Rear cowl flap motor intermittancy.

[Paul462]

Help!

Last Sunday upon landing, the rear cowl flaps were still full open, even though the handle on the panel had been in the "closed" position for the previous 45 minutes. I cycled the rear cowl flap panel handle handle several times, and the rear cowl flaps didn't move.

A few days later I turned on the master switch, and the rear cowl flaps closed (the panel handle was in the "closed" position) - the cowl flaps worked fine, and the mechanic could find nothing wrong with them!

Has anybody had a similar experience, or might know what could cause the rear cowl flaps to freeze up when the engine was hot, and then work completely normally a few days later?

Thanks!

Paul

[Pete Somers]

Paul

Intermittant limit micrswitches are more than likely the problem.
For the cost of these switches it is easier to replace them. If you remove them carefully then you can almost get the new ones in the same position to save rerigging the system.
Th motor get very dirty and maybe needs a strip and clean.

Regards
Pete

[big al 08]

i had that problem, finally found it. took a long time. was broken wire about a foot or so in the wire bundle from the motor.

[Paul Sharp]

And there are so many solder connections, that one of them can be working it's way loose and cause intermittent behavior, also.

[docbob]

We had this problem a couple of years ago. Happened 2 or 3 times over a Summer. Spent many hours troubleshooting and found no faults. The problem has never recurred.

[Dale Campbell]

On my 337H, I had this problem 3 years ago. I removed both motors cleaned and replaced during annual. They were both very dirty and oily. All work fine since. Dale

[WebMaster]

Paul,
Was your plane damaged by the tornado that hit Daytona Beach?

[Paul462]

Thanks for the kind responses, all!

Larry, the swath of destruction that killed 50 - 60 Embry Riddle Aeronautical University aircraft was only about 100 feet wide, and thankfully didn't damage other aircraft on the airport at Daytona Beach, let alone our airplanes in New Smyrna Beach 20 nm to the south. It seems pretty incongruous, though, that we escaped hurricanes this year, only to have a tornado trash the airport ...

Paul
N462DA