anthonydesmet

Just beat the weather out of the mid-Atlantic back to Florida yesterday but on landing in Florida I noticed I had to press a lot further with my left foot over my right foot. Was a little that way when taxing for takeoff also. Left brake still grabs but my foot is way extended and over the top of the pedal. Right one is normal. When I shut down also I could here the left pedal make a mechanical sound.....like movement with no fluid. No brake work for two years since both pads replaced at annual. This annual was last October - no brake issues just routine annual inspection. Did not see any leaks on the ramp either. Thoughts?

My first call is usually to LAZAR. Odds are they will have an overhauled one at a descent price and will get it to you the next day

If you are going to be in Orlando, look up Orlando Apopka Airport (X04). It is an airport condominium community and there are about a half dozen people that rent out space in their hangar/home. Plus fuel is pretty cheap. Use the contact info on their site and someone will help you out. http://apopkahangars.com

Ron at Red Sky Aviation - Marion County - X35

I was told there would be no math.............. also, @GH3 in order to NOT put any of us old guys into cardiac arrest....around these parts we refer to currency in AMU's and not dollars.... Having said that, I have attached an operating cost spreadsheet that Merl Perry (Mooney owner on this site and fellow Navy brother) generated. Play around with the numbers as you do research in your area for hanger, insurance, etc. You can add what you think your annual flight hours might be then compare your operating cost to renting for a relatively objective analysis. It also spits out nice graph if you need to generate a powerpoint for your wife.... However as stated already...subjectively there is nothing better than going out to your hanger and playing in your personal private club house - maybe do a quick flight, saturday afternoon lunch on a whim, stopping by after work to just give the cowl and prop a quick coat of polish or leaning over to your wife on Monday night and say..."hey, lets fly to Boston or Chicago this weekend to see a baseball game and our son"......non owners will never understand..... Operating costs.xlsx

Willer, I have the same setup as you. From experience do exactly as carusoam describes and save the aggravation. Downloading to the USB converter is the way to go. Plug the USB in at home to your computer. Also recommended joining SAVVY. They have software that will allow you to view your data. Plus if you message them a service request from the data analysis page they will analyze the data with your flight debrief if you have an issue. All good info to share with your mechanic. Hopefully you have a mechanic who’s thought process is to go to the engine data as one of his first couple troubleshooting steps.

@Jesse SaintI want next!!! Hah, Charlie Carr said you were awesome. I am 262RV hangered in #6 at the approach end of 28. Ron just did my annual. I will give you a call after the holidays to set up upgrades for 2019! George took me around your place in June after my BFR to show me his plane when I think you and family were on vacation....loved the pictures and history.

What did the engine data say? That would be the best way to validate his diagnosis. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was having that same thought about burning 3/4 tank before any signs. But it still happened after he topped off. So I went down the road of contamination sometime during sitting with a 1/4 tank that was still there after you topped off. Funny thing about water. Once it gets in and trapped behind a couple of the ribs, no matter how much you sump you might not get to it.....that’s why the HEAT. But it sounds like he had pretty dry conditions during time leading up to flight. I am leaning more towards the vent and air into system now I think......the fuel flow spike is weird......that’s a key debrief point I think.. I’d still really like to see the engine data

Hmmm, If you think you had a fluctuation in fuel flow it maybe something in a fuel line or fuel pump. Although I would think if it were the pump you would have had issues on both tanks and had to go to boost. If its a problem of fuel getting to the engine (and not a water issue) I would assume an obstruction of some sort. You may also be able to verify on your engine download with a spike in temperatures due to low fuel (i.e. very lean for power setting) depending on how long the stutter was. For my water episode there was no fuel flow change and just and just a minor fluctuation in CHT's. Interesting that the fuel flow would spike over normal though when it should come down if you were stuttering for not enough fuel flow....interesting, looking forward to your update.

Possible water in right tank. - When you fueled up last time was it raining? - Do you keep airplane outside? If so, when was last time you changed fuel cap gaskets? - Do you top off after each flight or leave half empty? - Did you sump before flight and look at sample real well? - Do you have an engine monitor? If so, download and share with the group. I also belong to SAVVY engine analysis and they will analyze your engine data. Good to do for situations like this plus they can also analyze for overall engine health. I had water in my tank last winter. Symptom was a hiccup every now and then, no change in fuel flow or engine temps. Sent off to SAVVY and between my debrief and their analysis we suspected a little bit of water. Made sense because a couple of days prior when I fueled, it started to do a slight Florida winter mist towards the end of my top off. No rain, no sprinkle, just a little mist. A little water can create havoc. I put a half bottle of HEAT in and no issues. - Do you have digital fuel flow? did you look at it and see any fluctuations? But hopefully and probably just a little water. Other possibilities would be something in your lines coming off right tank through gasculator. Was gasculator cleaned at last annual? Just my initial thought from experience but I am sure you get a lot of input in here and a good direction to take next......

