231LV

right about 10 gph.....but I always twist until I show at least 3 bars on the last jug to peak pushing me well into the lean side of peak...this takes me down to about 26 MP...add back to 30 and the FF runs up to about 10 GPH...Jugs running cool....same set up running ROP is closer to 13 GPH...I can verify using the formula for power on the lean side...turns out I am getting 65% power running lean....once established. I can re-evaluate where I am using the JPI.....having already done this numerous times, I know that 10 gph puts my engine right where it is happiest...

hmmm....I must be simple and dumb....I pull back to 75% power from full power climb (after leveling off), close the cowl flaps, dial the prop rpm to 2500 and pull the red knob....set the JPI for LOP and start twisting the knob til all 6 jugs are registering on the lean side...add back MP to 30 inches and set the A/P...enjoy the scenery and monitor the temps

Try closer to $55k....

I have the old, hot-running GB in my 231....I have always run LOP with Gami's...10 gph, 2500 rpm, hottest CHT is 380 with TiT around 1600...intercooled with fixed waste gate...great airplane...congratulations

You should check Buchanon Interiors over at KCCR (Concord). They redid my interior about 10 years ago and I am having them redo the two front seats now since that is where the majority of wear occurs

I had Darcy at Willmar reseal my 1980 tanks about 6-7 years ago...If I recall, the price was right around 10 AMU's. The sealant is excellent and have not had any problems since but they did have to repaint the inboard side of each wing due to stripper getting away from them and stripping the paint...prior to the strip/reseal, I was experiencing worse and worse staining and when I had a lousy landing one day, the whole seam of one side seemed to open up...decision made!

Thanks all for the quick reads and comments....let me put a couple of clarifications in...1) I never intended to imply that this was a good investment...there is no such thing in avionics 2) I never intended to imply that 3 hours is adequate for launching into full IMC...its not 3) I did intend to imply that selling a glass airplane will likely be easier than one with steam gauges....all things being equal IMHO Also forgot to mention one thing which is a bit different than how most of us learned...the GS and Loc tapes are up top on the AH, not the HSI.... ...as was mentioned in a post a while back on a similar subject, while most of us are loath to admit we boo boo'd when spending upwards of 12 AMU's, I can honestly say that looking back on the difference between flying the mechanical steam gauge HSI and this new piece of glass, I prefer the piece of glass....at least so far!

Rather than add this to an old thread, I decided to put a new topic up for those interested in the subject. I installed the Aspen 1000 Pro about a month ago and have got about 3 hours of flying behind it. Given the trend of switching to glass on more and more Mooney's ( and GA in general), this might be beneficial to someone somewhere... Where to start...once the installation is complete, the Aspen 1000 Pro (henceforth, I will refer to it simply as "the box"), becomes intuitively simple to grasp and understand in it's basic flying displays. The two primary instruments displayed are the Artificial Horizon up top and the HSI beneath it. The HSI can be configured to look like a traditional HSI or an ARC with a simple button push. On either side of the AH are altitude and speed tapes. On the HSI are distance countdowns to fixes. So far, so good. Simple and clean...but this is just the beginning of where "the magic" begins. The box contains GPS steering. For those of you unfamiliar with GPSS, it simply means that the box will take the fixes/waypoints already input into the Nav box and tell the autopilot which heading to take after each fix saving you from spinning the heading bug. In a typical Nav environment, this is nice and somewhat labor-saving (although, really, how much labor is involved spinning a heading bug?) but in an Approach environment, this is "golden". The Nav function will take you through the Transition into the Approach. Punching the Approach button on the autopilot will tell the box to fly the Approach with all the fixes and step downs....as you near decision height, if you need to go Missed, punch the Hdg button on the autopilot and the box will fly the plane to the Missed Hold fix and IF you have WAAS, the box will fly the Hold....if your don't have WAAS, you will have to fly the Hold using the Heading bug. The scan can be focused more intently on the box because it has all pertinent data for the Approach (excludes engine info, however). There are many options which the box gives you for configuration purposes and I won't go into that since the manual does a good job. It would help if an on line simulator was available from Aspen but I haven't found anything yet. The trend for GA is moving toward glass. Whether individuals embrace it or not, the resale value of planes with glass will increasingly pull away from those with steam gauges. The next closest upgrade beyond the Aspen would likely be the Garmin G500 but this involves a new panel and lots more labor which is reflected in the installed price...about 3x's what an Aspen costs to install. Given that my plane is a capable cross country flier, I elected to step up to the Aspen and very happy I did. In my opinion, moving to an Aspen 1000 from a mechanical HSI is the same difference as navigating from using VOR "needles" to using GPS

The Encore for another 230 pounds is the upgrade as others have remarked....I did the research (back about 5 years ago) on converting a 231 to the 262 (252 Encore) and only serial numbered planes 25-1000 through 25-1230 are doable at a "then" cost of approximately $36,000

Just to close this thread out.....I finally got the install completed this past weekend. The plane was originally left on August 21 but was not completed until Oct 3. It wasn't a big problem for me since I had no big trips during Sept. Unfortunately, the autopilot interface didn't work necessitating a return this past Saturday. Turns out it was a bent pin that was replaced and now everything works as advertised. I'm still learning all the buttons but what I have seen so far is this is one sweet piece of glass. The workload drops significantly as the interface between my Garmin 430, the Aspen and the Century 41 autopilot is as smooth as butter. The only odd thing I have learned is when flying the ILS, the Loc and GS tapes are located on the AH, not the typical HSI which makes for a relearning of where to focus....oh ...and also what buttons to push in what order. Otherwise, this is well worth the time and expense for me!

