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The higher the temperature, the more potential for corrosion, and the more water the air in the engine can hold. Just plug it in a few hours before you go fly otherwise, leave it cold.

Can happen without regard to hours on engine. Be prepared.

I’m working on a restoration project so flying it somewhere to be done was not an option. There is also some pride in knowing I did it. But, if you fly regularly and the money is not going to bankrupt you, you might be better off having someone else do it. I suspect they’ll only have the plane for a week or so versus the months it took me working nights and weekends. I spent about $3,000 between the chemicals, tools and all the sealant. I followed the Mooney service manual for resealing. So far this is the hardest part of the restoration project. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The original Gear Override switch in my plane was to the left of the gear lever. I also thought it made sense to put it below and save some lateral space. Yes, the Cygnet switches were placed in the same mount. Now I need to try and fix the R fuel senders. New picture, flying today to Rio de Janeiro (SBRJ). Navigating with the G3X and GFC500 is a breeze!

And the best selection of beef jerky ever!

Just go to a truck stop, they usually have a good selection of USB adapters that work on 28V. If you get radio interference, go get a different one.

Project Farm did a comparison test of several ceramic coatings:

I found some internet research that said Turtle Wax's ceramic coating is pretty much the same as all the stuff they want hundreds of dollars to buy and thousands of dollars to wipe on the plane. Put it on about 3 months ago. It shined the plane up just like all the photos I've seen (paint is 10+ years old but in pretty good condition). Bugs do wipe off easier. We'll see how long it holds up. I'm $36 in. Bought two bottles but it only took one, so I have a spare to do it again. https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Wax-53409-Solutions-Coating-16/dp/B07XYPS3PS?crid=2753FKS6ZD6W4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ah3Z4GmyR7Hm2cI8DzZSvtEbPZ-9vlcac2b_laMXPFUlW76Z831BiItp4BdBfu0BeUmsOIBNVxF3rg5T8v2_vqQ10BHtmMz0eXRFiJIvG_zWTCZAL1prkOVDK9c-GRJsaEPJS5zVL4Gh5W9oUfKkKLNomKxaYvFQ9Qg40oD4wxk5MOKdH1JDR6BcjKMNlwSCptLWLZp4OO7Ce2el_tYlZSPNPkvIWPtXPjvd6MD6b8o.y6ItRgyGePNCDgwTOpahtmptjXjpk-sFvnVBMwjylvM&dib_tag=se&keywords=turtle%2Bwax%2Bceramic%2Bspray%2Bcoating&qid=1733398971&sprefix=turtle%2Bwax%2Bceram%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-3&th=1

Prices are going to vary according to paint condition and products used, so comparisons are probably difficult. Same with painting. I got a quote for a basic paint job for $32K, but what I want is probably going to be more like $40K. I might just have someone buff out the visible parts and see how it looks. If the underlying paint won't buff to a gloss then it's not worth spending a lot on ceramic. The two advantages of ceramic coatings are longevity and extreme water repellency. Wax sits on top of the paint and doesn't last long, but it is easy to apply. "Ceramic" bonds to the paint and lasts longer. The cheap stuff you apply yourself maybe twice as long as wax. The expensive stuff professionals use lasts maybe a couple of years. But, it's expensive: Like 100 bucks a month expensive. So, you have to decide if it's worth it to you. I just spray my airplane with some Turtlewax and buff it with a microfiber towel every month or so. It only takes half an hour and it's cheap. But different people have different standards. I used to live in an apartment and there was a young couple that spent every Sunday detailing their car.

....I think it depends mostly on your masochism tolerance for wanton AMU departure at the time

This will not affect your rate in any way whatsoever. It has no affect on you financially personally or otherwise.

Finally in the air! After solving some quirks after the upgrade, my J is finally flying. Just loving the new panel and especially the GFC500 autopilot. It reaaaaly makes things easier. Next steps for 2025 should be a new GPS, transponder and most likely CiES fuel senders. After a turbulence bump my R fuel sender stopped working (it was working fine in previous test flights).

