Mac80

I can look it up and be more specific from the repair logs. I think the trim servo was the one that had excessive wear ? They were all tested and adjusted as needed. I had previous posts after the service in Mineral Wells Century shop. What I recall is a AP control board ,maybe pitch, also had been fried, the technicians description, Shorted out maybe. Also the trim switch on yoke stopped working and it was replaced and all the wiring from the switch to AP was replaced. I thought maybe the switch or wiring had shorted out and caused the control board to short circuit. Works fine for what I need. No oscillations in cruise, climb, bank, or descent. I can’t tell the plane has any rough spots in yoke. I try to keep them clean and have used silicone sparingly thinking it might be helping but I have been reading some of posts, yours ?, that it is no longer recommended. I am very pleased with it now but maybe I don’t know how good others can be. Had a flight today from KJEF to KEZZ. Had some issues with wind changes so it was not very straight but was level. On flight aware N981SM.

I believe he said servos were replaced. Our present C 2000 had excessive oscillation in pitch. New pitch servo and other work on pitch control stopped oscillations.

Bought my J 20 years ago, been paid off for several years. My wife insisted I get the best plane I could not afford. Use it for commuting to ranch too. Just paid $1,050 for replacement battery lasted 9 years. Last year had prop overhauled for second time. Every time I leave the hangar I reflect on how lucky I have been to enjoy flying it and how amazing the Mooney is cutting back travel time and enjoyment. No regrets.

Can an experienced mechanic tell if tensions in electric M20 J main and front landing gear are correct from jacking aircraft and doing gear swings? Is down and locked mean you have enough preload or is mechanic suppose to measure tensions and preload thru belly pan and near the wheels at each 100 hour or annual?

The pilot may know or the could be wrong. It maybe hard to separate gear folding up versus pilot error. Seems like if the gear folded up after landing or taxing or hard landing investigators could tell since if it was front gear problem or mains seems unlikely all gear would fold up or fail to extend to the same degree. Some pilots may call them gear retractions? Are the FAA or NTSB is investigating gear ups or gear retractions? It does not seem likely that the root cause is being reported. Really good service center, that several others missed, caught a rigging problem for me that could have resulted in gear damage that as I recall was from excessive tightness first observed by some spacers that were inserted under gear flaps.

I pour in about 1.6000 oz from camguard bottle into the P66 quart bottle. I may check to see I got enough in from clear view indicator. Then pour the P66 quart + camguard with their blue spout that comes with case of oil and pour all in at once. At annual I use a magic marker to mark the level on the clear view indicator I want mechanic to stop at for 7 quarts. He is close enough.

Soneil - Canada Aero Pack 1 amp long term maintainer pulse desulphator aviation battery charger. 24 volt serial number FJ04128FB1. Made in China. Did not test it but believe it or the plug into side of fuselage created a drain when hangar power was cut off. Case states danger high voltage inside case.

Our Concorde RG-24-15M installed in 1-19-2014. I usually charge it before starting when setting cold for several days. I was told that it is hard on alternator to be charging discharged batteries so I usually charge battery up a couple of days before or less before flight. I have not had to replace and alternator since I started this routine. I stopped using my remote trickle charger with side plug in but plan to use in again now till I get a replacement battery. Yesterday February 28 I had to charge Concorde after setting 8 days and overnight freezes to get a start. I did not do a charge prior to the start attempt. I have lost charge at least once or more when the trickle charger drew down the battery excessively when power was lost apparently to the hangar. The charger seemed to be drawing power from battery when plugged in when lost AC. I am going to try to use trickle charger again and will use volt meter to see how it is doing after I see condition of battery with the larger charger on. I won’t be walking away leaving installed for long durations without checking on condition and have FBO helping search for a new sealed battery. Out parts man notices better duration from sealed batteries. I would be hesitant to have or use installed charger as I do not trust power companies or chargers enough without checking on them.

Does the G3X have a VOR indicator for elevation and lateral guidance? I was wondering how you do ILS approaches. Mine has two. I believe that are for bringing in 2 VOR locations to give a fix for a plane location although I almost entirely use GPS.

