Hi Nige Do you know how many L2000s there are in service at the moment worldwide? Regards Michael
From: Nigel Baker Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 9:15 PM To: DOGS Subject: [DOG mailing list] Bad News Hi All. I have Bcc’d this to others who are not on the Dimona list but are Limbach Users or have a connection to others that are. Peter Limbach has decided to close up shop. 65% or more of the sales of Limbach Flugmotoren were in the 2 stroke type almost solely used in UAV’s The biggest customer fro UAV engine supply was a manufacturer in Pakistan. The German Government has applied restrictions to export sales of 2 strokes from Limbach for more than a year. Permits are required for each sales order. In that event Limbach Flugmotoren has had it’s sales slashed by restrictions which has produced stress on the business fro some time. The business is on the market but in the event that does not happen it will close at the end of the year. In the meantime supply may become a problem. Currently the employees are still working on current orders and new orders are being accepted for now. The factory will close in a month for summer holidays. I intend to have all orders in and processed in the next month. For my part I will order spares to keep me going till I die at my current yearly engine hour use. If the business is sold an all is well then it will be stock I will sell in the next 12 months. In the event the business doesn’t sell it will be my personnel backup stock not for sale and I will wind down my trading insurance which is a reasonable annual; expense. I really am not prepared to offer any advice on what to do or how serious to take this situation. I would like to think someone will pick up the Type Certificate and keep supply going. Whether or not the current arrangement for exchange certified shot block engines will continue I don’t know. With negotiations between myself, the GFA STOA at the time and Limbach we reached an acceptable arrangement for the certification situation. Australia is the only country where this has been done. All others have to take a complete overhauled engine boots and all at a significantly higher price. What will happen if under a new owner I have no idea or even of I will still be the agent. Who knows what they will do? Like I said I am not prepared to offer an opinion on what to do or how serious this is. I just can’t gauge it. I had a 90 minute talk with Peter Salomon (export sales manager and very long term employee) last night about the whole situation. He is the man on the ground and even after that I can’t offer advice for you all. I have no idea what the likelihood of the 4 stroke part of the business being bought is. If any of you want spares in the near future then I suggest ordering now and delivery is assured. After that (summer holidays) I simply don’t know. Spares that are otherwise unobtainable than from Limbach that I know of are. Fuel pump (no service kit available for old type). Fuel Pump Push Rod (limbach specific) L2400 heads and L2000 dual ignition heads (limbach’s own casting) Nimonic Exhaust Valves. Throttle Spindles (can’t get them locally any more). L2000 and L2400 Barrels and pistons (Limbach Specific and not VW or Porsche Size). Exhaust Pipe Gaskets, Clamps etc seem to no longer be available as an automotive part. Crankshaft for all models are Limbach Specific. L2400 crankcase is specific as it is machined from a liquid cooled commuter block but generally does several cycles and is not life’d. L2000 and L1700 are modified from normal VW case. Are life’d (1000 hours). If you want a release note then there is no other alternative. Ring Gear and starter disk L1700 not VW or anything else. Flywheel L2400 and L2000 again not Volkswagen but Limbach specific. New style Ignition Harness and new style Plugs are Limbach Specific (although as the plug is automotive style there should be a suitable uncertified alternative). Limbach plugs should be good for 300+hours. Current experience in OZ is now over 250hours and still going well on unleaded fuel. These are the items to come to mind now. There may be others some of you can think of. Please consider your position and get back if you choose but do not ask for advice as I can’t give it. I just don’t know where it will all end up. Cheers. Nige.
