goalstop

Offering an update here: + Fuel pump was just bad. Had started leaking a little bit, as evidenced by a few drips of fuel out the front tube after each flight. Finally went fully bad and stopped working + Gear issue entirely unrelated. Mechanical finger had slipped off the right positioning and wasn’t actuating otherwise good to go. Glad it happened at home!

Wow note taken, thank you

Super helpful. I did notice that when I went to push the throttle in for priming, I didn’t hear the typical ’click’ of the gear microswitch… would that be a mechanical (eg fell off the throttle cable) or an electrical issue with the switch? the green light did go on, so that switch is fine

Thank you! S/N is 381, 1964 M20E

Hi all! Looking for some wisdom from you all to hopefully point my mechanic in the right direction and expedite resolution of an issue… in short, my auxiliary fuel pump and gear warning stopped working on final approach last night. Details below: + 1 week ago the starting motor failed. Had been getting progressively slower for awhile in retrospect and finally gave up + we weren’t sure if it was a battery or starter issue so tried connecting battery to a Tug and jumping it, but didn’t work + Left the plane stranded and drove home. Mechanic replaced the starter with a fast-turning SkyTec. Started like butter on my flight to bring her home. No fuel pump issues. + Descending through 3000ft, I switch fuel pump on. Start smelling an acrid/plasticy smell a few moments later. Try to figure out what it is (hadn’t connected the dots) — check breakers, look for smoke, can’t figure it out. After a minute or so the smell goes away + Final approach - landing checklist - fuel pump on. Wait—why is the fuel pump off? I could’ve sworn I turned it on passing 3,000ft. Switch it on. Acrid smell again. Finally connect the dots. Go to hit the switch to turn it off, and it’s already switched off. + Throttle back to slow to approach speed… no gear warning. Pull throttle full idle. Still no gear warning. Put gear down and come in to land + Back at hangar. Ground testing gets nothing out of the fuel pump. Zero operation. Any wisdom on what the issue here is? The things that confuse me are: + Why both the gear horn and the fuel pump? Are the connected or coincidence? + Why did the pump magically start switching off? Is there a breaker integrated in the switch? + am I likely going to need a new fuel pump or does this sound like a wiring issue? + could it have anything to do with the new starter or attempts to jump the battery? thank you all for your help here!!

Found a new one for $800 or so

Hartzell. 835-20

Idk. think it’s been there awhile. Just took it for its 100hr and the prop shop didn’t say anything about it. Just some faded paint and tiny oil streaks

Thanks! If anyone has a lead on a spinner, I’d appreciate it!

Hi all! We just got out to our plane to find a gorgeous and substantial crack in our spinner. No, don’t worry - we’re not attempting to fly it. 3 questions: 1) Any chance of repair? 2) Does anyone have a serviceable one lying around? 3) Possible to get a new one? Thanks!

Also repping the LZU Mooney crew! Good to see others around

I am leaning toward this answer. There is a point at which cutting my losses and turning the other cheek is the right way to proceed. As much as I'm frustrated by this all, I don't need any more headache and potential of things backfiring. I'm planning to do whatever is needed to cooperate with the investigation against the mechanic himself, get any sort of support from Garmin that I can, and leave it at that. I can also admit when I don't have a recourse with the shop (with the GPS money paid to the crook employee) and let it go... no point bashing my head against a wall.

Same person. Sorry for lack of clarity

Thank you all for your encouragement. A quick update - I learned today (according to the shop owner) that the head of maintenance "Intentionally sabotaged my ignition" and "was likely not putting in orders and blocking my calls" to delay the install. I feel really violated and believe that a lot of the issues I experienced (and paid to fix) over the past year were intentional I also paid the shop owner for the GPS because I had no other option. But I'm now out $15k+ for a combination of repairs I didn't expect to have to make and paying for a GPS a second time. Feels really terrible.

Correct - Georgia