Search the Community

My airplane is stranded in San Luis Obispo (KSBP) with a CO leak from somewhere, so if anyone able to help locate a mechanic that can fix it there, or have options, would be hugely helpful. Here’s what happened. I’ve always been a huge supporter of having an electronic CO monitoring device at all times and it was needed yesterday. I was taking off from PRB to fly with friends and my portable CO experts monitor alarmed. Reading was 40 ppm which then went above and got a High display. Got to level flight, held the monitor through the side window. Did not come down. I then turned around and landed with side window open, cabin heat, cabin vents closed. I felt fine and let the device go down to 0 ppm on the ground. Luckily a mechanic was flying with us and we took off the cowlings and no leaks were noted on visual inspection, and another friend had a Sentry CO monitor which I took up in the pattern to see if it was a sensor issue problem and mine went off to high again, but the Sentry read normal. No notifications of any abnormal reading to ForeFlight from the Sentry unit and I tested it on the ground and it beeps and was connected and tested ok. So thought was maybe the CO experts monitor may be off since the Sentry read normal. To be sure I went to Lowes and bought 3 ( yes three) home CO monitors , Two had digital displays. Went up again towards SBP, babying the engine, watching my monitors. Noted that fuel pressure was lower and oil temp was warmer on idle than it usually was which I attributed it to being a very hot day. So got up, flight following to SBP and all seemed normal, with 0 ppm reading from all monitors on the short flight to SBP. Got 2/3 the way there and all seemed good. So I called flight following to ask for a clearance to my home base LGB. About a minute after I received clearance, ALL 4 of my CO monitors went off, (The CO experts one and the 3 Home ones) with one reading shot up to 137ppm rising. I then changed destination back to SBP with approach, opened the window, I did start to feel a headache at that time. Since I could see the airport I landed. Felt a little funny for a few minutes but quickly resolved. Still looking for a mechanic who can get to KSBP who can fix this, so any help would be appreciated. Have a few calls in but so far no luck. Im glad that I had my device as would have had no warning otherwise, and this may have had a different outcome if I didn’t have an electronic monitor and am HUGELY grateful to the Mooney and Bonanza pilots and friends who helped including Tim, Joker, Hoser, Susan, Buttercup, Steve, Chris and a whole lot more thanks! Once all this is done I’m going to insist on having TWO CO monitors with digital displays in operation all of the time. I have a panel installed guardian CO monitor that recently went inop as needs sending in as likely expired. Still have no idea what’s causing this, but hoping to get a mechanic soon there to fix. Assistance would be welcomed John