Fuel Gauge Retro-Fitted

The latest modification from Van's is they have removed the sight glass for optical fuel level control and replaced it with a Moeller fuel gauge that others had installed after certification some years ago. Everyone who did this had only good things to report from this modification and the great advantage is that this gauge can be read during flight as well as during refueling.
Van's did not just modify the current kits to include this gauge but also added a Section 37A for allowing us earlier builders to retro fit the gauge and optionally close up the sight window if it was leaking.
Well, mine was not leaking (or not yet), so I followed Van's recommendation and left the window alone for now. I did want to install the gauge though.
Before getting into smelly fuel sealant again, I took a short detour by removing the Dynon backup battery for the SkyView. This battery had never been able to complete the battery test required by Dynon and shuts off the SV display after around 40 minutes. I talked to Dynon service and they asked me to send it in.

The battery is on its way to Washington state at this time. Due to the Labor Day weekend I don't expect it back before next weekend. Maybe Dynon can surprise me for a change...

On with the fuel gauge installation. The necessary hole was already drilled from the fuel tank construction and only temporarily covered with a sealed plate that had to get removed now. Look for the screwdriver standing in one of the screws of the plate in the following picture.

That plate was quickly removed and I continued by taping off that area that was about to get prosealed.

I polished the area with a ScotchBrite pad and cleaned it with acetone. I pumped out the left over gas from the last engine run and was left with the problem of how to dry out the tank enough to get the ProSeal to cure fully.
I decided to reuse the air regulator I had used for purging the oil system a few weeks ago and blow a continuous stream air into the tank and let it vent through the fill nozzle.

After an hour of venting it the fuel smell was down to only a hint and I decided this was good enough to get the sealing process started. First I tried the gauge without sealant to see if everything still aligned.

It did and we were ready to mix up the goop! Notice that the paint was sprayed using the rubber seal as a guide which left about a quarter of an inch around the gauge. This will have to get painted when the ProSeal has cured.

I think I mixed up way too much of that stuff as I had a hard time to smoothening it out.

I left it sitting like this to give it time to fully cure before removing the masking tape.

The next day I removed the tape and the result was looking good.

Once the ProSeal is fully cured I will carefully apply some paint over it and try to make it look a bit nicer.