Gear fails to retract

[skyking1]

I had a new experience today with my screaming eagle! The eagle has been 100% but today the gear would not retract. I checked cb s as well as the emer handle all were normal. My mech checked the up micro switch and finally got it to retract when it was on jacks. He thinks it might be temp related as it has been cool in fl. After it warmed up the gear cycled fine about 10 times he said. The switch is 500$! Any ideas or similar experience. Thanks

[jezzie]

Happened to me in my 77J model. Selected gear up only went 1/2 way, Gear unsafe light was flashing, had to do a manual gear extension only about 1/2 the normal turns. We put it up on jacks and we found a loose wire on the gear up limit switch. We tried to replicate the situation by playing with the loose wire and could not get the unsafe gear light to flash. Secured the loose wire and did 7 gear cycles plus a manual extension and all was as it should be.I too would be interested if any one else has had similar experiences.

[Cris]

If it should happen again try the gear override button switch. That should allow the gear to retract. If it does not I'd suspect the overide switch. I once had an IFR certification done and the air pressure or over pressure on the pitot supposedly caused the switch to fail making it impossible to raise the gear. I really doubt temp changes would cause the micro switch to fail unless it really is defective.

[kortopates]

I think Cris has the right idea, the Maintenance Manual suggest the issue is an inoperative pressure switch which can be overidden with the red overide button. If your mechanic didn't yet get the gear to come up normally by blowing into the pitot tube to raise airspeed within limits, 65 Kts +7/-4, then I'd suggest diagnosis to eliminate the pressure switch is incomplete.

[Piloto]

Your problem most likely is caused by the manual extension latch. Verify that the manual extension latch in between the seats is properly latched in into the tab. If not properly latched the gear will not retract. It is not uncommon for rear passengers to accidentally step on the latch and unlatch it.

José

[mooney2201]

airspeed switch on the back of the airspeed indicator,check wiring,should retract at 76 mph....gear will not retract until airspeed is met....

[320KPH]

Threads like THIS are the reason I love the interweb...

[Marauder]

I had a new experience today with my screaming eagle! The eagle has been 100% but today the gear would not retract. I checked cb s as well as the emer handle all were normal. My mech checked the up micro switch and finally got it to retract when it was on jacks. He thinks it might be temp related as it has been cool in fl. After it warmed up the gear cycled fine about 10 times he said. The switch is 500$! Any ideas or similar experience. Thanks

The first time I experienced this was in a 10 degree day in Buffalo. The donuts get just too cold to expand and hit the squat switch. I installed the gear override switch Cris mentioned. On really cold days OR if I haven't flow in a while, the donuts will compress and not rebound to hit the switch. I assuming that your Screaming Mooney is the same as my old plane...

[kortopates]

I assuming that your Screaming Mooney is the same as my old plane...

I don't recall what year Mooney abandoned the squat switch on the gear in favor of the pressure switch activated by pitot pressure, but it was by the time the mid-bodys were in production if not sooner.

[jetdriven]

IIRC it was mid-1978 when Mooney abandoned the squat switch on the left gear. Ours would not retract in cold weather and the previous owners installed a "cold weather retract kit". Ii think its because the donuts dont expand after liftoff and it disables the LG motor.

[skyking1]

Thanks for all the help. We seem to have isolated the problem to the up switch which is over 580$. I'll let you know if that fixes the issue.