Bolt-On Horsepower. Complete replacement of the Mooney M20 exhaust system. FAA approved by STC for use with M20 E, F, & J models with Lycoming IO-360 or IO-390 engines. Power Flow offers configurations compatible with 200 HP Mooney’s equipped with either the stock Mooney cowling (Our Gen 2 system) or the LoPresti cowling (Gen 1 system). The Gen 1 system also accommodates M20-J models equipped with electric cowl flaps.
New as of March 2018 - EASA individual aircraft STC basic approval now available. Click here for more details.
Our Free e-booklet explains it all in simple terms!
"We will be building highly-refined versions of the M-20 airplane in the year 2000." -- Roy LoPresti, president of Mooney Aircraft, 1985.
Turns out the esteemed Mr. Lo Presti was way too conservative! Although there have been a few hiccups through the years, this iconic design is STILL being produced! Many consider the 200 HP versions (including the M20-J vastly refined and improved by Mr. Lo Presti during his tenure at Mooney Aircraft into the superb “201”), to be the epitome of performance and efficiency envisioned by Al Mooney with his original M20 design from 1955.
Our well-proven Tuned Exhaust System (now installed on nearly 400 Mooney’s worldwide) gives your bird the superlative performance to match its rakish good looks and impressive pedigree!
Make your 200 HP M20 a faster, higher flying bird. Similar technology has been used in race cars and motorcycles for years, now it is available for your Mooney. By more effectively emptying the cylinders of spent exhaust gases, our Tuned Exhaust
System immediately gives your aircraft the following performance improvements:
5 -7 knots faster cruise speeds
10% – 15% increase in rate of climb
0.5 – 1.5 gph reduction in fuel burn at equivalent airspeed
Improved Take-Off Performance (100’ – 300’ reduction in ground roll)
Increase in Service Ceiling of 2,000’ – 5,000’
Cooler CHT’s
Don't just take our word for it - listen to what just some of our happy Power Flow customers have to say about the Power Flow tuned exhaust system on their aircraft:
You can also click on the "Reviews" tab near the top of this page and see other reviews and view more videos.
The Power Flow is a versatile, quality constructed, complete replacement of your entire exhaust system. The entire system is constructed of 321 grade stainless steel and includes minimal structural welds in the cabin heat section for improved safety. All necessary parts are included for easy installation on your M20. Our customers report an average install time of between four and seven hours. The system can be installed by one of our dealers, by your local A&P, or you can fly your plane to us for a local installation. Fly in with a standard Mooney, fly out (usually the same day) tuned for performance.
Our industry leading 60 day money back guarantee means that if for some reason the performance benefits listed above fail to materialize on your Mooney, you can return the system to us within 60 days of its installation for a full refund of your purchase price. Fine Print? You just read it.
Order the Gen1 version if your aircraft is equipped with either the LoPresti cowling or (on the J Model) electric cowl flaps.
All other E, F, & J models use the Gen2 version.
Both versions have the same measured performance gains. The Gen1 version is designed to fit inside the tighter quarters on LoPresti cowled Mooney’s and includes additional components to accommodate the electric cowl flap mechanism if necessary.
Polished or Ceramic?
The Ceramic Coated tailpipe is a cosmetic enhancement that hides the heat induced discoloration that is characteristic of stainless steel (think of the "bluing" you see on the muffler of a motorcycle). This discoloration has absolutely no effect on performance or reliability but the ceramic coating covers it up permanently. Otherwise, the polished tailpipe begins to discolor after a few hours of flying time. It can be re-polished anytime, but if you are proud of your Mooney’s appearance and would rather spend your time flying than polishing, the ceramic is a nice feature to have.
Challenger Air Filter:
The Challenger air filter replaces the disposable foam filter media found on most aircraft with K&N's high efficiency reusable filter media which provides up to three times more air flow to the intake manifold of the engine. Our own flight testing has repeatedly confirmed Challenger's published data:
#1.) A definite boost in manifold pressure (up to ½ inch);
#2.) An increase of 1 - 2 knots in airspeed;
#3.) An increase in available power on takeoff.
As mentioned above, the filter media itself is reusable. You just clean it and recharge it (coat it with oil so the dust sticks to it) once a year during annual and you can reuse it up to 25 times or 2,500 flight hours.
Since the Challenger system significantly improves the intake side of your Mooney’s engine at a very reasonable cost, we consider it to be the perfect complement to our Tuned Exhaust System which significantly improves the exhaust side.
