paulsmeds

Lee did the prop balance on this Mooney. Great guy and great service. Buyer ended up getting an inspection in Auburn and I was happy to fly to them. They were also great. Nice to see people who really care! Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

Buyer has been trying to reach Top Gun for a couple days with no response to messages left. Anxious to complete the pre-buy thus looking around at other options.

Not sure this is permitted but does anyone have a recommendation for a mobile mechanic willing to do a pre-buy on a 1967 F in the Petaluma, CA area (O69)?

SOLD!! Owned for last 20 years always hangered at O69 (Petaluma, CA). This is an excellent airplane with many speed modifications and classic instruments with some new digital and 4 cylinder engine monitor with fuel flow. We’ve used this airplane for personal use along with getting and IFR rating. Flew IFR pretty constantly 10 years back but mission changed so stopped getting IFR certifications. Original paint and interior with plastics repainted and ceiling replaced. Classic 6 pack instrument panel with AV30C and vac. AI. Original Brittain B6 3-axis autopilot holds altitude and set course but struggles to track VOR needle. Approximately $6,250 in speed mods make it near a M20J in performance. While the engine is mid-time SMOH, it was rebuilt just 690 hours ago due to a cracked case. Additionally, less than 100 STOH (full top overhaul - 4 cylinders in 2022 -- New Scimitar propeller, hub and spinner in 2023). There are many years left on this engine! Over the last 20+ years, we’ve focused on making it a solid mechanical aircraft we could trust with our family of 4. I’ve wrestled with selling over the last few years but can’t justify keeping it as we are not flying as much now that the kids have left home and we don’t have any long distance flight missions for a 4 passenger aircraft. This has been a solid aircraft and family member that is very difficult to let go. Please look over modifications and equipment below. 57 Years of Complete Logs all Digitally Available Make: 1967 Mooney Model: M20F Asking Price: $93,500 USD Registration: N3506X S/N: 670044 Annual Completed: May 24, 2024 Home Airport: O69 (Petaluma, CA) Airframe: Complete and Original Logs SWTA 201 Windshield (Approx. $2,300 installed) LASAR Shoulder Straps and Seat belts Pilot and Co-Pilot LASAR Lower Cowl Enclosure (Appox. $1,200 installed) LASAR Rudder and Elevator Hinge Covers (Approx. $750 installed) LASAR Flap Gap Seals (Approx. $1,000 installed) LASAR Aileron Gap Seals (Approx. $750 installed) LASAR Brake Relocation (Approx. $250 completed) Manual J-Bar Landing Gear New brake pads 2020 Completed Fuel Tanks Strip & Reseal July 2020 – no leaks 64 Gallons Useable Fuel Capacity Useful Load: 1,011 lbs Total Time: 3481.34 Hours ENGINE SPECS: IO-360-A1A 200hp SN: L-2845-51A Latest Compressions: 75, 74, 78, 76 /80 Full Top Overhaul (4) Cylinders: March 2022 GAMI Injectors (balanced to < 0.1 spread) Sky-Tec Lightweight High Speed Starter Boost Pump Replaced with constant duty Welden 18020-A (July 2020) Bottom 4 Plugs Tempest Fine Wire to 4 Champion (July 2022) New Concord Battery (May 2024) Current Tach: 3481.34 TT Engine Hours: 1,122.34 SMOH (2359 tach) 689.88 (2791.46 tach) Since Rebuild (due to cracked case around starter bracket (serviceable case, main bearings replaced, reconditioned camshaft and lifters, 3 overhauled cylinders & 1 exchange) 75.29 STOH (3406.05 tach)- all 4 cylinders due to three low compression. PROP: New Hartzell Scimitar Propeller, Hub & Spinner March 2023 (3449.02) Model: HC-C2YR-1BFP/F7497 - 2 Blade SN: NS6891B, M30854, M30858 32.32 Since New (3449.02 tach) Avionics: AV30C AI w/outside air temp Vacuum AI Sigmatek 5000B-38 W/Warning Flag PMA6000MC Audio Panel with 4 place intercom and marker beacons Narco 810+ Main Radio (crystal clear) Narco 810 secondary radio (crystal clear) King KNS80 VOR+RNAV Fully Functional – some delaminating of screen Narco 825 Secondary VOR DG – Vacuum King KT90 Digital Transponder UAvionix Tail Beacon ADS-B OUT Stratux ADS-B IN & GPS (link to iPad, iPhone, etc. via WiFi – was used with iFlyQ – great system) EDM 700 Engine Analyzer (4 CHT, 4 EGT w/Fuel Flow) Brittain Turn and Bank Coordinator with Wing Lever – fully functional. Brittain B6 Autopilot with Altitude Hold (all functional – VOR track slightly off but heading works) Autopilot servos – no leaks (wings, elevator, step retraction servos) Pilot & Co-Pilot Yoke Mounted: PTT Upgraded In Yoke Digital Clock/Timer Center Window Support Mount for iPad-Mini 4 Place Overhead Fresh Air Vents Purchased but not installed: Cabin Entry Step Deploy/Stow Electric Actuator System – included in sale Interior & Exterior: Original Paint: Cleaned and waxed often. Not pealing but thin in places. Original Interior: Clean, few stains but comfortable and no tears or rips. Ceiling replaced with insulation and upholstery. Side panel and ceiling plastics repaired and repainted. Inspection Status: Last Annual: May 24, 2024 Damage Notes: No gear ups or other damage other than normal minor hanger dents over last 57 years Performance: @ 6,500 feet full throttle 23" MP - 2,500 RPM leveled out 100 deg. ROP 179 mph true airspeed (155.5 knots) - see attached photo N3506X_11.png. Digital Logs: Aircraft Log #1: http://www.coreutilities.com/mooney/Sale/Logs/N3506XAircraftLog1092066061886.pdf Aircraft Log #2: http://www.coreutilities.com/mooney/Sale/Logs/N3506XAircraftLog2070287121512.pdf Aircraft Log #3: http://www.coreutilities.com/mooney/Sale/Logs/N3506XAircraftLog32014Current.pdf Engine Log: http://www.coreutilities.com/mooney/Sale/Logs/N3506XEngineLog071592Current.pdf Prop Log: http://www.coreutilities.com/mooney/Sale/Logs/N3506XPropellerLogbookNew051723Current.pdf For Sale Flyer: http://www.coreutilities.com/mooney/Sale/1967MooneyM20FN3506XForSale.pdf

