Cyril Gibb

I'd really like to hear what the noise levels are (Db and Dba) with that firewall pad. On the other hand, retrofitting that would only be possible with an engine removal, and even then a pile of work.

You can't start a debate and then say let's not start a debate. Leaning further, once you are LOP, slows the flame front which pushes the peak cylinder pressure point later in the downstroke reducing peak cylinder pressure. It's impossible to get detonation in that regime based on everything I've read. However, I'm willing to study ANY document ANYWHERE written by anyone knowledgeable about engine operation that says excessive LOP will cause detonation or engine damage. Links?

Not sure if locating the fire extinguisher adjacent to the most likely place for a fire to begin is optimum. Also, ziptie loose ends should be cut off flush to reduce cuts and scratches if anyone is working under there.

Very satisfying flight today. I hadn't flown a Hope Air (patient transfer) flight since last year because at the end of that flight, the mother and young daughter got out of the plane at the end without even a thank you. I was really p*ssed. Today was different. I picked up a patient in Ottawa who was very nervous and hadn't flown in a small plane before. She said she had cried in fear when she was last in a commercial flight. I was probably as nervous as she was but tried to keep calm and act confidently. Continued to talk to her after we took off and between controller talk, explained to her what I was doing with any prop/throttle change before I did it and told her what to expect with the change in sound. After a half hour or so she was starting to enjoy the conversation and view. Then I got what I considered to be a real compliment; she fell asleep in the back seat! I had to wake her up approaching Toronto. We did a tour around the CN tower to land at the Toronto City Centre airport while she was snapping pictures with her Iphone. Now she's looking forward to more GA flights.... Yay, a convert!

next question: I'n not picking on the G5, but just using it as an example... Why is the G5 STC approved for various airframes? What difference is it between a C150 and an M20 from a G5 perspective? Wouldn't it be more logical to have the certification STC be based on other connected avionics?

Does anyone know as a fact and not just assumption: Does a Garmin experimental G5 come off the same assembly line using exactly the same components as a Garmin certified (twice the price) G5? If it's so, why does the FAA care about which has a piece of paper stuck in the box or not? Identical is identical.

O.K. @jetdriven and @m20doc, I stand corrected about the applicability. I'm always learning. From the Lycoming Mandatory SB: Laboratory tests indicate that occasionally when the engine is first started, for a very brief interval there is insufficient residual oil between the rubbing parts which affects the service life of components. Lycoming has evaluated an agent which, when added to the normal oil supply, deters scuffing under these conditions. New question: why ? sounds like it would apply to any engine. Do those specific engines have different metallurgy? higher valve string pressures? more extreme cam ramps? Different follower design? I thought that anti-scuff was a good idea... is there any downside to using that additive (or equivalent)? Edit: I see that Lycoming SI 1409C recommends antiscuff for all Lycoming engines except the friction clutch guys....

You need to use AD (ashless dispersant) oil in our engines. Ashless to prevent the buildup of metallic compounds found in auto oil and dispersant to keep the blowby lead in solution and not depositing and fouling the oil galleries. You also need specific anti-scuff additives such as the Lycoming stuff (also included in some aviation oils) or Camguard. Synthetic automotive engine oil would kill your engine pretty quickly. I use Phillips 20W-50 and Camguard, but I doubt any approved oil is any better than any other.

Just curious. Any idea why your oil samples consistently show calcium high and phosphorus low in comparison to the universal averages? Mine is the same.

Those mechanical deficiencies would also be an issue on a short final go-around or a touch and go due to a deer/dog/aircraft appearing on the runway. As has been mentioned elsewhere, they are safety of flight issues. I probably wouldn't recommend admitting that on an open forum.

The title says it all.... but a blank 5 amp cb/switch would also be fine... EDIT : found one

I'll see if there's any identification on the plugs when I replace them. I don't want an electrode separating when we visit the US southwest in a few weeks. I'll also respond if/when I get some info back from Tempest.

I didn't notice the erosion until after I cleaned the plugs so I don't know top or bottom, but 5 (out of 8) were eroded like the pictured one, so it had to be at least one top or bottom and at least 3 cylinders. Gladys uses about a quart after 20 or so hours after an oil change, then another quart after the next 15. Oil stays clean (fully transparent) for about 25 or 30 hours. ( I run EXTREMELY lean on the ground and 50 DF LOP at cruise) Compressions remain at high 70's. I took the plug picture after I had put anti-seize on the threads.... no oil. It looks like oil is on the electrodes because of the bright sunshine I took the picture in. The electrodes are dry and when I removed the plugs, they were all evenly coloured a light tan... perfect.

300 hours. It was the etching that caught our attention, in addition to 5 being etched and 3 without.

I've sent this picture to Tempest to see if this is unusual or not: 5 of 8 plugs looked like this. 3 remaining were pristine. All had normal light tan colouring before I cleaned them. No evidence of pre-ignition with a borescope. No EGT temperature runaways. CHTs always below 400.

I'm bringing up this thread again because Hartzell (I think) is going to be at the Mooney Homecoming and perhaps one of you attendees could inquire. I assume that an unofficial answer would be easier to extract than a formal FAAlike legal CYA response, assuming the Hartzell person is a techie and not a marketing rep. Questions: Does Hartzell do a vibration analysis on different clocking for various combos? or more specifically: does having the prop parallel to the crankthrow reduce vibration for all/most engine prop combos, or just the ones covered in SB M20-206? If it's "better" vibrationwise, is it legal to reclock another engne/prop combo? Is the prop clocking part of the Hartzell STC, or is it just left the same as original for installation simplicity. And for MooneySpacers, has anyone done SB M20-206 and seen a difference or not?

The level of vitriol is just as prevalent in Canada. No different than almost everywhere now. ....unfortunate

I've read the info at the BeechTalk site. It would appear that I could replace my recently overhauled. NSD360a slaved HSI with a G5 driving my Century 2000 autopilot giving me everything I've got and adding GPSS. I know I have to maintain my vacuum attitude gyro for at least the time being. From the avionics prices I see, the used value of my existing HSI seems to exceed a G5. Sounds like a no brainer... or am I missing something?

The ultimate engine pickling... Fill the engine case with fresh oil, right up to the top of the oil filler tube. Fill the cylinders with oil from the top plug.

Going through US customs in Buffalo this spring, customs wanted to see my proof of liability insurance.

Now I'm confused. You and a mechanic buddy used a bolt cutter to cut off the lock on a hangar that had a Mooney 201. You pulled it out of the hangar and washed it (looks great by the way). Now you're not sure if the family wants you to unlock the plane. Did you ask them? Something is missing here.

I must have missed that. Could you post the link for the study that states CorrosionX causes filiform corrosion? I'm curious.

Any local locksmith can open a Mooney lock in 30 seconds. Take 5 minutes to make a lock rake from a blank and you can do it yourself.

If you don't have a monitor, what is the process you use to lean? Lean to rough then enrich to smooth which would give you LOP? Lean to max airspeed which would be best power? Something else?

That's exactly what I was thinking of. Did you ask about an insurance discount, or are gear ups lost in the rounding when liability losses are considered?