Pushrod tube swage or flaring tool?

[buzzlatka]

I'm going to start this out by saying that I am not smart on engines and especially the pushrods on the c-145.

I have a stubborn oil leak on the pushrod tube where it seals to the outboard (valve) side. I have looked thru the old posts at various fixes. My IA says we need a flaring tool but he only has one for a 0-300 which is not the same size as a c-145.
Question
Where can I get this tool?

I have seen the other posts on the real gasket spring seals but I want to give this a shot first.

Thanks.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Easy. You can get one from your IA. The swagging tool is the same for all small Continentals. If his is for a 0-300 it will fit a C-145 (there the same engine really).

(Hmmm wondering why your IA doesn't know this. )

[rupertjl]

I just bought one from ATS for $100.00... I'd be glad to lend it to you as long as you promise to send it back!

[buzzlatka]

He said his works on an 0-300 and 0-200. The guys next door had a cylinder off their G0-300 (c-175) and his tool fit perfectly on theirs but not ours. I forwarded him the link for the ATS tool and he said it is slightly different from the tool he has. He was wondering why that tool didn't specify a size? Aren't pushrods different sizes?

Anyway the problem is that I'm not smart on this, and I have yet to see his tool because I'm at home with a bad leg (quadricep re-attachment surgery) and my friends and IA are doing my annual for me.
I'm going to make it out to the hangar next week. Thanks for the responses.

Rupertjl, thanks for the offer, I might take you up on that.

Just for the record, swage, beading, and flaring are all the same right? There is only one way to seal that tube?

As I said I am not smart on this stuff.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

The swagging tool for a C-145 is the same tool as all Continental engines. Believe me.

What you might have however is cylinders with tubes his particular swagging tool won't fit. Probably a difference in the tube thickness on your cylinders OR his tool is made to a to tight tolerance. And maybe the tool you buy or borrow won't fit any better either. I seem to recall someone else running into this and they used a lathe and took a few thousands off the tool.

Yes the tubes are SWAGGED into the cylinder head with a BEAD from a ball bearing in the tool which FLAIRS the tube. The ball also causes a recess ring in the cylinder head as well which you can not see unless you removed the tube completely.

[GAHorn]

I loaned mine to Frank Stephenson and he ran into this problem.
It seems thar ECI (?) cylinders used a thicker, heavier gauge tube,
which required minor machining of the tool.
But, Bruce is correct,.....the engines are the same....it's the
aftermarket cylinders which may differ.

[buzzlatka]

Thanks guys. I think I am just going to buy the ats tool and lathe it down if needed. That way I have it on hand and I don't have to destroy my IA's tool. Thanks for all the help.

It sucks trying to manage maintenance from my couch. I wish I could be out at the hangar.

George, do you have the ATS tool or something else? My IA's tool has "d&s cst 200 ph" stamped on the outside with an outer diameter of .670. It looks just a little different than the ATS tool.

[170C]

Bruce & George are both correct regarding my situation. George loaned me the tool & it would not fit inside my ECI push rod tubes. My IA had two of the tools and neither would fit so he took one to his lathe and turned it down a sufficient amount to allow it to work. I flared those tubes that were leaking at the cylinder head and have not had any oil leaks at that location on the 5 or 6 individual tubes we flared. One word of caution, which I am sure your A&P/IA is aware of, is that you do have to be careful not to overdo the flaring as you can cut the flare too much and end up with either a hole in the tube or completely cut the end off of the tube. And Bruce, I do still have 2 or 3 of my rubber push rod tube gaskets that leak. Keeps the tail wheel spring from rusting

[buzzlatka]

The saga continues. This tool arrived today. Perfect size to fit all the pushrods. I measured the interior diameter of my tubes and they range from .650-.690 depending on cylinder. Some tubes are thick walled and some are thin walled.

But.....

One of the ball bearings in the tool was jammed and doesn't move no matter what. I even put it into a vise to get it to budge but no worky. I can insert the tool into the tube up to the ball bearing but no further. I'll call ATS in the morning and see if they can send a tool quick.

[blueldr]

It sounds like someone tightened down the tool without it being inside a pushrod tube and jammed a ball. Try backing the adjuster well off and tapping on the stuck ball with a small hammer.

[GAHorn]

Buzz...I don't mean to sound harsh on you....and I could be wrong about this....but... It sounds like bluEldr is right...
Taking a brand new tool with which you're unfamiliar...and leaping to the conclusion it's not working right and sticking it into a vise to force it to do something .... ???

I hope you've not injured it (or your vise) but I suspect the tool is already tightened down and has the ball expanded out to maximum position. Read the instructions that likely came with your tool, loosen the adjustment until you can collapse the balls into their chambers, then see if you can insert it.

I urge you to not do this the first time "on your own" ...but under the supervision of someone whose done this operation successfully before. (It's a bit like torque-ing a fastener..... just because a "little" is good, doesn't mean a "lot is better." You can over-do this. All you want is to upset the tube to re-engage the aluminum head at the rocker box.)

[buzzlatka]

Gerorge you are not harsh. I'm stupid but not that stupid. I also hang out with people that are smarter than me, hense the forum.

The tool came out of the package broken. 2 of the ball bearings work free but the one stays fully out. In the other tools I have dealt with when you take the screw out there is some sort of retainer that holds the ball bearings in place. That retainer and the ball bearings can come out. In this tool it seems like the one ball bearing is jammed full out. I don't know if it is holding on to the retainer or if the retainer is not made to come out. Anyway when you remove the screw we can't seem to get the ball to move or the retainer to come out.
We started with some light taps and some LPS-1 and moved to stronger taps. The vise was only after we gave up.
We also are trying to make our own tool in my buddies machine shop next door. I'm not confident in that.

The SAGA continues. I called ATS this morning and the tool is on back order. 2 weeks minimum until it is shipped. At least it is made in the USA on site. I figured it was made in China based on the performance of the tool.

Now for some more help from my forum friends. I am going to send PM's to Aryana and Rupertjl to see about either flying to Livermore to borrow the tool or having it shipped from PA.

Thanks for the help.
On a good note surgery recovery is coming along and I might be back in the Cessna cockpit next week. This latest saga might delay that. After 90 Days of no fly it will not make me happy if I am ready before the cessna.

[GAHorn]

I can mail you my swage tool for about $6 and you'll have it by MOn or Tues. Return Priority Mail will be another $6 on you. PM me if interested, but beware, Frank found mine would not fit inside his ECI cyls, and I don't want you to modify my tool. (It is an El Reno unit, and I'll expect it to be replaced with similar if lost or broken.)

[buzzlatka]

Thanks George, I think your tool is similar to my IA's and it won't fit the thick walled tubes. Both Jud and Arash have offered there tools and Arash is a little closer than Jud.
Part of being injured and out of work is that I am now a card carrying member of the retired airport bum club. I tossed out a flight to Half Moon Bay to pick up the tool from Arash and I had about 5 takers. They wanted to go this evening.
Anyway we are all making a lunch run to HAF tomorrow and thanks to Arash I will hopefully have the 170 ready when I am!

[buzzlatka]

Mission complete and a big thanks to Arash. Flew over to HAF for fish tacos and grabbed the flaring tool from Arash's hangar. Came home and it fit!
This weekend I'll actually get in there and re-bead the tubes. Until then thanks again to Arash.

Now get back to your honeymoon and quit hanging out on the forums!