Finally found a plane...'65 M20E

[greg51]

Congrats on the mooney. I also recently purchased a 65 E, been having a blast ever since. the wife and I are heading to key west and st simmons island next month. I just got the cowl speed mod yesterday, can't wait to see the results and if I get the advertised speed (5MPH) Good luck and happy flying

[Pictreed]

Greg I'd like to see some pictures. 

Supercop I'm pretty certain I'll get the 440, AXP 340 transponder and Skytrax ADS B in. 

Later I'll add the AP, Aspen and audio panel. Then maybe IFD 540 and JPI 9xx to clean up all the shotgun fragments...living the dream at that point. 

It kind of sucks because my center rack is empty.  We may have to finish transition training with my portable radio 

Has anyone put in a 750/650 or 540/440 in a '65 E or similar?  One above the other. 

Edited May 10, 2016 by Pictreed
Clarification

[Bob_Belville]

9 hours ago, Pictreed said:

 

Has anyone put in a 750/650 or 540/440 in a '65 E or similar?

I put a GTN 750 in a '66E. If I were to replace NavCom 2 with a GTN 650 I'd probably have to remote the audio panel or the xponder or both which the 750 supports.  

[Pictreed]

Bob, could you have used a 650 for your Nav/comm 2?

Im trying to figure out if I put in the Avidyne 440 now if I would be able to put the 540 above it in the center stack. 

I will have the transponder and 440 installed soon and I'll fly it like that for the rest of the year since I need to seal the tanks and possibly add the long range tanks which will tank my fun money...lol

[Bob_Belville]

33 minutes ago, Pictreed said:

Bob, could you have used a 650 for your Nav/comm 2?

Yes. In fact I think I could have put a 650 below the 750 and put the GMA340 audio panel where the KX155 is. I would have moved the gear alert and vacuum gauge to make room for the 750 up high. (The top part of the 750 is shallow and there should be enough room to move it up. The 650 is 1.35" taller than the GMA 340 now in that stack. 

And of course you can always utilize the 750's ability to use a remote xponder and a remote audio panel if necessary.

But I still like what I did. The KX155 is a fine radio. I seldom use it except to listen to ATIS. And I like having the GMA340 and the GTX327 visible. 

[Pictreed]

There's something that seems appealing to me when the instruments are separate.  I like the idea of having the integration of the 750 though I'm not sure how efficient I'd be swapping pages. 

I thought I'd give the Avidyne a go.  Not totally sure it's the right thing or not.  I haven't talked to anyone that's been using it a while. 

[greg51]

Pictreed,

here are some pics. So far I have replaced the old plastic panel and added a 430waas to get it IFR so I don't have to worry about weather as much. I need a paint job and have started replacing interior a little at a time (door panel and carpet) 

[Pictreed]

Greg,

Where did you get the panel?

Tim

 

[greg51]

avionics shop in sanford NC. I would not recommend them.

[Pictreed]

On May 9, 2016 at 4:49 PM, greg51 said:

Congrats on the mooney. I also recently purchased a 65 E, been having a blast ever since. the wife and I are heading to key west and st simmons island next month. I just got the cowl speed mod yesterday, can't wait to see the results and if I get the advertised speed (5MPH) Good luck and happy flying

Thanks Greg. Congrats to you as well.  It was good to talk to you this evening. 

I wish we were ready for some island hopping but I need to work out some bugs and get comfortable with her.  Then ease into some light IMC. 

TIM

[Pictreed]

1 hour ago, greg51 said:

avionics shop in sanford NC. I would not recommend them.

 I need to search the site and see what others have done. 

Thanks for the info. 

[flight2000]

I had mine done at Higginsville Avionics Lab in Missouri.   Not that far away by Mooney. 

Whatever you do decide, make sure you get multiple quotes.  Shops seem to be all over the place right now.

http://www.67m20e.com/avionics-upgrades.html

Congrats on getting your baby home, now fly the wings off it...  

Cheers,

Brian

[Pictreed]

Thanks Brian.  I agree, it's sat too long.  500 hours since 1981.

I just got word back that the CDI issue was in the GNS 430 so instead of a $5k trade in it will be $4.2k.

