geoffb

Thank you

I'm pretty confident the starter relay is acting up. I can hear it pick up when I push to start, but often the starter motor doesn't turn. I've put a meter on battery posts when trying to start and can see the starter motor isn't pulling any current. So, pretty sure the main contacts on the relay are about done for. Sourced what is supposed to be the correct, current part from Lamar. I've gone so far as to look up in the copilot footwell at the relay and cringed. Before I wedge myself up in there, any gotchas I need to know? Thanks in advance

TSIO-520-NB, Rockets

I know of 2 local to me that went 3,200. They were topped in that time and had turbo overhauls about every 1,000. Operator thought he'd pushed the envelope on the bottom ends far enough.

-LB uses a different clamp than -MB, rajay vs garrett.

both STCs to install a -MB in a 231 are orphaned and I can't imagine finding a 252 cowling in any case. Entire intake and exhaust are different. Cylinders are different. Maybe more.

I pulled my separator over the weekend. It's just a simple, cyclone sort of separator. Crankcase vent line clear, separator clear, overboard vent line clear, crankcase return line clear and sloped downhill with no low spots. It's a very simple separator. Probably not enough volume to be really effective. So no smoking gun with the crankcase ventilation system.

Rags, I'm having the same issue on my -MB ever since my last annual. It's definitely coming out the breather. I don't think my separator has ever been cleaned, so I plan to remove, clean and go over the return line routing this weekend when I change oil. Thinking about this a bit, the crankcase probably always has a positive pressure due to blowby or we wouldn't need the vent and separator So does oil return to the sump from the breather only after shutdown? Anything that prevented the separator from draining would allow oil to remain in the separator. Geoff

If the bushings are tight and no significant axial play, it's a check valve. I went through the same thought exercise of replacing the spring, blah, blah. I needed it fixed. Bought a check valve. No issues now. worst part is dealing with the adel clamps.

is this all at low power settings, like just off idle on the ground? If so, don't discount the fuel manifold.

Call Falcon in AK and fly more. I'm at a higher hull value and hangared less than 50 yds from you and I'm paying significantly less. Did you see a significant increase after the claim?

We're in Corvallis with a 262 conversion, dual 75 amp alternators, TKS. Without Monroy tanks Palm Springs from PDX non stop will be tight. Probably a 5 hour flight in the high teens in mine. I cruise at 65% ROP. Haven't managed to get mine to run smooth while lean. We make that trip at least once a year and up high down the east side will pencil out, but there are no small number of days when running down the east side of the sierras will be unpleasant. We usually stick to the valley to Palmdale and then cut east. Costs some time but usually a better ride with better outs. We trek to Santa Barbara a few times a year, that would be no problem with standard tanks non-stop. Most of my flying is for work around the northwest. The airplane has proven to be truly capable. Rockets are faster, but every time I sit down and compare the travel times, you burn more gas to save a few minutes. Even PSP from CVO the extra 25 knots only yields a half-hour saved.

agree, suspect you have a short to ground somewhere between the switch and the relay

TKS gets all over the interior of the airframe. Gets in the wings from the under wing inspection panels, gets in up under the belly skins, runs down the vertical into the tail cone. If it was at all corrosive, the plane would be junk by now in the 500 hrs since TKS install.

what model M20 are we talking about here?

That sucks. Seemed like a really good guy.

Same here. Ditch the old and go with the EI, you won't be disappointed.

For everyone's reference, exhaust pipes are different -LB to -MB because of the different turbo. V- band clamps too if a remember correctly.

I think it was $800.

I've had 2VF in and out of Ryan Field in MT. 2,500-ish ft of grass at 3,500 MSL. I was light and it ended up being no problem. Left early, don't know what the DA was but it was close to freezing. Don't need to do that again. Grass is no issue. DA and weight are. My E was a much better short field airplane. My K is a pig, and still only 200 HP (OK 210).

Just did my mains. Spruce has donuts in stock at $177/ea. Couldn't find a better price. So $1,4xx for 8 Did them myself under supervision, first time. Didn't have 8 hours in the job, soup to nuts including some flailing around. So an experienced shop, with paperwork shouldn't be more than one man-day. That included disassembly (with inner gear doors), clean, visual and dye pen inspection of the tower and bolt. I understand the nose gear is a bigger pain....

I’m skeptical that a TN Cardinal is 20% more efficient than my 262 conversion at 17.5. Yes, the TN, angle valve IO-360 should be more efficient due to the difference in compression ratios. Also, the TKS panels and prop boots cost some. But 10 gpm vs 12.2? I run 65% on the power chart, between 60 and 80 degrees rich on my leanest cylinder, depending on temps (my -MB is not a smooth LOP machine). This gives me a pretty consistent 12.2 gph and at 17.5 it’ll give me 170 it’s, maybe a hair more. i know i have the slowest K model in the fleet, but less efficient than a Cessna?

I love these threads. You like high wing airplanes, want to go 160kts, no retract time, don't like to suck O2, pleasure use only and you've got $200k to burn? Find a pponk'd 182 (of buy a good Skylane and pponk it when the time comes) enjoy 145-150 kts, cheap insurance and cheap annuals. Spend an extra half-hour each way, twice a year? Easy trade for the simplicity and capability of a 182 compared to turbo, deiced, retract anything. Nothing will crush your love for aviation like the running cost of an airplane more complicated than you need...

I got mine in about 8 weeks from Airpower.

Thread resurrection. Finally time to replace the mains on 2VF as the right side ones are done. Got the right side done today and it went pretty smooth. Full weight on the wheels wasn’t quite enough to get the collar on, so jacked the left side up a little and that got it done. Now on to the left side and while attempting disassembly, the lock collar screw is too far forward to come out the access hole. I’d guess it need to move aft 0.040-0.060 for the head to clear the hole. I’ve tried a few things to try to bias it rearward with no luck. Wish they’d given us a bigger hole. Anybody had this issue? Any suggestions? thanks