New M20J owners

[capthaak]

I wrapped up a crazy week yeasterday by signing a purchase agreement on a 1981 M20J. My first time flying a constant speed prop since just a few years after this plane was built! It's original everything. Paint, interior, and avionics. (read no GPS) I'd be interested in flying tips, starting tips, power settings (flatlander), and general words of encouragment! My 2 partners and I only opened our eyes to the Mooney 201 a week & a half ago so we're all Mooney virgins.

 

Thanks in advance!

Dave

[aaronk25]

Congrats!!!! Don't put to much thought into the constant speed prop....sometime us pilots fiddle with things more than we need too.

Go fast or slow no biggy....where u located at?

[MooneyBob]

Congratulations and welcome.

I am fresh ( 1 year) M20J owner myself. Just going through my first annual righ now. I am extremely happy with the plane.

Search the topics and you will find tons of good advices and pointers from other guys here. Good luck.

[carusoam]

A few topics to consider...

1) Mooney specific transition training.

2) MAPA pilot specific training.

3) Engine specific training.

Let us know if you want additional info on any of these topics...

Welcome aboard, Dave.

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

Mooney Aircraft Pilots Assn (MAPA), www.mooneypilots.org is a good place to start. There's are reviews there of several models, don't recall if J is one of them, written by a test pilot / Engineering VP / Company President (it's nice to move up!). Good association, lots of information, annual get together this year is at KERV by the Mooney factory. They also offer very good training that you should think about (Pilot Proficiency Program, where you fly your plane; 16 hours ground, 4 hours flight. The course travels around the country 5-6 times per year.

Welcome aboard! Have lots of fun, learn to fly your new plane safely.

[Guest]

I wrapped up a crazy week yeasterday by signing a purchase agreement on a 1981 M20J. My first time flying a constant speed prop since just a few years after this plane was built! It's original everything. Paint, interior, and avionics. (read no GPS) I'd be interested in flying tips, starting tips, power settings (flatlander), and general words of encouragment! My 2 partners and I only opened our eyes to the Mooney 201 a week & a half ago so we're all Mooney virgins.

 

Thanks in advance!

Dave

You've come to the right spot. Everyone here treats virgins gently.

Clarence

[mooneyflyfast]

My best advice: all the partners need a thorough checkout by an experienced MOONEY pilot-- not the kid at the flight school. Mooneys are not hard to fly but they are different. On short final don't be hot and don't be high. A few knots over 70 or 50 feet too high will result in floating halfway down the runway. You can't plant it on the ground -- if so the nosewheel will hit first and start a porposing that you cannot recover from. If it bounces twice GO AROUND the third bounce will result in a prop strike. Hold it off as long as possible like you were landing a taildragger and it will be a sweet landing. Half flaps if you have plenty of runway makes for a better nose up flare.

I have owned my 81 J model for 16 years and 2,000 hours. They are wonderful airplanes and you will love it.

[capthaak]

I appreciate all the info! A little background on us. We are all Airbus or Boeing pilots. I just sold my 172 2 weeks ago. It was the airplane I soloed in back in 1976, but it was time to let her go and move up to something that goes nearly twice as fast for the same gas. The plane will be going through a LASAR annual, and it's going to be a whopper! (but we bought it knowing that) We'll then be bringing her back to MI.

 

One of the first upgrades I want to do is the GAMI injectors and EDM-730 (or maybe 830), to really get the efficiency maxed out. Any other J owners done this?

[N601RX]

Most of the IO 360's will run fine LOP without the GAMI. Many of the owners on here are installing primary monitors now. The price difference is not nearly as big as it was 2 years ago.

Decide which one you want and wait till SunInFun to purchase it. You will normally save around $500 by purchasing it that week.

[DonMuncy]

Go to the GAMI folks site and read up. Do a GAMI spread on your plane. If it is within .5 GPH, that is as close as they will adhere to. So no need for the GAMIs. If too wide a spread, the GAMIs will help a lot. When I first installed GAMIs in my (Continental)231, it ran noticeably smoother.

[aaronk25]

Most need gami as #2 cylinder gets leaned out by air blasting against the injector. Also #3 is typically #3 is lean.

There are a couple baffel mods on cutting down #1 baffle by 3/4" and bending up the #4 oil cooler baffle so that the cylinder gets more air. Typically #1 and #4 are the hottest. I can take pics, but when you get the jpi installed you will see this.

Also get black silicone and caulk any gaps in baffle behind and below the spinner so high pressure cooling air doesn't pass to the bottom of the engine. You will notice this is worth 20d cht.

Also don't get the bayonets for the jpi cht probes get the ones that go into the cylinder as they are more accurate.

[N601RX]

Most need gami as #2 cylinder gets leaned out by air blasting against the injector. Also #3 is typically #3 is lean.

There are a couple baffel mods on cutting down #1 baffle by 3/4" and bending up the #4 oil cooler baffle so that the cylinder gets more air. Typically #1 and #4 are the hottest. I can take pics, but when you get the jpi installed you will see this.

Also get black silicone and caulk any gaps in baffle behind and below the spinner so high pressure cooling air doesn't pass to the bottom of the engine. You will notice this is worth 20d cht.

Also don't get the bayonets for the jpi cht probes get the ones that go into the cylinder as they are more accurate.

Bayonets are the ones that go into the cylinder. If you get a secondary monitor 3 of the cylinders will have bayonets and the 4th will have a piggyback ring terminal sensor that mounts under the head of the factory sensor. With a primary unit all 4 can be bayonet and will all read correctly.

[mooneyflyfast]

Most need gami as #2 cylinder gets leaned out by air blasting against the injector. Also #3 is typically #3 is lean.

