N601RX

Its a TSO converter, so whatever the MTBF is the FAA has accepted it as being good enough. I generally don't place any value on my labor when working on my aircraft. I actually find it enjoyable and stress relieving afer a day at work. What's the MTBF on a Bendix mag after it shows problems on a mag check on runup and the CFII/ATP in the right seat tells his wife to take off on a long cross country anyway?

I put in a used 28 volt KY 196A Com and used Lone Star voltage converter for a second com. The Lone star converter is about 2"x3" and weights .5lbs. There are some good deals out there on used 28 volt equipment. It gave me a 760 channel 20 watt digital com setup for under $500. The same 14 volt setup would have been around $700 and only 5 or 10 watts.

John, I was wrong, I do have a crack and doubler in about the same place. Its close to the cowl flap hinge bolt, so the the cowl flap may have put some extra stress in that area. Is yours in the same area? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I went back and looked it up. It was 2 airports over a couple of weeks. The AD listed a 100 or so tail numbers. As Bennett said it was avgas with Jet A contamination. That action requires teardown and analytical inspection for engines certified to operate on 91 or higher octane aviation gasoline (avgas), and differential compression test and examination of the oil filter for engines certified to operate on 80 octane avgas. That action was prompted by reports of reports of aviation gasoline (avgas) being contaminated by Jet A fuel. After investigation, the source of the contamination has been determined to be the refiner of the avgas. Through its distribution system, the refiner inadvertently caused Jet A fuel to be loaded into distribution tanks intended for avgas. Contaminated avgas from these distribution tanks was then shipped to local fuel distributors. The FAA has determined that aircraft with certain Textron Lycoming engines installed were fueled with this contaminated mixture between May 22 and June 2, 1994, at Sacramento Executive (SAC) airport, or between May 18 and June 2, 1994, at Sacramento Metro (SMF) airport. The list of U.S. registered aircraft specified in the applicability paragraph of this AD is based on investigation of fueling records secured from the two affected airports, which the FAA has determined to represent the population of affected engines. That condition, if not corrected, could result in detonation due to low octane, which can result in severe engine damage and subsequent failure.

My F has 5800 hrs and I don't have any. It may have had a out of balance prop at some point that contributed to the cracks.

There is an AD for a similar incident at a airport in CA. Its a strange AD and list certain tail numbers and anyone else who purchased fuel from the FBO during a certain time window. If I remember correctly it required a mandatory engine teardown and inspection.

From Peterson's website The Mooney and Comanche both experienced vapor lock problems when they were tested. We solved the vapor lock problem but could not overcome pneumatic lock. Pneumatic lock takes place when the fuel boils as it enters the carburetor. The engine then dies due to an over rich mixture. This is just the opposite of a vapor lock where the engine quits or runs poorly due to a lean mixture. The better an airplane performs, the more difficult it is to get it through the flight test program. We do not have Auto Fuel STCs for engines using Bendix fuel injection because it failed our flight testing. Continental fuel injection did not have that problem and is therefore approved – I0-470-J or -K (225hp). The 260hp I0-470 and 285hp I0-520 are also approved. These last two require Anti Detonation Injection (ADI).

Its when the spinner ends up in the center of the cowl. Its different on each plane. Maxwell has an article on his website giving some suggestions on where to start and how much each washer will move the spinner.

You can also get a grease fitting rejuvenator. It is a penlike device with a plunger that has a thin penetrating oil in it. It will clean them out. I think the local parts house sells them .

Most of the ones on my plane are press fit and will not screw out.

I started a thread about them about a year ago, but can't find it right now. Found it. http://mooneyspace.com/topic/5209-engine-crankcase-driers/?hl=%2Bengine+%2Bcorrosion#entry67396

Brian's page has the complete manual. Its just below the partial manual. http://www.67m20e.com/Mooney%20M20%20Series%20S-MM%201980.pdf

No, just have a sign that says what area you want to go to.

They are air dams. My F only has them on the #2 cylinder. They force the cooling air to flow down through the fins instead of just across the top.

If you have time would you mind peeling the skin back and posting a pic of how the bottom of the spar cap looked?

One small spot like this may not look like much, but on a stressed part such as a spar that flexes slightly it will eventually develop a crack in the bottom of corrosion pit. Normally the stress would be spread out evenly along the spar, but when you have a small damaged area like the stress concentrates at bottom of the pit and will eventually lead to a crack. Given that it might be several hundred hrs or more later.

The 1st time I flew in I had 67 hrs. I had flew in a couple of times before getting my license with a friend and new what to expect. I also had another similar time pilot in the front with me and we had planned out who was supposed to to what. You basically don't say anything on the radio, just listen and the spotters on the ground will direct you. The pictures you see in the notom show exactly what you will see in the air. I don't want to talk anyone in to doing they are uncomfortable with, but we have always been prepared and new what to expect and it was always a non event. Do you have anyone who could ride down with you. Perhaps there is another member on here who you could pick up on the way down to help as a spotter? We have always camped in either the Vintage or GA area. Leaving is easy, just get in line and wait your turn. When you arrive you need to have some kind of sign made that tells them what area you need to park in.

I'm curious why many people are not wanting to fly directly into Lakeland? I've done it several times and found it to be very well organized and streamlined. I've never had anything even remotely close. Just read and understand the arrival procedures ahead of time and don't be trying to figure them out as you are arriving.

A person at our airport had spent 15 years building a almost perfect Acey Ducey. It was judged a couple of hrs before the storm came through. It won Grand Champion Plans Built and was flipped upside down and wings torn off about an hr later. He spent the next 1.5 years rebuilding it. Its back flying now. Its the yellow Acey Ducey. http://www.sun-n-fun.org/FlyIn/EventActivitiesAndSchedules/aircraftJudging/2011-Judging-Awards.aspx

Camping by the plane!!! For those who don't think camping is for them, just try it one time. You will really get a lot more out of the experience. For what a hotel cost for 1 night you can buy a camping setup.

Read Service Instruction 1290. It's been a while and I don't remember the exact wording. If they have any questions call Lycoming for clarification. It would depend if the engine had orings only or orings and dowls. If its not one that the publish on their website pm me with your e-mail address and I'll e-mail it to you.

Are you sure your case has orings around the bolts? If not lycoming has a service bulletin that allows installing .001 and I believe a .003 oversized throughbolt in the field to stop leaks. If I remember correctly the .001 is just a press fit into the existing hole and the .003 requires reaming 1st.

When you weld any of the heat treated aluminum alloys you loose 1/3 of the strength in the area that is affected by the heat. Its refered to HAZ= Heat Affected Zone.

I would guess that if it was done at the factory it was just a M20 turbos unit that was installed under the M20 turbos STC by a factory mechanic.

When I overhauled my engine I set the oil pressure up at 82 PSI. I think that was with 4 washers under the spring. Looking back through my JPI data it has never really changed after warming up. High oil pressure will erode bearings. Lycoming should have done enough testing to know where this will occur and set the red line to prevent it.