Just spent three days chasing a phantom hydraulic leak on a King Air

We had a small drip from the right main gear area, maybe a drop every ten minutes. I replaced two O-rings and a fitting, but it kept coming back. Turns out the leak was actually from a tiny crack in a hard line up near the actuator, and the fluid was running down and dripping at the lowest point. The whole job, from first seeing it to final sign-off, took about 28 hours of actual work over three days. I felt pretty silly for not checking the full line path first. Has anyone else had a leak that was way higher up than where it showed itself?

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3 Comments

kim7336mo ago

Check the high spots first, saves so much time.

5

paulw876mo ago

Ever try to find a leak by just spraying the whole area with soapy water? You end up covered in bubbles and still don't know where it's coming from. Gotta start at the top and work your way down.

6

jakeb256mo ago

Wait, you're telling me you actually get covered in bubbles doing this? How much soap are you putting in that spray bottle?

3