A couple of other important pieces of information:
#1.) We strongly recommend that the aircraft's propeller be dynamically balanced to within 0.2 ips (inches per second) upon installation of the Power Flow System and every two to four years thereafter. If the propeller is dynamically balanced within 25 flight hours of the installation of the Power Flow System and you furnish PFS with copies of the logbook entries confirming this, PFS will extend the warranty on the Tuned Exhaust System from 12 months to 24 months or 500 Flight Hours (whichever occurs first).
Doing so every 2 - 4 years thereafter will dramatically improve the useful life and the reliability of every component that is bolted to the engine, including the Power Flow System.
#2) The Power Flow System has no service life limit. It is designed and built to last several thousand flight hours and will quite likely be the last exhaust system you need to buy for your aircraft. As with any high performance system however, it must be maintained properly. Every 500 flight hours or annually (whichever comes first) the four slip joints on the system must be cleaned and lubricated with high temperature anti-seize compound.
Most Customers have this maintenance performed during the aircraft's annual inspection which adds about 2 hours of labor to the inspection. We have had several of our Tuned Exhaust Systems rack up over 4,000 flight hours of trouble free performance (7,000+ flight hours is the current record in a commercial operation) as long as this maintenance is performed as required.
Still not sure if a Power Flow is right for you and your airplane? For complete peace of mind, check out our:
Click the RFG graphic above for more details.
*For more technical information please see "Tuned Exhaust Explained" on our home page.
Top speed capability improved by as much as 6.5 knots at 11,500 feet
Improved rate of climb - up to 15% improvement
Fuel savings at the same speeds - up to 1.3 GPH less
Improved engine efficiency
Cooler oil temperatures during climb - save fuel
Cooler cylinder head temperatures (CHT) in cruise at same speeds
Fully FAA STC'd tuned exhaust system manufactured under an FAA/PMA
Kit includes a complete 321 stainless steel exhaust system, i.e., 4 headers, cabin heat shroud, carburetor heat, extractor system, muffler, STC, instructions, and all necessary hardware for installation (nuts, No-blo gaskets, etc.)
New & improved design for Cabin heat exchanger
Installs in most J models in 3 hours or less without any modification to the cowling.
Installs in most E, F models in 3-5 hours (4-7 if Gen1)
Both Gen 1 and Gen 2 systems comply with Service Bulletin.
Benefits of Gen 2 vs Gen 1:
• Greatly improved fit for all original cowled aircraft. Should fit all E/F/J models except:
-Will not fit late model J aircraft with electric cowl flaps (collector will run into motor bracket),
although original system will fit this aircraft.
-Unknown if it will fit with LoPresti Cowl (not yet attempted).
• No fit problems with stock or relocated oil coolers
• Improved Cabin Heat - with out the use of "pre-heat"
• New Quiet Pipe muffler is as much as 3Db quieter. Tone is more mellow, it "purrs".
• New Quiet Pipe muffler is a smaller diameter where it connects to the collector. Instead of a 3.0 inch pipe, it is a 2.0 inch pipe which should avoid any cowl flap issues.
Magazine Reviews on the Power Flow Mooney Tuned Exhaust System
“At the conclusion of the flights, there was no questions that the PFS had improved both climb and cruise performance.” Plane & Pilot, December 2006. (M20 200hp)
"As with climb performance, the PFS seems to deliver its greatest advantage at high-altitude and lean-mixture settings. At 11,500 feet, my airplane’s true airspeed improved from 140 to 145 knots." Plane & Pilot, December 2006. (click to read)
"...the airplane sounds, well, broad-chested and snarly, deeper-throated and determined." Pacific Flyer, November 2005
Posted 11/18/16: Mooney M20J Owner Testimonial taken at 2016 Oshkosh Fly-In:
Customer Reviews on the Power Flow Mooney Tuned Exhaust System
I flew into KDAB and had a local install performed on my 1970 M20F. The GEN2 system fits great with good clearance about the alternate air supply valve. The cabin heater works as well as before. The pipes seem to now have a new bass tone quality. The installation looks great and it seemed to be a very quick installation. Their A&P made the installation look easy. The old system was removed and the new system proper was roughed in place in just a few hours. I had the prop dynamically balanced (I consider this a must have). I am still evaluating the performance boost. I have flown three cross country flights each a minimum of two hours. I notice a definite gain in climb performance and at cruise speed. With WOT/50ROP/2500rpm/7000ft/OAT 58 F/Fuel flow 11.5 GPH, my JPI shows that I have new operating values. I see a drop in oil temp of about 15 deg F down to approximately 186 F while the CHT’s seem to be recording about 15 to 20 degrees lower, too, down to 340-C3 to 310-C4 F. I'm keeping mine. -Lamar Wilson -M20F
