PT20J

Be sitting down when you call. It’s pretty pricey.

Do you ever remove EGT probes to inspect, or just wait until they fail? Any idea how long JPI probes last? What’s the most common failure mode you see? Skip

I did the same thing. My mechanic said to just let the fluid drip from the brake line for a while through bleeder. I noticed that it was discolored (fluid had been replaced 2 years ago) and let it drip until it was the color of new fluid. Closed the bleeder and pumped the brakes a couple of times and all was good. Mechanic says sometimes this works (sometimes not) but it’s good to try it first. Skip

Probably afraid to mess with it after an over gross landing.

Many good reports on Bevan..

Thats my understanding. The problem is that FAA is not consistent between regions. Apparently, they made Rosen get STCs for sun visors making them by definition a major alteration. Great Lakes Aero, located in a different region, was able to get PMA approval for thicker windows. (See the Q&A section on GLAP’s website). So, installing a sun visor requires a 337, but putting in thicker glass does not. Trying to understand FAA maintenance and certification logic is worse than trying to understand part 91 without copies of all the legal interpretations handy Skip

The issue is that the part must have some sort or approval to be installed on a type certificated aircraft. It can be owner produced, it can be TSO’d, it can be PMA’d, it can be a standard part made to recognized industry standards, it can be made by the airplane manufacturer and covered by the TC, it can be a part listed on the TC, or it can be STC’d. 337 is required for a STC. So if the windshield is a PMA part it should be a minor alteration and if your mechanic wants to fill out a 337 I’d argue the point or find another mechanic. On the other hand, it’s just a piece of paper. But it does become part of the FAA permanent records for the aircraft. Skip

Yes

No

The That doesn’t sound right. If you get a PMA windshield installed it doesn’t need a 337. Only if you were installing LASAR’s STC’d 201 windshield in an older model Mooney would you need a IA to fill out a 337.

For a warm start, it’s easy to get confused: too much fuel or not enough? Start from a known condition, no fuel. Throttle, cracked, boost pump off, mixture ICO. Crank. If it doesn’t fire, keep cranking and slowly bring the mixture forward until it fires. Skip

Mooney wiring diagrams are really accurate in my experience. Unless someone’s messed with it, you’ll find things connected just as shown. One side of the strobe breaker switch goes to the bus. The switched side has three wires. One goes to the left wing, one to the right, and one to the tail. Skip

Like I said, work with your mechanic. A few examples: My KAP 150 wouldn’t work in HDG or NAV modes. After measuring a few voltages, I was pretty sure that the Aspen ACU failed. Bought a used one on eBay with no documentation for $200 less than Aspen charges for O/H exchange. Worked fine and IA signed logbook entry. Bought a new in the box Tempest vacuum pump on eBay for a good price. Bought a used prop governor on eBay. Because this is a critical component, I had a shop overhaul and yellow tag it. Skip

If there is a small air leak in the fuel valve or gascolator, the fuel pump might suck an air bubble into the line when the valve is OFF. Even without a leak, the pump on high might pull enough vacuum to do it. Skip

Oh boy, Ross. I can hear the whir of the can opener and see the worms emerging Since there are no rules requiring parts paperwork, it comes down to the comfort level of the person signing the logbook. https://www.avm-mag.com/the-parts-traceability-puzzle/ Skip

Sorry about the auto accident. I worried about shipping when I bought a Lycoming rebuilt. Lycoming only ships FOB their loading dock, which means when it leaves on the truck, I own it. The insurance included doesn’t nearly cover the value of the engine and I could not find a reasonable way to purchase additional insurance. It got to me OK, but I lost a little sleep over it. Skip

Byron, from the picture, I think that hose was used for a fuel line, not the prop governor. The proper NAPA prop governor lines would be imprinted NOT FOR USE ON PROPELLER GOVERNOR SYSTEMS.

Not sure what you mean by “zero timed.” Only Lycoming can rebuild an engine and declare it zero time with a new logbook. (They do this because they take all the cores to pieces, recondition the good parts, throw the parts into inventory and rebuild engines from this inventory. There is no way to know what time is on all the parts that make up a factory rebuilt engine). Skip

Well, maybe.... But, I’ve never seen gas drip from the sniffle unless I over prime it. If you shut down with the mixture control, you’ve cleared out the injector lines. So, where would the gas be coming from? I once found gas dripping on my nose wheel. Turned out to be a loose B nut on the fuel pump end of the fuel line to the servo. After that, I checked the torque on all the fittings and torque sealed them. Skip

Check the tach. Unless someone has messed with the low pitch stops, the prop shouldn’t be able to turn that fast at takeoff airspeed. First annual and first year of ownership can be full of unpleasant (and expensive) surprises, in my experience. Remember, the previous owner probably was thinking about selling long before they did — and likely deferring maintenance all the while. Skip

Lycoming SI 1435 allows the option of a flexible hose on the prop governor line, so that might be OK if the hose is the Lycoming-specified part. Skip

Sniffle is to drain intake of excess liquid fuel. If sniffle drips after shutdown using mixture control to kill engine by starving it for gas, you’ve got to ask where the fuel is coming from to get into the manifold?

OK, here’s the scoop on control bearings: My M20J IPC does not list the bearings but only the next higher assemblies which are brackets with the bearings pressed into them. I confirmed with Dan Reisland at LASAR that the aileron, elevator and rudder bearings are PN3A. (I did not confirm, but believe that the flaps use PN4A bearings). I confirmed with Ivette Prerez at RBC Bearings that they are NOT sealed. Therefore, the Mooney Maintenance Manual is correct and the bearings should be oiled with a light machine oil annually/100 hrs. Skip

Maybe, but on my J, they fit perfectly after installation and then got a couple of small puckers after a few hours. So, I guess it could go either way. Skip

Not surprised they fit well. Guy die cuts them and makes his dies from originals he has obtained over time. If gaps are small and temps OK I wouldn’t worry too much as air pressure likely closes them during flight. Key to a good fit is stretching the material slightly during installation to get it to “lean” forward and inward. Even so, small gaps are, as Don says, inevitable. Skip