Some MX questions about '64 M20E

[wombat]

So I've been flying my plane for a couple of months now and am starting to get used to it.  But as I am getting more familiar with it I'm starting to notice a few things that I didn't before I bought it.

 

When starting, typically when I engage the starter it doesn't kick the bendix out on the first try but it always always does the second time.   I am planning on getting some silicone spray lubricant and squirting it in and am hoping that will work for a while.

 

Second is that I have an ADF but it doesn't work; I was thinking of just taking the antenna off.  I can easily just un-hook the wire from both the top of the cabin and the top of the vertical stabilizer.   As long as the ADF is marked INOP is there any problem with this that anyone can think of?   I'm considering having the unit removed at my next annual anyway just to get rid of the weight and save complexity (more powered stuff in the cabin is more chance for a short).  But I figure if I pull the antenna with its rubber bungee hanging out in the wind I can only be helping my airspeed.  

 

Third is that on the Arrow I used to fly I could see changes in fuel pressure on the fuel pressure gauge when I adjusted the mixture.  The gauge was marked in PSI and in GPH.   On my Mooney changing the mixture doesn't seem to change the measured pressure at all.   Without the boost pump the pressure is always at the VERY low end of the green arc, but with it (a new Whelen replacement) it's about 1/3 of the way up, no matter what I have the mixture set to.  Is this actually normal?  I set mixture by the EGT so I don't need it, but this is not what I was expecting.

 

The last is that the aircraft always wants to bank left.  It's barely noticeable when in normal cruise flight, but it becomes pronounced when the flaps are extended.   With full flaps it will bank at perhaps 5-10 degrees per second if I don't hold it level even though the ball is centered.   Am I looking at an expensive adjustment to get this fixed or should this be fairly inexpensive?  Inexpensive in Mooney terms, of course.  

 

 

One 'bonus' topic is that I've got a David Clark H10-13X that uses an external battery box but can be cabled directly if the appropriate plug is installed.  This would be in addition to the regular audio jacks.   Has anyone had this done?   It looks REALLY simple if I can find the right cable and I'd love to get rid of the battery box and it's tangle of extra cables.  I can't seem to find the right cable from Aircraft Spruce or on the (mostly useless) David Clark web page.

 

Thanks for all your help!

[bonal]

As for the banking this sounds like an issue with rigging that needs to be checked out. Find someone that knows how to do this on a Mooney. There is a bit of adjusting and test flying that will take place some one not experienced can do more harm than good.

[Alan Fox]

The starter is old if it has a Bendix , if you are having problems , its time to get a Skytec 149NL expensive , but worth it....and you will save 6 lbs to add to your useful load...The pressure gage hardly moves on this setup its normal , sounds like the control surfaces may need to be rerigged , you WILL NEED the TRAVEL BOARDS and it should cost a few hours labor to rig the plane correctly , If the flaps are not out of rig , you may have something in the gear mechanism hitting an aileron link in the belly , there was a bulletin on the type of hardware to use to attach the rods to the bellcranks and J-bar.....

[wombat]

Thanks for the advice so far.  

 

If $5 of lubricant every 10 or 20 hours can keep the starter going I'll do that.  It'll take a lot of cans of silicone to make a $400 + labor starter replacement a good deal even if it does save me a few pounds. 

[Marauder]

I used the silicone method for a few years but last year it stopped working. I was ready to move over to the SkyTec when someone told me about Sea Foam's Deep Creep. Sprayed the Bendix and haven't needed to re spray it since.

http://seafoamsales.com/deep-creep/

[1964-M20E]

Congratulations on getting your Mooney.  I used to have N6943U 3 S/N before yours.  I think everyone above has covered your questions.

 

I had the same starter issues did the lube thing and ultimately replaced it with the sky-tech worked great and made hot starts much easier.

 

You can rent the travel boards form the Hangar toolbox to check the travels.

[carusoam]

Rethink the whole bank thing while you burn off fuel from the one (heavy) side...

The plane when rigged properly and balanced (weight) left/right will track any magenta line you put in front of it.

My '65 C impressed me that it had such balance before ANY control rigging was done...

When balanced, the pilot can steer the plane by moving left to right in the seat... There isn't much room to move left...

I did not have a working wing leveler...

Amazing old machine,

-a-

[wombat]

Minor update on my plane:

 

I got the antenna off no problem and I think the plane looks a lot better. Sprayed some silicone lube in the starter and after that it was 100% for the 10 or 12 times I tried it.  It was about 50% before.

 

It's going into the shop tomorrow afternoon and I'm going to have them look at the rigging to see if it is all OK.  If they can't see anything I'll probably leave it for the annual and have an actual Mooney shop take a look.