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By Moose
#1631796
As some of you know, I own a share of an N registered L-18C Cub. It's currently in for its annual during which we've discovered the engine data plate is missing. Now you'd think this would be a simple thing to resolve as we have the logbooks etc but it's turning into a nightmare.

Along with the missing data plate there's a few anomalies, the biggest of which is the crankcase is an O-200 but the engine was rebuilt as a C90 when it was last overhauled. I understand the crankcases are interchangeable so this isn't unusual in itself but due to this and the lack of a data plate, we cannot prove the engine's provenance. The shop who did the overhaul can't help us as we don't have a work number for the job and they cannot look it up without this!

The engineer who previously did the annuals on it isn't being especially helpful and just tells us the data plate was there last year so must have fallen off.

Due to all this, the engineer doing the current annual isn't willing to sign it off unless we get an FAA inspector in to verify the engine is as it says and get a new data plate issued Said inspector wants £1000 to come and look at it but it's doubtful he'll be able to verify anything.

One solution is, we have access to a cheap O-200 but we cannot find an STC to allow it to be fitted to an L-18C. Looking on G-INFO there are L-18Cs with them fitted, so it must be possible. There are STCs to fit them into a J-3 however but that doesn't help us.

Anyone got any ideas how to resolve this mess quickly and without spending crazy money?

Cheers
By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1631876
If what you say, has no omissions of pertinent facts, sounds like both your current, and the previous guy are less than cooperative. time to seek a new maintainer who has your interests in focus, rather trying to milk a cash-cow.

buy plate as suggested by Sooty, optionally, "distress" it a few knocks , a going-over with a sanding-disc/pumice-wheel/scouring-pad dip in vinegar, leave outside a few days, polish off with an oily rag and re-affix the "plate that had dropped in the cowling and wedged behind pipes/wires/hoses/brackets." :wink:

It all smells a bit fishy to me. I have had many old cars through my hands, with screwed-on ID plates or they can be attached with "drive-pins" (a small round-head nail with coarse spiral ribs down the shank hammered in to a tight, blind hole they don't come out. ) If your plate has been "liberated" to legitimise another engine somewhere, the perp is not going to admit that your plate is not the original, is he?

OOH! I really am a cynical, suspicious old barsteward...wonder why? :roll:
Nick, Lockhaven liked this
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By Sooty25
#1632133
You have an invoice showing O-200 crankcases rebuilt as a C90 and fitted to your cub.

You have your Cub with an O-200 built up as a C90.

It's not difficult is it? Lets face it, every other bit of the engine could have been changed and they are more likely to fail than the crankcases. Can you prove provenance with any other numbers? Mags, carb, cylinders maybe?

I'd remind him "its a Cub mate, not a 12 seater turboprop on daily charters".


no offence meant to Cubs, I'm a fan! :thumleft:
#1632187
Moose
The shop who did the overhaul can't help us as we don't have a work number for the job and they cannot look it up without this!


Nonsense, if you have an invoice for the work they can find the worksheets, anyway surely they must have signed the engine logbooks for work completed !!!
One solution is, we have access to a cheap O-200 but we cannot find an STC to allow it to be fitted to an L-18C. Looking on G-INFO there are L-18Cs with them fitted, so it must be possible.


G-INFO is of no use to you as your aircraft is 'N' reg not 'G' reg were different rules apply go to the FAA website.

Due to all this, the engineer doing the current annual isn't willing to sign it off unless we get an FAA inspector in to verify the engine is as it says and get a new data plate issued Said inspector wants £1000 to come and look at it but it's doubtful he'll be able to verify anything


Get rid of said engineer he isn't doing his job properly, he should have contacted the overhaul shop in the first place for clarification of work done.

I would go back to the company that performed the overhaul in the first place, get them to make up a new data plate and attach it, after all they will have signed the logbooks stating that all work was carried out IAW the manufactures instructions and carried out all relevant AD's etc. :wink: