1980Mooney

It hasn't been mentioned but imagine if the seam/crimp let go as you were taking off or in some miserable IFR conditions. You might not be here to make this post. I find the initial response from Tempest to be unprofessional and irresponsible. Rather than dismiss it as "your problem", they should have been all over it and should have offered to pay you to send the burst filter to them for examination. If they have a manufacturing quality control issue, which they are failing to investigate even after being warned of premature failures, and it results in a crash then there will be a mega lawsuit. And this potentially isn't just a "Vintage Mooney's (pre J)" category issue. We should be reading about this on the next to last page of "Aviation Safety" in the "Squawk Box".

Right - the Tempest filter is structurally inferior to the Champion filter. But it still takes about 500 psi for 2 minutes to deform the Tempest filter (assuming it was manufactured to their normal spec). It is almost inconceivable to believe that your engine oil pump was at 500 psi for several minutes. That would mean you have a total solid blockage somewhere. More likely @RLCarter is right and it is just poor quality control in manufacturing at Tempest. Beechtalk noticed this before also over the last few years: BeechTalk - BT - Oil seeping at oil filter seam / crimp

I see you just joined Mooneyspace (MS). @Parker_Woodruff is a MS member/pilot that is also an aircraft insurance specialist/broker. He can answer your questions and also arrange for your insurance should you purchase a Mooney.

@PT20J is right - there are quite a few salvage out there because the J and K used the same mid and outboard "Flap Hinge Fairings". A pristine set of 4 mid flap hinge fairings just sold yesterday by BAS Parts on ebay. From Section 53-50-00 in the Parts Manual 210379-009 Left wing - mid hinge fairings (2) 210379-010 Right wing - mid hinge fairings (2) 210379-011 Left wing - outboard hinge fairing (1) 210379-012 Right wing - outboard hinge fairing (1) The inboard hinge fairings vary depending upon serial number in both J and K but there is overlap between models. There are 2 different sets of inboard hinge fairings depending upon serial number 210398-001 and -002 210398-003 and -004

I am just going to put this out for information so that we "don't reinvent the wheel" and also remember what "advice" we have posted previously. Let's face it - we are mostly discussing how to fly/maintain planes of similar basic design that are mainly 15-60 years old. Avionics aside, there isn't much "new" that hasn't been questioned on MS before. Sometimes there are a lot of "best practices" which we have forgotten. Your question of how to lubricate fuel cap o-rings has been discussed in a topic that has been going for 10 years now on MS. Since 2013, many Mooney owners have been discussing in the same thread how to lubricate and replace the o-rings on the fuel caps. The thread also includes, on page 1, detailed instruction from our Beechcraft friends at CSOBeech on how to replace o-rings on the same type Shaw fuel caps. (It does require some disassembly of the cap locking mechanism) https://csobeech.com/files/O-RingChange.pdf https://csobeech.com/o-Rings.html I AM NOT ADVISING YOU TO CHANGE ANYTHING, but if, after inspection per SB-20-229a, that you discover that your o-rings are deteriorating, then discuss it with your A&P. He might allow you to change them "with supervision", inspect and sign off. After all, taking "preventative maintenance" action to keep water out of your fuel is a safety benefit. And the FAA Circular states "Owners and pilots must use good judgment when determining if a specific function should be classified as preventive maintenance." Lastly, in 2022 on the last page of that same thread, @PT20J shared his fuel cap lubrication recommendations. I assume these are still his recommended "best practices": "If you spray a bit of Tri-flow on the shaft and work it a few times every so often it keeps the center o-ring lubricated and pliable. If you keep some vasiline or DC-4 on the large o-ring, it also makes it last longer. I tried EZ Turn, which lasts longer, but it’s too sticky. A lot of mechanics take the easy way out and just replace them every year. I had the black ones on my first plane for 7 years and kept them lubricated and they never were a problem. You can tell when they’re shot — they develop radial cracks."

