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The 12 month warranty is a US dealer limitation. But the dealer and factory have both stated the warranty won't start until they send me the ECU which wont be sent until my build is complete. My 6 cylinder is due in July.

Thanks for your reply Skee. So far I haven't heard any negatives on the engine or the company. I am a little nervous about dealing with my local distributor; he is not as responsive as I would like. I am also a little nervous about buying an engine that has a 12 month warranty. I'm sure it will be 3 years before it will be ready to fly. Without a detailed installation manual, I will need to purchase the engine early to build the plane around it. When I built my Rans S-14 with an HKS, the 12 month warranty clock didn't start until after my plane started flying. 13 months later the timing gear slipped. Just a few dozen serial numbers after my engine, the design was changed to incorporate a key to prevent slipping. The distributor at the time, Hpower, warranted the labor while the manufacturer covered the cost of the parts. It didn't cost me a dime but it did cost me a lot of time. It is painful to stare at your freshly built plane while waiting months for the warranty work to be completed. ...Then FedEx drops the crate, cracks the engine case, and I wait a few more months for insurance to replace the engine. Total down time was 12 months. ☹️ If D-motor will start the warranty clock at my first start up, I would be much more comfortable. I think I will ask them directly and see what they say.

Skee, Do you have an update on your D-motor installation? I am considering a 6-cylinder D-motor for my Jabiru J230 project. Have you had any negative issues? Any reason I shouldn't consider the engine?

Is there a reason this thread has gone quiet? Is there another thread or newsgroup that has info on the D-Motor? I am building a Jabiru J230 and am considering the 6-cylinder LF-39. Wayne

Take a look at the post below. It appears someone has added a Ray Allen powered trim tab to their Jabiru. Another benefit of electric trim is the opportunity to remove mechanical slop. My current airplane, a Rans S-14, has a mechanical trim with a push pull wire. Unfortunately, there is a fair amount of slop in the system which makes the trim very frustrating to use. Because of this, I want to make sure the J230 I am building has a smooth working trim system. Hopefully Checkride's experiment works well. http://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=137074&sid=a9f2a9c52bc455b12f95eaeb1fad94cf&start=465#p1610866

Hello John, I have been seriously considering adding electric trim to the J230 I am building. I investigated adding the electric servo to the existing trim mechanism but it does not seem possible as others have mentioned due the trim being required to slip at elevator movement extremes. I am considering (not ready to say planning) to cut a control surface out of the trailing edge of my elevator and connect the Ray Allen servo to it. I will probably omit the mechanical trim mechanism to save weight. I assume the problem others have had with an electrical is the trim movement was too course. The Ray Allen system has a couple ways of dealing with that. The geometry of the throw can be changed, the smaller servo can be used, or a speed reduction unit can be added the the electrical system. I purchased the Ray Allen servo several years ago for another airplane but never installed it. The elevator of that plane (Rans S-14) has a fabric covering and I could not come up with a mounting scheme the wouldn't require me to replace the fabric.

Evergreen is a great museum. They were in the running for getting a space shuttle but it didn't happen.

I have very little flying experience in a Jabiru. I have done a couple of intro flights but that is it. I have to admit my main reason for the interest in the electric elevator trim tab is due to my S-14 having a very sloppy mechanical trim. I bought the Ray Allen servo for my S-14 but found no easy way to attach the servo to the elevator due to the tube and fabric construction. Since I have the servo, I might as well use it on my Jab! In-cockpit adjustable elevator trim is necessary due to speed changes and weight changes in almost every plane. Rudder trim is typically set and forget; it does not require an in-cockpit adjustment. Now my S-14 has quite a bit of p-factor being a high mounted pusher. I have adjusted my vertical stabilizer so that it flys straight in cruise. During climbs or decents (read: take offs and landings) I need to put in some rudder to keep the bubble happy. Since I have become used to this, it is not a big deal; in fact, the need for rudder adjustment in the pattern is just my plane's may of reminding me to stay on my toes (or rudder peddles ). In larger, faster, and higher flying planes, I could see the interest in adjusting the rudder trim in flight say for decents from altitude. I rarely have to come down from flight levels in my s-14! What are the groups thoughts: Does the J230 or similar Jabirus need in cockpit adjustable rudder trim?

Hello Planesmaker, That would be great if you could send me some photos. Please provide the dimensions too. I would also like to know how much throw your trim tab is capable of and how much you actually use. How effective is your trim tab? Would you recommend one of the same size or a larger? My understanding (from what I have read) is that the J2/4 series planes are light in aileron athority but slightly twitchy in pitch. If this is true, I won't want to enlarge the elevator by adding an external trim tab. Building the trim tab into the elevator will also be more aesthetically pleasing. Comments? I assume that a trim cut out of trailing edge of the elevator will have less chance of fluttering. (Does "assume" have the same, humorous, meaning for you guys in the Southern Hemisphere as it does up here?) A trim tab cut out of the trailing edge will be thicker and therefor more ridged than one made to extend from the trailing edge of the elevator. I will also need to ensure a bullet proof connection to the Ray Allen Servo and mounting. I may consider mass balancing the trim tab or adding some friction to the hinge. Thanks for the help.

Hello Keenaviator. I am a long way away from painting. Do you have a website with photos of your build? I have spent the last several hours browsing Captain's J230 build posts, mainly the photos , and only gotten a through page 8 of 18! There is lots of good info on there for me. Thanks Captain! One of the mods I am planning for my J230 is to remove the mechanical trim and add electric trim. I plan to cut a section out of the trailing edge of my elevator and use a Ray Allen servo. Anyone have a suggestion for elevator trim tab size?

Hello! My name is Wayne Eckertson and I live in Eugene Oregon, USA. I have 500 hours of flying time and a Sport Pilot license. I am a member and past president of my local EAA chapter. I am in the early stages of building a Jabiru J230. I also have a HKS 700E powered Rans S-14 which I put together in 2007. I documented that build at http://s14build.blogspot.com. To pay for my airplane addiction, I work as an Electrical Engineer. I appreciate any advice and help I can get for my J230 build.