Beau

Yes the engine is a TIO -540-af1b. My appologies for the late reponse.

I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD TAKE 12-14 MONTHS TO GET A REBUILT FACTORY NEW LYCOMMING IO 540. I waited 10 months. Now they tell me it is going to be 13 more months before I can have the engine shipped to my installation shop. I have asked for a refund of my $20,000 deposit and Lycomming is not responding. Can anyone recommend a great overhaul shop for a Lycomming IO540?

MY GARMIN 530 WAAS SHUT DOWN AT AUSTIN EXECUTIVE LAST WEEK. HELP! I GOT A GREEN LIGHT FROM EXECUTIVE TOWER AND GOT IT BACK TO HOUSTON. THEN THE RADIO STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I DID NOTICE THAT A BLACK HORSE SHOE SHAPED RING ABOUT 1/8 INCHES WIDE APPEARED ON THE SCREEN. IT HAS NOT GONE AWAY. CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND AN AVIONICS SHOP IN TEXAS PREFERABLY CLOSE TO HOUSTON? CAN THIS 530 BE REPAIRED OR IS TIME FOR A NEW ONE? THIS GARMIN 530 IS ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD.

Can anyone recomend a CFI in Houston San Antonio Austin area for an IPC in a Bravo?

Can anyone recomend Bravo CFI for an IPC in Houston or Austin/San Antonio areas?

IS IT WORTH $50,000 MORE FOR A NEW LYCOMING IO540 THAN A FACTORY REBUILD TO FACTORY NEW SPECIFICATIONS? Please consider the following: 1. The engines can only be rebuilt so many times. Is the factory rebuild to new specifications on its last rebuild? 2. Since there is a year wait for a factory rebuilt engine . Can you get a new engine any sooner? 3. Is the new engine any more reliable than the factory rebuilt eengine?

Sorry about the capitol letters. I was not intenting to "yell". The 1991 TLS Bravo has an engine monitor EDM 900. It has been based at Lockhart, Tx. which is an Austin suburb. The engine has new oil and the baffeling is fine. The engine is not making metal accoring to oil and oil screen test results. In cruise flight the oil pressure will not peg. It fluctuates 4-5 degrees at 70% power. The oil pressure is irradick. The greater the % power the more the oil pressure varies.The cylinders never go above 390 degrees, The EGT exhaust is always below 1500 degress. Normally its 1460 degrees. The engine does burn oil at 1 quarts every 2 hours. If the engine is run at 78% power it will burn a quart an hour. JD at the Smithville Mooney Center is going to check it out Tuesday. I appreciate all of your comments and ideas!

GREAT REPLIES ESPECIALLY FROM DONKAYE! IF THE BRAVO CAN BE FLOWN AT 2400 RPM, 75% POWER AND 29 INCHES THE PLANE BECOMES USEFUL AGAIN! JD CASTILLE WITH SW AVIATION IN SMITHVILLE,TX. IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ALL THINGS MOONEY. I WILL TRY THE BORE SCOPE, BAFFELING, VALVE EXHAUST. MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR A NEW ENGINE? THIS ONE IS 13 YEARS OLD AND HAS ABOUT 1300 TT. NEW ENGINE TIME??

GREAT ANSWERS: IT IS A 1991 TLS BRAVO M20M. I HAVE FLOWN THIS PLANE IN MANY POWER SETTINGS. TYPICALLY 2440 RPM AND FROM 75% MP TO 65% MP. THE 2430 RPM AND THE 65% MP BURNS NO OIL AT ALL. HOWEVER THE PLANE IS TOO SLOW AT THAT SPEED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COWL FLAPS OPEN. I NEED TO FIND AWAY TO FLY AT 75% MP 2400 RPM WITH 160 KTS BELOW 8000 FEET WITH NO OR LITTLE OIL BURN OR GET A GOD FORBIDE MERIDIAN OR TBM (BOTH BEING REDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED).

Thanks for the info. I have had this plane 16 years and flown it about 1600 hours. During that time I have replaced the engine once. I did this because the oil pressure dropped to 37 lbs over the Rockies and was making metal by the time I got to Grand Junction from Texas. I flew the plane at peak as the manuel states. After the new engine I. flew rich of peak so that the fuel burn was 19 GPH and 75% power. The speed below 8000 MSL was 160 KTS. The engine burned oil at about 1 quart an hour. I replaced all 6 cylinders 300 hours ago. When it is run at 65% it burns no oil.

I HAVE A TLS BRAVO M20M WITH AN IO540 ENGINE. IT DOES NOT HAVE GAMMI INJECTORS SO IT HAS TO BE FLOWN RICH OF PEAK. I FIND THAT IF I RUN THE ENGINE FOR AND EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME RICH OF PEAK. THE HIGHEST POWER SETTING I CAN RUN IT AT IS 65% WITH THE COWL FLAPS OPEN. OTHERWISE THE ENGINE BURNS 1 QUART OF OIL AN HOUR. THE COWL FLAPS HAVE TO STAY OPEN IN THE SUMMER OR THE OIL PRESSURE FLUCTUATES. THE BRAVO IS SLOW AT THIS POWER SETTING WITH THE COWL FLAPS OPEN. IT WILL ONLY GO 145-150 KNOTS. IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO FLY THIS PLANE WITHOUT HAVING AN UNPEGGED OIL PRESSURE AND WITHOUT BURINING OIL?