I noticed that @RescueMunchkin joined MS earlier this month and may be a new owner/aviation enthusiast. And I see that @PT20J followed up this post with guidance per Service Bulletin 229A. Just to be clear so there is no misinterpretation, this is the type of "Preventive Maintenance" which an owner can do. (and do it without having to first seek the approval of an A&P or having it observed/signed off by an A&P). AOPA summarized FAA P-8740-15. Among other things it states "6. Lubrication not requiring disassembly other than removal of nonstructural items such as cover plates, cowlings, and fairings." An owner can do a lot of things without A&P authorization including replacing seat belts, replacing non-structural fasteners, remove/clean/repack wheel bearings, grease the landing gear, replace fuel lines, remove and clean/gap spark plugs, replace cotter keys and safety wiring and more. However it is all prefaced upon the owner self assessing that "you have the ability to perform the work satisfactorily and safely." Although you don't need the approval of an A&P, it doesn't preclude or hurt you telling your A&P what you are planning to do. In fact if you are a new pilot/owner it is probably good to run it past your A&P but it is still a task that you can perform. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2012/june/01/answers-for-pilots-preventive-maintenance https://www.faasafety.gov/files/gslac/library/documents/2011/Aug/56398/FAA P-8740-15 Maintenance Aspects of Owning Your Own Aircraft [hi-res] branded.pdf https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43-12A_CHG_1.pdf

Exactly. By filling the tanks you can easily add about 400 extra pounds of fuel that you don't really need right over the mains - and you will kill the shock discs even faster. You are right - a short body with 52 gallon tanks sits on the same shock discs as long bodies (most with 100 gal. tanks - even the early ones had 89 gal.), and anyone with Monroy's which have about 100 gal.

Is this what you mean? https://www.liveatc.net/archive.php Are you looking for Tower or Approach/Enroute recording? You have to specify date and the right “feed” If think that they only keep 30 days of history.

Geez - $800 for an appraisal? "You send them all the info and they do the appraisal without having to actually inspect" Seriously? Maybe Annuals will be like that in the future. We take our own compression readings, take some pics....send it all to your IA and he signs off without having to actually inspect....

Do you still have the original fixed prop? Or has the plane been converted to a "C"?

You may find this reprinted AOPA PILOT review of the 1984 Mooney M20K 231 interesting (April 1984). https://aeroresourcesinc.com/proj98-ci/WebContent/uploads/198404-1984 Mooney M20K 231.pdf

Pre-Buy is another hotly debated subject. Just make sure that they look closely for interior corrosion -

Sorry about that. Unfortunately, I can't find a 231 POH anywhere online free now. The old sites like Sparrow Flying Club, Delta Aviation, Monticello Flying Club, etc either no longer exist or no longer have a 231 and as a result took down their 231 POH pdf.

This is a great resource for all things Mooney: https://www.knr-inc.com/shop-talk-articles.html This may be too much too soon but the Continental engine has it's own quirks and additional manuals to supplement the Mooney M20K Service Manual. (operation, adjustment (especially the continuous fuel injection), overhaul) https://www.knr-inc.com/shop-talk-articles.html?view=article&id=94&catid=25 https://www.knr-inc.com/shop-talk-articles.html?view=article&id=98&catid=25 https://www.knr-inc.com/shop-talk-articles.html?view=article&id=38&catid=25 https://www.knr-inc.com/shop-talk-articles.html?view=article&id=118&catid=25 TCM SID97-3E (again) - Tennessee Aircraft Services, Inc. http://www.kellyaerospace.com/articles/ContinuousFlow.pdf https://pceonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/M-0standardpractice2017-01-15.pdf Continuous Flow Fuel Injection Systems Adjustment Specifications and Instructions (twincessna.org) Cont. Motors SID97-3G (Latest) https://www.scribd.com/document/433794061/TSIO-360-Overhaul-Manual

@Crawfish Also - The "manualslib" M20K Service and Maintenance Manual is the only one that I have seen that has the Electrical Schematics. You find them in 7 "Envelopes" after Chapter 91-30. You definitely want to download and save this one. You will find all the mechanical parts in the Parts Catalogue. You will find all the electrical parts in the back sections of the Service and Maintenance Manual. (Chapter 91) As stated above you will find all the wiring and electrical schematics in the Service and Maintenance Manual after Chapter 91 - referenced to Serial Number of your plane.

