MBDiagMan

I can’t help you job, but who did the leather wrap in the picture?

So. Is it safe to assume that this engine is holding good oil pressure? If so, then you’re golden. Cylinders are just accessories on an aircraft engine much like an alternator or vacuum pump. If the bottom end is not making metal, is holding good oil pressure and no signs of corrosion on lifters, then it is well worth replacing cylinders. As long as it is a repair that can be done without splitting the case, you’re in the money.

I went through shoulder problems about four years ago, but in the end were not nearly as serious as they started out to be and did not require surgery. From a flying perspective, the biggest problem was that I had a beautiful C at the time and it was impossible for me to manage the Johnson bar gear. I ended up selling it and buying an F with electric gear. When I did that I went from a 100% corrosion free airplane with a 250 hour since new prop and engine to a plane that has required an engine overhaul and serious landing gear work. The plane is now very well sorted, but it has been a journey that I would not have taken were it not for the shoulder problems. Shoulder background: I was a catcher from little league to the age of 22. At my heftiest I was 6’1” and 150 pounds. My frame was pretty heavily stressed. About five games before the end of my last season my elbow and shoulder turned loose on a throw to second. Something happened but I didn’t know exactly what. I struggled through a few games and haven’t thrown really hard since. Then four years ago, I was coming up the brick steps from the pool in flip flops. I tripped and with my hands full I caught myself with my right arm. It hurt some at first but not real bad. By the next day it was hurting a lot if I moved it very much. The steps have been redone and are now much more safe. Imaging showed a benign growth of some sort right in that area and it showed a tendon that was frayed. The surgeon said that it was like a frayed rope going over a pulley and wanted to schedule surgery. It was August or September and I wanted to wait a few months. During that few months it got much better so I put it off a little longer and it got to about 80% and I said forget about the surgery. It’s probably 90% or more now although the thought of trying to throw out a runner at second is not something I want to experience. There were many people who told me that for shoulder surgery take whatever recovery time they tell you and double it. During the time I was recovering there was a frequent poster on Pilots of America who corresponded with me while he was recovering from shoulder surgery. He was sleeping and spending almost all his time in his recliner and clearly was VERY miserable. Approach the shoulder surgery with both eyes wide open. I was SO lucky to recover like I did. BTW, I could handle the Johnson bar now with no problem. I offer all best wishes to the OP as he makes this decision.

There is a way to manage this nail the Governor is sorted out. Start by ensuring that the Governor is governing. Make sure it catches the over speed at some RPM and then slows it down. Once you’re convinced that it’s governing and not freely overspending……If it’s rolling down the runway and climbing out at a high RPM, experiment and find how many turns from full in gives you 2700 on takeoff/ rollout. Start with pushing the prop control full in, then turn it one full turn counterclockwise and see what that gives you. Adjust from there. If with one full turn it is 2750, then do two full turns and fine tune from there. After that you will know how many turns behind full forward you need to set it too after run up and prop exercise. I am not an A&P, but this has worked for me. This should be a temporary workaround to be used until your mechanic gets the prop adjusted. Also as others have said, check the tach.

I try to avoid that range under any conditions even if not cruising. The JPI turns the RPM numerals red in that range which is a great reminder. On approach though, it sometimes has to operate in that range for a minute or two.

Wonderful feedback guys! You’ve given me what I need to start on a more detailed look at this. Thanks a bunch!

The IO360A1A in my ‘67 F went through overhaul last year and it seems like it is showing higher fuel flow numbers than it did before the overhaul. I have not yet recorded data, but I will begin to do so. Before the overhaul I saw 9.5 to 10.5 GPH on the JPI much of the time. I commonly ran at low power settings. Since the overhaul I have been running 75% or more power as seen on the JPI because of suggested break in procedures. Climbing out I commonly see 14.5GPH with everything forward. Once leveled off at 75% power I will lean out some, but still see 11.5. Part of what I’m trying to get used to may only be different positioning of the controls. Unlike before the overhaul, when I lean out to 11.5 or so, the control is so far back it feels like I am going to kill the engine. Not knowing how things work in the injection system I don’t have any understanding of how a simple cable adjustment might effect it. I realize that I rambled about this, but I’m hoping some of you especially those who have engine monitors can share some of the fuel flow values that you see under certain conditions. The engine isn’t broken in yet, and I’m wondering if it is running too rich and slowing down the breakin process.

