Tach question

[warbugdriver]

My (usually) trusty tach has apparently become crippled (engine hours no longer work) after a palty 68 years of service. Pretty sure it's a Stewart Warner but can't find a model/part number on it. Dial reads counter-clockwise, 3500rpm w/engine hours. Engine rpm still works. Went flying yesterday and noticed the hours never changed throughout the hour long flight.

Does SW still produce a similar mechanical tach? I didn't look behind the panel to see it it's a 90-degree fitting coming off the back. I don't believe it is.

Thanks,
Chris
43-25985

[M Towsley]

Re: Tach question

Hi Chris,


Though I can't help you on the tach, that would not have been a correct tach for your L-2 if I remember correctly. I would have to go back and search my L-2 paperwork to see what was original. U.S. Gauge seemed to be used on most everything way back when. AC and Stewart-Warner seemed to be the popular replacement tachs, perhaps because they were the only ones out there. If you are looking for correct replacement for your airplane I can research it or someone else with L-2 experience can chime in. Or, you can have that one repaired. I see ones like yours, (which is the same one currently in my BC-12D), on Ebay periodically. I'm leaving the house shortly and don't have time to look for the info right now but would be happy to look later.

[warbugdriver]

Re: Tach question

Hi Marty,
Thanks for your reply. You are correct in that my tach is not the original to this airplane. My airplane is an L-2M and would have had the panel unique to that model. However, the current panel has been in place since the late 1940s and is in the same configuration as the L-2A/B series. You are probably correct that this is the same type as used in the BC-12D. Several friends have them and all share the same tach.

Whatever version the tach is, the one that was in there was nearly bulletproof since it's worked reliably since whenever it was made!

I have a correct panel for the L-2M but whoever rebuilt the plane back in the day cut off the proper mount points for the military panel.

Open to opinions/suggestions for a replacement or repair. Having a quick look at current mechanical tachs (SW, Mitchell), I'm guessing replacement would likely be cheaper than repair.

[M Towsley]

Re: Tach question

Chris,

Periodically you will find one pop up on Ebay. And I really haven't checked for similar tachs, lately. Original tachs did not have the hourmeter, they ended up on the planes as the original ones gave up. If I remember correctly, get one that records near the usual RPM you cruise at for accuracy. Again, there are many folks here on the forum that are a lot more knowledgeable than I regarding that. Sorry to hear of you instrument panel dilemna, though I liked the panel better that was in my L-2B than my friends 'M'.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Tach question

For those of us who don't have many L-2s in the area,how about posting pictures of the different panels?
Hank

[warbugdriver]

Re: Tach question

Here's the panel for the L-2M which used standard military gauges

http://s3.amazonaws.com/picable/2008/08/27/296695_Army-L2M-Aircraft--ndash-instrument-panel_620.jpg

The earlier versions used a 5-gauge panel from the original DCO-65 design (minor layout changes between the L-2 and the L-2A/B)

[M Towsley]

Re: Tach question

Hank,

Here is a picture of the panel out of my former L-2B. Though the original did not have the radio and skid indicator, the overall layout is correct. It would have used 'civilian' gauges. There was a large difference between the A-
B and the M. The A and B models were bolted directly to the panel. The M was shock mounted and had a different layout completely. The compass for my B would have been an Airpath Streamline bubble-faced compass mounted on the panel's glareshield. (I had located one but did not mount it prior to the plane's sale). The M had a military compass mounted as part of the panel. I will take a picture of my friend's M and post it later. I have somewhere the actual Taylorcraft panel layouts for the different L-2's.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Tach question

"M" tach was different than all the others. It was a 0-4500, got several of them here

[M Towsley]

Re: Tach question

Hank,

Here is my friend's L-2M panel.

[M Towsley]

Re: Tach question

And here is a picture of the panel on John Martin's award winning L-2M, which happens to be for sale on Barnstormers.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Tach question

And here is a picture of the panel on John Martin's award winning L-2M, which happens to be for sale on Barnstormers.

that is the correct tach in this pic

[M Towsley]

Re: Tach question

I noticed that too, Mike, when I was looking closely at the picture yesterday.

[Dick Huish]

Re: Tach question

If you look close at Mikes "M" you can see that the recording tach has a dummy shroud so that it looks like the rest of the instruments. Dick

[warbugdriver]

Re: Tach question

For the L-2M panel, it included the B-16 Pilots Compass, C-14 Altimeter, B-8 Airspeed indicator, C-11 Tachometer, and B-7 Engine Gage Unit.

[jim cooper]

Re: Tach question

this article states: Before relying on published hp number its important to ensure accuracy of your tach, (that it is correct.) They found errors up to 175 rpms which would greatly affect horsepower (65hp cont. produces 53.42 hp @ 2150 rpm. Listed instrument servicing and overhauls-Keystone instruments @570.748 4439. JC