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Need a new fuel tank cap for an M20J


jaylw314

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Argh.  The title says it all.

I flew last week.  I did a few approaches and had the needles locked down to minimums.  My checklists, ATC and I were clicking.  I was feeling pretty darn good.

When I came to the hangar today and saw my left fuel cap missing, I wasn't feeling so good.

In retrospect, I recall last week I tried calling ATC on the phone for my clearance, which I hadn't done before.  The I talked to must have thought I was on the radio because he told me to hold for release on the phone, and I reminded him I was on the phone.  In the end, he asked me to give him a call on the radio when I was ready for departure anyway, which kind of changed my routine for my pre-takeoff checks.  That's when I typically visually confirm the fuel caps are secured, and I don't recall having done that step.  I suspect I left it unsecured, and it either bounced out during taxi or flew off after takeoff.

No signs of damage to the adapter, and there only appears to have been minimal fuel lost (the tank had been about 2/3 full), so it's nice to know the airflow will not just suck all the fuel out of your tank.  Not the way I wanted to find that out, though.

So now I need to figure out where and how to get a new fuel cap.  I looked in the parts manual, and as best I can figure I need a Shaw 531-001 (My serial # is 24-1564).  I don't know if the fact that it does not have a lanyard is relevant?  If I had been smart I would have taken the right cap and photographed it, but clearly I'm not...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

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R and L caps are the same with stock tanks. Shaw part number is  on the bottom of the cap so you don’t have to guess. 

I’d check the usual sources for a used one.  I’d think a new one will be quite expensive.

Hard to believe you didn’t get any damage to the wing. It must have flapped around for a little while until the lanyard failed. 

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38 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

Argh.  The title says it all.

I flew last week.  I did a few approaches and had the needles locked down to minimums.  My checklists, ATC and I were clicking.  I was feeling pretty darn good.

When I came to the hangar today and saw my left fuel cap missing, I wasn't feeling so good.

In retrospect, I recall last week I tried calling ATC on the phone for my clearance, which I hadn't done before.  The I talked to must have thought I was on the radio because he told me to hold for release on the phone, and I reminded him I was on the phone.  In the end, he asked me to give him a call on the radio when I was ready for departure anyway, which kind of changed my routine for my pre-takeoff checks.  That's when I typically visually confirm the fuel caps are secured, and I don't recall having done that step.  I suspect I left it unsecured, and it either bounced out during taxi or flew off after takeoff.

No signs of damage to the adapter, and there only appears to have been minimal fuel lost (the tank had been about 2/3 full), so it's nice to know the airflow will not just suck all the fuel out of your tank.  Not the way I wanted to find that out, though.

So now I need to figure out where and how to get a new fuel cap.  I looked in the parts manual, and as best I can figure I need a Shaw 531-001 (My serial # is 24-1564).  I don't know if the fact that it does not have a lanyard is relevant?  If I had been smart I would have taken the right cap and photographed it, but clearly I'm not...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Check with @OSUAV8TER.  James at Gallagher Aviation on here will likely be able to help you.

Steve

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Argh.  The title says it all.
I flew last week.  I did a few approaches and had the needles locked down to minimums.  My checklists, ATC and I were clicking.  I was feeling pretty darn good.
When I came to the hangar today and saw my left fuel cap missing, I wasn't feeling so good.
In retrospect, I recall last week I tried calling ATC on the phone for my clearance, which I hadn't done before.  The I talked to must have thought I was on the radio because he told me to hold for release on the phone, and I reminded him I was on the phone.  In the end, he asked me to give him a call on the radio when I was ready for departure anyway, which kind of changed my routine for my pre-takeoff checks.  That's when I typically visually confirm the fuel caps are secured, and I don't recall having done that step.  I suspect I left it unsecured, and it either bounced out during taxi or flew off after takeoff.
No signs of damage to the adapter, and there only appears to have been minimal fuel lost (the tank had been about 2/3 full), so it's nice to know the airflow will not just suck all the fuel out of your tank.  Not the way I wanted to find that out, though.
So now I need to figure out where and how to get a new fuel cap.  I looked in the parts manual, and as best I can figure I need a Shaw 531-001 (My serial # is 24-1564).  I don't know if the fact that it does not have a lanyard is relevant?  If I had been smart I would have taken the right cap and photographed it, but clearly I'm not...
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

@jaylw314

I have Shaw 531-001s with new o-rings ready to ship. $149.99 plus shipping.

