PLN_FXR

Sounds like a diaphragm is going bad in your engine-driven fuel pump. This assumes you are shutting your engine down by pulling the mixture (I have to verify this; every now and then I run into someone who shuts them down by turning off the mags).

You are stumbling at low power (low MP) and high RPM, as though it is too rich; did you try leaning the mixture further? Were this a Bendix (Lycoming) system, I'd think you had a clogged injector. On your TCM system, you could have a plugged return line or a fuel pump that isn't regulating properly ... among many other items. This assumes you are running too rich ... which is a guess, as you didn't mention leaning the mixture - only pushing her back in. I would also wonder if you had an electric boost pump on?

IMC hours and approaches depend on where one lives and the type of flying they do. I'd guess if one lived in Tucson, and flew mostly locally, they would seldom log any actual time. Most of my flying (which is about 300 hours a year since things slowed down the past +/-5 years) is upper Midwest and East coast; some months more than 25% of the time I'm actual IMC, with approaches on one or both ends. As for hand flying ... I'm generally watching "George" fly while at altitude, and hand fly most of the approaches.

How expensive, Don? I may need to give myself a Father's Day present

Agree with several posts above; the door was likely rigged too tightly - although the wear patterns don't appear to show excessive tightness. None of the photos are sufficiently detailed to determine if this is a fresh break, or an old break that has been progressing (hard to take that type of photo). There does appear to be a paint chip about 2/3 up the length of the crack on the edge of the door, so you could have impacted something (bird, rock, runway light, whatever). This can be repaired with an external (scab) repair (ugly; not recommended), or via re-skinning or replacement of the door. Whichever you choose to do, get her on jacks and verify proper rigging and adjustment. Good luck, and keep her flying!

This looks like a 2700-series Camloc that someone has placed an AN washer under either to correct for too long a fastener, or to compensate for wear in the fiberglass cowl surface. It's difficult to tell from your photo if the washer is slightly concave?

Are you looking for the scheme for your Mooney's year, or for your exact colors?

Lake Aero Styling and Repair (LASAR - http://www.lasar.com/ ) often lists several C & E models for sale. I realize they are on the other side of the country, but they know Mooneys quite well. There is also a '65 C-model that will be up for sale soon in MN, but in need of paint and avionics (at under $20K the price is right, though). Do you know why your main gear collapsed? Properly rigged the landing gear system on a Mooney is pretty trouble-free, which leaves me curious.

Not good ... keep us posted! Another reminder why I keep a "daylog", with printed copies of the info I'll most likely need.

Do you still have? Please advise model number - probably a B2D34C212? How quickly would you be able to ship? I have been considering pulling my prop and loaning it to a friend to help him out ... but I'd rather install one serviceable prop once, as opposed to playing musical props between aircraft. Thx!

These engines are entirely different animals, Skybrd! The Lycoming in your Mooney uses Bendix RSA Fuel Injection, which is a total use system (there is no return line to the tank). This is why she will flood so easy hot starting if you even think about giving her fuel. Your Deb's Continental uses a Continental Fuel Injection system, which has a return line back to the (most likely left main) fuel tank. You need to have the mixture and throttle forward to purge the warm fuel from the system prior to making a hot start, but after doing this you should be able to start her with the throttle cracked and the mixture at ICO, moving the mixture in when she catches (although some start fine just leaving the mixture in). Your Mooney is hands-down more efficient, and the Debbie doesn't have any leg room, but they are both fine airplanes. And yes - the Debbie will almost land herself

A compression test, as many have stated or alluded to, is one of several diagnostic tools to help determine engine health. On a typical Lycoming, your readings will generally be 72 or more on a high-time engine, and 76 to 78 on a low-time engine ... assuming proper break-in and no problems, of course. If your readings are above 78 (or possibly 79 with a properly calibrated differential compression tester), that cylinder is likely burning oil (the oil masks the leakage past the rings during the check). A good technician will often learn more from listening during the compression check than from reading the numbers. The above being said, a 60 reading is still a 75% cylinder, so I would have no hesitation regarding a reading of 71. When you find an aircraft you are getting serious about, if you're lucky the current owner has a track record of oil analysis and decent engine records, which will help you determine engine health. Please keep in mind that as expensive as an engine is, it's really easy to spend more on avionics, or paint and interior. If you find a clean, relatively low-time, corrosion free, hail free airframe with the avionics you want but a high-time engine, don't let the engine scare you away ... you can replace everything firewall forward on the right aircraft and end up with a real gem, but if you have an airframe that's corroded you have nothing.

I believe this is it? http://sealpakcoinc.com/

Please feed us the website for Seal Pack ... I did a quick search and came up with a company in Hong Kong that does yogurt cups or something similar. Thank you!

Yes ... but only due to the timing. My schematics are at the hangar so I cannot confirm this, but provided memory serves if you don't have a ground the gauge will read off-scale high. This being said, I believe your grounds are at the sending units, not at the cluster gauge - so any avionics work should not have messed this up. Back to the timing, though - it's usually not a coincidence when a panel-mounted item quits working immediately after panel work was accomplished. Good luck!