What navigator do you have? I do know that if I put my navigator in test mode (or maybe it’s called simulation mode) it sends commands just the same as if we’re flying. If you have that option, try that, build a short flight plan. You can turn on the AP and GPSS and you should see it trying to fly the flight plan.

You can spray some lube in there to help loosen it up, whatever lube is your personal preference or is handy, (yes, even WD-40), get it working, and then rinse it out with mineral spirits or brake cleaner or contact cleaner or whatever. Those will evaporate and take whatever lube you put in with them. If you use a lot of lubricant, expect more effort to rinse it out. Using a dry lube, like Tri-Flow, will make it less likely that any that's left behind will accumulate crud. Starting out with a solvent may make it possible to avoid the lube altogether. My knee vent was stuck when I first got the airplane and I sprayed something in there, but I don't recall what. Whatever it was, it's been fine ever since. I'm not sure it's all that critical if you're careful. If you spray smelly stuff in there, it might take a little bit to stop smelling. That's the smell of independence.

I have an MT 4 blade on my Bravo. Even using the standard Mooney tow bar you have to be careful not to hit the blades. You need to keep the tow bar close to horizontal to have reasonable clearance. I use a Power Tow tug at the hangar which provides clearance to the propeller. You are smart to question interference potential with a sidewinder. I have never used a sidewinder but it only takes a slight bump on the trailing edge of the prop blade to take a chunk of fiberglass.

I think the wide variation is whether airplane has TKS and 310 HP upgrade. Supposedly the 3 bladed prop costs a knot and I have heard 7-9 knots for TKS. Based on my experience seems reasonable. My airplane is also slightly out of rig and have an engine approaching high time.

What autopilot? Was the autopilot and/or G5 pre-existing? If your autopilot previously followed a heading bug, and the G5 is allowing you to turn on GPSS, then you should be able to put the autopilot in heading mode, activate GPSS on the G5, and sit back while the plane flies the turns for you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These quotes aren’t the same as a factory reman either… yes those cost more but they have new cylinders and all the “other stuff” is new/oh too (think fuel servo, starter, alternator, etc). The baseline shop oh doesn’t include those.

One issue mentioned is you can no longer rely on the keys on the dash for the mags being off. I was discussing this with my avionics shop and we came up with a Mags Off placard, that would be placed on the dash. And part of putting it on the dash, would be to check the switches before you grab it. And check them again once you place the placard.

The problem with lubricating them is that the lubricant attracts dust and that gums them up. The best way to fix them is to remove them and take them apart and thoroughly clean them and then don't mess with them. I might try spraying them with contact cleaner which may get out some of the gunk and won't leave an oily residue.

And, truck stops can be fun! You never know what you’ll see, hear, or smell there!

I used the same stuff. Works great.

I've read several threads on here about this task including one from around 2020 where someone was building a recirculating system. I think building something to recirculate the solvent would be easy enough, I probably have everything I'd need to do it in the shop already. The consensus seems to be not to do this yourself but, I'm hard headed and have to experience things for myself. I'm sure it's time consuming and tedious but, it isn't really difficult. I'm pretty good and zoning out and working on mind numbing tasks, like standing at a blast cabinet for 2 - 3 hours. Sometimes it's actually nice. I'm also not a big guy at 5' 6" and 130 pounds so, it should be a little more comfortable for me than it would be for a bigger guy.

No way I can afford $5k for that. ‘I did my Bonanza myself, took about 6 hrs, probably not a “professional “ job but still looks great. ‘I used this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CNMTF8M?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 Be aware though, a little goes a long way. FWIW does help with bug removal and I clean after every flight with : https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Hybrid-Ceramic-Detailer-Contaminants/dp/B085751KTJ/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2IDWYJ1PFJNYR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.m54Auii6uiWK_KHCL1H-xL2N6BQaN4g2-3RelEaXVJtsi8g0zORi8lBp75AvPueTHxJ148MdRaRWXJNYMtfbWAnVT7mp5OeIsd1jx1_jBlahdCDU9PqGCj7vO58qAzn-xeroV3lKBrFLz87Khv3Knamz0MDH-9pBKV593w-d9TLsoTgDGX9V43OXumX-ug4ExPJiyQ0mViOl8ATLuuY6VKn47-iPFdNHBxqyODSuQ6g3V7_T-HLYDukmyX3YGX325cRSy2Qod-_S-qF8WRt6OQwRQvnNa4Vhmg8S6y4fDX4.J8MzcfT0kIiEzq35paH4nJbCnpami_vSecVpne9ht3w&dib_tag=se&keywords=mcguire+ceramic&qid=1733379798&sprefix=mcguire+cer%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-9

