A B737-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A TEST JUMPER WIRE INSTALLED IN THE YAW DAMPER COUPLER TEST PLUG.

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THE OCCURRENCE: INFLT; 3 DEG RUDDER TRIM REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT. THE DIRECT CAUSE FOUND WHEN ACFT RETURNED TO FIELD: TEST JUMPER LEFT IN YAW DAMPER CAUSING R RUDDER DEFLECTION. THE SERIES OF EVENTS LEADING TO PROB WERE AS FOLLOWS: DURING THIRD SHIFT; ROUTINE OVERNIGHT MAINT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT; THE RUDDER PCU INTERNAL LEAK TEST ENGINEERING ORDER WAS STARTED. THE MECHS HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THE TEST. AS I TOOK OVER THE JOB ON SECOND SHIFT; I BEGAN BY READING THE SVC LETTER (WXXXW). NEITHER THE ENGINEERING ORDER NOR THE SVC LETTER EXPLAINED HOW TO HOOK UP THE TEST METER OR WHAT SETTINGS TO USE. AFTER A FRUSTRATING 1.5 TO 2 HRS ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM COMPANY MAINT CTL; ENGINEERING; WORKLOAD PLANNING AND OTHER AVENUES; I FINALLY CALLED A FORMER MAINT STATION I HAD WORKED AT TO FAX ME THE INSTRUCTIONS. THEY HAD THEM IN A QUICK REF FOLDER. THE TEST EQUIP INSTRUCTIONS ORIGINATED IN ANOTHER JOB CARD FOR HYD LEAK RATE TESTS. BY THIS POINT IN TIME; I NOW WAS WORKING ALONE; AND WITH THE TEST METER INSTRUCTIONS; THE ENGINEERING ORDER AND THE SVC LETTER IN HAND; I BEGAN THE TEST USING MAINLY THE SVC LETTER. WHILE THE ENGINEERING ORDER HAD BLOCKS TO CHK OFF EACH STEP; IT WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE SVC LETTER. THE SVC LETTER HAD NO CHKOFF BLOCKS. I PROCEEDED WITH THE TEST AND IT CHKED OUT GOOD. HOWEVER; SEVERAL TIMES IN THE TEST A JUMPER IS INSTALLED AND REMOVED FROM THE YAW DAMPER. THIS DEFLECTS THE RUDDER SLIGHTLY. THE FINAL TIME I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THE JUMPER IN. THIS KEPT THE RUDDER SLIGHTLY TO THE R. AFTER RETURN TO FIELD; I REPLACED THE YAW DAMPER AS A PRECAUTION.