There are a couple baffel mods on cutting down #1 baffle by 3/4" and bending up the #4 oil cooler baffle so that the cylinder gets more air. Typically #1 and #4 are the hottest. I can take pics, but when you get the jpi installed you will see this.

Also get black silicone and caulk any gaps in baffle behind and below the spinner so high pressure cooling air doesn't pass to the bottom of the engine. You will notice this is worth 20d cht.

Also don't get the bayonets for the jpi cht probes get the ones that go into the cylinder as they are more accurate.

I am interested in the baffle mods. Can you post pictures or more info? It's hard to keep my no. 1 cht under 400 unless well under lop.

Thanks

[aaronk25]

Yep I'll take pics tomorrow it's easy...3 screws and a little cutting

[bonal]

When is it going to LASAR I'd like to,check out your new ride. I always find it very interesting when pilots that fly the bigs begin transitioning into Mooney's and there is much to learn. I know I will never have the amount of knowledge many of you have. I know my plane and my limits but its always fascinating just how much more there is for me to learn. Good luck with your new bird and your upcoming annual. Welcome to MS

[Tommy]

If you are not installing a primary then you legally have to keep the factory CHT (#3) which means you need to get a spark plug gasket one. Make sure you install that on the top plug not hte bottom one. The bottom on will read almost 60 to 100F higher so you will have an engine monitor that keeps giving you a high CHT warning instead of cycling thru other readings. Soon, you will then learn to ignore it until one day it wasn't the cyclinder #3.........

 

Engine monitor is probably by far the best investment that one can make when it comes to safety. But be warned, two things will happen 1) you spend a considerable amount of time staring at it! 2) you will find something that will need fixing! (which is really what it's for, finding problem before it becomes catastrophic!)

 

Interested in the "black silicone" mod. Do you have a pictuer of the mod, Arron?

[Bob - S50]

If you are not installing a primary then you legally have to keep the factory CHT (#3) which means you need to get a spark plug gasket one. Make sure you install that on the top plug not hte bottom one. The bottom on will read almost 60 to 100F higher so you will have an engine monitor that keeps giving you a high CHT warning instead of cycling thru other readings. Soon, you will then learn to ignore it until one day it wasn't the cyclinder #3.........

 

Engine monitor is probably by far the best investment that one can make when it comes to safety. But be warned, two things will happen 1) you spend a considerable amount of time staring at it! 2) you will find something that will need fixing! (which is really what it's for, finding problem before it becomes catastrophic!)

 

Interested in the "black silicone" mod. Do you have a pictuer of the mod, Arron?

There is actually an adapter you can buy from JPI that allows both to use the cylinder fins and avoid using the spark plug sensor.

 

Bob

[Bob - S50]

Forgot to mention.  I was similar to you but with fewer piston hours.  A source of good information I found were the Pelican's Perch articles written by John Deakin.  Here's the link:

 

http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182146-1.html?redirected=1

 

LOTS of articles.  Look through the index and you'll probably find several of interest.  Not Mooney specific, but very helpful on the care and feeding of you engine.

 

If you want to start a food fight, just ask questions about LOP vs ROP, pitch or power for speed control, or Camguard.

 

Bob

[capthaak]

When is it going to LASAR I'd like to,check out your new ride. I always find it very interesting when pilots that fly the bigs begin transitioning into Mooney's and there is much to learn. I know I will never have the amount of knowledge many of you have. I know my plane and my limits but its always fascinating just how much more there is for me to learn. Good luck with your new bird and your upcoming annual. Welcome to MS

It will be there at the end of the month. N1016S (the one advertised on the for sale forum last week.)

[aaronk25]

I'll get to the hanger later for pics but when I first got the plane my only option was to run way lop like 50 degrees or low MP settings to keep #1 and #4 from running 400-420.

Now I can run at 50rop (not that I do) WOT, and CHTs will settle at 360! Peak EGT is 330cht!

Big improvement as the previous owner was complaining he had to keep changing cylinders! He was cooking them to death.

[aaronk25]

Above is the number 1 cylinder, notice how the vertical baffle is about 1" shorter....it's worth about 30f lower cht

Above look all the way back #4 and notice how the cylinder baffle is bent up about 3/4" to steel some air from the oil cooler.

Oil cooler gets plenty of air. Worth 30f cooler.

[aaronk25]

I didn't de-cowl today so couldn't take pics of the black silicone sealing up the gaps in baffle but it's pretty straight forward. Directly above the landing light near Alternator fill in gaps with silicone. Make all the air go though the engine and not around it...

[82Mike]

I put an 830 in mine and yes 1 and 4 do run the hottest, but I slightly gapped the cowl flaps 1/8 inch and mine runs 155 to 160 wot on 7.8 gal per hour just lean of peak. Never let my CHT's go above 355 to 360

[Bob - S50]

When is it going to LASAR I'd like to,check out your new ride. I always find it very interesting when pilots that fly the bigs begin transitioning into Mooney's and there is much to learn. I know I will never have the amount of knowledge many of you have. I know my plane and my limits but its always fascinating just how much more there is for me to learn. Good luck with your new bird and your upcoming annual. Welcome to MS

 

Don't sell yourself short.  Airline pilots like us may know a lot about IFR but you would be surprised how little we know about VFR and piston engines.  We've had our J for two years now and I'm still learning.

 

Bob

[Marauder]

Don't sell yourself short. Airline pilots like us may know a lot about IFR but you would be surprised how little we know about VFR and piston engines. We've had our J for two years now and I'm still learning.

Bob

Hopefully you have gotten over the tendency to flare at 30 feet doing 130 knots

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk