1980 M20k 231

[lvpazik]

Just purchased my second Mooney of my aviation hobby time. Bought physical sight unseen. Had extensive prebuy and full annual done by shop in Florida that does mostly Mooney and did the last two annual inspections so knew the aircraft. When completed had flown to paint shop in Deland Florida for complete strip/repaint. My pilot is flying it home as I pen this email. He said it is "flying flawlessly" and very "comfy" with it's new interior and the all glass panel is great. Upon landing in Texas he noticed some discoloration due to heat from the turbo on the cowling (brand new paint job!!).  I've already spoken with the paint shop and told them what was happening and that ALL temps are well within normal range. HERE'S MY QUESTION;  There is no turbo blanket or insulation on the inside of the cowling near the turbo. Is there supposed to be one? If there is I have to try to determine if the shop that did the annual or the paint shop, which also had lots of overspray on the engine top, leave it off!!  We already had to have the paint shop redo a dozen paint faults which they did and did well, and my pilot took an A&P with him and that person noticed no safety wire in the caliper bolts, the electric rudder trim isn't working, the annunciator light test button isn't working and some other things. I told the shop doing the annual "whatever it needs, do". Man you just can't depend on anyone it seems!!  Paint is fixed, plane flies great and the paint shop already said they'd pay for any necessary repairs on the cowling, however repairing becomes a moot point if the issue is missing insulation to protect the cowling from the turbo heat. Again, all temps were well within normal range.

Edited August 20, 2020 by lvpazik

[Amelia]

Oh, this brings back uncomfortable memories. I, too, had a 1980 231. Loved it. On preflight once,  I noticed a nickel-size tan spot on the right lower cowling, called the mechanic over to reassure me before my trip. He looked, wet his thumb to wipe the dirt off to no effect, and told me not to worry about it, I thanked him, said my index of suspicion was high, because I’d done enough ironing to know scorched when I saw it. He verbally patted me on my pointy head and sent me on my way. On lift off, smelled burning nail polish. Then through 500 feet a notable loss in power, cockpit filled with acrid smoke. I claimed the airport for my very own, struggled around to land, and returned to the maintenance hangar. Turned out a cracked exhaust pipe had fallen apart, and burned a head-sized hole in the cowling. Oops. Sometimes hypochondriacs are really sick. He didn’t charge me for the repair.

one other thing: make sure you get the Service Bulletin fix for jammed stab trim accomplished.

[ArtVandelay]

one other thing: make sure you get the Service Bulletin fix for jammed stab trim accomplished.

I called Lasar about that 2-3 weeks ago looking for it, the factory is not operating so he told me to call back in September.

[jlunseth]

No, there is no insulation blanket in a 231. You should probably have the shop check the fittings and exhaust around the turbo, particularly the V clamps. I would not have them disassemble and reassemble the clamps, my understanding is there are a limited number of times that can be done and then they must be replaced (costly). There is a heat shield over the collector though, that is the large pipe that routs all the way around the engine, the exhaust runners from each cylinder dump into that, it then goes to the turbo. The heat shield is sheet metal.

Does it have electric rudder trim? Or are you talking about the elevator trim. It was available as an option as I understand it, but rudder trim is not much of an issue in the 231.

I have a 231 that I have owned for a little more than a decade. The first and most important advice I can give you is to find a good mechanic, preferably a Mooney Service Center, who really knows Mooneys and on whom you can rely. Probably the number one safety issue I have had over the years is mechanics who tried to kill me, my expression for the ones who left a part out, or inspected something for me and said it was fine when it was not, and then I had to deal with the subsequent in-air emergency, emergency descent and landing, finding a place on the road to fix the issue, etc. You need someone who knows Mooneys.

Just a pilot not a mechanic. And no, I don’t hate mechanics, I just like living. Lessons learned the hard way.

[LANCECASPER]

Is this deja vu or did I just read a post about a 1980 M20k 231?

 

[carusoam]

New MSer Challenges...

AKA double post...

-a-