Getting the Acclaim home

[StevenL757]

9 hours ago, carusoam said:

Another good resource to speak with… is the STC writer himself.

FYI - The DER to whom I refer above is also the original STC holder and primary test pilot of this upgrade.

[exM20K]

1 hour ago, StevenL757 said:

I’ll add to this view as well.  Two of the best DERs and mechanics on the planet have both advised me (in the event I pull the trigger on an Acclaim) to avoid the 310HP upgrade on the TSIO550 platform…basically saying it adds undue added wear and tear on an already hard-working engine, with very little - if any - increase in performance.  The 280HP out-of-the-box configuration is your better option.

Replace your massive plugs with iridium fine wire if you haven’t already.

Mechanics are a very poor source for operating advice, in my experience.  There are plenty who will tell you that operations LOP will burn up your valves and turbo cool down is necessary to avoid coking in the turbos or some other calamity. Does this DER have data to support this warning? It’s not as simple as more power = more wear as the APS guys have demonstrated authoritatively.  In this case, spinning the engine 200 RPM faster will retard the timing, increasing detonation margins at full power.

My operating experience over 4-500 hours with the 310 HP:

• oil consumption steady at 1qt per 10-12 hours
• oil analysis right where Blackstone says it should be
• borescope of exhaust valves every 50-100 hours show normal coloring
• Oil and cylinder head temps very cool (166-175 higher in the climb, and no cylinder getting over 375 in the climb even in the summer

There are several flavors of TSIO550 550 running 2700 RPM for 315 HP,  and CMI rates this one at 310.  Mooney chose to dial it back to 280 by spinning it at only 2500.  
 

Performance is dramatically better.  I’m based on a short field, and while I don’t have good before and after data to point to, I know it gets up off the ground much quicker.  Climb rates are at least 300 FPM better than book, which, when climbing to the high teens is a signifying time and fuel savings.

Disuse kills engines for sure.  It is not obvious why running this engine at 2700 RPM like the rest of the TSIO550 550’s would, and my experience has turned up no evidence of increased wear.

I am very glad to have done this relatively inexpensive mod.

-Dan

Edited November 29, 2021 by exM20K

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, StevenL757 said:

I’ll add to this view as well.  Two of the best DERs and mechanics on the planet have both advised me (in the event I pull the trigger on an Acclaim) to avoid the 310HP upgrade on the TSIO550 platform…basically saying it adds undue added wear and tear on an already hard-working engine, with very little - if any - increase in performance.  The 280HP out-of-the-box configuration is your better option.

Replace your massive plugs with iridium fine wire if you haven’t already.

The climb performance on the 280hp is great with the two turbos so I'm inclined to leave well enough alone, for now at least. I would be putting in fine wire plugs this week, except they are out of stock until early December.

[Geoff]

7 hours ago, exM20K said:

Mechanics are a very poor source for operating advice, in my experience.  There are plenty who will tell you that operations LOP will burn up your valves and turbo cool down is necessary to avoid coking in the turbos or some other calamity. Does this DER have data to support this warning? It’s not as simple as more power = more wear as the APS guys have demonstrated authoritatively.  In this case, spinning the engine 200 RPM faster will retard the timing, increasing detonation margins at full power.

My operating experience over 4-500 hours with the 310 HP:

• oil consumption steady at 1qt per 10-12 hours
• oil analysis right where Blackstone says it should be
• borescope of exhaust valves every 50-100 hours show normal coloring
• Oil and cylinder head temps very cool (166-175 higher in the climb, and no cylinder getting over 375 in the climb even in the summer

There are several flavors of TSIO550 550 running 2700 RPM for 315 HP,  and CMI rates this one at 310.  Mooney chose to dial it back to 280 by spinning it at only 2500.  
 

Performance is dramatically better.  I’m based on a short field, and while I don’t have good before and after data to point to, I know it gets up off the ground much quicker.  Climb rates are at least 300 FPM better than book, which, when climbing to the high teens is a signifying time and fuel savings.

