Has anyone used the beading tool that ATS sell to re swage the pushrod tubes. I need to start chasing some oil leaks and the pushrods look like the biggest culprit. I dont want to buy the tool and go to the hassle of doing it if its not going to help the leaks. Thanks for the info!

I've never seen the ATS tool, but I had good results from the Snap-on tool on several cylinders spread across 4 engines.

Made one years ago.... Can get some pics of it if you want to make your own...

Brian

Dale Moul wrote:I've never seen the ATS tool, but I had good results from the Snap-on tool on several cylinders spread across 4 engines.

Do you by chance have the snap on part number?

Brian-StevesAircraft wrote:Made one years ago.... Can get some pics of it if you want to make your own...

Brian

Pics would be great! If it's easier to email, [email protected].

Thanks guys!

After having the rubber boot slide back from the lifter assembly 2x (resulting in 1 forced landing with 5 psi oil pressure and 1.5 qts of oil in crankcase) I went with the realgasket.com push rod tube kit solved that problem. Then resealed the thru bolts helped too. Selling the 170 w/O-300 and buying a plane w/O-470 cured alot of other problems

"Push rod housing tool for Continentals. It stops oil leaks. part number EL-91 only $59.50" per a 15 or 20 year old El Reno Aviation brochure I have. I tried googling a website for them but no luck. Maybe they're not around anymore, or maybe just old school and no website.

I bought the tool. Works great.

I fooled around with O300 pushrod tubes for ages to stop the leaks as did another guy with another old 172 on the same airfield. I became somewhat of an expert in doing them.

In both cases, on both aircraft, the problem was actually caused by partially blocked crankcase breather tubes. Whenever I see an O300 leaking oil, it is the breather that is causing the problem. Mine was that hard to clean I ended up making a new one. The easiest test is to wipe the end clean with a rag, hold a finger over the hole in the side and see if you can blow into the engine.

My A-75 was leaking horribly around the tubes so I re-swaged them at last annual and the tool worked great. I'm assuming it's the same thing that the OP is talking about.

I don't have the Snap-on part no. the tool was OLD last time I borrowed it and that person has since retired. I can't find it on Snap-on's current website so it is probably discontinued. But if you can find one they work very well.

I just got a call from John Craig in Sun Valley (he follows this forum but has never registered), He has 1 of the El Reno Aviation tools that you can borrow for the price of postage. Give him a call at 208-726-7487.

Dale Moul wrote:I just got a call from John Craig in Sun Valley (he follows this forum but has never registered), He has 1 of the El Reno Aviation tools that you can borrow for the price of postage. Give him a call at 208-726-7487.

Just got off the phone with John and he's shipping it tomorrow! Thank you so much!

Much much much better

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... ckkey=8093

I purchased the ATS tool and it worked great, stopped the leaks first try,

My home made tool...









The trick with re swedging is to not expand the tube too much at the original swedge... They can crack and create more of a problem... I will tighten the original just a little, then adjust my tool no more than 1/8 inch from the original location and make a second swedge.... Have to be real careful to not get the balls off of the cylinder flange and screw up the tube but I have not had one leak after doing that...

Brian