The IFD 440, 340 transponder and Skytrack 100 will be sent out tomorrow. Total cost for the 3 devices and new antennas was $10.5K after the rebate.  Part of the cost is that I had to have a new rack for the transponder, and an antennae for the GPS and one for the Skytrack.  But now I will have a newer GPS with all it's features, a new transponder with ADS-B OUT, Skytrack with ADS-B IN, WiFi and Bluetooth.  

Looking forward to getting her back in the air.   Tim

 

[jetdriven]

On 5/11/2016 at 2:34 PM, Pictreed said:

Thanks Brian.  I agree, it's sat too long.  500 hours since 1981.

I just got word back that the CDI issue was in the GNS 430 so instead of a $5k trade in it will be $4.2k.

The IFD 440, 340 transponder and Skytrack 100 will be sent out tomorrow. Total cost for the 3 devices and new antennas was $10.5K after the rebate.  Part of the cost is that I had to have a new rack for the transponder, and an antennae for the GPS and one for the Skytrack.  But now I will have a newer GPS with all it's features, a new transponder with ADS-B OUT, Skytrack with ADS-B IN, WiFi and Bluetooth.  

Looking forward to getting her back in the air.   Tim

 

send me an email.  bdr737 at gmail dot com

[Pictreed]

On May 25, 2016 at 0:57 AM, jetdriven said:

send me an email.  bdr737 at gmail dot com

Did you get my email?

Tim

[Pictreed]

Well more news on the avionics.  I sent the King 155 off to Bevan Rabell.  Bill tried to replace some of the components on the boards but the leaking capacitors really screwed up the board so now I need a new Nav/Com/GS 2.  OUCH!

I knew I'd have to upgrade these old things but not at once. 

I may have to look at a Garmin 255 and get it over with. 

Tim

[Marauder]

Well more news on the avionics.  I sent the King 155 off to Bevan Rabell.  Bill tried to replace some of the components on the boards but the leaking capacitors really screwed up the board so now I need a new Nav/Com/GS 2.  OUCH!

I knew I'd have to upgrade these old things but not at once. 

I may have to look at a Garmin 255 and get it over with. 

Tim

I went the Garmin 255 direction. Decent radio.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Pictreed]

Went to pick up the Mooney Thursday from the avionics shop.  He rearranged the instruments to a more normal 6 pack configuration, replaced the vacuum lines, installed the new Avidyne GPS, ADS-B In box, Transponder with ADS-B Out, and the cage for the Garmin 255 (unit was back ordered from Garmin) and ran all new wires to those instruments, installed a new bus board and newer style fuses and a master avionics switch.  Everything was awesome; on his end.

He said the wires were of the wrong size, some burned, chaffed and wrong fuse sizes (guess we know why the CDI board in the 430 blew).  That's what the previous avionics guy told me who then asked, 'didn't you get a pre-buy?'  I said, 'well, I guess I didn't get the right one, eh!'.  LOL.  I knew I wanted to upgrade the instruments pretty quick but not this quick.  We looked at everything during the pre-buy and the annual I helped with but didn't realize that much was going on under the panel.

So now everything is new and plumbed/wired correctly and a new, albeit temporary, fuse panel.  (pics later)

We started to pull the plane out...crap, I forgot my headset.  He loaned me an old pair and we pulled the plane out of the hangar after I did my pre-flight check.  We decided since it's been there for a month (and I didn't leave him the keys to do an occasional run up...oops, I know now) we decided to pull it by hand a couple hundred feet to the fuel pumps because I had 11/7 gallons (tanks still leaking so I don't fill it up).

We get to the pumps and I tried (3) different cards and the machine wouldn't take them...we finally figured out the pumps weren't working.  It is only a 15 minute flight to home base so I figured I'd get fuel there.

I started up and while going through my instrument check I noticed the AI never leveled out...UGH!  I taxi'd back over and the tech looked deflated.  I mentioned that I thought it was coincidental that it stopped working at this moment but I think he was beating himself up because he assumed he missed something...I was sure he didn't because the last time I shut the engine down I heard some popping noises from the gyro.

