Oscar Avalle

Just to provide you with an update. I checked the probes and they are K type... So no problem there. I also checked the connections and I tested the one probe and everything is OK. Then I asked my AP to have a look again at the connections for the LASAR ignition. No problem there... So I decided to start the engine and just see what was going on. I ran the engine for about 30 minutes on the ground (about 85 degrees and 5000 feet field elevation). One CHT (number 2) got up to 450... the rest behaved well around 390 to 423 (considering LASAR and temperature). Talking to some people on the field I was told that LASAR was a problem around here (high temps and thus high density altitude), because it raises the CHT... I was also told that several owners just went back to magnetos because of that... So, thanks for all the inputs...

Dear taracka Thanks for your comments. My mooney is a M20c. The engine a o360 a1d With a LASAR ignition. The engine has about 17 hours since major overhaul. Fuel is ok, timing was fine until until I flew her last time, the mechanic checked the baffling and it was fine too. Temperature was in the 80 and density altitude about 5000 feet. The jpi was installed in 1990. Could it have been installed with gem probes? How can I find it out?

Unfortunately the factory cht isninop. But good to hear that somebody else heard about this

Well here I am again with a question, that hopefully somebody will be able to help me find an answer to. I just updgraded from a JPI 700 to and JPI 830. I used the old EGT and CHT probes. Until I upgraded my CHT indications on the 700 were basically normal. Around 380 to 400 (I have a LASAR ignition system which raises CHT by 30 degrees). After I upgraded, I started the engine and CHTs inmediatly went through the roof. On all 4 cylinders they reached 400 in less than 20 minutes and after take off they reached 500! Which of course made me land right away. But as I mentioned before...everything was normal until the upgrade... Also, oil temp, oil pressure and EGT are in the green...I asked my mechanic to look into the baffling and the doghouse and he confirmed that everything looked OK. Unfortuntaley I was not able to check if the probes were working well... So, I decided to call JPI and they told me that I may have some old GEM CHT probes with and a GEM harness which is not compatible with the 830... My engine has only 17 hours since MOH...and I am flying out of a field with 5000 feet elevation... Does it make sense what JPI is telling me or should I looked at something else...

Thanks all those comments are extremely helpful. I have been flying more and more from grass fields and the mooneys are not that bad, as long as you follow the procedures.

I open it rather often. Just to check that everything is OK

Yes, better leave it as it is. I had to park my mooney for four years and I was recomended to just put it on some blocks, pickle the engine and leave it covered. March I brought her back to life...no mayor issue.

Really interesting. Obviously they are working on reducing the time lag.

As Mitch mentioned, it is labor intensive, but really worth while.

Steve, excelent job! I wish you both a quick recovery. Once again, this only shows how little our media knows about flying and how important it is for us to be able to educate and show them what we are doing.

I tossed it out during my panel upgrade. Now I have 2 430 and a portable 795, plus the ASPEN. The problem is the cost of the database (s).

Very nice... congratulations. Looking forward to having it up and running.

Great idea

I just send it to you, please let me know if you got it. Oscar

Hi there, Welcome to the list! There is a Training Manual prepared by MAPA that gives you tons of tips on how to use your M20C in IFR, speeds, power settings, etc. I am sending it to you by email. Enjoy your training and follow Byron's advice...:=) Oscar

Byron, Fair enough. Oscar

Byron, excellent points. However, what do you do while your original gauges don't work... I had an AP that did not want to sign off my annual because the original CHT gauge was INOP (although I had a JPI 700). I went to another AP and he did not even mentioned that the gauge was not working. However, this time around, I decided that I would like to be fully legal...

Byron, Indeed depending on the density altitude it does not need to be "full rich" to have a negative effect....

I agree, recently I was landing at an airport that was 5000 feet high, after doing my GUMPs check I enriched the mixture and because I was IMC I put on Carb Heat, and the engine started to run very rough. Inmediatly I leaned the mixture and the engine was fine again...

Thank you for all your feedback... extremely useful. At the end I am going to replace my original gauges with a set of used ones...Although I have to say I feel much safer looking at my JPI 830.

Most of my engine gages in my M20C, with the exception of the Fuel Gages, are not working well. The indications are not reliable, they get stuck, or they simply stop working. I installed a JPI 730, but obviously I need the old gages in order to be 100% legal. My mechanic told me that the best solution would be to replace them, however he could not tell me where I could get them. So, I was wondering if somebody knows where I could buy them... Thank you very much for your advice. Oscar

Really cool looking plane. I am particurlarly impressed with what you are telling us about the new prop. I am seriously considering that upgrade in the near future.

Byron, Indeed I heard that the LASAR ignition raises the CHT by 40 degrees... and that I should actually install such a device you mentioned in your email...but if I were to do so, the benefits of the ignition disappear. Now, the question comes up is it worth keeping the LASAR or should I revert to the normal magnetos...? Oscar

Thank you for this great post. I have am overhauled engine on my M20C with a LASAR ignition, about 20 hours total time, and I am experiencing very similar temperatures in my engine... Last Friday I landed inmediately when the CHT reached 500... It was scary. I took off the cowling and reviewed the baffles and the dog house. I have not flown since then, but I hope to do it on Monday to check everything out. Oscar Quote: pmccand My ramblings and notes about high engine temperatures... I have also had FRUSTRATINGLY high temperatures for which I have requested assistance on this and other web sites after a recent o'haul on my O360. In my case, I tore the engine down a SECOND time in less than 50 hours, after I found two rebuilt cylinders delaminating nickle from the walls! I suspect very high temperatures were partly to blame. I couldn't get temperatures down after 25-30 hours. I'd start up and make the taxi and pre-flight as short as I possibly can, rolling as soon as CHT's reach 250 deg F. Upon climb and just after retracting the gear, I find the temperatures at or near 450-480 degrees, and on a really hot day I push red line. Climb out is at 120 + MPH with full power, full rich and cowl flaps wide open. I drop the nose to cool the engine as much as possible until I get 420 degrees or less. At this setting, I can climb only at about 800 feet/min with a light load. Gauges and probes are checked for accuracy. Carb modded with the ancient service bulletin for the early 61 engines which richened the mixture, and timing re-rechecked. What's really scary about this is the temperature would SCREAM above 500 degrees if I came in for a landing with a hot engine and tried to do a go-around. I made a call to Don Maxwell and asked him what his temp experiences were with the M20B O360 engine. To my surprise, (and without telling him what temperatures I was getting) he said that #3 is ALWAYS the hottest, 390-420 degrees in cruise is "typical" and upper 400's are not uncommon on climb out. "That's the way they are", he said. So, based on his report of normal behavior, I decided to fly it as-is. In my quest to further lower the temperature, I did the unthinkable...I installed a LASAR cowl enclosure mod, just to see what would happen...and what do you know...CHT DROPPED on climb and cruise by 10-15 degrees with a SMALLER opening! At least, it didn't hurt to install the mod which suprised the heck out of me. The biggest improvent was a modification to my flying procedure... Nose down and climb slower. Contrary to what most people are doing (as they descend with full power), I make SURE my engine is cooled and leaned properly when descending; just in case I need to make a go-around and want full power. I shoot for 250-300 degrees just before landing with leaner mixture setting to prevent lead fouling. Just my unsolicited ramblings, but perhaps my notes help somewhere. Phil Mc Ca nD.Less

Well after about three months of hard work my panel upgrade is finished... I also redid the interior.... Although I have to say I am a little bit concerned about information overload. Any recommendations... Oscar