You can download the Service Manual for free here. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1368102/Mooney-M20k.html#manual

The Parts Manual is in the Downloads Section here on MS

https://www.oesc-aero.at/downloads/POH_Mooney_M20K_OEKOG.pdf

This is a "leaky" topic. - It just seems to keep dribbling out....

From your post and pics your plane appears to be a 1967 M20F Executive 21 that was for sale not too long ago. When I take what I think your N number is and search on the Aircraft.com site I find three (3) advertisements. The oldest from about 1999-2000 claims that it was painted in 1990 in "a Mooney ‘252’ Scheme". Perhaps a second narrowed look at the logs may turn it up in the 1990 section. As @LANCECASPER and @PT20J noted, there is bondo and there are shims where the cowling mates. As your pic shows, your plane has been modified. I can see the "201" windshield. The ads say that the F cowling was replaced with a full "201" cowling. The original Cowling mounting flanges on the F did not have the offset or step down for the J fiberglass cowling. Somehow these cowling flanges on your plane were added/modified. These Mooneys are handmade planes to begin with. When you add in the numerous bespoke modifications I am not surprised that you are finding bondo where things didn't quite match up. I would look in the logs for the date of the "201" cowling modification. There may be additional painting that was done immediately after. The second advertisement on Aircraft.com for what I think your N number is, circa 2005-2006, says that the plane was painted in 1999 (again? or typo?). Also I see from AviationDB.com that there was a gear-up landing in 1984 that involved a flapping oil fill door and loss of a spinner in flight. When you strip the plane you may find there is some bondo covering/smoothing out vestiges of that fubar. @EricJ suggested "the best thing to do would be to remove all the loose filler and the paint around it and see if there's hidden damage or just a bend that got filled in.", Once you start pulling on that bondo you don't know where it will end. You will probably wind up peeling off a lot more bondo/paint than you expected. The problem is that water will get in those open cracks and cervices. In addition accelerating oxidation of what might be exposed aluminum underneath, when the water freezes it will keep lifting more bondo and opening the cracks wider. It's a dilemma. As Eric suggested "If you have a local aviation paint shop you might try calling them and see if they have a best practice for dealing with such things." I personally would be cautions about physically opening the cracks further and peeling the bondo off. I would try to patch/fill the cracks and spot paint until the time of the full strip/repaint. But that is just my opinion. If you don't mind (large?) areas of primer visible around your cowl, then start peeling with a thin plastic putty knife.

Practically all the big general aviation welding shops are now owned by Tailwind Technologies, which owns Hartzell and other aviation businesses. They bought AWI in Jan 2020 (AWI had already bought Kosola and Associates in Albany, GA back in 2013). In Jan 2021, they bought Dawley - they shut Dawley down, moved equipment and consolidated in AWI Minneapolis. In July 2022, they acquired Acorn Welding in Canada. I have no idea if the level of service has declined or prices have increased yet but they obviously did it to consolidate, cut cost and reduce competition. (aka - as our B-School friends would say "driving efficiency"...)

Your Ovation has superior stopping ability compared to the Rocket 305 and Missile 300 conversions. They retain the single piston brake calipers found on the lighter J and original K. They are marginal at best with the added weight of the TSIO-520 or IO-550. And if the Rocket/Missile is loaded up anywhere near the MGW of 3,200 lbs and/or you land a little too fast they are less than awe inspiring. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like the brakes are doing anything - like they are fading - as the runway exit which the Tower wants you to exit rapidly approaches.

At least it will be in one piece when it lands. That is until they have to cut the tail off to trailer it out.....

“This works for multiple passengers as well. ” Flying with friends must be a real scream in your plane…”Can someone pass the bedpan to the backseat?” …. “Thanks for warming it up for me!” ….

Are we talking about the same airspeed switch that has been discussed here before? Either a gold colored VEP switch or the fatter bare aluminum colored Whitman-General switch? In either case you only have micro switches for a potential heat source which is not much. With the VEP switch, that is a big disk of aluminum to dissipate any heat. See the first 2 threads. With the Whitman-General switch the tubing is not even connected to the switch. It is tee-ed off the back of the ASI. See last thread and pics. If the microswitch shorted out (almost impossible due to the switch design - it usually either sticks open or closed) it would trip a breaker. I can't see how that could melt any tubing Something doesn't make sense in their description or your understanding.