Exactly. I use tmobile and I can get a hotspot but it’s like 240/yr vs switcheon is only 50. Google fi is nice if you use that carrier…

No, sorry - I’m a Google Fi subscriber. The unusual thing about Google Fi is that the data SIMs are completely free, but they do use the same data from your phone plan. I have four different devices on my Google Fi plan using data SIMs and they add zero cost to my service. Most other mobile carriers charge a fee for your iPad, watch, hotspot, whatever.

I don’t think they make this particular model any more, but you should be able to use any T-Mobile compatible hotspot. There are some on Amazon for under $100. I’m a Google Fi subscriber, and their data SIMs are completely free - I just put the Google Fi SIM in the hotspot, and it uses almost no data. That little setup I have looks cheesy, but it’s actually nice to have the hotspot be separate from the WiFi plug, since you can change out either one if you need to. And you can have as many WiFi devices as you want in the hangar, all connecting to the same hotspot.

Probably less than the dirt and dead paint that came off, so maybe a net improvement!

There are a couple interesting things to note here. First, placing the Gear Override button below the switch. I never understood why when Mooney went to placing the switch and button in line vertically put the button above the switch. If you ever need it, the switch is going to be in the UP position and it makes the button a lot easier to get to the button when it is below the switch. Second, notice how the B-K switch mount was retained on the left yoke horn but the B-K trim switches were replaced with the Cygnet switches. This is perhaps the best way to mount the Cygnet switches and it eliminates the expensive B-K switches.

+ 1 for the Switch On solution and setting it to come on 5 or so hours before flight. The Switch On app allows you to schedule the turn on time well in advance. I have the engine heater and Tanis cabin heater on the circuit to warm the interior (there's a thread here on the cabin heating). The Switch On unit was $249 and after a year you pay $50/yr for the cell service. I wouldn't fuss with anything else. Ed

Looks great

Ouch! sorry to hear that. I don’t know what model it was but it always comes down to insured hull value. Insurance won’t pay out more than about 70% of hull value for repairs since if they total it the average salvage value is about 30% of hull value that they’ll recoup. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think 5AMU is a steep price. Mine was done in August for around 2AMU. If you do it yourself, be careful. You can buff right through the paint on metal edges and rivets

You have to watch the AMUs per departure! My little Mooney has done pretty well by that score--I think I'm over 1000 departures now.

Since the gauge is new and the senders are rebuilt, I would isolate the gauge from the senders for troubleshooting. Mooney is pretty good about not using the airframe for grounding but the fuel gauges are an exception. Since the outboard gauge is grounded to the airframe, it is important that there be a good ground to the airframe at the gauge. If that's not the problem, I would stick a flexible borescope into the empty tank and make sure that the floats are moving freely. If that looks good, I'd disconnect the inboard sender from the gauge making sure that there is continuity between the inboard and outboard senders and that the outboard sender is grounded. Then I would measure the resistance between the inboard sender and ground as I added fuel to verify that the senders are working properly.

I say ground ship a box to KCXP a week before you go and cut down your baggage requirements. That will open up a lot of other potential aircraft. For the shorter PNW trips, obviously you'll need less fuel, so more in baggage.

I’m up for it but need like a week’s notice as my schedule changes. Alot.

Polygone is the product you're looking for. There is a liquid and gel version, and both are helpful from what I read many years ago when I contemplated doing this myself. I took it to Weep-no-more instead and wrote a big check, and don't regret that choice at all. Paul at W-n-M pretty much invented a process using those products along with a recirculating pump and filter system to get most of the sealant out, which minimizes the hand work inside the tank. I figured I might be able to get all of the old stuff out, but I would not know all of the tricks of the trade for putting new sealant down, and that was worth paying the pro to be done with it, versus chasing leaks forever if I missed some little nook or cranny. YMMV, of course!

