How Many Times Can Cylinders Be Overhauled

[Ventucky Red]

Asking for a friend....

And is worth it, or should my friend just bite the bullet and go with new?

 

[Dan Thomas]

Asking for a friend....

And is worth it, or should my friend just bite the bullet and go with new?

Too many variables. What is the cylinder bore now? Has it been "cleaned up" and standard pistons and rings used, with clearances at or near service limits? Has it been oversized to .010" and oversize pistons and rings installed? Have those cylinders been pressure-tested (same technique as differential compression test) and the head soaped to see if there are any cracks? How are the valves? Worn/ Seats shot? Are the rocker bushings within limits?

Labor isn't cheap anymore, and sometimes it's just better to go with new and know what you've got. A new cylinder comes with new rings and pistons and valves and guides and seats, all of it with new tolerances, and a warranty against defects.

 

[Ventucky Red]

Too many variables. What is the cylinder bore now? Has it been "cleaned up" and standard pistons and rings used, with clearances at or near service limits? Has it been oversized to .010" and oversize pistons and rings installed? Have those cylinders been pressure-tested (same technique as differential compression test) and the head soaped to see if there are any cracks? How are the valves? Worn/ Seats shot? Are the rocker bushings within limits?

Labor isn't cheap anymore, and sometimes it's just better to go with new and know what you've got. A new cylinder comes with new rings and pistons and valves and guides and seats, all of it with new tolerances, and a warranty against defects.

Thanks Dan

 

[Bell206]

And is worth it, or should my friend just bite the bullet and go with new?

As mentioned, a lot of variables involved but all cylinders do have a finite life when it comes to repair work. But you also need to keep in mind the overall condition of the engine when dealing with 1 or 2 cylinders giving you problems.

Sometimes it can be more advantageous to have a cylinder reworked vs new if the engine is on the backside of its life cycle. Talking with a good cylinder shop about options for your specific engine provides good source of input and is one route I used a lot when making recommendations to customers.

 

[mondtster]

Labor isn’t cheap and neither are the replacement parts. I haven’t shopped for a cylinder for about a year now but with only a few exceptions in the past decade or two it has been cheaper to just buy new if we’re talking about common engines that have both OE and aftermarket cylinder options available.

 

[Clip4]

Good luck. We have kinda lost the shops with competent machinists to overhaul cylinders. May be competent to make new ones too.

 

[sansoneservices]

Asking for a friend....

And is worth it, or should my friend just bite the bullet and go with new?

Nowadays we just replace with New if available. Some of the small Continentals can be hard to find New. The cylinder overhaul shops are very proud of their work (rightly so) and pricing can get close to New replacement

 

[Magman]

I think your avatar is a Cessna 150?

If the jugs are for a 150 note that installing ALL new cylinders

will allow you to advance the timing back to the original factory

spec of 28 degrees. This will provide a small but noticeable increase

in power.


To avoid “ Horror Stories” please have your Installing Tech verify

proper ring gap regardless of where purchased. One story can be seen

at supercub.org if you google “ piston ring differences”.

 

[Ventucky Red]

I think your avatar is a Cessna 150?

If the jugs are for a 150 note that installing ALL new cylinders

will allow you to advance the timing back to the original factory

spec of 28 degrees. This will provide a small but noticeable increase

in power.


To avoid “ Horror Stories” please have your Installing Tech verify

proper ring gap regardless of where purchased. One story can be seen

at supercub.org if you google “ piston ring differences”.

152 with the Lycoming 0-235-LC2

 

[Magman]

There is “SparrowHawk” 125 hp upgrade that believe

you can do w/o splitting case.

No details here.