Superior Millenium Cylinders not shipping

[John Clonts]

The IO-520 out of our Cessna 210 is being overhauled by Custom
Airmotive in Tulsa. We had wanted to go with new Millenium cylinders,
but Superior has a halt on shipping them. A Superior rep said there
were some minor design changes that the FAA is requiring them to run-
test to assure life to TBO. They have not been shipping any of these
cylinders for 60 days or so, and said that the testing would likely
require another 45 days, resulting in shipments resuming in late
January.

I have seen that Millenium vs. ECI vs. Factory (Continental in my
case) has been a perennial topic here but not lately. My current
decision basically boils down to "wait for the Milleniums" vs. go with
ECI. Does anyone have recent experience or recent information about
quality, reliability, etc, between those options, or other options or
thoughts?

Thanks,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas

[Newps]

I installed six new Milleniums in Sept 06. All pistons were within a
few grams of each other. I forget exaclty how close but closer than you
see others talking about. The weights were listed on the individual
boxes. Very smooth engine. Oil consumption now about a quart every 18
hours. If they can't deliver and you don't want to wait then go with
the ECI's. Just don't get that Continental crap.



John Clonts wrote:

> The IO-520 out of our Cessna 210 is being overhauled by Custom
> Airmotive in Tulsa. We had wanted to go with new Millenium cylinders,
> but Superior has a halt on shipping them. A Superior rep said there
> were some minor design changes that the FAA is requiring them to run-
> test to assure life to TBO. They have not been shipping any of these
> cylinders for 60 days or so, and said that the testing would likely
> require another 45 days, resulting in shipments resuming in late
> January.
>
> I have seen that Millenium vs. ECI vs. Factory (Continental in my
> case) has been a perennial topic here but not lately. My current
> decision basically boils down to "wait for the Milleniums" vs. go with
> ECI. Does anyone have recent experience or recent information about
> quality, reliability, etc, between those options, or other options or
> thoughts?
>
> Thanks,
> John Clonts
> Temple, Texas

[Jay Honeck]

> I installed six new Milleniums in Sept 06. All pistons were within a
> few grams of each other. I forget exaclty how close but closer than you
> see others talking about. The weights were listed on the individual
> boxes. Very smooth engine. Oil consumption now about a quart every 18
> hours. If they can't deliver and you don't want to wait then go with
> the ECI's. Just don't get that Continental crap.

Our experience has been similar. We installed six new Milleniums as
part of our rebuild in 2002, and have had nothing but outstanding
performance, with low oil consumption and smooth running in our
Lycoming O-540.

I don't know anything about ECIs, but can personally vouch for the
Milleniums...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[[email protected]]

ECI jugs have a really good reputation amongst the Lycoming crowd,
several of my local airport buddies are flying behind engines built
with ECI parts in both certificated and experimental planes and they
all love them. I dunno about ECI's reputation WRT Continental engines,
but one of my buddies had his C182 rebuilt using factory new jugs four
years ago and already had to replace one with less than 500 hrs on the
engine.

[Newps]

The standard cast Milleniums are so good that Superior stopped selling
their higher cost cylinders a couple yeats ago, I forget what they were
called. Investment cast maybe.

Jay Honeck wrote:

>>I installed six new Milleniums in Sept 06. All pistons were within a
>>few grams of each other. I forget exaclty how close but closer than you
>>see others talking about. The weights were listed on the individual
>>boxes. Very smooth engine. Oil consumption now about a quart every 18
>>hours. If they can't deliver and you don't want to wait then go with
>>the ECI's. Just don't get that Continental crap.
>
>
> Our experience has been similar. We installed six new Milleniums as
> part of our rebuild in 2002, and have had nothing but outstanding
> performance, with low oil consumption and smooth running in our
> Lycoming O-540.
>
> I don't know anything about ECIs, but can personally vouch for the
> Milleniums...
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"

[Newps]

At an absolute bare minimum if you are installing new Continental
cylinders you need to take them apart and have a reputable shop rework
the valve guides.

wrote:

> ECI jugs have a really good reputation amongst the Lycoming crowd,
> several of my local airport buddies are flying behind engines built
> with ECI parts in both certificated and experimental planes and they
> all love them. I dunno about ECI's reputation WRT Continental engines,
> but one of my buddies had his C182 rebuilt using factory new jugs four
> years ago and already had to replace one with less than 500 hrs on the
> engine.

[[email protected]]

On Nov 28, 12:38 pm, Newps > wrote:
> At an absolute bare minimum if you are installing new Continental
> cylinders you need to take them apart and have a reputable shop rework
> the valve guides.

I dunno if my buddy had that done when the new Cont cyls were
installed onto his engine, but the one he had to replace had cracked.

[Rich]

John,
I went with ECI Titan's two years ago on my IO-520. These are the
nickel ceramic cylinder bores (lots of cold damp winters here in Michigan).

