Yooper Rocketman

Just did one Monday into Rochester MN. The ILS was out of service, so if you didn't have LPV you were not landing on Monday until after 3-4 PM when the weather finally broke. I LIKE the ILS better, but that's the old school in me. I probably do 60% ILS and 40% LPV, doing +/- 12 approaches a year to under non-precision limits. Tom

Congratulations!!

Some were but can’t honestly say which ones. Chad, the A&P /IA running Kubick Aviation said he gets people all the time thinking “new” on anything airplane wise is better, yet a lot of stuff is coming from off-shore or being built “cheaper” so simply changing out parts for new does not necessarily improve reliability. I can attest to that in the trucking industry, as a new truck dealer AND a trailer manufacturer. We still provide warranty repairs on new products, often. It’s usually about half “design issues” (engineering) and half parts failures (maybe some of the same, just not the truck manufacturer). Chad also stated my clamp was the first one he has seen fail in 20+ years where mine failed. I could go over the entire plane and change a ton of parts that “might fail” but, frankly, being properly prepared, trained and informed to DEAL WITH AN ISSUE seems like a better investment to me. Without a crystal ball, there is no way of knowing what the Aviation gods will deal me for a hand next. Tom

To the contrary Bob. That was a Stainless Steel High torque clamp, for which there are probably 20-25 in the intake system. The design is not Rocket Engineering...it's the same as used on the Cessna 340's and 414's. I have three hose clamps below, and we see many even more expansive in design and cost on our big trucks we sell (some with spring tensioners on them too). Few have proven to actually be any better than the simple High Torque Stainless clamp that I had fail (first one in 18 years of ownership and nearly 2000 hours flight time, with 20-25 of these clamps on just my intake system). You will notice the High Torque has a much beefier base around the screw biting the clamp threads. "Standard hose clamps" will fail frequently at the screw, either stripping the "threads (or cuts) in the band OR the screw base coming apart. High Torques rarely fail here. The more common failure on the is for the clamp to actually break. The problem with these (and the T-bolt clamp designs) is over tightening by the installer.............clearly possible in this failure. They are commonly tightened with a ratchet /socket combination rather than a screw driver. We've actually seen a higher failure rate with the T bolt design in the trucking industry, as they are not easily reused. The lock nut will stress the side loops and they eventually tear out or weaken and fail at that point. I will stick with my High Torque Stainless clamps. If I was to keep the plane, @Yetti had the best idea.......carry some spares. Tom

Yes. The first hose in the intake transition from the turbo boost (compressor) heading out to the the twin intercoolers. This clamp actually is securing that hose to the turbo housing Tom

Erik, This is the only picture (poor quality) I took during the repair. You can see the hose on the discharge from the turbo with no clamp on it, between the two vertical motor mount tubes. If you look at the blurry shiny object just aft of the rear tube, that is the clamp on the other side of that same hose, where it is clamped to the intake transition tube. The one that broke stayed hanging on the transition tube so I have it in the plane. I will get a picture of it later this AM when I get out to my hangar.

It WAS longer, but I didn't want to admit that! Thank god I quit drinking wine at home 6 weeks ago since I went on my weight loss/exercise routine. That would have been a "2 glasser". Tom

I will later today. I thought about you as I was spiraling down. :>) At least I had an engine still making noise! Tom

I made another post on the engine, but under a new topic in General Mooney Talk

Many of you remember my turbo failure at FL 190 a few years ago on the way to see my dad on his death bed. Well, my new engine gave me some excitement at nearly the same altitude today, at about the same time of the year too. I decided to take the first flight out of my airport area (had over 3.5 hours right over the airport with no issues) by heading to Pittsburgh for some business. I really wanted to fly the Lancair (time wise), but needed hours on the new Mooney engine so I can sell it. I flew over at FL 240 with a decent tailwind, adjusting manifold pressure up or down 1" and/or RPM +/- 50 every 10 minutes, per Jewell Aviation's break in procedure for the first 10 hours. It was an uneventful flight, other than getting a STAR and full ILS into KAGC. Coming out, I was eventually cleared to FL 230, still flying the SID, climbing through FL19.5 and I heard a loud "pop" and then the engine started running a bit rough. I first looked at RPM and oil pressure, everything was fine. My next glance went to manifold pressure and it had dropped from 38" to 20". Knowing a bunch of my Lancair friends flying the big bore, turbocharged, Continentals have had trouble either blowing turbo boost hoses or clamps, I suspected this was my issue. I was just being transferred from one Cleveland controller (the low altitude one handling FL 230 and below,) to the high altitude controller and was given FL 240. I called him back and said I would likely not even hit FL 200 and would need to go down, explaining my engine issue and likely failure mode. I asked for an airport to the west, as it appeared VMC compared to along my flight path. A local pilot, hearing my situation, suggested New Philadelphia (KPHD) and that's where I headed. He gave me FL 180 immediately and 9K within minutes. He asked if I wanted to declare an emergency and I said not yet, as I suspected I would gain back some engine power as I descended (which I did). He soon handed me over to Akron Approach and they were more than awesome helping me spiral down to the airport, even insisting I call when I landed so they knew everything worked out. While spiraling down the last 4K to the airport, I saw someone landing and was concerned they were doing T&G's, so announced my situation. The guy, flying a Cherokee 6, not only offered help, he monitored my progress until I landed and then came over and helped me remove the engine cowls to find the issue...........a broken clamp on the very first intake hose coming off the turbo. His name was Brian, and he called Eric, the airport manager/mechanic, who arrived within 30 minutes on a Sunday evening to help. I had a serious weather system coming across the Midwest / Michigan, and if I didn't get out within a few hours, I would likely have been stuck there until Tuesday. He had some new clamps and helped me install one and both guys helped me re-cowl the engine so I could depart. Total ground time....less than 2 hours. I appropriately compensated (with cash) the mechanic, although I may send him a check as well. Brian would not take a thing from me........even getting insulted that I would try to pay him. Pretty impressive!!! I thought this might come back to an issue with the installing mechanic, but seeing the clamp failed at the base of the screw assy, it appears just fatigue. I did run into some weather with the delay.....seeing some pretty serious icing for a while (oh man, do I love that TKS!!) and turbulence. But, I made it home for a late supper and a relaxing 20 minutes in my hot tub. Now I know why the prospective buyer wants 10-20 hours on it before buying it. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1017L/history/20181125/2040Z/KAGC/KIMT https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1017L Tom

