MBDiagMan

That’s a good idea! I am still anxious to hear from folks that have adjusted the cable though.

I think you’re onto my problem Bayern. When pulling the lever up it doesn’t quite reach the detent to a point that the slightest bump of that lever causes it to spring to the emergency extension position. I think the cable needs to be adjusted such that it pulls the lever on the gearbox a little farther.

Okay guys. FINALLY after all kinds of delays, everything from the accicpdental death of a family friend to having to go to Galveston to batten down the beach house for the hurricane, I got the Mooney on jacks and got the correct panel off the first try. I now see how everything goes together down there for the emergency extension. I don’t know if it magically fixed itself or it was my imagination, but the engagement control in the cockpit is NOT floppy loose, BUT when pulled to the top position it will lock in place, but it only takes a very slight bump for it to spring down into the emergency extension position. It might be that the cable is not adjusted such that it pulls it all the way to the emergency extension disengaged position, but I’m hesitant to mess with the adjustment. i am thinking that it might be that after I cycle the gear, maybe a gear will mesh In place and allow it to stay in position as it should. I’m not ready to adjust anything just yet. Thanks for the suggestions and pictures. All that helped a BUNCH!

I think your plan is fine. A B isn’t the fastest, but guess what? You build time by the hour not by the mile. When you get to 1500 you will have most all your time complex. It ain’t be turbine time, but it should get the job done. just keep it in the air, learn and enjoy yourself. Wish I were young enough to do this.

Great job!

Thanks Culver! That will keep me from pulling a panel unnecessarily.

Yeah, I’m thinking the one under the baggage hold or the one forward from there if there is one.

Okay, I have moved the Mooney to the back of the hangar and am ready to put it on jacks and investigate the emergency extension mechanism. Which underbelly panel do I remove to access it?

What year model? Need to know if it is a squat switch or an airspeed switch. Did you ever have to rest the gear circuit breaker during all this activity? That said it’s time for the plane to go on jacks. In the process make sure the emergency extender is all correct and working correctly. It can cause the circuit breaker to trip. Mine has the airspeed switch. I have it sorted except now I have a problem with the emergency extension mechanism. The extension is a different circuit than the retraction.

Yes, Cecilia is a treasured resource for the Mooney community.

Depending on the cylinders used, the need for the mineral oil break-in is, I think, a thing of the past. Modern diamond cut cylinders just don’t need that step.

Phillips Cross Country Multi Grade.

Whoops! I meant emergency extension.

To cut to the chase, here’s the situation: The gear will sometimes pop the circuit breaker upon takeoff gear up. Reset the circuit breaker and gear will come up. The first time this happened I thought the emergency retraction selector lever was forward and that was the cause. As I later discovered, the selector seems to just flop around loosely, but the emergency retraction crank will retract the gear as it should. I have not noticed the emergency crank spinning when the gear is going up or down, but I haven’t confirmed that it is not turning. So, after looking at the diagrams in the antique service manual here is my theory before I jack the plane and start investigating. It appears that the selector lever is supposed to be connected to a control cable that leads to the emergency retractor in some way. I am thinking that the lever is not connected to that cable and that’s why it is floppy loose. If that’s what I find I am hesitant to casually reconnect it and go fly. It seems that it should all be connected and work properly, but also should be adjusted exactly correct so that it actuated the red circuit breaker at the bottom at the right position. We are going to the beach for the week and I will jack the plane and begin in investigatiom next weekend. Any sharing of wisdom, experience and knowledge is appreciated. P.S. I sure do wish my shoulder hadn’t been injured and I could still handle a Johnson Bar.

Been waiting on the Trutrak going on three years. I gave up and fixed the wing leveler since it was better than nothing. It helps a bunch on approaches. Get it slowed down and configured, set trim power and sometimes trim the turn coordinator and it will go down the funnel almost entirely on its own.

I am under the impression the GFC500 is currently or soon to be approved for the F. My previous Mooney, a C, had a 201 windshield with panel access covers at the corners in front of the windscreen. Was quite nice.

Whoops!

Something is Generation on that frequency or a harmonic. Calculate the harmonics and try to see if there is something on that frequency interfering. Multiply 123.0 x2, x3 & x4. Divide 123.0 by 2, 3 & 4. Try to figure out if there is anything that could be generating even a low level signal at those frequencies. Maybe a strobe circuit, bad example, but try to find anything at all. You have the best test instrument, the radio itself. Disconnect everything els in the plane that you can. If you lose the noise then start hooking up things one by one. if you can borrow the same radio and slide it int to eliminate the radio itself before all this trouble that would be great, but I really expect that it is a harmonic or identical freq noise source.

If the unit needs overhaul there’s an outfit in Tulsa, Pierce and Strait I think is their name that does a great job. You can look them up or call Britain for contact information.

I flew my Johnson Bar C differently from my electric gear F. At that point, with most of my time in a Cessna 140, my attitude was “I don’t need no stinking flaps!” The routine I developed with it was to get the gear up at about 80 to make it an easier tug. I didn’t use flaps. After hurting my shoulder and being forced into an electric gear plane, a respected an retired career pilot friend flew with me and got into my head that I was now flying a complex airplane ad should fly it like one. So, I still had the gear retraction in my routine And would bring it up upon seeing positive rate of climb. After gear made it up and a red light, I would dump the flaps. Today, I have gotten where I might use 1/4 flaps on takeoff and I might not, but when I do that’s when I get rid of them. The F is gaining speed well during climb, so I may have 90 or more by the time I retract flaps. What my pilot friend and Don Maxwell added to my routine was full flap landings. I had lots of trouble at first, but full flaps and near full nose up trim I can get it down and bleed off speed until it settles. Thanks to these two guys I feel more at home in something besides a little taildragger.

I hope you’re young. I’m 71 years old and my family has a history of living to the age of 90. If I make it that long, it won’t be long enough to see the TT approved.

I have a spare boot.

Don, Great to see you post. Hope all is well! I will take a picture of my moon discs next time I’m at the airport. They are nice shiny ones. I wrote the tire pressure inside. I can remove two screws and loosen one and pivot allowing tire pressure Checking/adjusting. Easy easy.

Yes I have a treasured ‘48 Cessna 140. I would love to have a fresh placard and mine is nice enough to deserve it. Problem is that my ‘48 model has “Left-Both-Right-Off.” The early models didn’t have Both. Thanks very much for the offer. I hope someone gets it that can make good use of t.

Cold: mixture rich, throttle slightly open, fuel pump 2 seconds, start it up. Hot: leave everything as it was when killed. Start cranking and move mixture slowly forward and it lights off. Slowly is a rate that would get the mixture full rich in about 1 1/2 or 2 seconds. Thats what works for me.