I got a call yesterday that the bearings had failed in the AI gyro.  I told him that I thought I had heard some noises from the gyro and he started laughing and asked why I didn't mention this...oops.  Hey, I'm not the avionics guy...lol.  I've never had one fail when I was able to hear it failing...it's always been in flight. LOL!  I thought I was being over picky and would get someone else to listen to it.

So the AI is getting overhauled and the Garmin 255 came in yesterday too so it all should be ready to go next week.  I'm excited.  I need to start hitting my safety pilots up so I can get someone to fly while I figure all this new equipment out.

Next up fuel tanks, then we start looking at the Aspen/AP upgrade but that will be a bit down the road.  I'll fly it this summer and a bit before the fall when it goes in for the tanks.

[carusoam]

One thought...

How old is the fuel in those tanks?

If this plane hasn't flown in a really long time you might want to start with some fresh fuel in one side.

Have a really well thought out plan...

Vaccuum instruments don't usually die on start-up unless they have been sitting a loooooong time.

I am only a PP and 100LL is pretty stable compared to automotive fuel.  Both will have their limitations... 

Best regards,

-a-

[Pictreed]

Thanks Anthony.  The fuel isn't that old, I was flying it before I sent it to the shop.

[Marauder]

Went to pick up the Mooney Thursday from the avionics shop.  He rearranged the instruments to a more normal 6 pack configuration, replaced the vacuum lines, installed the new Avidyne GPS, ADS-B In box, Transponder with ADS-B Out, and the cage for the Garmin 255 (unit was back ordered from Garmin) and ran all new wires to those instruments, installed a new bus board and newer style fuses and a master avionics switch.  Everything was awesome; on his end.

He said the wires were of the wrong size, some burned, chaffed and wrong fuse sizes (guess we know why the CDI board in the 430 blew).  That's what the previous avionics guy told me who then asked, 'didn't you get a pre-buy?'  I said, 'well, I guess I didn't get the right one, eh!'.  LOL.  I knew I wanted to upgrade the instruments pretty quick but not this quick.  We looked at everything during the pre-buy and the annual I helped with but didn't realize that much was going on under the panel.

So now everything is new and plumbed/wired correctly and a new, albeit temporary, fuse panel.  (pics later)

We started to pull the plane out...crap, I forgot my headset.  He loaned me an old pair and we pulled the plane out of the hangar after I did my pre-flight check.  We decided since it's been there for a month (and I didn't leave him the keys to do an occasional run up...oops, I know now) we decided to pull it by hand a couple hundred feet to the fuel pumps because I had 11/7 gallons (tanks still leaking so I don't fill it up).

We get to the pumps and I tried (3) different cards and the machine wouldn't take them...we finally figured out the pumps weren't working.  It is only a 15 minute flight to home base so I figured I'd get fuel there.

I started up and while going through my instrument check I noticed the AI never leveled out...UGH!  I taxi'd back over and the tech looked deflated.  I mentioned that I thought it was coincidental that it stopped working at this moment but I think he was beating himself up because he assumed he missed something...I was sure he didn't because the last time I shut the engine down I heard some popping noises from the gyro.

I got a call yesterday that the bearings had failed in the AI gyro.  I told him that I thought I had heard some noises from the gyro and he started laughing and asked why I didn't mention this...oops.  Hey, I'm not the avionics guy...lol.  I've never had one fail when I was able to hear it failing...it's always been in flight. LOL!  I thought I was being over picky and would get someone else to listen to it.

So the AI is getting overhauled and the Garmin 255 came in yesterday too so it all should be ready to go next week.  I'm excited.  I need to start hitting my safety pilots up so I can get someone to fly while I figure all this new equipment out.

Next up fuel tanks, then we start looking at the Aspen/AP upgrade but that will be a bit down the road.  I'll fly it this summer and a bit before the fall when it goes in for the tanks.

Sounds like a typical day in plane ownership.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Yetti]

When picking up the plane I asked "What do you think will it make it home"   The ex Navy guy said FIFI.   I did not know that term  F it Fly it is what I learned.  I have since changed it to Fly it Fix it   Repeat