A B757 WAS SCHEDULED TO BE FLOWN WITH A PLACARD FOR THE L ENG BEING UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS. THE CAPT RAISED THE QUESTIONS WITH MAINT CTL IF THE ENG IS UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS; HOW IS IT OK FOR DOMESTIC OPS.

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THE ACFT I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY; A B757; TAIL NUMBER XXX; HAD A PLACARD FOR THE L ENG BEING UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS. I CALLED MAINT CTLR WITH MY CONCERNS IF AN ENG IS UNRELIABLE FOR ETOPS HOW IS IT OK FOR DOMESTIC OPS? THE TECH WAS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO DISCUSS WHAT PARTICULAR PARAMETERS OF THE ENG THAT CAUSED THE UNRELIABILITY. AT THAT TIME COMPUTER ENTRIES REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS TO BE SCHEDULED FOR AN ENG CHANGE. HOW IS IT OK TO SCHEDULE AN ACFT TO KEEP FLYING IF AN ENG IS UNRELIABLE? THE ONLY COMMENT FROM THE TECH I WAS ABLE TO EXTRACT WAS THAT RB-211 ENGS ARE HARD TO FIND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED FLT; HE OBSERVED THE L ENG WAS PLACARDED AS UNRELIABLE. RPTR IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED MAINT CTLR REQUESTING FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE L ENG PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS. HOWEVER NO DATA AND NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE GIVEN OTHER THAN THIS ENG TYPE WAS HARD TO FIND AND THE ENG 'WOULD BE MONITORED.' IN REVIEWING THE LOG; THE RPTR NOTED THIS ACFT HAD RECENTLY FLOWN OVERWATER TO A HIGH ALT ARPT (9200 FT) WITH THE 'UNRELIABLE' ENG. THE RPTR EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE DEFERRAL PROCS UNDER THE MEL ALLOWING AN 'UNRELIABLE' ENG TO BE USED FOR REVENUE FLT.