Related but not same issue. I had stutter at below freezing that was intermittent but had a skipping variable loss of fuel pressure at same time. Happened mostly on right tank. I believe it was due to air leaking past fuel selector seal. Heard that Maxwell has recommended lube the selector which I did with silicone spray. Also may ask mechanic to replace them but for now it has not come back.

My experience with cam lobes wearing down excessively I believe was at overhaul before I purchased the plane they did not replace the cam followers at least not recorded. The engine gradually made less power at about 600 - 700 hours that was more noticeable when firing on one set plugs under power in air. There was some very slight metal in filter but hardly noticeable. I realize the plane is new to you but if it makes good power the cam is probably OK.

Thank you carusoam I got a can of air cleaner and some contact cleaner. There were several discussions about other type vehicle switches on web. Did the air cleaner first then couple short burst on top on range toggle button with electric contact cleaner. I was concerned the cleaner might harm the viewing clear plastic cover or still stick on some unusual range like 1/2 mile or 10 or more but it worked. I whipped off the cover immediately with a towel. Now all ranges up or down seem to work well and smoothly.

Have an issue with range button sticking on 5 miles. It is the range normally use but would like option to change oranges.

Couple Mooney service centers listed in Illinois on Mooney.com.

I have been using Paul Craft at KEZZ and Steve Wilber’s at KJEF. Also used a Mooney shop just over from St. Louis in Illinois believe it was one that had Ovation HP improvement. They fixed my rudder and think mostly if not all Mooneys. Not sure still in business. Don Maxwell in Longview has done my annuals several times too.

Now that the yoke insertion issue seems resolved looking for an easy way to insert the drill to sidewinder attachment. Seems to fit very snug would helped if had an alignment key. Am I missing something here too?

My new Sidewinder does not have an adjustment screw. It does have a lever that expands and contracts the tow insert to the plane. The adjustment lever was not expanding and contracting the bar insert like it should have. I took a 9/16 inch wrench and took apart lever mechanism lubricated and put back and experimented with different distances for the lever adjustment. Found it does not take much turning the lever to hold yoke firmly when fairly tight. The sidewinder now goes into yoke hole easily now tightens completely all with just usual clockwise to tighten and counterclockwise to loosen. Not sure why the lever did not move correctly. I had to hold inside part of insert to get the two piece part to expand and contract. Lubricating inside may have helped. Not an issue when inserted to yoke as the plane yoke put enough friction on it to allow expand or contract. Getting the drill inserted into sidewinder is tight. If not in fully it can be tested by lifting off the tire to see if chain moves. Doing all this after rotator cuff surgery was difficult as it does take some pushing and lifting the first couple times but a few weeks later I am able to hold up the sidewinder which makes it much easier. One handed insertion required some extra props, broom handle, to help hold up the sidewinder.

Ok I noticed the nut so I will try to get the tow insert a smaller diameter. I did not see a phone number on web site to call. So other part of my question is then lever attached to mechanism that slides into the yoke appears to adjust diameter. So if in range it would be easy in then tighten. Unless it is just set to tight which I believe may be the case making it difficult to put on or take off. Going to give the screw nut adjustment a try after I pound it off again. Only instructions had to do with connecting or disconnecting battery until on plane.

I just the Mooney type Sidewinder. I have had recent surgery on my shoulder so I got the sidewinder to help. Did not see any mounting instructions and the apparatus seems intuitive. I am having problems putting the bar in the yoke as it fits very tight. I have to struggle to get into the female tow bar mount. I have moved the lever counterclockwise which should loosen it still have to pound on it to get on and off. My tow bar fits so loose it will fall out if do not have some tape on it to hold it better. Am I missing something ?

Mine had trim board shorted too. May have been because of bad trim switch which was malfunctioning too.

You also need to think about minimum altitudes and rate of climb out. Several Texas pilots and their passengers have not had a second chance heading out or in to Angel Fire on Hot summer days due to stalls.

“If replacing a Century or King at the end of service life I can see going to a GFC500, it makeseconomic sense” little off topic from Garmin issue. I flew my 1994 century 2000 to Mineral Wells last year. Had several issues which all were resolved. Have had other fixes over last 17 years altogether have not reached the new $10,000 cost of new Garmin economy model.

Your doing right thing asking ahead of time suspect most surgery centers don’t give a full disclosure.