Disuse kills engines for sure.  It is not obvious why running this engine at 2700 RPM like the rest of the TSIO550 550’s would, and my experience has turned up no evidence of increased wear.

I am very glad to have done this relatively inexpensive mod.

-Dan

It was not my intention to raise a contentious issue or be critical of the STC or anyone who has chosen to do it.  I only suggested that anyone considering it should seek as many perspectives as they want before making a personal decision. 

[Schllc]

On 11/29/2021 at 9:34 AM, exM20K said:

Mechanics are a very poor source for operating advice, in my experience.  There are plenty who will tell you that operations LOP will burn up your valves and turbo cool down is necessary to avoid coking in the turbos or some other calamity. Does this DER have data to support this warning? It’s not as simple as more power = more wear as the APS guys have demonstrated authoritatively.  In this case, spinning the engine 200 RPM faster will retard the timing, increasing detonation margins at full power.

My operating experience over 4-500 hours with the 310 HP:

• oil consumption steady at 1qt per 10-12 hours
• oil analysis right where Blackstone says it should be
• borescope of exhaust valves every 50-100 hours show normal coloring
• Oil and cylinder head temps very cool (166-175 higher in the climb, and no cylinder getting over 375 in the climb even in the summer

There are several flavors of TSIO550 550 running 2700 RPM for 315 HP,  and CMI rates this one at 310.  Mooney chose to dial it back to 280 by spinning it at only 2500.  
 

Performance is dramatically better.  I’m based on a short field, and while I don’t have good before and after data to point to, I know it gets up off the ground much quicker.  Climb rates are at least 300 FPM better than book, which, when climbing to the high teens is a signifying time and fuel savings.

Disuse kills engines for sure.  It is not obvious why running this engine at 2700 RPM like the rest of the TSIO550 550’s would, and my experience has turned up no evidence of increased wear.

I am very glad to have done this relatively inexpensive mod.

-Dan

Completely agree with this comment, also.....

I would submit that with less than 200 acclaims in existence, probably less than 25 of them converted to 310hp, with a broad array of pilots and variety use/abuse, it’s really hard to say with certainty what the long term affects would be to the engine with this modification.  I don’t understand the physics of why this is bad for a TN engine when engine pressures and temps are basically no different from a NA engine.

I have owned several acclaims and ovations and I can tell you that the 310hp ovation in the first 500 feet of climb is a radically different experience from the 280hp acclaim.  

The stock acclaim climb is anemic in comparison in that very critical phase of flight. 
after 500’ they are equal for a bit and the acclaim eventually then climbs the ovation. 
My first three acclaims were 280hp, and my current one has the 310hp upgrade.  
It is amazing and I have no regrets, even if it somehow causes extra wear and tear, it would be predicated on how you fly it.  
Which I happen to feel is non existent at best and minimal at worst.  

If you fly around at 2700rpm and 30.5”mp, its probably rational to say it will shorten the engine life.  
However, take off out of of an airport like north perry in Hollywood Florida, and you may feel differently about the value of that first 500’ of power in the climb. 
This airport has no viable landing spot for a sudden loss of power below 500’. You are hitting a building, period.
I experienced this the first time on my first flight in an acclaim after two years of flying a 310hp ovation.  Make no mistake, I was acutely aware of the difference in the two minutes my back pockets were touching....

Everything in aviation is a trade off, and whatever possible long term effects of extracting 10% more hp from my engine, in the first 2 minutes of my flight to get to a safe altitude quicker, is well with that trade off for me.

but to each their own...

[Schllc]

On 11/29/2021 at 9:55 AM, LANCECASPER said:

The climb performance on the 280hp is great with the two turbos so I'm inclined to leave well enough alone, for now at least. I would be putting in fine wire plugs this week, except they are out of stock until early December.

