked .Over tightening ( unintentionally) causes the crack some time later with heat cycles .

 

[vas]

Bart,

would you have space to cut off (on a lathe) the bottom 60-80mm of the thing, get the machinist to remove the bottom plug, and reglue it (using cyanoacrylic glue as PF suggests)?
easy job (imho)

Alternatively (and easier to do) copy the thing in ertalon, but wont be clear to see the oil level if that's important, not sure...
Any half decent machinist could do it!

If you give dims I can get Vaggelis to do a copy.

cheers

V.

 

[BartW]

Clean with wife nail varnish remover .Allow time 10 mins in the sun for it to evaporate .
Use cyanoacrylate ( super glue ) it’s runny and will run into the crack self sealing , apply 2/3 smaller coats with 10 mins in between .
Then apply a thick coat of 2 pack epoxy glue over that with at least 5mm overlap of the crack .

I recently had a similar crack in a plastic see through fuel bowl on a largish racor FG 900 .
When dismantled it was cracked where the WIF sensor goes in .
Noticed it as a small seep , checked up the various jubilee clips on fuel hoses and wiped down etc .
Eventually I found it .
I did the above temp repair and it worked until the new part arrived .

That threaded connection is just a tad too large or the tap on the plastic a micron or so too small and it’s stressed cracked .Over tightening ( unintentionally) causes the crack some time later with heat cycles .

thanks PF, I'll try to repair according your sugestion,
and probably drill a new clean hole in the bottom for the connection.

the hydraulic pump with the tube is in the Utility room just above the floor,
and is slightly exposed for pushing or storing things against it,
that's why the cracks came ... I guess.

 

[BartW]

Bart,

would you have space to cut off (on a lathe) the bottom 60-80mm of the thing, get the machinist to remove the bottom plug, and reglue it (using cyanoacrylic glue as PF suggests)?
easy job (imho)

Alternatively (and easier to do) copy the thing in ertalon, but wont be clear to see the oil level if that's important, not sure...
Any half decent machinist could do it!

If you give dims I can get Vaggelis to do a copy.

cheers

V.

thanks Vas for your advice, and offer to make a new from ertalon,
You might have seen that the bottom cover aswell as the tube is cracked, and we need the full length of the tube.
Its not essential that it is clear glass, but makes things more easy when adjusting or checking the system.
I discovered that plexi tubes are easy available on the net, and my neighbour at the company is specialised in making all kind of plexi things, so he will be able to make a new bottom plate, in case I can't repair the old thing.
I can at least try to repair, because I have glue and epoxy available here on the boat..

 

[vas]

thanks Vas for your advice, and offer to make a new from ertalon,
You might have seen that the bottom cover aswell as the tube is cracked, and we need the full length of the tube.
Its not essential that it is clear glass, but makes things more easy when adjusting or checking the system.
I discovered that plexi tubes are easy available on the net, and my neighbour at the company is specialised in making all kind of plexi things, so he will be able to make a new bottom plate, in case I can't repair the old thing.
I can at least try to repair, because I have glue and epoxy available here on the boat..

Bart,

my only worry with the solution proposed by PF is that all these things are rather brittle (the glue included) so it will be easy to recrack it on a subsequent bump/shake/hit

surely it's the easier solution, next step new fabrication.
enjoy the rest of the summer!

V.

 

[BartW]

Bart,

my only worry with the solution proposed by PF is that all these things are rather brittle (the glue included) so it will be easy to recrack it on a subsequent bump/shake/hit

surely it's the easier solution, next step new fabrication.
enjoy the rest of the summer!

V.

or follow the lady's advice:
put some liquid epoxy in the tube and coat the bottom plate and the lower 5cm of the tube from the inside, with the connection screw in its position, ... ?

best wishes to you Vas !