changing oil pick-up screen

[Monticello Flying Club]

Fairly new Mooney owner with an A&P without a lot of Mooney experience.  Any recommendations for pulling and cleaning the oil pick-up screen on an M20F?  That thing is way back up in there in a tight area.  Should I disconnect the air ducts first in order to make it accessible or any other tricks?  Any recommendations would be appreciated.  Thanks.

 

-Mike

[OR75]

i was never able to get to it on a J model.

tried all sort of tools.

[rocketman]

I also have a 1982 J Model and every so often in 24 years of owning it could I get my mechanic to look at the screen. The good story is that every time it was inspected, it had no metal or debris of interest. I also have an oil filter with a remote oil filter access which I change every 25 hours with oil analysis

 

Whats good for me might not be for others, so no recommendations other then what the POH and SB states.

 

I doubt there are many owners that look at the screens during every oil change. 

[N201MKTurbo]

Taking it in and out is nothing. Lock wiring it is the real trick.

[N601RX]

I have a 67 F with a new engine and have been checking it at every oil change.  I remove the 2 air ducts and go in from there.  Once broken loose I pack a lot of paper towels down under it to catch the oil that will come out. Its a tight fit, but other than the safety wire its not that bad of a job.  I've found a long "screwdriver" type twister works better than the pliers type for the safety wire on it.  It gets easier after you have done it a few times.

[aerohawk]

Save yourself a lot of headache and get the airwolf remote oil filter system. Best thing I ever did for my 69f mooney, removes the headache and oil changes take 10 mins.

[mike_elliott]

Taking it in and out is nothing. Lock wiring it is the real trick.

You are not kidding! It took me and an A$P about 2 hours, both working on it, to get it safety tied the first time. I watched one of Don Maxwell's guys do the complete R$R in less than 20 minutes...I did the mechanics walk of shame over that one.

[tony]

I assume you guys are talking about the finger screen in the sump?  Mike, the next time you take that thing out I want to watch.  There is no way I can get enough clearance to get it out. 

[OR75]

Save yourself a lot of headache and get the airwolf remote oil filter system. Best thing I ever did for my 69f mooney, removes the headache and oil changes take 10 mins.

the filter change is not that big of a headache.

the pick up screen is a different animal. i would love to see a video or pictures of how people who have done it managed,

[kellym]

Fairly new Mooney owner with an A&P without a lot of Mooney experience.  Any recommendations for pulling and cleaning the oil pick-up screen on an M20F?  That thing is way back up in there in a tight area.  Should I disconnect the air ducts first in order to make it accessible or any other tricks?  Any recommendations would be appreciated.  Thanks.

 

-Mike

Two tricks. Remove the heater scat tube. Remove safety wire, and loosen the nut. When you can pull the nut out a little ways, remove nut from the screen(justs pulls off). Then you will be able to remove the screen. It is a bear if you leave the screen and nut together.

Protect your hands when you install new safety wire if you don't want to need butterfly sutures and big bandaids.

I'd bet a fair number don't get looked at when oil is changed and probably some escape inspection at annual.

Kelly

[kellym]

Save yourself a lot of headache and get the airwolf remote oil filter system. Best thing I ever did for my 69f mooney, removes the headache and oil changes take 10 mins.

It might make the oil filter change a bit easier, but does absolutely nothing for the oil screen inspection, which is a required item for annuals and 100 hour inspections, per Part 43 Appendix D. I don't like mounting extra tiems to firewall, as each penetration provides path for oil and fire if not expertly sealed.

[Monticello Flying Club]

Thanks everyone.  We ended up doing it at the annual and will probably wait to do it again until the next annual.  We did pull both scat tubes first, made sure there was an oil pan underneath, then removed the nut from the screen (there is not enough clearance for both the nut and screen to be completely removed together).  If the screen does not come out with the nut, find someone with skinny hands to stick a pinky into the hole and drag the screen out.  One thing to note is that at least on ours, one end is flared.  That is the end that has to go back in first.  I then used my pinky finger to wipe the insides of the hole to make sure nothing was left behind.  Good news was that no particles were found.  After cleaning with brake cleaner, I put the screen back in first, leaving it out about a half inch, put a new crush washer around the nut (split side toward the case), then pushed the nut back on top of the screen while holding the screen (the screen end actually fits inside the nut for those not having done this before), then finger tightened the nut.  The manual has a degrees of turn per threading, but my A&P just tightened it until it felt right and then proceeded to curse while doing the safety wiring.

[orionflt]

Thanks everyone.  We ended up doing it at the annual and will probably wait to do it again until the next annual.  We did pull both scat tubes first, made sure there was an oil pan underneath, then removed the nut from the screen (there is not enough clearance for both the nut and screen to be completely removed together).  If the screen does not come out with the nut, find someone with skinny hands to stick a pinky into the hole and drag the screen out.  One thing to note is that at least on ours, one end is flared.  That is the end that has to go back in first.  I then used my pinky finger to wipe the insides of the hole to make sure nothing was left behind.  Good news was that no particles were found.  After cleaning with brake cleaner, I put the screen back in first, leaving it out about a half inch, put a new crush washer around the nut (split side toward the case), then pushed the nut back on top of the screen while holding the screen (the screen end actually fits inside the nut for those not having done this before), then finger tightened the nut.  The manual has a degrees of turn per threading, but my A&P just tightened it until it felt right and then proceeded to curse while doing the safety wiring.

Yep, sounds about right

[Mooneymite]

Yeah....I religiously check that thing every time I pull the engine.

I can pull it out of the engine far enough to check for metal chunks, but there's not enough room to completely pull it on my plane....unless the engine is drooped forward.

[Guest]

Sadly it's not uncommon to find engines with hundreds of hour since overhaul which have never had the suction screen cleaned. Servicing the suction screen is a proving ground for any aspiring apprentice mechanic.

Clarence

[PTK]

Save yourself a lot of headache and get the airwolf remote oil filter system. Best thing I ever did for my 69f mooney, removes the headache and oil changes take 10 mins.

This has me thinking. Is there a remote oil filter system for the J?

I'd actually look forward to oil changes!

[Guest]

A remote oil filter does not remove the requirement for cleaning the suction screen.  A clogged suction screen means the engine is starved of all oil and failure flollows quickly thereafter.

 

Clarence

[PTK]

A remote oil filter does not remove the requirement for cleaning the suction screen.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that!

[Guest]

Perhaps I've mis read it, but the thread started with a question about the suction screen.

Clarence

[Prior owner]

And after you install a remote filter, you now have the expense of replacing 2 more AN 8 flexible oil lines with fire sleeves every 5-8 years (depending on your IA). Figure more than $400 for both lines. Airwolf is now under new ownership and will not re-certify the Teflon hoses they sold anymore. Something to consider. Although the ease of oil changes probably far outweighs the extra expense.

 

 

[RobertGary1]

I think we’re getting off topic. The air wolf setup isn’t related to the pick up screen and doesn’t change the need to check it.  

-Robert