If you don’t have gami’s yet and have the software in your g1000 for data logging, I would take a long flight with several sessions of leaning to lop, and rop and send to gami for evaluation. 
I had a horrific spread in one of my acclaims and the plane really didnt like lop.  It actually took four rounds of injector revisions by gami to dial it in.  
My rop operation went from 22.8gph to 18.5gph with better temps and no speed loss, and it ran beautifully lop.  
My ultra was close enough where gami said that plane didn’t need them.  
My current acclaim didn’t have the software upgrade for data logging so I haven’t been able to send it in for them to evaluate yet, but I will, and I can attest that gami injectors can easily pay for themselves.

+1 on the fine wires as well !!

[LANCECASPER]

On 12/1/2021 at 9:22 PM, Schllc said:

If you don’t have gami’s yet and have the software in your g1000 for data logging, I would take a long flight with several sessions of leaning to lop, and rop and send to gami for evaluation.  . . . 
I had a horrific spread in one of my acclaims and the plane really didnt like lop.  It actually took four rounds of injector revisions by gami to dial it in.  
My rop operation went from 22.8gph to 18.5gph with better temps and no speed loss, and it ran beautifully lop.  
My ultra was close enough where gami said that plane didn’t need them.  
My current acclaim didn’t have the software upgrade for data logging so I haven’t been able to send it in for them to evaluate yet, but I will, and I can attest that gami injectors can easily pay for themselves.

+1 on the fine wires as well !!

Well you learn something everyday . . .

I was wondering why, on the way home, it was so easy to run this engine lean of peak and it was so smooth lean of peak. It turns out that the original owner paid the extra $10,000 for the Platinum engine when he ordered the airplane. The Platinum, in addition to having balanced parts to closer tolerances, also comes with tuned injectors and fine wire plugs. I am going to pull the Champion fine wires to check resistance, since Champion doesn't have the best reputation in that regard. If the plugs show high resistance, I'll put Tempest fine wires in. 

 

 

 

[Bravoman]

Beautiful Plane. When I got my Mirage , I was a little concerned about getting a plane with the G1000 since, as we all know, you are somewhat wed to that platform forever.  However, after experiencing the GFC 700, and the seamless integration, I can say the trade-off is well worth it.   I do wish that the NXI  upgrade becomes available for the  Mirage;  it would be a nice update to a great system. 

[Danb]

4 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Well you learn something everyday . . .

I was wondering why, on the way home, it was so easy to run this engine lean of peak and it was so smooth lean of peak. It turns out that the original owner paid for the Platinum engine when he ordered the airplane. The Platinum, in addition to having balanced parts to closer tolerances, also comes with tuned injectors and fine wire plugs. I am going to pull the Champion fine wires to check resistance, since Champion doesn't have the best reputation in that regard. If the plugs show high resistance, I'll put Tempest fine wires in. 

 

 

 

Lance I originally put Champion fine wires in the Bravo, tested them after 200 hours the resistance was shot in 4 of them, so I put in the Tempest fines in all still test good after 500+ hours

[Schllc]

8 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Well you learn something everyday . . .

I was wondering why, on the way home, it was so easy to run this engine lean of peak and it was so smooth lean of peak. It turns out that the original owner paid for the Platinum engine when he ordered the airplane. The Platinum, in addition to having balanced parts to closer tolerances, also comes with tuned injectors and fine wire plugs. I am going to pull the Champion fine wires to check resistance, since Champion doesn't have the best reputation in that regard. If the plugs show high resistance, I'll put Tempest fine wires in. 

 

 

 

I was told they all come with tuned injectors but I can tell you from experience, if that’s the case then their quality control is crap. 
Some have run fine without gami injectors and some needed them just to run lop

[Raptor05121]

Wow! Too cool

[LANCECASPER]

So far a few things that have been done:

Two new Concorde batteries (one was original from 2008  and the other one was from 2012). Obviously no capacity test was done at the last annual.

