Engine Components' all-new old-time cylinders
In upscale restaurants, it's not uncommon for the waiter to offer, "Would you like some nice bottled water or..." — slightly grimacing now — "...tap water?" And with that subtle sales pitch, patrons find it difficult to hold their heads high and ask for that insect-particulate-infested liquid from the city pipes.
In much the same way, aircraft owners facing a whole-engine or top-end overhaul are given the choice: from-the-jug-pile, unknown-history cylinders that should be OK, or brand-new, unscarred cylinders? Increasingly, owners are voting with their pocketbooks for new cylinders, and they are being assisted by a growing number of choices. Naturally, you can buy cylinders from the original-equipment manufacturer — Continental and Lycoming both have reduced prices on new cylinder assemblies over the years, although the costs are on the rise across the board today — and in 1993, Superior Air Parts introduced its Millennium cylinders to the world.
Three years after that, Engine Components Inc., returned the volley with its Classic Cast cylinders. The product was first offered for the parallel-valve Lycomings, but ECI has since expanded its line to include cylinders for the Continental O-200/300, Pratt & Whitney R-1340, and, most recently, the Continental IO-470/520/550 family of engines. Other cylinders — particularly the angle-valve Lycomings — are naturally on the drawing board (as owners of Continental IO/TSIO-360s wait patiently for someone to look their way).
In what was already a fiercely contested market, why would ECI, most commonly known as a repair facility, jump in with both feet? Company President Ed Salmeron explains, "We saw the opportunity to fill a need for a conventional cylinder at a very competitive price. We also listened to our regular customers who told us that they wanted new cylinder heads mated to our CermiNil bore-coating process." By conventional, Salmeron means a sand-cast head, to differentiate it from Superior's investment-cast heads; both OEMs continue to use sand-cast components.
Essentially, ECI took the basic standard cylinder design and made some changes to alleviate traditional weak spots, but constructed the heads in the usual way. Money is the key here: Investment casting provides a better surface finish and, depending upon who you talk to, either a much better or only marginally superior internal grain structure. (Naturally, the original-equipment manufacturers dispute Superior's claims of better metal integrity.) "We don't see anything wrong with traditional casting methods," says Salmeron. "And it helps tremendously with price."
ECI alters the standard head design in subtle ways. Additional material is added to areas that are known to crack. ECI has an advantage on this side of the R&D fence because it has seen so many cylinders come in for repair and has had the opportunity to scrutinize so-called "experienced" cylinders. In addition, ECI's Classic Cast cylinders feature such niceties as stainless-steel inserts in the fuel-injector receptacles — this is a common cracking point on large Continental cylinders.
Although ECI starts the cylinder-design process by reverse-engineering the OEM product, to receive its parts manufacturing authority approval it has had to prove its cylinders' mettle through test and computation.
Head castings are received in fairly raw form at ECI's San Antonio, Texas, facility and are then wheeled over to one of the company's computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines. These CNC machines first orient the heads around the flange that will eventually be threaded to receive the barrel. Then the surface that makes up the rocker-box gasket face is milled. This becomes the primary reference plane for the remaining machining processes. Virtually all of the machining needed to turn a rough casting into a finished head is done by the CNC equipment. Farther down the line, the finished heads are heated and then screwed onto the barrels; at the same time, spark-plug and injector-hole inserts are added.
A new computer measurement apparatus allows ECI to check the accuracy of its CNC-machining procedures; the company says it will perform 100-percent quality assurance on all cylinders.
When you order any of ECI's Classic Cast cylinders, you have the choice of buying new, through-hardened steel barrels or bores coated with the company's proprietary CermiNil process. (Incidentally, both chroming and Cermicroming capabilities are conspicuous by their absences in the ECI facility. Today, you get either plain, through-hardened steel barrels or CermiNil.) With CermiNil, you get first-run steel liners that are bored slightly oversize and then coated with the nickel-silicone process. (See " Getting Your Nickel's Worth," April 1996 Pilot.)
Engine Components is confident that the CermiNil process is wearing well in the field. So confident that it is offering a five-year, to-TBO warranty on the barrel surface on all CermiNil cylinders. This warranty applies whether you chose new heads or reconditioned heads treated with the company's stress-relief process. The warranty covers parts but not labor, but it does include a fresh set of rings. In essence, if you have any premature wear on the CermiNil bore surface, ECI will replace the cylinder and you pay for the removal and replacement.
In addition, ECI allows you to buy its Classic Cast cylinders in several forms, aside from the steel-versus-CermiNil choice. You can buy plain stud assemblies — no valves, springs, pistons, or rings — or a valve assembly, which adds valves and springs to the stud assembly. And you can order the full cylinder kit, which includes the piston, rings, and all other major components except for rocker arms and piston pin. ECI even fits the piston to the bore for you, which is a treat for the do-it-yourselfer but will likely be unappreciated by crusty old engine guys who'll want to have a look in there just in case.
Other news from San Antonio includes a whole new crankshaft facility under construction. Until recently, ECI subcontracted manufacturing of Lycoming cranks from a British company that also built cranks for Rolls-Royce. With BMW's buyout of Rolls and the move to Bavarian powerplants, the crank maker was forced to close. Rather than walk away from its investment in tooling, ECI bought the tooling and machines and brought the whole mess to Texas. By the end of the year, ECI is expected to have the O-320 crankshafts rolling out the door. By design, ECI's forging blanks — the unmachined starting point of the crankshaft — can be machined to become either O-320 or O-360 cranks. The company also is continuing its successful crankcase and cylinder-head repair business.
Today, only half of ECI income comes from its repair services, the other half from new components. Salmeron predicts that in a few years, the new-manufacture cut will be nearly 70 percent. ECI plans to arrive there by continuing its position as the value leader. For example, the Classic Cast cylinders are aimed at undercutting the OEMs by 5 to 10 percent — and sliding under Superior's Millennium prices by a further 5 to 7 percent. With an emphasis on value, ECI expects to be a volume player in the market for new cylinders.
For more information, contact Engine Components Inc., 9503 Middlex, San Antonio, Texas 78217; telephone 800/324-2359, fax 210/820-8102; or visit the Web site ( www.eci2fly.com ).
Links to additional information about engine cylinders may be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links/links9910.shtml ).
