bob865

Time for an update and resolution. Thanks for all the help with the troubleshooting and conscience checks as we were working the issue. We were able to narrow it down to the surefly. No spark. By the time we were testing it, it even struggled to start cold reliably. My mechanic worked with their support on the phone and they ultimately gave us an RMA to return it. With Oshkosh coming up, we got them to do an advanced exchange so we could get the plane going. The surefly was installed and all of our woes came to an end. Oh and one additional note. The sn of the 'bad' unit was the same as my original. The unit went back to surefly right before our issues for a prop strike inspection. The only thing worth noting was the revision number on the case went from an A to an F. I'm guessing maybe they did a software update that failed during the inspection?

No. I haven't thought of a safe way to do this. Any guidance you can offer to check for spark safely? I'd love to be able to confirm or deny spark to move on to something else if it's not ignition related.

It's not our first summer and so far we haven't had any issues. Admittedly, the SF came off and went to them for inspection for the prop strike. I'm going to check serial numbers this afternoon to see if maybe we got a different unit back. I'm curious if they just exchanged the unit and maybe we got a 'repaired' unit that potentially had an issue. I'm grasping at straws here if you can't tell.

Yes. In flight mag check is good (nice and hot). I haven't thought about checking it again after I finally get it started following a hot start. The engine came completely off and went to Triad in NC for the prop strike inspection. I cam going to check the P-leads this afternoon. I'm also going to disconnect the started and check the correct mag is firing when the key is in the start position.

Hello everyone. It's been a while since I've posted, but I need some help from the brain trust. We just our 75 M20E back from being down for a prop strike inspection. Field in PA had a pothole that was big enough that the prop hit the ground when the nosewheel dropped in it. Plane runs well coming back with one big exception, she will not hot start. The engine is equipped with a surefly ignition and since we converted from SOS to the surefly, hot starts have been a non-issue. However coming back from the prop strike, the engine will not hot start. Normal procedures won't work. Flooded procedures won't work. Intentionally flooding and trying a flooded start won't work. Nothing. Checked the timing and it's spot on. Checked wiring, all seems good. Mag checks all check good. Checking for a hot mag checks good. Right now we have to wait over an hour before we can get it to start. Battery passes load check and when cranking the engine, the engine monitor doesn't drop out which I interpret as the battery is in good shape. During some early troubleshooting it appeared to be working find with the cowling off. I could start it, let it get as hot as possible without the cowling, shut it down, and hot start it. However when I put the cowling back on, it stopped working. One observation is that it sometimes feels like a Hard Start or Kick Back like you would get on a SOS system when you released the key. This makes me suspect the surefly is not working after it hot soaks after an engine shutdown, but that seems unlikely. Any thoughts on things to try or check?

It is. I just sent you a PM.

Which Christmas?

This is what we did.

It may not be the vales at all. I had this issue with mine that was happening right around the time I did a reseal on the tanks for other leaks. When Edison in FL got into it he found the nut plates that hold the drain valve were severely corroded. Had them replaced as part of the reseal and haven't had an issue since.

Amen to that! I've got the mongo yokes which are magnesium. We had them painted by a buddy that does body work, but he didn't know the nuances of painting magnesium and they are already corroding and bubbling up under the paint again.

I may be late to the conversation, but I have a digital tach that was removed when we upgraded to the CGR-30s. Faster than a repair.

Look up Marine-Tex. I used this on fiberglass boat hull repairs, so repairing your fiberglass cowl is right in its wheelhouse. It's already white, so no touch-up paint needed either unless you wanted to.

Wow. I'm used to seeing swap-tronics for anything with a wire from maintainers here at work. I didn't realize it was bleeding over into the mechanical side of the world.

That's interesting. My E is not in the affected range of the service bulletin. But it does look like a good idea to implement it anyway.

So I made it to the airport yesterday and got a full debrief...finally. So hopefully I can fill in some blanks. Per the mechanic, they had put the flaps down when they were preparing the plane for inspection. They had stepped away to work on another plane when they heard the "thud" and the flaps fell all the way to the hard stop. When the looked, they found the rod end was no longer connected to the actuator. Since the rod end bearing couldn't rotate since it was bolted to the control horn, attention was directed to the actuator. Further inspection revealed a set screw hole in the side of the actuator missing said set screw. With the lost set screw it appears the actuator put enough back and forth torque on the rod end to loosen the jamb nut and allow it to turn. Screw replaced, rod end in place, all tightened, rigging checked, and tested. Obviously a system to keep an eye on for the foreseeable future. Thanks to Clarence for spotting the trim control. When we looked there is a plastic guide on the hole already for the wear plate. The line seen in the pictures is just some polish, not a cut. How a 40 yr old plastic ring is still in good shape is beyond me, but it was. For a couple other points that came up. I learned from this that the flaps are connected, so there is no possibility of asymmetric deployment which was my worry when I first heard. The flap actuator for the 75 is electric, not hydraulic. Since the failure was unexpected and not "before" a flap deployment, this still could have been a scary event. Sure a no flap landing is non-event. But what about a full flap landing that suddenly becomes a no-flap landing without any warning? That's NOT a non-event. Thanks to everyone for their feedback. Will keep my eyes on this and let everyone know if anything changes.

Touché. Is there any service info about the actuator itself? I'm digging but not finding anything.

Sorry guys, I'm working off cryptic info myself. Really wish I was there to take a look in person. From what I understand is the rod end you see being installed in the picture Clarence re-posted had backed out of the actuator. Seems to me, since the rod end is sandwiched in the control horn, the actuator has to be turning. I'm not familiar with how that is built, but to me it seems like a linear actuator shouldn't be turning. My partner on the plane is supposed to go down today and facetime me (I'm the technical one) so I can get a look at it and make sure what I'm telling you is right.