Gallagheraviationllc@gmail.com


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This one is in good shape and is ready for prime and paint.

I have gotten picky with the fuel caps that I sell because there is a lot of junk out there. Probably for every five I buy, one or two are good for parts.

I strip them of paint to bare metal, replace some components with new, and then they are ready for sale.

Here is a nice 531-001 ready to go and I have four more I am preparing.

I am not an A&P or a repair shop so airworthiness will be based on your own assessment.

748c2bdfb999af99cdbc47f3f6a69129.jpg


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11 minutes ago, OSUAV8TER said:

This one is in good shape and is ready for prime and paint.

I have gotten picky with the fuel caps that I sell because there is a lot of junk out there. Probably for every five I buy, one or two are good for parts.

I strip them of paint to bare metal, replace some components with new, and then they are ready for sale.

Here is a nice 531-001 ready to go and I have four more I am preparing.

I am not an A&P or a repair shop so airworthiness will be based on your own assessment.


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Thanks for the quick response!  I'll check with my IA on Monday to see if he'd be good with it (and I need to make sure that's actually the correct cap!), so I'll touch base with you early in the week.  Thank you!

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@jaylw314 shoot me an email at gallagheraviationllc@gmail.com or call me at 419-357-0043.

Best way to ID the cap is to look at the bottom of the other one. If you need help, snap a photo and email it to me.

Talk soon.

James


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11 hours ago, jetdriven said:

Does your airplane hqve bladders or not? Because the caps are different.

Nope, just the regular tanks

 

11 hours ago, PT20J said:

Hey, stuff happens :) It's a common part. Just Google it and you'll find a bunch of sources.

The lanyards should be removed from all aircraft -- AD 97-26-08.

Thanks, that's one less thing to think about!

 

11 hours ago, CaptRJM said:

R and L caps are the same with stock tanks. Shaw part number is  on the bottom of the cap so you don’t have to guess. 

I’d check the usual sources for a used one.  I’d think a new one will be quite expensive.

Hard to believe you didn’t get any damage to the wing. It must have flapped around for a little while until the lanyard failed. 

That's the part that confused me--the parts manual shows a separate left cap and right cap

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9 hours ago, deanders said:

I have two shaw caps I removed for my 1966 E model that are in good shape. I installed bladders so I no longer need them and they are for sale. Email me at n757pp@gmail.com if your interested. Dennis

Thank you! but are we sure it's the same shaw cap?  Even the J parts manual lists a few different parts numbers depending on serial #'s...

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18 hours ago, PT20J said:

Hey, stuff happens :) It's a common part. Just Google it and you'll find a bunch of sources.

The lanyards should be removed from all aircraft -- AD 97-26-08.

Good time to upgrade to the Florosilicone orings if you haven't already.

Skip

http://mooney.free.fr/Sauvegarde AFS/FAA AD/97-26-08.htm

The AD covers M20F, M20J, and M20L models. I have an M20M and still have the lanyards.

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9 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

http://mooney.free.fr/Sauvegarde AFS/FAA AD/97-26-08.htm

The AD covers M20F, M20J, and M20L models. I have an M20M and still have the lanyards.

I was primarily responding to the OP about his J, but I did think that the later models never had the lanyards installed at the factory.

Anyone else got a post-L with lanyards? If so, did Mooney change the fuel level floats or something to keep them from getting hung up? 

Always more to learn:)

Skip

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2 hours ago, PT20J said:

Now when you get the new cap, you're going to have to paint it. Easiest way is to take the access panel off the tail to an auto paint store and have them color match it and put the paint in a spray can.

I've done this and it has worked well for me but not all auto paint stores will mix it and put it in a spray can in my experience. 

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6 hours ago, carusoam said:

I have the rubber lanyards that came with my O...

They age and break...

One got replaced with a chain...

I prefer the chain for static dissipation...

I prefer the rubber for paint protection...

So I have one of each... :)

Best regards,

-a-

If you need more rubber (plastic) ones . . .  https://www.skygeek.com/military-specification-ms27380-1-lanyard-filler-cap.html

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6 hours ago, PT20J said:

Now when you get the new cap, you're going to have to paint it. Easiest way is to take the access panel off the tail to an auto paint store and have them color match it and put the paint in a spray can.

I was just thinking about how the heck I was going to do that, thanks!  Although I think I actually still have a half quart of the paint from AAA when they touched up the paint.

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