DXB

Huh, I always wondered whether that mist after opening the dipstick was actually water vapor or not. If you can prove it's not, its placebo effect on my psyche will be ruined Also, I'm hardly an expert on this, but seems like RH and absolute temperature would have closely related importance? I.e. there's a lot more moisture available in the air to condense on your cam lobe at 90% RH and 90F than at 90% RH and 40F. Also the temperature trend would be a big factor? Rising temps with moist air would deposit a lot more moisture in a cold engine than falling air temps with the engine temp dropping slower. Regardless, I commend the efforts and look forward to data on efficacy of different dehumidification devices.

Practical experience is certainly that cams and tappets can spall well before TBO, particularly in low use engines, with or without Camguard. But the factors leading to these outcomes are multiple and complex- only proves the additive is not a magic potion that cures all problems. Until you clone both the plane and the pilot and have the two guys fly and store it under identical conditions, with or without the additive, there will no absolutely definitive answer. But you could get closer to a real answer by some independent repeats of the study Byron cites, using varied conditions. This is relatively cheap to do, and the question is important enough to the average owner who can't fly every week that I wonder if an organization like AOPA or EAA would fund some studies like this so we can have more independent data to make decisions.There's perhaps more science behind Camguard than the other additives, just not nearly as much as there should be.

I already use Camguard but hadn't seen this study before- it's compelling. What's striking to me is its superiority to storage oil- makes me wonder why one would ever use the latter. HOWEVER, I wonder if it's been repeated independently by others at different humidities, varied ambient temperature changes causing high condensation, and different metal compositions (e.g. cam vs. lifter metal composition) - fairly cheap and simple to do. If the product is really this robust, it would certainly be in the company's benefit to put this stuff out there in exhaustive detail, but I haven't seen it. As a scientist, I know all too well how easy it is to select a piece of data derived under very narrow conditions and use it to argue for a generalized reality that doesn't exist. The number of times this failed in the lab under a variety of subtly different conditions often says way more than any one successful experiment.

Very interesting post, and also glad to hear Ben Travis does nice work- I've scheduled a major install with him including ads-b, after getting several quotes and ruminating for months. I had strongly considered GDL88/FS210. Instead I'm going with the KT-74 for ads-b out to save costs and sticking with Foreflight on ipad plus Stratus for ads-b in. I'm already in too deep for $ here, given my lowly M20C with limited resale value. I'm vaguely hoping another low cost means will appear soon to get route data entered in Foreflight transferred into the GTN 650 I'm getting installed. Also I think OR75 is correct - that the KT74 will take a GTN 650 or other GPS input without changing the KT76A tray? I think Bendix has a $300 trade in for the KT76A without the tray when purchasing the KT-74.

Yeah it happened literally the first time I solo'd in the plane after my transition training, on a cold winter day. Totally freaked me out, but the RPMs didn't drop and the engine didn't stumble - I did turn the boost pump back on before needle made it all the way down to the 0.5 psi minimum. For the next two takeoffs, I tried it on each tank - same thing happened. These tims I let the needle come all the way down past the red line that time (also without any perceptible engine issue) before hitting the boost pump- which I later turned off without any problem after leveling off. Having resolved to get it looked at ASAP, I flew it a third time- and it didn't happen at all (needle goes from 5psi to 3-4psi even at WOT, no big deal), and it hasn't happened in about 25 hrs since then. I probably should get it looked at though- something tells me that if I did it at Vx and full power, I would have the same issue. I do drop the nose a bit now at 1000 AGL to go faster than 100mph IAS, as this is the only way I can keep CHT from shooting past 400 (around the same time I turn the pump off). I wasn't doing this at first, and maybe this is the difference.

Tried it last night. Yup-that was it. May future Mooney newbies be spared the embarrassment (and potentially water in their fuel systems) by finding this thread.

USPS has lost the last two aviation-related packages I have sent or attempted to receive through them (most recently my oil analysis sent to Blackstone labs two weeks ago). I will leave it at that and spare you my subsequent rant, as i see you have your own pain to manage.

Um - that's pretty cool actually. I think my beat up old iPhone 5 may have just found a good home now that I've switched iPhone 6.

Thanks- this is entirely possible. Wondering what other details I've missed...