HRM, did you ever figure out why #2 is hotter? I'm having this exact problem. I recently did a complete top overhaul and added a JPI engine monitor. I’m consistently showing #2 is much hotter than the rest. Climb will easily hit 400 while the next hottest is 350 as I lower the nose to keep it under 400 all full rich. Cruise 360ish while others low 300’s all while 40 degrees out. I’ve swapped sensors and verified sensors are good, checked for exhaust leaks blowing on the sensor and have the baffling in good shape. Even on the ground just taxing #2 will be 50 degrees or more hotter than the rest. I’m assuming this issue is there is no airflow pushing down past the fins on #2. Interesting I had a small oil leak in the front seal and after a long flight, there would be oil up under the top cowl above #2 and was slowly wicking forward, up and out while totally dry above #1. Suggests the airflow is not coming in past #2 but maybe stagnant due to back pressure on the pilot side. #4 is also the next warmest (although okay) which also suggest I'm not getting much cooling air pushing down past #2 and #4. I almost feel like there should be a baffle above #2 that deflects air down and keep it from blowing back out the front of the cowling. Very interested if you made any progress in getting #2 cooler. We have some hot weather coming and I don’t want to bake these overhauled cylinders. 1967 Mooney M20F IO360A1A

Thanks everyone for the sound advice. It was an unexpected shocker and clearer heads always prevail. We quickly scoped the cylinder and it does show a burned valve on the questioned cylinder. We can’t do anything for about a week but the plan is: 1. Redo leak down on all four (both cold, then warm it up and do it again) and identify where the air is going (exhaust or case). 2. Re-scope all four cylinders and get clear pictures of the valves, piston and walls (so shiny hard to see any scorching). From here we should have a clearer picture if we are talking just one problem cylinder or more. At this point, I’m resolved to replacing the problem jug with new providing the others are still in good shape. After talking with a couple good shops, they are saying overhauling a cylinder is going to take weeks or more and the cost will be just slightly less than purchasing a new jug from AirPower. But I’m getting ahead of myself again. Thanks again everyone for the excellent input.

Lots of good info guys thank you. Still settling in this isn’t going to be a normal annual year and cost a lot more $$$ I don’t have to spare. Oil consumption is up a little from prior years but not bad. Run 20 to 30 hours a year prior to this year. This year about 70 as we are planning on using it more and never missed a beat or acted up. Oil is not burnt looking or smells bad. Changed at 35 hours prior to now and all was normal. No power drop off, no odd running, no odd starting, no drop off in climb or cruise, all normal. If not for low leak down on two cylinders wouldn’t know anything was up. No engine monitor – I know I should have one. Leak down we could not tell where the air was going. Used a borescope, valves all moving so not stuck and look okay. Getting a better camera in a couple of days. Going to take a step back, big breath and check it over again. See if we can determine where the air is going because it has to go somewhere. Get some better pictures inside and go from there. A&P is getting up there in age and is reluctant to get into a cylinder replacement. If it goes that direction, might have to find some more options locally.

I was hoping for somewhere we could fly it in and have it worked on and avoid the remove and re-install costs. Maybe that's just a pipe dream.

I got some unexpected and bad news on two cylinders in my 680 SMOH IO-360A1A 15 years ago. One shows very low compression 25 and another 50. Last two in the 70s. Prior year all 4 in the 70s. No sign of power loss or engine roughness and ran 70 hours this year. A&P thinks the engine is run out and needs a top overhaul on the two cylinders at the least and he can’t do it. Any recommendations for a reputable shop\mechanic in Northern CA? Wasn't looking to break the bank for another 10 years so this is a shocker and also don't really know where to take it. 1967 M20F