I am extremely happy with the new exhaust purchased for my Mooney M20F model, my climb performance has improved nicely, with a fairly consistent 200 - 300 fpm better climbout on takeoff. I also have a healthy increase in true airspeed, with approx 4 - 5 kts better than before. Fuel consumption remains about as great as it was before. Had no problems climbing up to 17k when requested by ATC the other day. This being one of the first systems fitted to an F model I also received good support from the factory to resolve an installaton issue. This is a great bolt on extra. Dave Williams - M20F Houston, TX
The installation looks great and sounds great. While I haven't had enough time to do a quantitative analysis, the seat of the pants dyno tells me we are making more power than before. John Drake - M20J, Sterling, VA
Here is a report on the Power Flow Systems tuned exhaust installed in my 1977 Mooney J model, N201SA. To sum it up, this product is everything you say it is and more. Overall, I am seeing improved rate of climb, roughly 200 fpm at 10k feet, improved TAS, lower fuel burn rate and significantly cooler oil and cylinder head temperatures. Immediately after installing my tuned exhaust, I flew across country and back, so I now have some good, consistent data points. At 12k feet, full throttle, 2500 RPM I am getting 160 kts at 9 gph. At 14k feet, full throttle, 2500 RPM I am getting 155 kts at 7.8 gph. And at 16k feet I am getting 146 kts at 7.2 gph. These numbers are based on a takeoff weight of about 2500 lbs. I am seeing oil temperatures at cruise of about 180-185 degrees even on warm day. At climb, the temperature usually stays right around 200 degrees. I haven't tried climbing past 16k feet, but I think I could make it to 18k without too much trouble. At 12k feet, TAS has increased about 7-9 kts at about the same or slightly greater burn rate. At higher altitudes, the increase in TAS was a little bit less, but at a significantly lower (.5-.7gph) burn rate. EXCELLENT PRODUCT!!! Bruce Komito - Incline Village, NV M20J
General Magazine Reviews on the Power Flow Tuned Exhaust
“…Power Flow systems offer among the best bang for buck of any mods we’ve reviewed.” – The Aviation Consumer – Feb. 2009
“There’s very little available on the aftermarket these days providing the same return rate on investment.” – The Aviation Consumer – Feb. 2009
“…we are convinced they have a well engineered product and they have made reasonable performance claims.” – Light Plane Maintenance – Sept. 2008
“…the company’s money back guarantee almost makes it a no-brainer to give it a try.” – The Aviation Consumer – Feb. 2009
“I’m not a test pilot but… even I could tell there was a difference. It was that obvious.” Flying Magazine, August 1999 (click to read)
"Although it’s not free, Power Flow has created the closest thing to free horsepower that we’ve seen.” AOPA Pilot, January 2000 (click to read)
“A rate-of-climb increase of about 20 percent is remarkable – not to mention the safety factor increase when leaving high-altitude airports or climbing through cloud layers.” Private Pilot Magazine, December 2000 (click to read)
“…boosts the Lycoming O-320’s output by at least 20HP, while simultaneously reducing fuel flow and lowering CHT’s. Geez, what a deal.” The Aviation Consumer, May 1999
“Upon opening the large boxes, I was immediately impressed.” Cessna Owner Magazine, September 2002.
“This is a quantum leap in climb performance.” Cessna Pilots Association Magazine, August 1999
“In the aircraft industry, you see many “mods” claiming incredible changes to performance. It is refreshing to see one that actually lives up to its performance claims.” Cessna Owner Magazine, September 2002. (click here to read)
“The engine gets a more complete fuel burn. The effect in the cockpit is that it will take less throttle to get the same RPM” Aircraft Maintenance Technology Magazine, March 2005 (click here to read)
* Exhaust Kits have a normal lead time of 6-12 weeks, dependent upon our Sales offer. If you need an exhaust immediately, please call or indicate AOG in the “Notes” section of the online order. All other in stock items normally ship within 2 business days of order receipt. Your credit card will not be charged until the order and shipping cost are verified by our Sales Department and confirmed with you.
** Prices are for US and Canadian registered aircraft only. International customers may place an order online and will be contacted by Power Flow Systems, Inc. or a local authorized reseller regarding final pricing.
Power Flow Systems has a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. If within 60 days from the date of the first flight after installation the customer is dissatisfied for any reason, they can return the system to Power Flow Systems and they will be entitled to a full refund of the purchase price of the system (exclusive of shipping charges and labor) once the system has been received and inspected by Power Flow Systems. Inspection will take place within five (5) days from the return of the system, and an adjustment to the refund amount will be made for any parts missing or damaged. If the original payment was made on a credit card, it will be refunded to the same credit card, if by check, company check will be issued.
