Cowl flaps creep open in flight

[201er]

Does anyone else have this problem or a solution? My Cowl flap knob was actually modified with a throttle control with a friction lock to help lock them in a given position. However, even with the friction lock set as tight as I can with both hands, the knob seems to find its way out about 2 inches during normal flight. Any ideas for keeping them closed besides tightening the friction lock even tighter?

[The-sky-captain]

Miy cowl flaps do not creep, the issue I have is that I don't have a "trail" setting. They are either wide open or closed, nothing in between. I'm going to have Maxwell look at it come annual time. 

[201er]

What keeps them shut when you close them? Doesn't airflow through the engine want to push them open?

[The-sky-captain]

Not sure, but they operate as they should full open or closed. Just nothing in between.

[Shadrach]

This is what the cowl flap controls look like on an F model. The center button must be depresses to move the the actuator in either direction. Infinitely adjustable, very simple and light weight. 

 

Hat tip to DaV8or as it's a pic of his plane...

[tbrickey]

My first post after purchasing a 79 201 and joining this board was ""cowl flaps wont close in flight - 1979 M20J".  My AP is a magician and sprinkled all kinds of magic dust to get it working and now all is fine.  He found that the open setting was way more open than spec.  Also there was a bent linkage.  We ended up replacing the cable.  Mooney had two cables.  I got the next to the last cable.  End result was a new cable properly adjusted and everything works.  Good luck.  I can give you the name of the AP if you're around Cincinnati.  I'm trying to keep it a secret as much as possible.  There are also some other earlier posts on this topic that you may want to research.   Good luck

[jetdriven]

The cowl flap linkage closes over center.  Here are the rigging instructions from the SMM.