Affirm

Gents, Just went back out to the hanger to clean out the receptacle. I also wanted to top off the tank to see if I could spot anything and I could see the black sealant around the receptacle get wet. Waited a few minutes and dried the tiny slot with a towel and sure enough smelt like fuel. I am attaching a picture. So yes, fuel dropped behind the gauge and ate through the sealant. Figuring out next steps In the picture the fuel is coming along that black sealant line around the opening Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you use RTV-108 as called for in the parts manual?

@carusoam thanks! But is it common to have fuel weep out when they finally go bad?

Hello, had an issue today when I went to the hanger today and trying to figure out where I need to be on the “concerned meter”. My right wing fuel sight gauge was partially popped out and the sealant around it was deteriorated from I believe is fuel. The gauge popped right out and now I just have the metal space that the gauge goes in. So I am going to order a couple new gauges from lazar on Monday but my question is, how did fuel get around this gauge? My tanks were resealed by weepnmore two years ago. I don’t kno a lot about how the gauges go in, so will putting new ones in solve the leak? Or do I have a leak between the dial and the dial housing in that wing cover plate? I’ve needed to replace my wing sight gauges for awhile.now due to crazing and the silicone sealant getting old. my concern is if fuel got out in the top of the wings than water can get in.....

@DonMuncymight have them, he is my go to O2 guy. If not, Dan at LAZAR will have all the info you need.

Hmmm, looks like I might investigate option 2.....sell Aspen PFD and go Garmin G500 10 inch Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So does that mean I can still use my existing PFD or do I now need to get this MAX PFD? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

So I have been pondering my next step/s as well, currently have the Pro1000 and all other instruments are original plus JPI 700. Next spring, home sale and work bonus permitting I am probably going with a new panel upgrade as well to my PRO PFD during my ADS-B install. I have a question (maybe a stupid one) and probably obvious but nobody has said it outright. Can the Aspen MFD be a legal attitude backup so I can pull my vacuum gauge? I see some of you with the Pro PFD, the MFD and then another AI source.

Dnewt, having gone through tank issues a few years back until my eventual reseal I agree with @carusoamand @201MKTurbo. You are getting a leak at rotation. When your done flying do you top off before putting it in the hanger or are you a top off before next flight guy? If you are then in addition to carusoam’s advice, top off and let it sit, then look for the stains under the carpet and under wings,etc.

Yeah! Me too but the $9500 was less shocking compared the the $18,500 price tag of a new one.......

@Yetti, I concur. I was surprised Dan said this happens "frequently". The entire actuator assembly is a pretty solid piece of equipment. I was hoping someone else would have chimed in on my post saying they had experienced the same thing but was surprised I received zero response.

@Yettiapologize to you and @thinwing. I stopped looking for updates to my post after a week of no responses. But yes, you have described it. We got ahold of Dan at Lazar after the Mooney summit and he stated this happens quite frequently. Dan took my core and swapped out a rebuilt motor for around $450. We discussed tapping and re-threading but this seemed more logical not knowing what else might be going on inside the motor. So...moral of the story to the rest of the readers, have your mech put a form hand on the motor at next annual and make sure the studs on the actuator have a firm grip with the anchor nuts inside the motor. Like I mentioned Dan said he els this frequently and the motor could back off the studs enough where it won't engage the actuator.... so I am told. I didn't grab any pictures but here is a link to what the motor and actuator look like and there are four bolts that hold the cylinder motor in place. All 4 bolts were stripped. https://lasar.com/actuators/gear-actuator-102000-1-sn-1245

Mooney Folks, Just completing an annual with no issues until mech was lubricating appropriate points in the belly. He went to wipe off some grease from the actuator motor and noticed it was loose. So he tightened it down and noticed it would not tighten. Come to find out the motor anchor are stripped and will not tighten the motor down. He made a call to Mooney and to LAZAR for replacement motor and everybody was out at the Mooney fly-in. So, any thoughts? anyone experience this? Any SB's out on this? Anyone know motor part number? I was at work so haven't able to lay eyes on. Just to refresh, I am an M20K, 1980. Cant tell you what kind of motor yet.