Cessna wing root vents won't close

[GeorgeC]

I couldn't get my wing root vents pushed closed. After much twisting and pulling and cursing, I finally got them out, and this is what I found inside. What are the bits that are poking through? Both sides are like this.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Rivets. For what I don’t know.

Mine are loose. While they seat fully, they don’t like to stay closed. I can also easily pull them completely out.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Someone has tried to repair the broken spot welds between the tube and retaining bracket with pop rivets.

Many Cessna owners go for the STC'd Soros vents:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/ventube.php

Those pop rivets will still be in the way. A proper repair will be required.

 

[Artimas]

The cheapest way to get those to seal better is to wrap the "can" part with the soft loop side of self stick velcro. It gives enough grip to keep them from sliding and blocks leaks, but they're still easy to pull in and out and twist around... as long as there aren't rivets in the way

 

[timwinters]

Many Cessna owners go for the STC'd Soros vents:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/ventube.php

Two thumbs up for the Sorros vents. I installed them in my 182 at least a dozen years ago and they've been great. A couple of years ago I gave my old cans to Greg to use to fix some of TomD's lacking work.

 

[Stan Cooper]

I went with the Precise-Flow vents from Sporty's in 2005. Great upgrade.

 

[Stewartb]

With Soros vents you insert a new tube into the old tube and affix it with a short screw. The new vent tube fits into the new tube sleeve. How that works with those pop rivets is hard to say but in any case to fix is pretty simple.

 

[Tom-D]

I gave my old cans to Greg to use to fix some of TomD's lacking work.

I can always depend upon Timmy to be critical.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

I had a post on here last summer when my approaches one day were messed up and my stall horn was just barely triggering - turned out I had a pitot-static leak causing my ASI to read higher than my actual speed. After I got it fixed, I did a lot of testing and note taking at various configurations to see, hear, and feel different speeds. The most significant learning was that my vents howl at 60 knots with 20 degrees of flaps. I learned to use my leaky air vents to double check my airspeed on final. I’d hate to lose my haunted howls, lol!

 

[iflyvfr]

I assume you paint the Sorros vents? The natural color is hideous - like painted flesh or some shiite.

 

[GeorgeC]

Vents cleaned up, ready for new felt.