Muffler Mystery - M20J

[Zulee]

I'm posting this information for no other reason than to share what seemed like a simple muffler replacement becoming a mystery to every source contacted.  I'm not going to bore you with all the gyrations but in a nutshell my muffler did not pass the leak test.  Ok not what I wanted to hear but another unexpected $1800 for a new muffler...not a huge surprise, it's an airplane, that's what they do!

The part number in the Mooney parts manual was 630045-503, I found the same part number when I searched on Spruce and QAA and AWI, etc.  Why did I shop so many sources, I'm an aircraft owner, that's what we do!

I did learn that pretty much all things GA exhaust system/muffler/risers are all under a single owner.  I'm probably the only one that didn't know that.

So here is the MYSTERY that seemed to stump all sources mentioned above.

I've posted several pictures of my old failed muffler alongside the shiny new one.  The risers aligned perfectly with the muffler as well as nice and flat against the cylinder exhaust ports.  The ISSUE is where the tailpipe connects to the muffler.  My original muffler (overhauled once in 2006) has a slight or subtle bend at the end and slightly (ever so slightly) longer.  The new muffler was straight as an arrow and when we dry-fitted the tailipipe, it turned the tailpipe into the firewall rather than down the channel where is belonged.  

Has anyone else experienced this and if you did, what did you do or how did you correct?

Thanks in advance for your input, I look forward to your valuable responses.

Rick

 

 

[KSMooniac]

I would guess that new one was not built correctly. Likely that simple...

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[Zulee]

I don’t disagree and my initial thought but after speaking with and sharing the same photos with QAA and AWI, they both stated the new muffler was correct and to PMA specifications  

thanks for your feedback 

Rick 

 

[MikeOH]

2 minutes ago, Zulee said:

I don’t disagree and my initial thought but after speaking with and sharing the same photos with QAA and AWI, they both stated the new muffler was correct and to PMA specifications  

thanks for your feedback 

Rick 

 

WOW!  Please post the name of this shop so I can stay far away!  They should be happy to install it for you since they believe it to be 'correct and to specifications'.  Those flange angles aren't 'just a degree or two off'....  I'd be pretty mad about this, frankly.

[Brian2034]

Definitely jigged wrong when assembled or you where sent incorrect part.

Send it back and ask for a replacement or send it back and buy from another source.

 

[KSMooniac]

QAA has no quality whatsoever in their enterprise.  It's a shame that all of these businesses got consolidated in the first place, and then even worse that private equity took over.  At the beginning of consolidation (like Hartzell buying Kelly) I had hoped that Hartzell would fix the problems with Kelly quality.  Instead, the low quality infected the rest of the combined business.  Now we have poor quality everywhere, no stock, and higher prices across many different product lines.  It is really awful.

[KSMooniac]

I'll add that if you cannot get a proper replacement or even a refund for the bad part, please file a report with the FSDO.  They should investigate their quality system if they are delivering parts that don't conform to specification.  This is a big deal.

[Zulee]

6 minutes ago, KSMooniac said:

I'll add that if you cannot get a proper replacement or even a refund for the bad part, please file a report with the FSDO.  They should investigate their quality system if they are delivering parts that don't conform to specification.  This is a big deal.

I honestly think they were as surprised as I was when they saw the pictures.  There was no hassle with returning, they've provided their shipper number, etc. and full refund.  And just so I'm not confusing the issue, this was an in-stock inventory muffler.  Nothing was jigged our custom built for me...they all come from the same manufacturer as I understood it.

[Igor_U]

10 minutes ago, Zulee said:

I honestly think they were as surprised as I was when they saw the pictures.  There was no hassle with returning, they've provided their shipper number, etc. and full refund.  And just so I'm not confusing the issue, this was an in-stock inventory muffler.  Nothing was jigged our custom built for me...they all come from the same manufacturer as I understood it.

 

Couldn't you just send your old muffler to the shop for a repair or "rebuilt"? That's what I've done with mine exhaust and all parts came "as new" and fit perfectly.

[KSMooniac]

 
Couldn't you just send your old muffler to the shop for a repair or "rebuilt"? That's what I've done with mine exhaust and all parts came "as new" and fit perfectly.

That used to be standard, but from what I've gathered over the last few years after the consolidation the repair prices are nearly as much as buying new now. They removed the economical options from us so we have to pay more for replacement now.

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[Rick Junkin]

The OP is looking for input from someone who has installed a new muffler on a J recently. A post from that person would actually be helpful.

[Zulee]

53 minutes ago, Igor_U said:

 

Couldn't you just send your old muffler to the shop for a repair or "rebuilt"? That's what I've done with mine exhaust and all parts came "as new" and fit perfectly.

Yes I could have done that and hindsight being 20/20. However I just had my engine overhauled so I was on a mission that all things firewall forward were going to be over and above. Silly me

[Zulee]

13 minutes ago, Rick Junkin said:

The OP is looking for input from someone who has installed a new muffler on a J recently. A post from that person would actually be helpful.

I guess that is what I was hoping someone might be able to share. 

[PT20J]

Looking at AWI's website, there are two M20 200 hp mufflers

https://www.qaa.com/products/aircraft-exhaust-system/mooney/m-20-200-ball-rib

https://www.qaa.com/products/aircraft-exhaust-system/mooney/m-20-200-slip-rib-m20j

They have different tailpipes and different muffler part numbers because one uses ball joints on the risers and the M20J version has slip joints. 

If the ball joint riser muffler has a straight exit pipe, perhaps they made up the wrong part when they built yours.