Agree that turning it on and off daily is a bad idea. However, assuming you have a heater with separate elements for the sump and each cylinder, it's fine to leave it on continuously. Also leave the dipstick unscrewed to let moisture escape. You should be ok as long as you keep the entire engine above the dew point continuously.

My DIY solution was just a cellular hotspot with a wifi plug. I used a Google Fi data card (free) and it cost zero dollars per year to run. (County outlawed anything plugged in while unattended, so my DIY solution is sitting in a pile somewhere, but still.)

Go with a cellular solution. Trying to use FBO wifi from across the field is going to be an exercise in frustration..

I’d check this diode for leakage.

I spoke with Hector recently but he didn't offer much hope. Mine is in pretty poor condition with pieces that attach the headliner near the front windshield broken off. I've had a couple of shops, including Hector, tell me it's too far gone to repair.

This is the right answer. You can’t do this math without driving yourself insane. Get the plane you want, improve it in whatever ways make you happy, and enjoy the ride.

Just run the oil for 50 hours and do the oil analysis then. I wouldn’t change my operational regime just to get that data point.

When you put $220k into a Mooney and later sell it for $180k, the only thing you can plan is to make sure you get $40k worth of enjoyment and utility out of it! I think you'll find that you get much more than that, such as flying over an interstate on Thanksgiving weekend as one example that I recently enjoyed. Having a good Mooney in the hangar and available on a whim is worth a lot to me, especially after not having it airworthy for over a year recently due to some life issues.

Got a little revenge today on the return flight- Santa Fe to Tuscaloosa (938 NM) non-stop in 5:25. 173 knots average groundspeed at 11,500. Landed with 18 gallons of fuel left in the tanks. Fun! As the plot shows, the further east we traveled, the tailwinds increased. Just before TOD we were up around 195 knots. At the beginning of the cruise descent the groundspeed hit 210 knots. Did not see a single cloud anywhere, all day.

Ok, start with this, I acknowledge, mine is a ‘68?F and yours is newer so maybe different… however, my “unsafe” red light means the gear is up correctly. That light is normally on all flight until I put the gear down for landing. Are you saying yours isn’t like that? In mine, if I put the gear up and the alarm went off and the red light came on, that would mean the gear is up properly but the throttle microswitch failed. That would narrow this down very quickly to the throttle switch and that’s very easy to access, adjust, exercise and lube (a little contact cleaner).

Almost ready! Went to the shop today. The idea was to review all installation and do a thorough runnup and a quick test flight with the mechanic to review the GFC500 autopilot. All avionics working but we had a malfunction with the voltage regulator. Having it checked the next couple of days and see if we can fly the plane Saturday morning. However, we got to spend some time playing with the new screen. The G3X is indeed a very nice piece of equipment.

My two cents' worth: Your panel is already nicely-equipped. If it's functionality you're interested in, there's no need to ditch the 430. It's Garmin canbus compatible so it will interface nicely with the FlightStream as well as the G5's and will grab ADS-B data from the transponder so you'll get the ADS-B display on your iPads. I love the FlightStream 210. You can enter flight plans or route changes on your iPad and they will automatically update the 430 as well as the copilot iPad if you have one. (As a practical matter you need to select procedures in the 430 and let them update the iPads rather than the reverse.) I have an M20C as well, and I prefer to have the G5's horizontal rather than vertical. Easier to scan, and it's nice having the HSI and glide path on the right-hand G5 right next to the 430 map. Horizontal placement also makes it MUCH easier to adjust the altitude and heading bugs, and the brightness if need be. The magnetometer for the G5's needs to be at the end of one wing at least a couple of feet from the position light (if it's an LED) to avoid interference. Here's a photo of my panel. It's a "poor man's version of glass" but it's very efficient, easy to scan, and intuitive. I use iPad minis not only because of the size, but because they are brighter. I take them out of the case in hot weather so they don't overheat. The empty space on the right is for a GFC-500 when I can afford it someday. I actually have a 400W (the 430 without the NAV/COM radios) since I already had the two KX-155's and I like not having a single point of failure.