Yes - but I'd like to know how it fits; i.e., does it conform nicely to the compound curvature of your belly, of does it develop "gaposis" between fasteners?

Lots of stuff above; some good, some otherwise. As tomn stated above, we are all human ... as inexcusable as mistakes are, we all make them. I am surprised a vacuum hose would come off in flight unless it was short/misrouted, as the vacuum produced by the pump would tend to keep the hose on, not blow it off - it must have been in place but not slid onto the pump fitting. There is a, or there are several, lesson(s) here for all of us. If nobody learns anything else, please all remember never to launch into IMC, night-time, or any marginal conditions following "heavy" maintenance on your aircraft (by "heavy", I mean any time enough work was accomplished you are not assured all systems have been tested). Example 1 - you did an oil and filter change; easy to accomplish a run-up and leak check on the ground, then return the aircraft to service without restriction. Example 2 - fuel tanks were resealed, magneto 500-hour inspections were accomplished, & ailerons were re-rigged ... make a check flight first, prior to launching into the dark or with passengers. These items can be checked on the ground, but what if one tank doesn't feed at power, your engine misses at takeoff power, or your bird flies differently than you are used to? These are arbitrary examples, but you get the drift.

I've installed LASAR pans; would be interested to know how the Air Mods pan fits once you get her installed.

If your panels aren't warped, the old sealant is completely cleaned off, new sealant is applied, and your screws all hold properly, you shouldn't have any problems with leakage. Oh, and make sure the drain holes are open so if moisture does make it through the first seal it has someplace to get back out.

I haven't read what Mike Busch had to say about A/S 15w50, but it is roughly 1/2 synthetic. Our local powerline patrol aircraft routinely make double TBO (4000 hours) on their O-320 & O-360 Lycomings running 15w50, so in my experience there is no operational issue with how it is formulated. We run 15w50 in the flight school aircraft and have always made TBO plus - and not many aircraft get abused the way flight school aircraft do (idle to full power in less than a second; inadequate or no leaning resulting in excessive fuel burn & combustion by-products; etc., etc). I would probably recommend Phillips to someone who doesn't fly much and is in a coastal area, as it is a high paraffin oil and the waxy residue it deposits inside the engine may help control corrosion - but otherwise would always recommend Aeroshell 15w50 or 100wPlus (the A/S "plus" straight weights have the same additive package as the 15w50). Whatever oil you choose, just make sure you change it regularly and listen to your engine if it tells you it doesn't like it

Our Mooneys are CAR-3 aircraft, built primarily in compliance with Part 21 Airworthiness standards (as opposed to the more stringent Part 23 standards). Appendix A to FAR part 43 lists what the FAA considers Major & Minor repairs, Major and Minor Alterations, and Preventative Maintenance. Para (a)(1)(xii) states (paraphrased) that changes to the basic design of the cooling system is an Airframe Major Alteration. This is pretty clear on first look ... but it gets muddy. If you are installing an improved baffle system from an aircraft on the same type certificate (as all Mooneys except the M-18 an M-22 are), that allows for more thorough preflighting of the engine (as removal of the tent does), you may make an argument the work is a minor alteration and win that argument - but this depends on your local FSDO personnel and your A&P/IA (ensure you clear this PRIOR to starting work; in my experience FSDO folks are generally open to discussing changes PRIOR to their being made, and less open after they have already been accomplished). In my case, I'm changing to a J-style cowling, so it only makes sense to install J-style baffling. Any insight from other Technicians out there is welcome and appreciated Keep 'em flying!

Pretty normal, Paul ... #8 above is good advice, too. There are ways to mitigate the reading being quite so high on start, but it isn't an issue as long as you're reading proper pressure at cruise and above the lower redline while idling warm. Enjoy your bird!

I'm looking at doing the doghouse conversion on my "D" (C-configuration), as several mention above. Question - Where are the 201-style baffles available from? I could make them, but to make them properly is a lot of labor time.

I haven't worked on a J-model since they were almost new (late 70's) but if I could see a schematic for this bird I'd be able to help. It doesn't make sense that it would be a squat switch bypass for maintenance (as CFII surmises above), as when an aircraft is on jacks the squat switch is in flight mode. However, if it is hooked to an airspeed switch, the above explanation makes perfect sense. Enjoy your "201"! Wonderful aircraft

Remove the plastic insulator, or your lid will continue to corrode under it. You'll want to paint the lid with bituminous paint (such as the "acid proof paint" mentioned in previous threads ... as if ANY paint is truly acid proof) prior to reinstalling the plastic insulator. Down the road, verify this area is checked during each Annual Inspection and properly maintained - feel free to verify it is kept clean and dry yourself, especially after charging the battery in the box or after any issue with overcharging or undercharging in flight. Another previous posting mentioned POR-15 ... this is great stuff and almost indestructible