Cowl Flap Motors--GOOD NEWS for a change

[Mark Hislop]

Hi guys. It's been a while since I've visited the message board...been too busy. But to make up for it, I have some good news regarding the SkyMaster owner's ever present fear of his cowl flap motor giving up the ghost.

My front cowl flap motor did just that. It was getting progressively slower to operate, and finally quit. A new one, if you can get it, is $2,500. Tom Carr of CPA put me in touch with a guy in California that will rebuild them for a flat fee of $850, which is about 1/3 the price, but still is a lot of money for a fractional horsepower DC motor.

Just on a whim, I asked a guy here in Chicago, who has done my mags in the past, and who was rebuilding my FE fuel spider, if he knew anybody who rebuild these motors. HE DOES THEM HIMSELF! He rebuilt my front cowl flap motor for $284, including tax! (Isn't it said when one is excited by spending "only" $284?) He did it in just one day to boot! I just installed it, and it works great.

He also gave me a tip. He put a little red RTV around the motor leads where they exit the motor housing. He says that most of these motors get gunked up, and mine was no exception.

The name of the outfit is

RLB Accessory Service
FAA Station KB2R946K
971 N Babbitt Avenue
Addison, IL 60101

630-543-9213

The owner is Bob Bena (pronounced Benya). He runs his business out of the basement of his house, but he's been doing it for 40 years, and he does spectacular work.

Mark