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Posted

So the shop that did a bench test on my gauge cluster said that the left fuel gauge is totally dead and nobody can do a repair on it.  The symptom is that if the power is on, 

 

I've read through several of the previous threads on this and there is a lot of rumor and hearsay about who is willing to do repairs; has anyone had one repaired recently?   Does anyone have a working one for sale?

Posted

So the shop that did a bench test on my gauge cluster said that the left fuel gauge is totally dead and nobody can do a repair on it.  The symptom is that if the power is on, 

 

I've read through several of the previous threads on this and there is a lot of rumor and hearsay about who is willing to do repairs; has anyone had one repaired recently?   Does anyone have a working one for sale?

 

The cluster gauge in my 1963 M20D was repaired by Kelly Aerospace in 2012.  We used them based on a recommendation from LASAR.  None of the gauges was completely dead.

 

You might try calling LASAR and see who they currently recommend.

Posted

I have a slide in replacement I removed this year when I installed my engine monitor. It was purchased new in 2002 and was working correctly. I'll have to look and see if it is left or right.

Posted

I my home shop sent the cluster in to Kelly Aerospace, who said it was not repairable.   I called LASAR and they pointed me back to Kelly Aerospace.

 

I PM'd dcrogers about the one with the bad ammeter already but have not heard back yet.  I have now PM'd n74795 as well.  greghermans had posted last fall about parting a plane out, so I PM'd him too.   :)

 

 

N601RX, this is the set that is combined into one unit, as seen here.   I don't think that your slide-in will work for me.  

 

Don:  From talking with the folks at Kelly, if they have a 22-166-010 with the fuel gauge working they can try to swap them out, but it's not guaranteed.  Are you thinking of the models where each instrument is actually a separate unit or do you have knowledge that swapping the gauges out of the guts of the single-unit Garwin is actually a highly successful operation?  Mine is not the ones like Brian has in his plane as seen here.   

Posted

I wonder if you could get FAA approval to install the Mitchell cluster gauges from Spruce?

Clarence

Posted

The folks at Air-Mods just replaced the entire cluster in my former M20D with a modular gauge cluster made by Mitchell. http://www.airmodsflightcenter.com/forsale/N6615U#/sites/airmodsflightcenter.com/files/forsale/N6615U/N6615U_0245-a_forsale_big.jpg

If you can't find an exact replacement maybe they can tell you what paperwork was needed to substitute the Mitchell gauges.

Posted

David replaced his original cluster with the Mitchell gauges via a 337. He documented it in a thread you should be able to search for it.

If your not interested in a primary engine monitor, another option is the digital aerospace logics fuel gauge. I think it's around $600

post-7624-0-97722900-1423701241_thumb.jp

Posted

I'm more than happy to share my 337 for the installation of the Mitchell cluster. I do have my old cluster around and parts are available if someone needs them. I have some extra parts that I'll put up for sale soon.

Thanks ,

David

Posted

David replaced his original cluster with the Mitchell gauges via a 337. He documented it in a thread you should be able to search for it.

If your not interested in a primary engine monitor, another option is the digital aerospace logics fuel gauge. I think it's around $600

 

Current price is $652.  We have one installed in our J.  It certified for primary display and actually requires all other fuel indicators be deactivated.  Uses the floats that are already installed in your tanks.  Just hook it up, drain the tank, add the unusable, then fill the tank 2 gallons at a time while calibrating the gauge.

 

Wombat:  I met you at the fuel pumps at S50 a couple months ago.  Hope you are able to put something together.

 

Bob

Posted

So I've found a Garwin 22-169-07 available from a user here, and the two differences between the two that I can find now are:

 

The brackets are different.  I don't think this is a big deal, I should be able to make something work with this.

 

The ammeter on the new one has a -60 to +60 range and my existing one is from 0 to +60.   Has anyone tried using this before?  I don't mind if it just never registers negative amps, but it does need to read the positive amps correctly.  Does anyone have schematics of how they are wired in?

 

Bob:  Yup, I remember stopping by and chatting with you.  :)   Is the $652 for the full Mitchell gauge cluster or is that just for the digital aerospace fuel gauges only?

Posted

 Is the $652 for the full Mitchell gauge cluster or is that just for the digital aerospace fuel gauges only?

 

That is just the fuel gauge.  You would leave your current cluster in the plane but just de-activate the fuel gauges.  You'll need to find a hole in which to mount the Aerospace gauge.  You'll probably have to pay for a few hours of labor to have the thing installed, but you can calibrate it yourself.  It will take a couple hours to do the calibration and having an assistant will help.  You have to calibrate both wings separately.  If you want to calibrate it yourself you'll want:

 

An external power supply so you won't be running on battery the entire time.

 

Just over the amount of fuel it takes to fill one wing (about 33-35 gallons on the J for example).

 

Enough containers to hold the excess (1-3 gallons in the above case)

 

A calibrated container.  I took a 1 gallon milk jug and cleaned it thoroughly.  I then used my wife's measuring cup and added 1 quart of water at a time.  Each time I used a sharpie to put a mark on the side of the jug.

 

Bob

  • 1 month later...
Posted

My cluster is a cluster right now.

IA sent it out and the avionics guy is doing some diagnostics on it but the tests seem to be inconclusive.

I am preparing for the worst.

Any full clusters out there that I can slap in? My ammeter is frozen and the fuel gagues are nuts.

Posted

My cluster is a cluster right now.

IA sent it out and the avionics guy is doing some diagnostics on it but the tests seem to be inconclusive.

I am preparing for the worst.

Any full clusters out there that I can slap in? My ammeter is frozen and the fuel gagues are nuts.

No prob....

Rent a Sky hook.

Lift the broke Cluster.

Roll in a non F'd plane.

Lower the F'd Cluster.

 

Problem solved.

 

Part out the F'd plane and cluster,

Keep the one that isnt F'd.....     did I get that right???

Posted

David replaced his original cluster with the Mitchell gauges via a 337. He documented it in a thread you should be able to search for it.

If your not interested in a primary engine monitor, another option is the digital aerospace logics fuel gauge. I think it's around $600

I was not aware of this one.  I just might be looking to replace my fuel gauges.  The previous owner replaced all engine instruments with EI digital gauges and it is nice but I still have the two original fuel gauges.  I'd love to use the EI fuel level gauge but they do not have an STC for use as primary.

Posted

I was not aware of this one.  I just might be looking to replace my fuel gauges.  The previous owner replaced all engine instruments with EI digital gauges and it is nice but I still have the two original fuel gauges.  I'd love to use the EI fuel level gauge but they do not have an STC for use as primary.

John.

 

However, the Aerospace Logic fuel gauges ...are... STC'd as primary.  And... once Cies comes out with the new float kit for the Mooney (not sure when that will happen), they are compatible with the Cies floats.  That combination should give you fuel level accuracy to something less than a gallon, probably within 0.2 gallons.

 

Bob

 

Bob

  • Like 1

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