marcusku

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I may have been over thinking it in terms of salt getting everywhere inside the airplane.

As near as I can tell, it hasn't had any recent treatments so I'll have to look into that. It's going to live in WI now but we still get plenty of humidity here. It was hangered in its prior life so that helps. I wonder how much salt is really in the air? Since it doesn't evaporate the only way it could make it on the airplane is in dust form.

I recently moved into an Ovation and one mark against it was it last lived in Ft. Lauderdale. It doesn't have any signs of corrosion and the obvious areas of the airplane are clean. I'm wondering if I need to worry about "salt dust" in internal areas? If it exists I can't imagine there is anything that one could do? Many areas of the airplane can't be hosed off. Appreciate any suggestions.

These are always tough to hear about and this is no exception. I embarked on a very similar flight 1.5 hours earlier. I took off from C59 to IWD. I decided to get my instrument clearance on the ground and was glad I did since I didn't get approach until I was through the bases. Bases at C59 were about 900' AGL (1,900 MSL) and tops were about 4,000 MSL. Visibility below the bases was decent where I was but once on top it was quite hazy and you could not see a horizon but could see straight down to the cloud layer below. Looks like his altitude topped out at 2,800' so based on the conditions I saw he never made it through the cloud layer.

Anyone know the part number of the internal o-rings? The parts catalogue shows some o-rings but those don't appear to be the internal ones. My A&P was hoping to have those ahead of time if he takes it apart.

Talked with Lasar and Mooney, looks like the trouble is Airight is currently out of business so it's not possible to get a new one. It appears the options are to find a used one or find someone willing to take it apart.

My fuel selector is leaking, my mechanic found the same thing that they are not supposed to be rebuilt so they don't want to take it apart. What ended up being the solution for yours?

I haven't noticed anything on how the engine runs, full throttle or idle. I haven't noticed any blue stains around the servo. EGT in cruise is generally in the low 1400's at 24" & 2400 rpm running around 50 degrees rich of peak. When it fluctuates the lowest I've seen is 19-20 psi when it normally about 25. At idle its around 27-28 psi. It doesn't drop much on runup though does some under full throttle as you'd expect. When it's fluctuating flow goes up to 10.6 gallons/min when it's normally 10.0. Sometimes pulling a tiny bit of throttle out will make it stop and the pressure go up.

I have two gauges with two separate sending units and they seem to agree so I think the sending units are okay.

I had the restrictor checked and cleaned but I'm still seeing the fluctuation. They did say that I had a bit of leakage at a couple of the injectors. They are GAMI injectors, could injectors be causing anything? Any other ideas?

If I choose to send in the fuel servo to get looked at, what's good place to do so? I assume this is a specialty thing that most shops wouldn't do?

Yes the two gauges use separate transducers. I haven't checked that fitting. Would I be looking for a leak or blockage with the hole? I've also noticed that fuel flow seems to be higher when it's fluctuating--about 10.6 gal/hr instead of 10.0 gal/hr when the pressure is reading higher and not fluctuating (same power settings).

I still haven't gotten to the bottom of this problem. I've replaced the gascolator o rings and the fuel selector o rings, inspected the fuel lines going to both pumps. To recap, I occasionally get fuel pressure fluctuations from 25 psi down to 22 psi. Also, sometimes fuel pressure is slow to build after start up, other times it snaps right up. I have a two gauges and they seem to agree. Am I chasing a problem that doesn't exist or is this not normal? I've also observed that a slight reduction in throttle during the decent will make the pressure come back up.

Thanks! Overall not bad, the two things that could have been better: Steep turns, which normally go well, I lost airspeed during the maneuver and even chirped the stall warning. I wasn't paying attention to airspeed, normally I set 2400 and 17-18" and it works out fine. My examiner was heavier than what I'm used to and maybe I had a little more fuel on board than typical but I needed a higher power setting. I told him this power setting is what has worked in the past and he told me that it couldn't. I wanted to say that the problem was the extra weight in the airplane but didn't argue with him. Somehow I missed that you are supposed to have the wind perpendicular to eights on pile ons. I compensated for the wind during the maneuver but didn't realize you are supposed to set it up that way. My lazy 8's and could have been smoother but they did the job apparently.

Thanks for everyone's help! Wouldn't you know the examiner didn't even ask me about the antennas, but it's good to know anyway. I did survive my checkride, sure nice to have that one in the rear view mirror!