AlanA

Scott, I liked your idea about cutting off the step but modifying the step with a hole to put it back on when/if you need to. You're are going to preflight the plane anyway usually before you passengers ever climb aboard. It would be easy to do then. The other 95% of the time I will leave it off and enjoy a mile or two an hour difference. Hey every little bit of speed helps right?

My 1979 M20J has a step. I am thinking of removing it. I don't need it because I fly by myself 95% of the time. I'd rather have more speed. Has anyone removed their step? How do you do it? Did it increase your speed at all and if so how much?

I contacted Autopilots Central in Tusla as some of you suggested. I asked if there was something I could do first to localize the problem before sending the AP in. Barry there gave me some great instructions which I will try first. If I need to send it in I will definitely send it to them. I copied his email. I thought it might be of interest to anyone else having similar issues with their AP. Alan, Go to the roll servo. Unplug the connector. There are four pins, A, B, C & D. Pins A & B are the engage solenoid. Pin A is ground and pin B is 12 volts or battery voltage. If you put your volt meter on Pins A & B at the same time, you should read approximately 12 volts DC with the autopilot engaged. If no voltage you have a bad controller. If you do have 12 volts, bad servo. Next, go to pins C & D. This is motor drive. If you engage the autopilot in the heading mode, while your volt meter is across pins C & D, if you move the heading bug, you should get varying voltages of 0 - 10 volts DC. This will go positive and negative according to witch side of the lubber line the heading bug is on. If you have no voltage, bad controller, voltage and no motor drive, bad servo. Good Luck Barry

Thanks for all the great ideas! I really don't want to spend a fortune on a new AP so I think I will contact one of the shops mentioned and see what they say about fixing it. I tested it in flight today. When I press the test button all the lights turn on so it appears that at least the computer is recognizing input from the heading bug and VOR. But there is no resistance at all to turning the yoke. Also when I set the heading bug for turn nothing happens. Does this indicate then a probable servo problem?

The Century 21 autopilot in my M20J no longer holds a heading. I am thinking about replacing it with a new or refurbished autopilot rather than attempt to have it fixed only to have it still not work. Any suggestions about what to replace it with? If you have installed one about how much did it cost? The Century 21 is a single axis autopilot. I'm thinking about replacing it with another single axis autopilot because the two axis is so expensive. Do you think I will be disappointed if I only do single axis? Can I easily upgrade later to add the other axis?