New Tempest fine wire plugs (All Platinum engines have Champion fine wires from Continental, but the older Champions had their issues) - no question it is running smoother and now i can taxi at 680 rpm smoothly if I want. With the new starter and the new plugs it starts immediately.

New .37 Software

Brakes have been bled and new seals in the left Master Cylinder. 

Under the category of “I can’t believe anyone did this” yes, believe it or not, the left brake pad had been installed backwards and was scraping against the disc, trashing the disc. “I wonder why that left brake doesn’t feel like it should.”

 

A few things more on the list but it’s coming along.

[carusoam]

If something can be installed incorrectly…. Sooner or later it will be…

Brake pads are a hard one to get wrong…

At least, they are nicely visible to the pilot…. Not a part hidden inside the wing somewhere…

Nice pic Lance!

Best regards,

-a-

[larryb]

The reversed brake pad has happened to me also. In my case they felt OK but I noticed a scraping sound while taxiing.

[Mcstealth]

On 1/8/2022 at 12:20 PM, LANCECASPER said:

Brakes have been bled and new seals in the left Master Cylinder. 

Under the category of “I can’t believe anyone did this” yes, believe it or not, the left brake pad had been installed backwards and was scraping against the disc, trashing the disc. “I wonder why that left brake doesn’t feel like it should.”

 

Between San Marcos working on the brakes and then the factory guys, neither of the noticed the brakepad was installed incorrectly?

[LANCECASPER]

SWTA is not in San Marcos, they moved to Smithville a few years back.

But yes the people I had look at the brakes were just asked to bleed the brakes since they were soft. There definitely was air in the system, so that was one issue. My fault for being too specific - I should have said look over the brakes.

Brian Kendrick (who is usually in San Marcos) stopped by and looked at it last Friday and within a minute he caught the backwards pad. I had asked him to look at it from day one but he finally had a day open up.

[carusoam]

Nice pirep for Brian Kendrick.

He gets many nice reviews around here.

Best regards,

-a-

[L. Trotter]

19 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Nice pirep for Brian Kendrick.

He gets many nice reviews around here.

Best regards,

-a-

Brian Kendrick has been maintaining my Acclaim for several years. You won't find a better mechanic who understands Mooney's in the industry. He was the lead factory mechanic for years. He's a busy guy, if you can get him to maintain your plane it's a real treat. It's worth the trip to San Marcos.

 

[LANCECASPER]

On 1/11/2022 at 10:31 PM, L. Trotter said:

Brian Kendrick has been maintaining my Acclaim for several years. You won't find a better mechanic who understands Mooney's in the industry. He was the lead factory mechanic for years. He's a busy guy, if you can get him to maintain your plane it's a real treat. It's worth the trip to San Marcos.

 

He did some work on an Ovation and a Bravo I owned. I'm looking forward to having him maintain the Acclaim. Since I live between Kerrville and Fredericksburg it works well for both of us. . .  he makes house calls 

[LANCECASPER]

Since N102TN is painted “dark blue metallic” the black Acclaim Type S decal on the tail hardly showed up and really didn’t go with the colors on the airplane. From about 10 feet away you hardly noticed it. The camera picks up light from the metallic specs in the blue, but in person it appears darker, so black on dark blue doesn’t really work.

After looking at this post below and seeing the graphics on Acclaim Type S #1, I realized that I had S #3, so I had similar graphics made for mine in silver gray with the letters in dark blue.

(Graphicsmaxx.com   mplanchak32gmail.com) She saved the file and has it listed on her website. The number can be changed if you contact her or just eliminated if you don’t want the number. Make sure you choose the 16” wide option.

[LANCECASPER]

On 12/7/2021 at 7:10 PM, Raptor05121 said:

Wow! Too cool

Alex,

I finally understand the significance of your comment about the Acclaim . . . . that was you in the left seat in this Acclaim video 17 years ago  . . .too cool . . lol