The engine in the Valkyrie (my RV-8) was built in early 2005 out of all ECI components, and has been one of the smoothest running engines I have ever flown behind (others have remarked on that ? it?s not just me!). Smooth and powerful - but it has never had what I would call ?great? oil consumption ? the best being about 8 hours to the quart, the average being closer to 6.5 hrs/quart. While the engine has continued to run great, the past year has seen increased oil consumption and, more recently, decreasing compression. I finally decided to go ahead and pull the jugs and do at least a re-ringing job.
After discussions with several cylinder shops and engine builders, I decided to take the recommendations of some trusted guys, and go ahead and replace the jugs. The determining factor was the reluctance of shops to hone the nickel cylinders, and the fact that once a jug goes into the shop, it really needs to be checked out completely ? and with that many hours, it is pretty normal to need some valve and/or piston work ? things can add up quickly, and the price of new cylinders just isn?t that much. I decided to go straight to four new jugs.
Anyway, I am curious how others have done with their Cerminil cylinders. I expect that I might be near the high end of hours on a set, but would love to hear how many others have on theirs to date, and if they are still going strong ? or when they had to be replaced.
1450 hours on mine, and going to retire them.
Paul
After discussions with several cylinder shops and engine builders, I decided to take the recommendations of some trusted guys, and go ahead and replace the jugs. The determining factor was the reluctance of shops to hone the nickel cylinders, and the fact that once a jug goes into the shop, it really needs to be checked out completely ? and with that many hours, it is pretty normal to need some valve and/or piston work ? things can add up quickly, and the price of new cylinders just isn?t that much. I decided to go straight to four new jugs.
Anyway, I am curious how others have done with their Cerminil cylinders. I expect that I might be near the high end of hours on a set, but would love to hear how many others have on theirs to date, and if they are still going strong ? or when they had to be replaced.
1450 hours on mine, and going to retire them.
Paul