Fuel Sender Replacement

[Brian Mills]

Looking for a document that has the procedures for removing the Fuel Senders. 

[RLCarter]

It’s not in the Maintenance Manual? 

[Yetti]

Even if it's in the Maint Manual, it probably just says "remove"

It's not hard.  Remove the lead wire and some screws.

New seals can be bought from Brown Seal   https://www.brownaircraft.com/aircraft-gaskets-s/206.htm

Ask for the extra thick Gas Selector seal.  While you are ordering.

 

[Igor_U]

I would start with obvious: "defueling the tank". 

[Guest]

Older manuals don’t contain these type of details.  A certain amount of knowledge was assumed when they were written.  If you could fix a mid sixties Chevy, you could likely handle a Mooney.

[Utah20Gflyer]

I have a g model which only has two senders versus 4 in your plane.  Process to remove is pretty easy.  Drain tanks, Remove interior, disconnect wire, undo screws holding sending unit in, pull out.  The inner senders are just above floor level in front of the spar.  The outer senders are going to be accessed through panels on the underside of the wing just past where the tank ends, I haven’t done those because I don’t have them, but I suspect they will be the same.   It was not a complex job.  The majority of the work is draining the tanks and removing interior. 
 

I’m not a mechanic so I am providing moral support only not literal maintenance instructions. 

[PT20J]

On 2/23/2023 at 4:27 PM, M20Doc said:

Older manuals don’t contain these type of details.  A certain amount of knowledge was assumed when they were written.  If you could fix a mid sixties Chevy, you could likely handle a Mooney.

And besides, no one reads the manuals anyway 

[RLCarter]

3 hours ago, PT20J said:

And besides, no one reads the manuals anyway 

Not being an A&P I do, but like @M20Doc mentioned, they take a lot for granted… I generally print the procedure out along with the parts diagram (both manuals are on an iPad as well). I had the FAA walk in while I was pulling the last gear leg out, a little worried at first but all in all it was a non-event, jokingly I told them Mooney needed more pictures 

[Jsno]

I have removed all four and sent them to Air Parts of Lock Haven for overhaul. The only reference in any manual was the electrical drawing for the system and the IPC.  Just to be safe take photos of the connections and mark them with tape before disconnecting to ensure that you wire them correctly while going back in.  I used new gaskets and new plastic inserts for the screws that prevent the transmitter from grounding out.

 

[Brian Mills]

On 2/26/2023 at 1:33 AM, Jsno said:

I have removed all four and sent them to Air Parts of Lock Haven for overhaul. The only reference in any manual was the electrical drawing for the system and the IPC.  Just to be safe take photos of the connections and mark them with tape before disconnecting to ensure that you wire them correctly while going back in.  I used new gaskets and new plastic inserts for the screws that prevent the transmitter from grounding out.

 

Thanks…appreciate it!

[M20F-1968]

If you have a G model you have the very old senders.  I would not rebuild them.  I have some Rochester senders which are the newer senders used (But before the Digital Cies senders which I now have).  I would upgrade to the Rochester senders assuming that you do not have the ability to go all digital, including a digital engine monitor).  I have rebuild senders which were rebuilt by Air Parts of Lockhaven.  The price of new senders is crazy now and I can sell the ones I have, which I bought and rebuilt as back-up units, for a reasonable price.  

John Breda

Cell (617) 877-0025

[carusoam]

Lots of options Brian…

1) OH what you have at Lockhaven….

2) See what John B above has on his shelf…

3) Get the Ceis update.  These are digital fuel floats that match digital engine monitors… and provide really good fuel level accuracy…

4) A fuel totalizer is a great way to not run out of fuel….

5) decent fuel level info makes a great back-up to the FF data…

swapping out fuel level sensors requires a mechanic… so the minimal manual in his hands should be enough… he probably takes nice pics before he dis-assembles things…

The most important thing is fire safety… it’s winter, the air is dry, fuel likes to ignite… ground everything , at least temporarily to keep sparks from flying…

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic…

Best regards,

-a-

[Pinecone]

FYI Ceis senders can also work with tradition analog gauges.  You have to order them to do that, but they are available.