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I'm hoping by the time I go home next week they won't be as bad. I'll probably have to go back much lower, at 4,000 winds were only about 8 knots, they picked up significantly between 7 and 9. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

That's a big part of it, I'm basically retired myself so I've got the time, I'd rather be doing something than nothing. I'm going to have Dugosh do the sealing part, David and I have already talked about it. I know he'll do a good job and I won't have any leaks when he's done so I'm not really worried about that part. I just need to do the mindless grunt work and there's something cathartic about just zoning out and doing manual labor for me. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

Where's the fun in that? I actually want to try this myself. I realize I may very well regret it but, I like to see if I think things are really as bad as people say they are. Sometimes, it turns out that everyone was 100% correct and I make a mistake. At least I learn something in the process. Everyone of us in this group disregard "common knowledge" to some extent or we wouldn't be flying cramped, difficult to land airplanes that will instantly go into an unrecoverable spin if stalled and mechanics hate to work on... Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

That was my plan. Left tank isn't leaking at all so I'm not messing with it. Right tank has a slow seep that needs to be addressed but, it's only like 1/2 gallon overnight on a full tank and then it stops so it's up high and isn't critical. I just don't fill it until right before departure and fly off the right tank first right now. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

Not too shabby for a 61 year old C. I had 30+ knot tailwinds the entire trip from Kerrville to W Palm Beach. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

I think I could probably get it done on my own in the same timeframe. 2 weeks to strip, a week to seal and test the tanks. I like doing stuff myself and I have the time, it'll be more convenient than taking somewhere if it doesn't turn into an absolute s-show. I'm expecting tedious, time consuming work to strip it. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

I've read several threads on here about this task including one from around 2020 where someone was building a recirculating system. I think building something to recirculate the solvent would be easy enough, I probably have everything I'd need to do it in the shop already. The consensus seems to be not to do this yourself but, I'm hard headed and have to experience things for myself. I'm sure it's time consuming and tedious but, it isn't really difficult. I'm pretty good and zoning out and working on mind numbing tasks, like standing at a blast cabinet for 2 - 3 hours. Sometimes it's actually nice. I'm also not a big guy at 5' 6" and 130 pounds so, it should be a little more comfortable for me than it would be for a bigger guy.

Thanks, that's really helpful. Knowing what you know now, would you do it again?

Thank you. I won't do anything before April or May at the earliest. I may buy some Polygone and test it on some painted airplane parts to see how it reacts. I can deal with a little around the panels, I just don't want to have to repaint the bottom of my wings or my mains after stripping the sealant. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

Thanks, I've got good, very experienced support for putting the new sealant on if I can get it off. He uses MEK to take it off for patches, I just wasn't sure if there might be a better option. I've been told that the method of pumping through the tank will result in some paint removal as the sealant goes away and it starts to leak out, did you experience much of that? I could easily build a recirculating system with a pump and some spray nozzles but, I don't want to damage the paint since it's in pretty good shape.

We patched a small leak in one of my tanks at annual last week and when we were in there, it became pretty apparent that a reseal was on order. The sealant is starting to bubble up and will be pulling away before much longer, it looked bad. Since I'm flying a C with the small tanks, I thought I'd attempt this myself on one side instead of taking it somewhere. I've read mixed reviews on that idea, some people said they wish they'd never started it and others said it wasn't all that bad. For those of you that have done this and didn't think it was all that bad, what process or chemical did you use to strip the old sealant off? Did you just scrape it off manually or is there something I can put on it to soften it up first? Any tips are appreciated.

The way it bent and flexed, I doubt it was 4130, it definitely seemed more 1018. The replacement part is stiffer than what came off. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

I did do the nose gear since we had it out anyway to replace some wear parts. It had a bit of play in it from wear to the bolts. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

I wouldn't ever try to pass off something I made as an original part. I'm proud of my work and will brag about it to everyone that sees it. [emoji2957][emoji1787] Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

I got the final part powder coated this morning and we installed it. I went ahead and did the other side as well the original bracket was bent and showing some wear so I figured why not. I beefed it up a little and went with 16ga cold roll instead of the 18ga used in the original part. Ignore the greasy fingerprints, they got cleaned up. I think it turned out nicely. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

That's as good a guess as any. I thought maybe for different linkage lengths or possibly some kind of strain relief for the metal? Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

No idea. I asked David and JD, both of which worked at Mooney, and they don't know either. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

There no serial number or part number on the original part. I figure if it meets the OPP guidelines and my IA is willing to sign it off, then I'm all good in the eyes of the FAA. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

Steel., same as the original. It's just been through the blast cabinet, so it's white metal. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

Keeping an antique flying requires some creativity and skill at times. There are a couple of brackets from the nose gear doors to the linkage to close them on my 1963 C. One of them looks to have been welded at some point in the past and my guess is the heat weakened it since it broke at one of the bends. This is the sort of part that is often unobtanium if you can't salvage it off another airplane. Instead of going on a nationwide hunt, I decided to take make a new one myself. Took a picture with a ruler, imported it into CAD, scaled it, traced it and sent it to the plasma table. A couple of bends and we're back in business. I made the first one out of some 20ga I had laying around so I could test the fit and make any adjustments if needed, it was perfect so I'm going to cut one for each side out of 16ga and powder coat them. The other side is still good but, there's no harm in doing them both at the same time.

My old PSA audio panel has been acting up, lots of static in the intercom and recently the co-pilot mic jack has gone out. A few months ago I got a GMA 340 to swap it out and I'm finally getting around to it now that I'm in annual except, it appears that I got a bunk unit. When I turn it on, both Com radios go hot mic. I still need to go through the wiring again to make sure I didn't make a mistake but, I'm fairly confident I did not. So if you've got a working one sitting on a shelf somewhere after an upgrade, I'd be interested in buying it.

If you can find a used one, S-Tec will issue a new STC for your plane. You'll have to send it to them, they'll overhaul it and charge you about what it costs to buy it new but, if you were looking to buy new anyway it may be worth the expense to you. There are usually a few on eBay. I had my S-Tec 50 computer repaired recently and they made me send it back through a dealer, they don't like dealing with the end users. I'm sure it'll be the same with moving an STC. Greg at Pippen York is familiar with the process, he's been a huge help to me getting my altitude hold functional again in my airplane.

Try Pippen York in Fredericksburg. They're an S-Tec dealer and know them well. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

I used .090 6061 when I did mine last year, in a C model. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

You're absolutely correct. I know a guy that had to have his redone at 300 hours in his E because they didn't seal the case correctly and put high compression pistons in it. That's kind of my point, engine time really isn't as big an indicator of engine health as many think it is. I fix stuff when it breaks on mine, run oil analysis every oil change and borescope every 100 hours. I've got 350+/- mostly trouble free hours on it now. Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk