[GMAs]

Yep the wing tank towards the center section of the plane...

Two covers on it.. one up forward ... remove the inspection cover for the gas gauge.. and use a flex inspection bore scope.. look along the top of the tank and along the sides... their you should see streaks...

Cracking is a posiablity but, not likely in that tank.. more towards the center one.. as it is bigger and flexes more... common...

When you decide to take the tank out on the inboard section of the boom.. take the boom cover off do not try and take the cover off without removing the boom fwd cover else you will mess up not only the paint on the wing panel but, will bend the metal.. and it won't bend... back...

New screws all around... watch out for losing the plastic hat section spacers... or allowing them to go inside further.. their a bear to get out..

When you put new screws in.. tip...

get a paper cup cap thing.. put some zinc cromate in it... and dip the threads of the screw making it wet before putting it in... keeps the corrosion and rust factor down.. also keeps the screw from coming back out and hitting the rear prop... and messing you back prop up... some take and dip the whole screw... OK... its a big blue thing that they do to the planes they make too...

Don't use a elect or speed wrench on putting the screws back in.. use a new apex bit so that you don't mess them up... yes they have a torque that they should be tightend too.. by screwdriver only...

On taking out the tank... ahhhh... call me.. its a lot of discussion and different ways...

On opening the inspection cover and gas gauge cover... do not just tighten down the screws... the gasket has a set height... and if you think you are going to just tighten it up... forget it ... you spent 20 bucks for screws and a hour just to get here... don't get cheep now...

New gaskets are cork... buy from cessna.. they are different... than what you get at the store....stuff... if you can find viton rubber ones and you will never have this problem again as you will find leaving the tanks empty will cause the cork to dry out.. and no it won't expand again when it gets wet... it will however leak... smile... so keep the tanks at least half full... all the time... good practice...

New gaskets are glued down also... with a special stuff from cessna... don't get cheep and think permatex is going to work here.. won't...

Screws/bolts that hold down the inspection covers are torqued... yep pay attention here... they have little gaskets under the heads... pay attention here with the glue and tightening process... else after you put it all back togeather... you will become a expert at doing it again... safety wire heads like it was... if its been dinked with.. write and we will send you a picture of how it should be... smile...

Good luck .. your going to need it... these tanks are really tempermental... and most get abused by the mechanics when they over tighten the hold downs or over torque the screws...

Oh and by the way... the top skin on the wing... ya its part of the structure stength of the plane... smile... that is why they have them little hat sections... glued on... you don't want to mess with them .. else you could have the wing have problems in the end... smile... good luck.. G.M. GMAs...