The warranties provided by Power Flow Systems, Inc. in this Statement of Limited Warranty apply only to Exhaust Systems you purchase for your use, and not for resale, and not from Exhaust Systems that are acquired through transfer of ownership. Installation and use of the Exhaust System constitutes your agreement with the terms of this warranty. The term “Exhaust System” means a Power Flow Systems, Inc. exhaust system, its upgrades, elements or combination of them. Nothing in this Statement of Limited Warranty affects any statutory rights of consumers that cannot be waived or limited by contract. If you have any questions, please contact Power Flow Systems, Inc.
The Power Flow Systems, Inc. Warranty for Exhaust Systems
Power Flow Systems, Inc. warrants under normal use and service that each exhaust system is 1) free from defects in materials and workmanship and 2) conforms to FAA regulations where applicable. The warranty period for an Exhaust System is a specified, fixed period commencing on the Date of Installation. The date on your log book entry is the Date of Installation unless Power Flow Systems, Inc. or the Reseller informs you otherwise.
If an Exhaust System does not function as warranted during the warranty period, and Power Flow Systems, Inc. or your Reseller are unable to either 1) make it do so or 2) replace it with one that is functionally equivalent, you may return it to your place of purchase and your money will be refunded.
Extent of Warranty
The warranty does not cover the repair or exchange of a Power Flow Systems, Inc. exhaust system resulting from misuse, accident, modification, installation errors, unsuitable physical or operating environment, improper maintenance by you, installation not performed in accordance with our current and approved installation instructions or failure caused by a product for which Power Flow Systems, Inc. is not responsible. Power Flow Systems, Inc. reserves the right to deny any warranty claim.
THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THESE WARRANTIES GIVE YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN THAT EVENT, SUCH WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE WARRANTY PERIOD. NO WARRANTIES APPLY AFTER THAT PERIOD.
Items Not Covered by Warranty
Power Flow Systems, Inc. does not warrant Exhaust Systems where end-users attempt to extract a Power Flow exhaust system from a third-party consumer. End-users, who chose to do this, do so at their own risk.
Power Flow Systems, Inc. Exhaust Systems may or may not fit once removed from the aircraft for which it was originally intended.
Power Flow Systems, Inc. does not warrant any outside labor costs associated with the installation, removal, inspection, repair or other considerations of the Exhaust System.
Any technical or other support provided for a Power Flow Systems, Inc. Exhaust System under warranty, such as assistance via telephone with “how-to” questions and those regarding Exhaust System set-up and installation, will be provided without warranties of any kind. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the installer, A&P with inspection authority or equivalent, to determine the airworthiness of the installation in accordance with FAA regulations.
Warranty Service
If during the warranty period, the Power Flow Systems, Inc. Exhaust System is not in good working order, Power Flow Systems, Inc. will, at its sole discretion, repair or replace it at no additional charge, provided that:
the vibration level of the engine and propeller does not exceed 0.2 IPS at a minimum of 2,000RPM (confirmed by a dynamic balance).
the Power Flow Systems, Inc. Exhaust System is installed on an airworthy engine.
the exhaust is in compliance with our Instructions for Continued Airworthiness Instructions (ICAW).
the Power Flow Systems, Inc. Exhaust System is installed on the designated aircraft it was purchased for.
During the warranty period, if warranty service is required, you may be required to acquire a dynamic balance for further investigation.
To obtain warranty service for an Exhaust System, contact Power Flow Systems, Inc. directly within thirty (30) days of defect discovery. Failure to do so and/or using a third-party for repairs or service will void the warranty. You may be required to present proof of purchase and log book entries. You are also responsible for returning the defective Exhaust System or Exhaust System component to Power Flow Systems, Inc. at your cost. Power Flow Systems, Inc. will not reimburse these shipping costs or any outside labor costs that may be associated with the installation, removal, inspection or repair of the Exhaust System.
Power Flow Systems, Inc. will pay for the outbound shipping expense (UPS ground or other non- expedited freight service) from our facility to the customer, but will not pay for shipments inbound to our facility for warranty repair.
EXHAUST SYSTEM
WARRANTY PERIOD
COVERAGE
All Models
1 Year or 500 Tach Hours whichever comes first.
Power Flow Systems, Inc. parts, Power Flow Systems, Inc. labor and shipping replacement to customer only.
Limitation of Liability
NEITHER Power Flow Systems, Inc. NOR ITS SUPPLIERS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, LOSS OF INFORMATION OR DATA, OR OTHER FINANCIAL LOSS ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OR USE OF THIS PRODUCT, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) OR ANY OTHER THEORY, EVEN IF Power Flow Systems, Inc. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Power Flow Systems, Inc. ENTIRE LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO REPLACEMENT, REPAIR, OR REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE PAID, AT Power Flow Systems, Inc.’s OPTION.