Hallelujah! I hope this is not an April Fools joke! if it is true, it makes sense that it took someone other than Bendix King to get it done.

Yep, I wish I had never hurt my shoulder causing me to have to get rid of my C.

That might be the key. For a cold start I run the fuel pump long enough to see normal fuel pressure on the JPI. Maybe a short burst, or no burst is the key for a partially warm engine.

To answer the question in the title: a JPI! When there is trouble with the gauges, the best investment is a JPI or equivalent engine monitor. I would have never coughed up the money for an engine monitor. I bought an airplane with a JPI 930 and it made a believer out of me. The only person that I have heard with a negative comment toward engine monitors, is my friend with the warbird museum. He has several large hangars full of airplanes to fly. He says he likes individual gauges because it’s easier to move from plane to plane. I only have two to move back and forth between, so I don’t have his problem, that is if you want to call that a problem.

I have rarely had difficult with hot start procedures on my IO360 as long as I know that it’s hot. Today it was probably in the sixties and I flew to a nearby airport, took a courtesy car and went to a funeral service. Got back in the plane almost exactly two hours and ten additional degrees ambient later. After turning on the master I checked cylinder temps on the JPI. Two were 100 and the other two were 102. From that I figured it would light right off using cold start procedures but I was wrong. I, of course, got it flooded. Once I let it set a minute or so, I switched flooded start procedures and got it started without much trouble. So……… what constitutes the need for cold start procedures and what constitutes the need for hot start procedures?

Lots of good thoughts above, but interest rates going up will be different this time. With a 30 Trillion dollar national debt, the debt service costs will be tremendous. The out of control debt will result in the chickens coming home to roost. Sooner or later we will have to pay.

No! It wasn’t like this in the seventies. The government wasn’t pouring money into the hands of the public in those days. Well they were, but even adjusted for inflation only a fraction of what has been handed out since Covid.

I understand the feeling. I have someone right now begging me to accept $45K for my Cessna 140. PreCovid I would probably have had trouble getting $25K for it. I would like to have the money but if I take it, I will never have another fun plane and the money will just be money. My Mooney would probably bring $100K but then I wouldn’t have a traveler. I hope that both of us don’t look up in a year or two wishing that we had sold our planes. The economy seems to be on thin ice.

Yep!

Well, Oklahoma and Alaska are pretty far apart. Edit: Whoops! I forgot the smiley face.

Actually, it’s not a catastrophic situation in an electric gear model either. There is a clear window near the trim wheel where you can see if the gear is down. It’s probably a more reliable indication than a light.

At what GPH?

Yeah. It’s like taxes. No onesies about their taxes.

This all should work in a perfect world. The question is: how long can we depend on this perfect world you outline?

Hmm…. Verified by a four way run?

Airplane prices are completely unexplainable right now. A friend of mine bought my son in laws 172 M with engine at TBO for $45K in August 2020 and sold it for $80K last October. I have someone begging me to sell them my highly updated /G Cessna 140 for $42.5K and would pay for the annual it’s going through. I am afraid to let it get out that I would sell my Mooney. No telling what kind of offers I would get.

WOW!!!! You got a LOT of COVID payment!!! How did that happen?

My first Mooney was a ‘63 C and it was easy Peary access. You can pull the top or either side panel as necessary. WAY easier than the J cowl on my F. Count your lucky stars and be happy with the C access. Make yourself a wooden rack to set the panels in when they are off. Accidentally stepping on one is a VERY bad thing.