I've got over 150 hours on them and so far so good. Broke in well.
Compressions are good. Used about 1.8 qts in 50 hours.

I've heard that Continental has 'supposed' to have solved their cylinder
problems, but, to me, its a little like: "You just got out of the State
Penitentiary but you say you've reformed, and now you want to date MY
daughter?" I'll wait until a whole lot of people jump into the water first.

One vote for ECI.

Rich


John Clonts wrote:
> The IO-520 out of our Cessna 210 is being overhauled by Custom
> Airmotive in Tulsa. We had wanted to go with new Millenium cylinders,
> but Superior has a halt on shipping them. A Superior rep said there
> were some minor design changes that the FAA is requiring them to run-
> test to assure life to TBO. They have not been shipping any of these
> cylinders for 60 days or so, and said that the testing would likely
> require another 45 days, resulting in shipments resuming in late
> January.
>
> I have seen that Millenium vs. ECI vs. Factory (Continental in my
> case) has been a perennial topic here but not lately. My current
> decision basically boils down to "wait for the Milleniums" vs. go with
> ECI. Does anyone have recent experience or recent information about
> quality, reliability, etc, between those options, or other options or
> thoughts?
>
> Thanks,
> John Clonts
> Temple, Texas

[[email protected]]

On Nov 29, 6:10 am, Rich > wrote:
> John,
> I went with ECI Titan's two years ago on my IO-520. These are the
> nickel ceramic cylinder bores (lots of cold damp winters here in Michigan).
>
> I've got over 150 hours on them and so far so good. Broke in well.
> Compressions are good. Used about 1.8 qts in 50 hours.
>
> I've heard that Continental has 'supposed' to have solved their cylinder
> problems, but, to me, its a little like: "You just got out of the State
> Penitentiary but you say you've reformed, and now you want to date MY
> daughter?" I'll wait until a whole lot of people jump into the water first.
>
> One vote for ECI.
>
> Rich


>
> John Clonts wrote:
> > The IO-520 out of our Cessna 210 is being overhauled by Custom
> > Airmotive in Tulsa. We had wanted to go with new Millenium cylinders,
> > but Superior has a halt on shipping them. A Superior rep said there
> > were some minor design changes that the FAA is requiring them to run-
> > test to assure life to TBO. They have not been shipping any of these
> > cylinders for 60 days or so, and said that the testing would likely
> > require another 45 days, resulting in shipments resuming in late
> > January.
>
> > I have seen that Millenium vs. ECI vs. Factory (Continental in my
> > case) has been a perennial topic here but not lately. My current
> > decision basically boils down to "wait for the Milleniums" vs. go with
> > ECI. Does anyone have recent experience or recent information about
> > quality, reliability, etc, between those options, or other options or
> > thoughts?
>
> > Thanks,
> > John Clonts
> > Temple, Texas

ECI isn't perfect, either. Some of their jugs on certain Lycomings
have been AD'd. See
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/076CBE0678C2D2398625718500504687?OpenDocument&Highlight=2006-12-07

Dan

[Ray Andraka]

> ECI isn't perfect, either. Some of their jugs on certain Lycomings
> have been AD'd. See
> http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/076CBE0678C2D2398625718500504687?OpenDocument&Highlight=2006-12-07
>
> Dan


Those are the classic cast cylinders, not the Titans. I've got Titans
on my Six, and so far am happy with them (4 yrs, ~300 hours)

[Denny]

Yup, it is amazing how those crappy engine manufacturers who make
crappy cylinders manage to con gullible airplane manufacturers into
buying their crap and con the FAA into approving the new engines ONLY
if they have those crappy cylinders...
You would think the FAA would mandate that LYC and CONT supply only
the bottom ends and put after market cylinders on them... It also
amazes me that anyone pays $50,000 for a new engine on a new airplane
with those death pit cylinders... There oughta be a law against
factory cylinders...

denny

[Denny]

Just ordered four brand new cylinder kits.... However, they are not
Milleniums...

denny

[Roger (K8RI)]

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:33:48 -0700, Newps > wrote:

>I installed six new Milleniums in Sept 06. All pistons were within a
>few grams of each other. I forget exaclty how close but closer than you
>see others talking about. The weights were listed on the individual
>boxes. Very smooth engine. Oil consumption now about a quart every 18
>hours. If they can't deliver and you don't want to wait then go with
>the ECI's. Just don't get that Continental crap.

What's wrong with Continental.
The only time the Deb ever required adding a quart of oil was during
break in. It's usually down about a pint or a bit less at the 25 hour
mark which is oil change time. (It doesn't have a filter, just a
screen to catch the chunks)

Roger (K8RI)

[Denny]

Rog, If you are referring to my post about crappy manufacturers, that
is sarcasm... The factory cylinders are fine... My mechanic will not
use a cylinder unless it is factory...

denny