That is my first thought, as well...I will have to take it back to the installer to troubleshoot

As mentioned in a previous thread, ("HSI just went TU"), I embarked on an Aspen upgrade. I received it this past weekend and have about 3 hours flying behind it. The unit is beautiful and chock full of information....basically, you can now gather all necessary info by looking at this single piece of glass when flying light or hard IMC...that said, the install can be a bit of a bear as my autopilot (Century 41) interface essentially doesn't work...I am troubleshooting the problem with the installer so standby to see what comes out of it....in theory, the interface is elegant...input my GPS destination in the flight plan page of the GPS unit and the Aspen will auto steer the course (if you set it to Autocourse)...it will also follow the heading bug if autocourse is disabled...this all requires that the Aspen and the autopilot are happily engaged.....right now, my autopilot simply hauls into a standard rate left hand turn and keeps circling...

Bwhahahahah! Get a new mechanic!

Oh yea! I've been flying my 231 for 10 years...LOP all the time...mine has an intercooler...the advice you picked up is correct...limit yourself to 36 inches of MP and you will be fine...2500 rpm and you should be able to run on 10 gph...up high...175 KTAS...sweet airplane!! if you could afford it, the 252 is a better plane but about $50 to $80k more....the 231 is a great traveling plane

Sounds like you have found the "sweet spot" for your engine! I run a TSIO 360 GB ( the infamous hot runner) with nearly the same settings although my FF is closer to 10 gph...CHT for my hottest is typically 380 degrees and my TIT limits me when it hits 1625 ( with inter cooler) to 65 percent power..slightly rough with KTAS at 17 k ft of about 170. I am also at just about 30" mp and 2500 rpm....I use both the " last to peak" and TIT when setting things up LOP...engines love it

As a previous poster stated...there is not enough of a difference between the E and a J to go through the hassle of selling and buying....I went from a C to a K and that was well worth the hassle. I suggest hanging onto your E ( which is a great vintage plane) unless you what turbo which lifts you to another dimension!

Brief edit...the 2020 date mandates only ADSB Out....which is the reporting function.......less costly by about half as near as I can tell....still expensive and obscene for both the in and Outt capability...let's hope technology rides to our rescue!

....another data point in this adventure....my quest to install AdSB In/Out ( currently mandated on ALL GA aircraft by 1/1/2020) has hit a gold wall...apparently it is necessary to upgrade my trusty Garmin 430 to WAAS in order for the traffic to display and provide the precise location for the system to work. This is a mandatory upgrade. I will also have to procure a new mode S transponder and a data link...cost for all this plus install....hold on to your seats folks....$15000!!! Are they "nuckin futs"? I can't believe the aviation community is going to simply swallow a mandatory $15,000 by 2020. As I dig more deeply into this, I am starting to realize that something has got to give! I have been reading bits and pieces about ADSB IN/Out and hearing all the great stuff it will do but NOWHERE have I rad about the total cost that many aircraft owners will have to face to become compliant. My panel isn't new but it certainly isn't too far off the average panel in most planes today so if this is what I am facing, then I'm betting the average pilot will also be facing this...where is AOPA on this?

Two overhauled HSI's in 23 months with no guarantee that the next one would last even a year?.....I'm opting for the Aspen glass and having the ADSB in /out done at the same time....it will be required in 6 years and I'm betting the wait list for avionic shops to do the mods to comply by 1/1/20 will stretch out for quite a long time as we approach that date!

I fly a K and have been flying it now for 10 years...prior to that I flew a C model. I understand the difference between the C and the J and a J is a sweet plane compared to the C. The K outmuscles the J in every way....run LOP as standard operating protocol and get a good engine monitor and your engine will easily make TBO and beyond. Even with a tired GB engine, my major expenses have been around avionics and secondary systems like exhaust and fuel which simply wear out after 35 years of use. The top overhauls were caused by a single probe monitor and running 50 ROP which got CHT's up to 430 degrees and cooked the jugs....keep all jugs at 380 and below and your engine will run great! The K is the most efficient plane out there where 175 KTAS on 10 gph is a reality.

See previous post...Sterling quote was $4500 higher...as much as I like and respect Frank ( who has done a lot of work on my plane) I couldn't justify that delta!

I hope all is sorted out but the reality is that this is usually an indicator of impending failure for the mechanical HSI....what you describe happened to both my HSI's prior to them both dying

...as a follow on to the immediately preceding post, I found the quoted price at Chief Aircraft in Oregon to be the lowest at $11,500 installed.....about $4,500 cheaper than the highest quote I obtained

...OK....so now for the next question....I'm in the SF Bay Area.....I'm wondering what avionic shops you would recommend...I have already spoken with LASAR who only does Garmin and has never done an Aspen Evolution Pro 1000 install...Sterling in Concord can do it but they seem kind of high for the install compared to other shops around the US. I certainly understand the value of convenience but their quoted install price is $1000's higher!

No it's the Century 41 autopilot in my plane. So far, in ten years of owing the plane, the autopilot hasn't caused me any problems...as to interface, I haven't gotten that far into the research yet...still trying to figure out what I can afford, get away with, somehow justify...yada, yada.