So, to be clear, we ARE setting the RPM and Manifold pressure to the approved values, just commenting after the linkage fix we were able to get higher on each. After the first round of flights, my mechanic noted that my left mag was leaking oil from various spots on the mag (not the mounting flange). It was clear the seal at the drive end of the mag was leaking. The mags DID look like newly rebuilt Continental mags, with tags on them, which was a real head scratcher. We were supposed to reuse my recently OH'ed mags. My mechanic insisted they were new OH's, so I called Jewell. They said "no, we reused your mags". I run back over to the shop and tell my mechanic AND the supervisor, who then pulls my logbooks out and shows Jewell noted newly rebuilt Continental mags on the engine logbook entry. So...another call to Jewell and Sam says he needs David to "check into this". This all transpired on Wednesday. About 30 minutes later David calls and says "well, you did get new mags, $10,000 worth, which we DIDN'T charge you for....now you get a warranty on them for free too.....quite the deal". I said I had no problem with you putting new mags on if you called me and explained why I needed them.......especially after you agreed we could use my newly rebuilt ones. I need the plane flying NOW, as I need to sell this by the end of the year. I actually have flights scheduled for it Sunday and Monday, which will put me close to the hours the prospective buyer wants on it to take it. So, after asking David how I can have have a replacement mag on Friday (today), he says he can send me one of my old ones for now. So I ask, does that mean I will have to replace it twice, once on Friday and then later when the warranty one comes in? He says, well, yes, or I can send you BOTH your original ones back and you can install them, and send me back the new ones I put on by mistake. ......................................I agreed, send me my original mags back. I was not really wanting them to EAT the mag cost, but now I have a 1/2 days labor switching out, re-timing, and ground testing my original mags on the new engine. I would think it's appropriate they pay that bill, since they are going to get their $10,000 un-billed mags back. I flight tested it this evening and they work fine. I have had at least 3-4 of you asking for a PIREP on this shop and my experience once the engine was done. Since I was one to take issue with someone several months back on work they reported on a shop (but it was unsolicited by anyone here) and several others besides me thought was not necessary, I am going to hesitantly report now. The engine runs GREAT, has lots more power than before......actually more than I ever remember (and.....my main plane is about the same weight with a 724 HP prop jet engine!). I am GENERALLY really happy. I haven't got my installation bill yet, and there was at least one other issue that I am likely to eat relating to someone (Jewell or the throttle body rebuilder) that had significant labor time working through....the incorrect assembly of the manifold boost control link. Oil consumption has been decent, for not being broken in yet. I will report back after the next 5 hours, and won't likely have much to say after that as the new buyer will HOPEFULLY close and I will no longer own this bird. Unless something else come up serious, I would highly recommend Jewell. I really believe part of my issues go back to Sam suffering a heart attack a few days before I dropped my engine off. He was off for some time, and I am sure it threw the shop flow into a sort of mess. They are good people to deal with! Tom

Found out yesterday that the reason my shop had so much of an issue getting me RPM and manifold pressure was a connecting link on an arm at the throttle body had been reassembled wrong by either Jewell or whoever they sent that part out to for rebuild. After adjusting the arm with the spring totally collapsed and still being short on MP, the mechanic pulled out his pile of pictures taken before disassembly and spotted the problem. He fixed the improperly assembled rod/spring assembly and was able to get 41” (max supposed to be 38”). He has a few squawks left to finish in the morning and then I’m ready for more flight testing. Tom

Well, I put pretty close to 3 hours on the new engine today. Have a pretty good squawk list, but nothing too serious. The engine itself is running very well. I removed the cowl between the first and second flight to check everything over (a few minor squawks discovered then, but not much). No oil leaks and the dripping I used to have after every flight off the blow by tube is gone. It has much more power than before too. I will remove the cowl once again now and look everything over, knock out of few squawks that are not engine install related, and maybe look for a REAL flight, not doing the round track over my airport anymore (see Flight Aware Tracks.....too funny). Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1017L/history/20181117/1618Z/KIMT/KIMT https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1017L/history/20181117/2140Z/KIMT

Ouch!!! Let me know if there is anything I can do. I will poke my nose around on your customers behalf anyway. Chad DID thank me for talking complimentary about his shop to you. They are a pretty competent and honest shop. I have a great relationship with them (and Chad, going back to assisting him when he started) and laid the word down to take care of you guys. Tom