Finally got the hang of that stubborn APU bleed valve on the CRJ-200 after three tries last week.

The lead mechanic showed me his trick with the modified 3/8-inch crowfoot and a bit of heat, and it finally clicked into place without a fight.

3 comments

3 Comments

anna_fox71mo ago

Glad you got it sorted. That valve is a real pain when it's cold. I found warming the whole housing with a heat gun for a minute makes all the difference, not just the valve body. The crowfoot trick is solid, but make sure you're not cranking on it too hard once it's hot. Those threads can gall up if you force it.

xena_fox3926d ago

That's good advice on the heat, but nobody's mentioned checking the actuator grounding strap first, that causes half the sticking issues.

lindamartin1mo ago

Nice! It's funny how a lot of problems just need that one little trick from someone who's been there. You see it in all kinds of work, not just fixing planes. A bit of shared knowledge saves everyone a huge headache.