A couple of weekends ago, I wanted to find out how much fuel was left in my S2Bs tank after a couple of flights. I found a stir stick to use and dipped the tank. On the way out, while removing the stick, I bumped my hand and dropped the makeshift dip stick into my tank. I stood looking at the filler neck of my tank for a minute trying to decide what kind of nightmare had I created. My first action was, fill the tank and the stick will float to the top. After filling the fuel tank, I realized, the stick would hardly move, and I can't even see into the tank due to its location. Fishing blindly was not going to work. I drove to Harbor Freight and bought a cable type recovery tool, the type you press the button, which opens up the 4 claws, 24" away on the end of a springy cable. I also stopped by my house a picked up an inspection camera with a 36" flexible neck. I worried about using it around my fuel tank but it is waterproof, so I forged ahead. Yes I was concerned.. This camera was Invaluable in capturing the stir stick. I also used a length of aluminum tubing which I hoped to move the offender to a handy location where I could snag it with my cable type retrieval tool. This all started around 12:30 pm Saturday and I finally gave up at almost midnight. Sunday morning I woke up with a new plan. Forceps, made of aluminum with a reach long enough to pick up my stir stick at the bottom of the almost empty tank. It was a mistake to fill the tank and I emptied the tank on Saturday during my trials and errors. Along with the forceps, I made a garret, using 1/2 PVC tubing and safety wire. After 2 hours of fishing with the forceps and lassoing the end of the stir stick, I finally was able to pick up the stir stick, then grab the end, pull the safety wire tight and tie it off as to not drop it again. I used my fingers to work the end to the tank neck, and it came right out. A total of around 16 hours was wasted.
If this happens to anyone else, I will happily loan you my tools. Hopefully you learn from others mistakes. As my old flying instructor, Eddie Duffard would say, "Experience is the sh** you get when you are looking for something else".
Caveat: I do not recommend using the inspection camera, I want that to be your decision.
Phil
If this happens to anyone else, I will happily loan you my tools. Hopefully you learn from others mistakes. As my old flying instructor, Eddie Duffard would say, "Experience is the sh** you get when you are looking for something else".
Caveat: I do not recommend using the inspection camera, I want that to be your decision.
Phil
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