The sump drains in my cessna 180 fuel tanks have not been working well for the last few years and have finally quit draining at all. My tanks have a service kit installed from back in the 80's that was supposed to take the wrinkles out of the bottom of the tank. Cessna finally figured out what they are but they want almost 500 bucks apiece for them. Does anybody know of an aftermarket trick for replacing them?

Might want to look at the Eagle kit, installed a few myself with good results.

http://www.eaglefuelcells.com/ga/valves_cessna.html

For just the drain itself try Macfarlane or Saf-Air

Sam

the sump drains with the modification kit have to be installed from inside the tank, which in reality isn't a huge job. The fuel will have to be drained. The plate on the underside of the wing where the sump comes through will have to be removed to get to the hose clamp which seals the drain to the bladder. The plate is riveted on with cherry max rivets, which can be a little bit of a chore. I always grind the head off, punch out the center, then drill the shank out. I have a few extra drain valves lying around somewhere in the shop. The drain valves are not repairable and with time will stop working altogether. Let me know it you need some valves.

c-ed wrote:....The drain valves are not repairable and with time will stop working altogether....

I don't know what drain valves the 180 uses but the ones used on the metal-tanked Cessna's (SafAir 110,170, etc) are repairable, at least to the extent of replacing the o-rings. O-ring damage is quite often the problem when they quick-drain won't quit dribbling. Sometimes the little holes in the quick-drain stem plug up with debris, sometimes the top of the stem itself rots out from continual immersion in water-- usually on a ramp or hangar queen which seldom gets the water drained out.
My tip for replacing these without draining the fuel tank first is to have a spare ready to go or use a temp plug while you replace the O-ring on the old quick-drain, and to tie an old sock or something around each wrist while doing the change-out to avoid getting an armpit full of gas.

Sam,
Thanks for the info. Looks to me like the Eagle kit is the way to go. I just ordered them...........Ron

Might be some crap laying on your valves, before you change take the cap off the tank and push up the valve with a rubber tip air nozzle and give it a couple of shot to see if that might shake it up some. Nothing to loose by trying and might save a couple of bucks.
GT

Thanks, that is how I used to fix them, doesn't work any more...............

Redbaron

If you were in my shop and I was spending your money now is when we'd up-sale you on the Monarch gas caps.

http://www.hartwigfuelcell.com/monarchcaps.php

New, far superior caps provide the excuse to open up the top of those tanks, reach in there with a rag and an air vac and get all the gunk out. Of course, then we might find a problem with the bladders... see how this goes?

All joking aside, stay close to the pattern right after this work, never know what might get knocked loose to gum up the works downstream.

Sam

Sure appreciate the advice. My buddy just put those caps on his 182. I just brought it back from AZ for him and I wasn't that impressed. Mine has the cessna cap kit an I like them better.
I have replaced both my tanks in recent years so I don't expect too much gunk. Again I sure appreciate your wisdom............