I got a '68 C model with bladders 5 months ago and find that I still need to learn some really basic stuff about this plane. Per POH preflight, I been dutifully pulling the ring by the fuel selector for each tank. But until yesterday, I never made someone else do it so I could see if and where the gascolator drains. Turns out I don't see anything draining. Further I have no clue where to find the the drain nozzle. Per records, the MSC mechanic who did my pre-buy+annual did clean the fuel screen and change a gasket in the gascolator. I'm not sure that it's related, but I had an incident 3 months ago where the fuel pressure gauge would go down to near 0 psi when I turned off the boost pump during climb above 1000agl. It happened 3x in a row, on either tank, making me freak out and turn the boost pump back on. Since then it's never happened again. I wonder if a piece of partially obstructive debris ultimately broke up and plugged the drain. So my questions are: 1. Where is the drain in the '68C? I've learned from prior posts that earlier C models had it in the nose gear well, but I'm not sure this is true of the '68. When I look in the wheel well, I can't identify it, but then I don't have a clue what I'm looking for either. 2. Assuming the drain is clogged, is there anything I can do to deal with this before taking it to the shop? 3. If it must go the shop, are the guys on my field able to handle this easily? They know Pipers and Grummans but seem minimally familiar with the old Mooneys.

That is an answer to my question above that I shall have to consider...

Yup my '68 C had the indicator installed at some point, but not sure it does much good- it's pretty subtle. Interestingly, per the document, it appears that my C model (SN 680002) was the very last C to leave the factory without one. I need the sticker too if anyone comes up with one. I guess could get off my lazy ass and make one as well. I try to tell the line guys at any FBO away from home to be careful about this, but I'm not sure I ever get through. What specifically do other people say at FBOs when they park the plane on an unfamiliar ramp for a couple of days?

Trying to imagine what Stratus 3 would do that Stratus 2 doesn't already. Maybe if it could make me a sandwich during a long cross county, that would be pretty handy. I bought my Stratus 2 about a month ago, and it was on backorder even buying directly from Appareo- took over a week to ship. With it selling as fast as they can produce it, it doesn't seem like there's much incentive to rush to market with v3.

I will be certainly be there for any of the August dates, though my plane may not, given that it's scheduled for it's panel redo in August.

It's in Puerto Vallarta. Someone here's gotta bring her home, presumably after a serious misadventure...

Also seller is a Family MD in New Jersey and not the registered owner. I'd love to know the back story on this one. What exactly went down in Mexico??

Looks like it has a US registration. Probably still too daunting and risky for the typical 1st time buyer, but it might be a steal for an experienced person who could pick up from a strange location and maybe pay the value of a parts plane.

I'm getting a JPI 900 put in my M20C in August. I'm starting to wonder if I should get this snubber, or snuffer, or whatever it's called installed preemptively? Based on the prior thread below, it's not hard to install backwards by mistake: http://mooneyspace.com/topic/12583-jpi-900-manifold-pressure-problem/

If one really really wanted a B model for some reason, this one sure is pretty: http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Single+Engine+Piston/1961/Mooney/M20B/2078392.html No connection to seller...

Brian- I'd be very interested in this - BTW wish I could have made it to the picnic today. I just learned oil/filter change and want to get more of the basics like spark plugs. I'd get a lot out of just about anything at this stage too. Assuming it's on a weekend this summer when I'm not traveling, I'd be willing to do anything to help, including volunteer my M20C if needed.

6 months after buying my M20C as a total noob, I still haven't broken the neurotic habit of looking at Controller/Trade-a-plane/Barnstormer for C models about once a week. It's striking to me how stagnant the market is for this particular plane. Maybe the good ones get snapped up quickly somewhere other than these sites, but rarely do I see a new one come up, and most of the ones there have been listed for an eternity at prices that look reasonable at first pass. But my well-known MSC prebuy mechanic lamented rarely seeing any good M20Cs come through his shop for prebuy any more, making me think most of these are either junk or quite expensive to get in shape. In addition, traveling and finding help to evaluate most of these planes is a time-consuming and very costly task for a typical buyer like me or the OP. I think what's most important is buying a carefully inspected airframe free of all corrosion, as good an engine as you can get, and a plane that is otherwise an absolute known entity regarding other issues, with appropriate price allowances for the type of problems like the OP mentions. Waiting for the perfect one is futile. Having said that, the more expensive the C model, the better the value, assuming it actually merits the price.

“What freedom lies in flying, what Godlike power it gives to men . . . I lose all consciousness in this strong unmortal space crowded with beauty, pierced with danger." Charles Lindbergh

Thanks- I actually suspect one of those lovely ladies is hiding in there somewhere already

Yes luckily it was weighed previously in '97 and came out at 935 (2 lb better than the calculated 933 up to that point). I agree I'd be scared to reweigh otherwise. It subsequently had a major overhaul, and bladders were added last year before I bought it. It was also subsequently repainted and had the interior redone without any W&B adjustment for this. I've been under all the panels during pre-buy in December, and the airframe was very clean of accumulated grime.

Huh- didn't realize the Skytec starter could save so much weight. Almost makes me wish my Prestolite would croak- guess I'm too cheap to make the swap while it's working well though.