Herlihy Brother

I paid $500 for the new switch from mooney a few years back, then found digikey has it for $4...

I've been commuting in the 1964 E from California to Texas for 12 years --never been AOG yet. If I lose an alternator I buy a charger at the local auto shop and charge the battery it in the hotel room, and fly by pilotage. The cheapest stops for fuel in the nation are along your straight line route, which mirrors my route. I tried the Tuscon route but didn't like it--felt way more remote and the view was not as nice as sedona on the i40 route. I understand that the DHS/USCBP/DEA have stopped terrorizing us along that route--I haven't been tracked, barrel muzzled, served, cuffed and mooney dismantled over my objection (by a non-A&P drug cop) in 5-6 +years anyway, but I still must plan for that psychologically. I stopped flying this route route at night at the same time (they were tracking me IFR at night) because these engines do quit-the mooney io-360-a1a with 1200 smoh mattituck lost a cylinder (exhaust valve) one night (10pm) at 400 agl after takeoff. The original engine is up to 2700smoh 5700tt now with no problems since. Following I40 at night is a great view from above the traffic. Hard to imagine a worse choice a/c for your c1-c5 vertebrae than a mooney over new mexico & az. I slow the IAS down to 120 quite a bit. that wing just will not give and when you are low on fuel the airframe is sooo light, ouch.

Correction, Manufactured in Fall of 1963, Sold as a 1964 Year model, like they do with cars. This is Serial #101.

$7500 to fly 100 hours is a minimal and typical year for me in my 1964 E Other years we try to find something for $500 to replace like a starter, control links, nose gear rebuild, alternator overhaul. In 20 years and 2000 hours of flying the most expensive repair I've done was the rebuild of the fuel servo for $1500. That was completely my fault when I had to quit flying for 18 months during my divorce in 2002. Some water trapped in there corroded the fuel servo--nothing is worse on aircraft than idleness.. Second place was both magneto, bendix, overhauls for $1300, then tied for third was a rebuilt #3 Cylinder for $800, and the nosegear overhaul also for $800. Thank Goodness for LASAR and helpful mooney friends like MooneyMitch and Mooneyspace!! 100 Hr/Year flying Budget (owner provides Annual labor and oil changes): Payment 0 Hangar, $179/month at Santa Maria, California 2148 insurance 800 eddy current 120 Pitot static 200 Annual-owner assist, freelance IA Fee 500 Annual cost of parts 300 Total fixed 4068 Cost/hr 40.68 Variable fuel/hr 40 Oil change/hr every 25 hrs 2 Total Variable 42 100 hrs/hear 82.68 Total cost/year $8,268

I have a well flown currently flown 120 hours last year, 1963 E model available on the market for $35k, owned 18 years, 2500smoh mattituck. Almost all speed mods. modern paint and interior showing wear but presents well. Panel shots show almost 160knots TAS at 75% power. In making 2500 SMOH I have been cruising at 152 knots TAS and 50% power. Century 2000 Autopilot, Stormscope, dual kx155's, VFR GPS.

my friends and I agree, if 70 gallons of fuel, the e would be so much better...jeez, you can barely get anywhere with 52 measly gallons of fuel.....what was al thinkng....and thank you jose.

of course, in the interest of safety, I have learned to "tanker fuel"

for the love of all that is holy, FOLLOW THE POH and run a tank dry, you will get 600 nm range. Been doing this for 20 years in a 1963 totally under tanked 52 gallon e model. If you get headwinds, like you do going west bound, take a detour. for some reason pilots refuse to run a tank dry--they refuse to follow the poh.

FWIW, my 1963 E model has 5500 hours on the engine, and 2600 Hours on the last overhaul performed 32 years ago by mattituck. I replaced one cylinder that I lost on a night flight due to a stretching/tuliping valve--it was on #3, the hottest cylinder, but it showed zero signs of heat damage and otherwise the piston, rings and cylinder were perfect. The other three have not been touched. They are chrome cylinders, and all four are 77/80 evenly across the board. I change the oil ever 25, filter at 50, and most flights are 1200nm one way at 12,500' (california to dallas commute for 10 years now). Oil analysis shows all normal parameters. Takeoff and cruise performance is equal to my friend's E with a new engine...we both see 155knots TAS in formation cruise--but I have all the speed mods and he has none....On my engine, every accessory has been replaced or rebuilt however. BTW, Jose's tip on another ms thread about flushing the crankcase with avgas worked great, now my oil stays honey colored for up to 15-20 hours! John Herlihy M20e @ SMX Santa Maria, California

When taking it apart, be careful not to loosen the retraction rod adjustments. It is not required. One of our smx based mooney pilots gave me that tip when doing mine, because when he did his, he did loosen those and incurred some extra heartache getting them re-adjusted....Also, Pay special attention to the length of the steering heim ends pin to pin length if you are replacing those. That way your nose wheel will hopefully track straight without a follow up adjustment.

I can confirm Don's Suggestion that a golf tee is the perfect fit. When Mine stuck open on a cold morning away from home the FBO drove his golf cart over and gave me a tee saying he kept these on hand just for this purpose. My drains originally came from the factory Riveted into the wing. Lasar installed new ones when I acquired the E (mfg in nov 1963) in 1999. When drilling the wing skin for the new style drains, make sure you don't drill through the wing spar cap like I heard some people have done. We had one wood wing A model at the field that I noticed the pilot used golf tees as a permanent fix. John

Thanks for the welcome. Yes it is a flight of two. I'll make an introductory post once we make it back home at smx, Santa Maria...

My buddy and I in Two e models are Leaving Fillmore going over las to Rosamond tomorrow for lunch ...

My buddy and I in Two e models are Leaving Fillmore going over las to Rosamond tomorrow for lunch ...