Cowling mods for ease of access

[Nokomis449]

[Going back a few pages to the oil filter relocation discussion]

I have the remote oil filter on my '68 M20G and love it.  It is mounted high on the firewall on the co-pilot's side adjacent to the side cowling, with two oil lines going from it to the original location of the oil screen.  I can remove/replace the oil filter by removing *only* the cheek cowling panel (no need to remove the top cowl).  The oil filter is mostly above this access, but I can easily get a wrench on the filter and can still safety wire the new filter.

The remote filter has the oil lines routed above it (obviously), dropping into the filter.  When the filter is unscrewed, some oil in the lines above it will naturally spill out as the filter is unscrewed.  In time, I learned to cut the top out of a 2 liter bottle, loosen the threads of the filter until just before it starts leaking, and slide the bottle over the filter and above the filter threads, until it bottoms out on the filter mount.  At this point I can grip the filter by squeezing the bottle against it, and unscrew the filter until it comes off the threads.  The filter and any spilled oil remains inside the bottle.

Best of luck with your project; we'll be expecting frequent updates accompanied by 8x10 color glossies.

[NM Mooney]

21 minutes ago, Nokomis449 said:

[Going back a few pages to the oil filter relocation discussion]

I have the remote oil filter on my '68 M20G and love it.  It is mounted high on the firewall on the co-pilot's side adjacent to the side cowling, with two oil lines going from it to the original location of the oil screen.  I can remove/replace the oil filter by removing *only* the cheek cowling panel (no need to remove the top cowl).  The oil filter is mostly above this access, but I can easily get a wrench on the filter and can still safety wire the new filter.

The remote filter has the oil lines routed above it (obviously), dropping into the filter.  When the filter is unscrewed, some oil in the lines above it will naturally spill out as the filter is unscrewed.  In time, I learned to cut the top out of a 2 liter bottle, loosen the threads of the filter until just before it starts leaking, and slide the bottle over the filter and above the filter threads, until it bottoms out on the filter mount.  At this point I can grip the filter by squeezing the bottle against it, and unscrew the filter until it comes off the threads.  The filter and any spilled oil remains inside the bottle.

Best of luck with your project; we'll be expecting frequent updates accompanied by 8x10 color glossies.

Thanks for taking the time to provide this detail.  That sounds like exactly what I had in mind.  I like the plastic bottle idea, too.  

I am (still) waiting to hear back from the owner in response to my last message.  Ah, well, this plane's either meant to be mine or not.  I'll just have to wait and see. 

BTW - I was reading the (original) owner's manual while checking out my friend's '46 Cessna 140, and laughed aloud when I saw this sentence preceding a two-and-a-half page long list of dozens of operations included in the 100 hour inspection: 

"Time studies of the 100 hour inspection at the factory and in the field have developed a standard flat rate charge of $17.50 for this inspection at any Cessna Dealer or Distributor."

Edited December 10, 2021 by NM Mooney

[carusoam]

Joel,

Sorry I missed you…

Are you still around?

 

Livened up a connection to one of his sites….

https://www.creativespridgets.com

 

Kind of interesting…

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[A64Pilot]

It took a few trips back and forth to the FSDO in Dallas to get permission to test as the FAA reg requires a DD214, which is the form you get when you get when you separate from the Military, but I was still in so no DD 214, My MOS gave me the Airframe part, I got the Powerplant permission by OJT. Persistence is why I got permission, every block they threw up, I found a way around and I guess they finally gave up.

I took a prep class for the written tests, passed them then did the Oral and Practical which was easy, got my A&P in 90 maybe?

But then never touched a civilian aircraft until 2003? Got my IA in 05 maybe?

ANY FAR is very much open to interpretation by the FAA inspector, they can be an enemy or a friend, depending greatly on how you act.

[N201MKTurbo]

15 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

ANY FAR is very much open to interpretation by the FAA inspector, they can be an enemy or a friend, depending greatly on how you act.

This is my experience as well. In all my dealings with the FAA, they bent over backwards to help me, and I was always grateful. They get enough grief from the airlines and manufacturers. They seem to enjoy working with GA sometimes.

[time_adc]

I have the Air Wolf remote oil filter. It's easy to access with the cowling off, still drops some oil even if you punch a hole in the filter to drain. Also, it's fastened to the firewall, and this stainless sheet is pretty thing, so the mint does move around a bit when tightening and loosening the filter, kind of sketchy but sofar so good. The extra hoses require for the remote location also take up some space behind the engine, so you dont gain that much additional space back there.  

[A64Pilot]

Put fender washers on the backside of the firewall where the mounting bolts are, SS cracks easily, you don’t want it bending if you can stop it, maybe even a doubler if there is room for one.

[MBDiagMan]

On 12/3/2021 at 11:24 AM, NM Mooney said:

I am new to this forum, and am in the process of buying a 1963 M20C as a restoration project.  It was so cheap that I'm almost embarrassed for the PO, but he's ready to let go of the plane, and the airframe looks solid with zero rust or visible corrosion, paint is decent (windscreen needs replacement, and I'll want to upgrade to a frameless version... anyone got a line on the parts?   

I'm headed out to do a compression check (prop turns freely with nice resistance on compression strokes), pull cockpit trim panels to check roll cage for corrosion (not bloody likely for a NM plane), scrutinize tanks, jack it up and test the retracting mechanism, etc., before finalizing the deal, so seems worth it via a labor/investment calculation.  But ultimately, I'm one of those nuts who gets nearly as much out of tinkering as operating so this really isn't about finding the best deal. 

I will be simultaneously taking an A&P certification course, so I can do my own work and inspections as I go.  The total cost of the FAA approved course at the local community college is $1,300 so that will pay for itself fairly quickly.  Of course, when I pass the FAA exam, I'll be able to do inspections to pay for gas and hanger space, so seems like a nice way to spend the next couple of decades...   

Anyway, I am eager to pore over the threads on this forum and am sure I'll have many follow-up questions, but would greatly appreciate responses to my initial questions:

• has anyone successfully designed mods to the engine cowling, to ease R&R of the side and top panels--i.e., quick release latches similar to the Piper, et al.  Same question re: lower cowling.  I have some ideas (I engineer and sell CNC parts for British sports cars), but no need to reinvent the wheel if someone has already accomplished this, and (ideally) posted a DIY guide online somewhere;
• Would FAA approval of such a mod merely be a matter of the A&P inspecting and approving it?  Or would the process be more involved, and agency-wide versus individual A&P discretion?  I'm not familiar enough with the CFRs to know the answer;
• what about the best remote filter solution?  Has anyone fitted the Airwolf option?  
• cooling re #4 cylinder.  Has anyone experimented with adding an NACA duct or some other method to boost cooling of what I understand is typically the hottest-running cylinder?  Am I wrong about this being an issue?
• are there any other maintenance bears (I've read about several of the less-fun tasks unique to the cramped engine bay between the engine and firewall and underneath the sump) that people would put on their short list for good mods, since I'll be pulling the engine and basically going through everything, so I don't have to do stuff twice? 

Thank you for your help.

My first Mooney was a ‘63 C and it was easy Peary access.  You can pull the top or either side panel as necessary.  WAY easier than the J cowl on my F.  Count your lucky stars and be happy with the C access.

Make yourself a wooden rack to set the panels in when they are off.  Accidentally stepping on one is a VERY bad thing.