Many Pre-J model Mooneys have the engine out of alignment with the
fuselage. This is evident by a prop spinner that doesn't align properly
with the exterior of the cowling. Learn what Don Maxwell has to
say about getting your engine back in proper alignment. Good looks
and improved cruise speeds are the result.
When your “J” or pre “J” Mooney left the
factory, the engine was shimmed so that the spinner was centered
in the cowling. Shimming at the factory is done by trial and error
and is considered satisfactory when the spinner aligns correctly
with the cowling. The shims used by Mooney are really nothing more
than "large area" washers. They come in two thickness.
Part number 600364-001 is one-sixteenth of an inch thick and part
number 600364-003 is one-eighth of an inch thick. Figure 1
shows these two shims. The way they work is really pretty simple. These
washers are placed between the engine case and the rubber isolators
on the engine mount to align the engine with the cowling as indicated
by the prop spinner alignment. Shimming is normal on just about
every Mooney and is very important. It keeps engine/cowl contact
to a minimum. (See figure 2 for an example of contact between the
starter and lower cowling.)
Shimming should be considered mandatory before installing cowl
mods such as Lasar’s cowl closure or a new Southwest Texas Aviation
cowling. Engine/cowling contact is the number 1 cause of excessive
vibration in Mooneys.
I receive lots of calls from owners or mechanics that have removed
an engine for one reason or another and were unaware of the shims.
They fell on the shop floor when the engine came off the airplane.
Now they don't know what shims to use where or when reinstalling the
engine. At this point it’s anyone's guess. Trial and
error may be the only way to get the engine properly aligned. Its
hard to tell by looking at shims that were removed exactly where
they were located. There may be a pattern of the engine case or
markings that will give you a clue as to it’s original position,
but I doubt it.
So, you're going to have to start all over with the shimming process.
To keep from having to do this, make sure to carefully notice where
the shims are in the first place before they fall on the hangar floor
during an engine removal.
Most installations have a one-eighth shim at each mount position.
In addition, there may be a one-sixteenth shim on one or more of
the other mounts. I usually start with a one-eighth shim at each
position and check the alignment of spinner and cowling.
On pre “J” models proper alignment will have the spinner
centered in the cowling and approximately one inch of clearance between
the bottom of the starter and the lower cowling (see figure 3 for
this proper clearance).
On “J” models the spinner will line up with the bulkhead
on the front of the cowling. (see figure 4) Also on the “J”,
the ram air inlet and ram air door should be in alignment.
Figure
5 shows an example of the ram air not in alignment with the
ram air door. Not Good.
In most Mooneys I see in my shop, the engine is sagging due to the
age of the mounts or improper alignment when the engine was installed.
To raise the engine using shims, first determine how much it needs
to be raised at the spinner. Hear is an important rule of thumb for
raising the engine with shims: a one sixteenth inch shim will raise
the spinner one-quarter (1/4) of an inch. A one-eighth inch shim will
raise the spinner one-half (1/2) inch. Remembering this rule of thumb
will certainly make the trial and error method of aligning your
engine much easier.
An example would be that we have a one-eighth shim under each rubber
mount and we have a spinner that is one-half inch low. Support the
prop with a hoist using straps or generator belts and place a support
under the tail skid. Remove the top engine mount bolts and remove
the one-eighth washer from each top position. Replace and torque
the bolts. You may have to add washers under the nut of the mount
bolts for proper torque. Install the cowl and check for alignment.
This time alignment is better, but the spinner seems a little low
on one side.
Now that the shims have been removed from the top mounts, we must
add a shim to one of the lower mounts. This procedure is a little
more difficult because once the engine mount is installed on the
firewall, there is not enough room to remove the lower engine mount
bolts.
To add a shim to a lower mount, we must first modify our shim by
cutting a slot from the side to the middle making our shim look
like a “U”. (See figure
1) You can cut the slot
using a hack saw or Dremel tool. Once the slot is cut, bevel the
washer on both sides the slot is cut on.
Again, we support the prop with our sling and a support under the
tail.
Loosen the lower mount bolts, raise the front of the engine using
the prop sling. Place the modified shim between the engine rubber
mount and the one-eighth washer that is already installed. Using
a hammer and extension bar, tap the shim in until it bottoms out.
Re-torque the mount bolt and make sure that threads extend past
the locknut.
One final caution, make sure that it's not a lose cowling that
is making it look like the engine is out of alignment. I've seen
this sometimes and it's deceiving. Especially on J models. I've
seen cowlings riding high because they are loose, giving the impression
of a sagging engine. But it's not the engine riding low, it's the
cowling riding high. If you can move the cowl upward by hand, the
floating cowl fasteners can be replaced with fixed fasteners to
keep this from happening. If you've got an engine that you think
is out of alignment, five me a call at 903-845-5844 or e-mail me at
aviatormax@aol.com
You can have it fixed by someone who knows Mooneys, with a little
help. Or you can bring it by my shop and we will definitely get
it fixed. Your airplane will look better and should be a little
faster as well.
|
