nels

Thanks, Paul.

If you get a chance to look up the shop name, let me know. I am window shopping so to speak but that's what I was doing when I bought my first Mooney and now my 201. I've noticed you were in a C Model not long ago and now in a 252 so I'm sure you know how it works.

I see deals for trade ins, plug and play etc but seldom see much mention for out right sales. I talked to a rep about a year ago and had trouble getting cost numbers. From what I gathered my avionics man was not allowed to install a unit only a shop that was certified by Avidyne? I was looking for base numbers to work from but there just seemed to be too many variables involved so I just dropped it for the time being. It sure appears to be a superior product but I assume it's still out of reach for me. So I guess I need to continue the hunt for a good price on a 430 or 530 on the used market.

Thanks for the reply. I was starting to think I had stumped the panel. Do you think cold weather has an effect on this switch? Seems like I read somewhere that the switch can be dismantled and cleaned. Or is it just as well to adjust it? Also, I changed the girdle filter on the regulator with no change. The only other filter I could find was a tubular filter for the auto pilot. Isn't there usually a couple filters on the intake side of some gauges?

Well, this went further than I expected it to. If indeed it did answer my question of how many Mooney pilots are VFR it must be damn few. I do wonder though if a lot of members may not be IFR but might be embarrassed to admit it on this forum. Personally I would like to have the rating but would never stay current if I did.

I guess I understand NotarPilots's position. I've had similar experiences and you do feel rather violated at times. Sometimes I wonder if certain shops are lean on business or have over spent on personal toys one month and the mechanics are told to make work at the expense of the poor soul that just happens to wonder into the shop at that "wrong time".

I am a VFR pilot and I'd like to get an IFR rating but in my heart I know it probably won't happen. I'm curious how many Mooney pilots are VFR pilots. Also, how long have you been a Mooney owner and how far have you ventured from home in your Mooney.

Well, I put a new foam filter on the regulator and I still have the high vacuum signal showing on the annunciator panel. I guess the next step is to adjust the regulator? Again, I assume removing the glare shield is the best way to do this.

Ron, thanks for that info on the light. It does stay on so it is, as I suspected, high vacuum. The light didn't go on right after the pump install but maybe the veins had not seated/sealed yet? Is the glare shield difficult to remove? I would think putting the garter filter on or adjustment of the regulator would be a lot easier with it off unless it's a pain to remove.

I started my 78 J model the other day and noticed the high/low vacuum light was on in the annunciator panel. When I idled it back to 1000 rpm the light went out. Revved it up a little and it came back on. The pump is new so I figure the filter might be restricted? Or a pinched vacuum line? I looked under there today and found the filter located at the center top of the firewall under the glare shield. I assume it is mounted on the regulator. The filter is the foam type and I assume it is a B3-5-1 type which I imagine is pretty much universal? I think if I take the foam filter off and start the engine I should be able to determine if the filter is the culprit or I need to look further. If the light stays out I just need a new filter. Do those filters just slide on and off like a sock? Do I have to take off the glare shield to work on it? If so, are there any tricks to removing the glare shield .

About four years. First 1 1/2 years the E was n the shop, then I bought a J a few months ago. Put about 60 on the E and about seven on the J. Hope to improve those numbers. The car in the garage I've owner for 44 years.

Just a note on the alternator belt. The belt can be tight but the alternator pulley can be worn out. The belt gets its traction from the belt sides not the belt bottom. When the pulley wears out the belt drops down in the pulley visibly and you can see the minor diameter of the pulley being polished by the belt. This happened to me on my old E model.

Not exactly on the subject but sort of..... Does alcohol also pull water out of the atmosphere such as brake fluid which contains alcohol? Wheel cylinders and other brake parts tend to pit inside after years of service and I assume that it is from water absorption? Also, the inside of older steel fuel tanks seem to corrode badly above the fuel level due to the alcohol in present day auto fuels.

Great information! Nice to know about how much to use.

Good explanations, thanks. So, if you have two ounces of water present and puddled in the tank, you would need about two ounces of alcohol to dissolve that amount of water in the remaining fuel that is present in the tank? Of course the fuel would need to be sloshed around a fair amount get the two mixed?

How does the alcohol in fuel work to lesson the water or ice danger. Doesn't it wet the fuel so to speak so the water actually mixes with the gasolene instead of all the water hanging together?

Libricating the o rings and also lubricating the locking lever on the top of the cap really helps properly seating the caps. Also, when looking through my 201 manual, it mentions that it is ok to use some alcohol additive to the fuel for winter use to prevent fuel line freeze. I was glad to see that was acceptable. I would think it is a good final touch after seeing water in the fuel.

On my iPad.

Thanks for asking, Rookie. It's a 1978 J model with 1100 hrs total time. Spent its life in a hangar. I bought it out of an estate. It seems the fellow bought it about 20 years ago to learn how to fly with. He had a stroke shortly after purchase but continued to take lessons and unfortunately could never get his medical. It was flown periodically by others in an attempt to justify ownership but never got a ton of hours stacked up on it. It flys great. After getting it home I noticed the interior panels, which are in great shape, where starting to yellow. I want to keep them from deteriorating so I took all of them out to redye them and just last week got them back in. It seems like these simple jobs are never so simple.

I checked my 1978 J for sound in the cockpit while on the trip home after buying. At 5000 ft and 24 squared the decibel count on my cell phone was 95 plus or minus. I didn't get any variation when moving it from the floor to the ceiling. I will say the number never did stabilize at 95 but it was the number I saw most often as the phone would never totally make up its mind.

I'm not really qualified but I assume your new blades are not longer than stock? Or maybe your old prop was leaking bad enough it couldn't hold the blades in the course position?

Great information, guys. I'm stuck here in Denver for about two weeks working on my daughter's and son in law's new house. I will certainly send some samples out for testing when I get home. It looks a lot easier to do than I had imagined! Looks like some have redirected me to prior discussions and articles which I will enjoy reading over in the evenings. Thanks!

Thanks for the help. I was in a car driving from Cincinnati to Denver so just now checking in. Good information and suggestions. I will probably send a sample out for test. How big does the feet sample need to be and any direct contact info on where to send?