MikeOH

@davecusto Yes. I have an M-20 Oil Separator on my 1970 M20F. I'm very happy with it as there is never anything on the belly. It is STC SA02033AT from M-20 Oil Separator LLC out of Boca Raton, FL No idea, however, if they are still in biz.

I guess I'm just easy to please. Government charts on my iPad with Foreflight and a $200 Scout for ADS-B in for weather/traffic. A happy CB camper, I am

You typed faster!

I'm missing your point. Either I'm allowed to do certain tasks and sign them off, or I'm not. Obviously, if I don't do them properly a future IA could call me on it. But, that is NOT the same as having to have an IA sign off my work.

While I get the need to document the burn test, why does an IA have to sign off the work? I thought part 43 allowed owner refurbishment of interiors.

The wiring diagrams in the shop manuals are NOT going to cover any installed avionics, especially anything installed since the plane left the factory. If the avionics shop didn't provide anything/or they were lost, you are likely out of luck.

Yeah. My wife made me take the logos off the belts!

You could just give Soderburg a call: (909) 595-1291 But, where's the fun in that?

@Parker_Woodruff What's the sweet spot for hours per year that insurance companies like to see? I suspect too few makes them nervous, and too many is too much exposure.

This just has to be messed up calculations. If the aux tank wasn't there you would have 120 lbs of baggage and there would be no more issue than any other C. Put in a 36 pound aux tank and you have 84 lbs available for baggage (if it's empty). Why would the CG be any different? A pound of fuel is the same as a pound of baggage

Not sure I'm following this...if you mean they sign off an annual inspection with discrepancies, well ok. But, you can't legally fly the plane that way (without a ferry permit, anyway). Seems like a distinction without a difference, to me. What am I missing/What's your point?

Hmm, I thought they arrived at airplanes already "severely pissed off"

An F gets you >95% to a J, so compare F and J pricing and ask yourself if the premium is worth it. If it's a 'forever' plane then resale shouldn't enter into the evaluation.

@redbaron1982 Reading between the lines...sounds like you want to get a plane soon (M20J), but aren't ready for what you really want (252/262). I understand that completely but, know going in that you are going to pay for that present gratification in the buy/sell/buy process. I would think you'd like to minimize that cost. If that is the case, I'd recommend leaving the panel alone as long as it is functional. You will get used to the 'non standard' panel in a short while; pass the upgrade costs on to the next guy and save your money for the Mooney you ultimately want. You will NOT get your 'upgrade' money back.

Others above have provided good answers. When I was shopping I was asking the same questions you are. I ended up with an F and electric gear. As I researched I found that I liked the idea of LOP and the extra 20 HP; so, that narrowed it to an E, F or J. The J just didn't seem like the efficient price/performance combination; read that as I am too cheap to pay a premium for a few knots! I was pretty hard-over with having manual gear but, after seeing too many dogs, when my F came up for sale I made the concession to electric gear. I could have gone E or F. As far as maintenance, I suppose the inspections do add some cost over that for manual gear but the difference, in my case, has been lost in the rounding. IOW, if that kind of cost difference is a big deal then, IMHO, ownership is not for you! I flew a rental M20B for many years and absolutely loved the manual gear so, yeah, every time I flip the gear switch on my F I hold my breath, even after 4 years of ownership! Thing is, I'm beginning to believe that the electric gear failures we hear about are because owners skip the gear inspection/lube service. Like any other piece of machinery, proper PM is essential to reliability. My F has most all of the mods: gap seals all around, cowl mod, 201 windscreen, dorsal fin, power flow exhaust. Anyway, I see about 143 kts between 8K-10K, WOT, LOP at 8-9 gph. Probably 5-10 kts slower than a J. With no real data to back up my opinion, I can't imagine there is a statistically significant safety difference between ANY Mooney model. That is a consideration I never even thought of, let alone took into account when shopping. Good luck!

A bit optimistic, don't ya think?

WOW! And, only 1 AMU! A rip-off at one TENTH the price!

I'd pull the cannon plug and check that you have power at the terminals.

Thankfully, not having to worry about this part for my gear, I'm curious what this solid platinum, diamond encrusted, part looks like. Anyone have a photo?

That's exactly what it is: SONALERT SC628 piezoelectric buzzer. Available from DigiKey. Just pull your old one to confirm the part number.

Perhaps I wasn't clear in my earlier post. My ENTIRE gear system, motor, gears, mechanical, etc. has been functioning RELIABLY, due to proper maintenance, for 50 years! I'm just NOT seeing the "safety of the fleet" being a motivating factor to tear my plane apart and spend big money for NON problem. Sure, eventually the motor or gears will need replacing (based on CONDITION inspection). At which point, I'll be looking for another set of 20:1 gears....50 years from then someone else can decide if they want to put in the 'more' reliable 40:1 gears IMHO, the few failures that have occurred over the years have been from NEGLECTED maintenance. Sure, the 40:1 gears may be more forgiving of poor maintenance. That's just not a compelling reason for me as I'm not planning on slacking off on maintaining my plane.

Another F owner happy with the Hartwell's on the oil door

^^^ THIS ^^^ Is exactly what I do. Where can I park so you WILL NOT move my plane?

Yes, I've been performing (my A&P) the inspection and lube, per the SB, every 100 and 200 hours. No wear problems, so far

Can you still buy the 20:1 gears? Mine have soldiered on for 50 years and when, if?, they need replacing I'm perfectly happy to lube them every 100 hours. I think it's a good idea to take a look every 200 hours, as well. Personally, I like the quick cycle time. Maybe the 40:1s will last a 100 years...oddly, I don't care