Alex's M20D (continuous thread)

[Marauder]

Anyone seen my missing lower cowl enclosure? It's red and white.

 

 

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[Raptor05121]

hahahaha

[Raptor05121]

Exhaust is off. For the life of us, we cannot get the risers off the manifold slip joints.

The shroud rubbed a hole in the ribbing.

And then found the carburetor was loose in the middle gasket (where my finger was pointing). We removed it and he did an inspection of it, pulled screens, etc and all looks good. Just going to order a new gasket and put it back on. He theorizes it was like that for a LONG time.

 

Let's hope it doesn't look like this for long:

[Raptor05121]

I was hoping I'd get to fly on my birthday but I guess not. Neither AircraftSpruce nor Aerospace Welding Minneapolis is returning my calls. The "3-5 weeks" has turned into 2+ months :/

[RLCarter]

4 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

I was hoping I'd get to fly on my birthday but I guess not. Neither AircraftSpruce nor Aerospace Welding Minneapolis is returning my calls. The "3-5 weeks" has turned into 2+ months :/

I feel your pain, ordered new Mitchell gauges (Garwin cluster) with custom marking to match original, called last week to ck, was told they wouldn't do anything till they get back from OSH. They were ordered the last week of May

Edited July 23, 2017 by RLCarter

[madjano]

Man, that sucks. I sent mine up and got back from AWI in less than 3 weeks in March.

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[Raptor05121]

So I called them and apparently my exhaust system has been sitting on a shelf for 3 weeks, someone was supposed to call be back but never did.

Anyways, the muffler O/H is $800, but they said the 4 risers and the shroud are also shot and they need another $1,200 to overhaul those. Of which a broke 26 year old does not have....soooooo I'm undecided on what to do.

[Raptor05121]

Thanks Andrew. I've had a member reach out to me and we're going to see if we can't find a way to get it back in the air

[rbridges]

1 hour ago, Hyett6420 said:

2k for an exhaust.  Sounds like the old "we know we have the customer by the balls" trick.

I feel your pain.  Sorry for you mate.  I can't offer any ideas at all to help I'm afraid hopefully some other guys who know the US better can help. 

Andrew 

at this point, what would a powerflo cost?

[N6758N]

3 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

So I called them and apparently my exhaust system has been sitting on a shelf for 3 weeks, someone was supposed to call be back but never did.

Anyways, the muffler O/H is $800, but they said the 4 risers and the shroud are also shot and they need another $1,200 to overhaul those. Of which a broke 26 year old does not have....soooooo I'm undecided on what to do.

$2,000 to repair an old exhaust?! F*ck that! Have them send it back to you and figure out something else. I will look for a used exhaust for you at OSH this week in the salvage area. 

[Yetti]

Box it up send it back.

 

Call these guys to see how much the parts you need would be.  https://www.aircraftexhaust.com/nav.cfm?cat=11&subcat=67&subsub=0&as_id=8&mg_id=74&sys_id=178&display=system

It was $400 for a tail pipe. from them.

[Raptor05121]

6 hours ago, rbridges said:

at this point, what would a powerflo cost?

Even with the rebate they have going on, about $3,500. What's the point of putting that on a C model with a timed out engine and bare-bones panel?

[rbridges]

6 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

Even with the rebate they have going on, about $3,500. What's the point of putting that on a C model with a timed out engine and bare-bones panel?

I didn't realize it was so high. I just hate it that your exhaust problem has escalated into such an expensive fix. 

[Raptor05121]

Yes, thanks! Several people here have been helping me immensely. We might be back up and running soon

[Z00mie]

`

[madjano]

Alex, read on FB you dont have baffle rods under your cylinders. At my last annual I had to owner produce this out of stock steel dowel 1/8" i think, and then just threaded the ends. It was the cheapest, easiest fix i have ever made on my Mooney. IA loved it.

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[RLCarter]

2 hours ago, madjano said:

Alex, read on FB you dont have baffle rods under your cylinders. At my last annual I had to owner produce this out of stock steel dowel 1/8" i think, and then just threaded the ends. It was the cheapest, easiest fix i have ever made on my Mooney. IA loved it.
 

Mine were MIA as well, I would imagine it's not uncommon. 

[carusoam]

Serious lock nut that can withstand temps and vibrations probably helps...?

Nice parts, Jan!

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

[Raptor05121]

How did you bend them?

[Yetti]

Mine had been replaced by stainless tie wire.  The stainless tie wire was eating into the oil return lines.  Because you can't get the tie wire tight enough. I believe it was "3/16 steel rod.   Mine are straight without bends as are the stock Lycoming.  Make sure the oil return lines don't touch.  Don't over tighten as they will start ripping the aluminum shield.

[madjano]

I bent it in a benchvice and vice grips. The old one next to it broke where it was attached. That was my pattern.

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[Raptor05121]

New gasket for the carburetor. We found the old gasket was broken and the two halves were actually LOOSE. We think unmetered air was being sucked in through the split. We also found the float was set a few millimeters too high (thus cutting off the fuel supply to the bowl too early). So we reset that. I really learned a lot about the carb and he let me do most of the work reattaching connections, checking stops, etc.

We then installed a new electric fuel pump which alleviated ALL of my problems. I believe the old one had a bad diaphragm as it was LOUD on startup and barely built any pressure (1-2psi). This new one is a lot quieter and holds a perfect 4PSI. 

We got the exhaust on and found out the carb heat shroud is a different style than my original one, there is an elbow where my airbox needs to go, and we realized this after we were close to putting the air filter on for a test run. So now I think we will have to wait and just get my shroud repaired and use it with the new muffler.

I was hoping to have it running today, looks like I won't be able to make any lunch runs in the near future. It also puts my plans to fly to SC on Sunday in jeopardy

[Raptor05121]

My last flight was in late May so words cannot describe how happy I am to have her running again. The joys of owning something 54 years old, you can't buy parts new anymore.

Replaced muffler, risers, and shroud (thanks to a fellow MS'er!), all new SCAT tubing firewall forward, rebuilt carburetor (found a gasket MISSING and the two halves were LOOSE as well as the float not set correctly!). Electric fuel pump replaced, fuel screens checked (spotless). Found a LOT of loose fittings that would not have been seen without the level of surgery we went into. Cork rocker box gaskets replaced with silicone, oil drain tubes tightened, baffling rerigged and sealed. Battery charged. Air filter changed. Manifold pressure line blown out. She is running smoother than I've ever felt before.

And right as I was about to take her for a test flight, I got called into work. So here I sit for another 12 hours without sleep, eager to get to the hangar tomorrow after I sleep and give her a good wash and wax and BURN SOME 100LL!

Video on FB:
 

 

[RLCarter]

good to hear your back in the air (well almost). 

[Marcopolo]

  A lot of good preventative maintenance finds there to go along with what you had planned to do, good work.  Get some sleep and enjoy the test flight while you have the focus to concentrate on both.

 

Ron