The thing is - I wont do it.
It is my personal policy to not fly IFR after an aircraft has been in the shop for maintenance - no matter what it is. I've had the following fun experiences post-maintenance that helped me form this policy, and quite frankly I just don't need this kind of excitement in my life any longer - especially while in an overcast layer:
- Engine Roughness - Cessna 182
- Cam/lifter issue after engine work
- Electrical Failure - Beechcraft Bonanza
- Voltage Regulator Issue after replacing the voltage regulator
- Electrical Failure - Beechcraft Bonanza
- Alternator fails after a few minutes at high RPM
- Electrical Failure - Beechcraft Bonanza
- Alternator failed just after rotation - unknown why
- Transponder failure - Piper Arrow (while IMC)
- Electrical Failure - Cessna 182
- Voltage Regulator Issue - New regulator kept going off line
- Directional Gyro error/off - Beechcraft Bonanza
- New Gyro - remote magnetometer never tested with beacon on. Gyro precessed 30 degrees in 5 minutes
- Attitude Indicator Failure - Piper Arrow (while IMC)
- Vacuum hose was never tightened
- Engine Oil Leaking on windshield - Piper Arrow
- Oil return line never tightened after replacement
- Aspen EFD1000 - Complete failure - Beechcraft Bonanza (about to enter the bases)
- Unknown reason - unit returned to manufacturer
- Runaway RPM after takeoff
- Prop seal issue
While many of these could happen at any time in flight, all of these were on the day of picking it up from maintenance. I've made many flights post-maintenance, but the odds of something being not quite right caused me to decide that all flights after maintenance have to be on a VFR day.