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  #21  
Old 02-12-2016, 10:57 AM
scarter770 scarter770 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: fort worth,Texas
Posts: 22
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I know you have had issues with Ly-Con and Now I have issues with ECI.
It's really not odd at all for one supplier to ship parts to another for final assembly. They do it all the time. The fact that ECI advertises that their cylinder assemblies come with fitted pistons and rings all lubed up and ready to install must be a lie huh? Ly-Con did nothing but supply ECI 6 forged pistons that ECI ordered from them. I had ordered the cylinder assemblies from ECI because they were available (partial warranty after premature ECI ring failure) and they agreed to fit the pistons to the new cylinders. What you are saying is do not trust any supplier. I get that. Engine building experience? Yeah I have some. I see your performance engine post and could share some of the same negative stories with you about them but won't get in to that. I'm just warning folks to look close!
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  #22  
Old 02-12-2016, 01:13 PM
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FasGlas FasGlas is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Prescott, AZ
Posts: 739
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I'm certainly not defending anyone but LyCon was the final builder for your engine. And I don't always take everyone's word as to why something failed, especially if that someone would have to pay quite a bit if they said they might have been at fault. This goes for LyCon and ECI. I just find it odd that LyCon didn't fit and install their own pistons into cylinders they are installing on an engine. In the group of guys I fly with none has ever had a problem with a forged piston in a new cylinder, ECI, Lycoming or Superior. Most all of the planes have 10:1's.

I guess at this point there's not much you can do but fix the engine and pay the bill, looks like no one's going to step up to the plate. I just don't know if I would take LyCon's word as gospel, or anyone's for that matter.

Yes, Performance Engines did have a long running problem but it was long delays and finances. I'm sure this was mostly from using lots of time building the Reno engines and putting the regular customers on the waiting list. Made for plenty of unhappy people. But he does do xlnt work, consistently.

I think everyone's experiences with shops and suppliers should be posted for people to be aware of, and we all need to be smart buyers and question anything we aren't completely sure of. Good luck with your engine.
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  #23  
Old 02-12-2016, 01:39 PM
EllisMcgaughy EllisMcgaughy is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Fayetteville nc
Posts: 23
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I pulled an ECi cylinder once, sent back to them for rework, and then reinstalled just like they are saying.....left the piston rings in the cylinder as I slipped the wrist pin in place. Many hundreds of hours on that cylinder and it is working fine. At the time, I did not have a set of ring compressors.....so this was my only option. I'm a very meticulous kind of person....and general follow the factory's advice whenever possible.
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  #24  
Old 02-12-2016, 04:11 PM
scarter770 scarter770 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: fort worth,Texas
Posts: 22
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Ly-Con was not he final builder of my engine. I was/am the final builder of my engine. Ly-Con was not involved in the process other than supplying the pistons to ECI as ECI was out of forged pistons from their other supplier of forged pistons. ECI has "fitted" installed these types of pistons before. The facts are that they neglected to check the final clearance dimensions for the forged pistons. This led to a clearance that was for cast pistons which is .003 or so less than for the forged pistons. This led to a failure. I made the trip to Ly-Con's shop and verified the measurements myself. I sent the engine to their shop (outside third party) to avoid the sniping that occurs when you are the one that does the final assembly. ECI does not and will not question Ly-Con's findings. I continue to pay all of the bills. What I have said and will continue to say is you better pull them apart and check them for yourself. No such thing as "fitted" and "ready to install" ! Thanks for the kind words of support. This has been a lesson indeed for an old engine guy.
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  #25  
Old 02-12-2016, 06:04 PM
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FasGlas FasGlas is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Prescott, AZ
Posts: 739
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Humm, with all that info I think I can see what might have happened. And BTW I have no problem with people building their own engines, as long as they know how. I've done some myself as an A&P and experimental. Sounds like LyCon and ECI both have a stake in this, LyCon might have sent ECI one piston that was a hair oversized and ECI used just one piston to measure all 6 installations, instead of all 6 pistons. Then put them together. I've seen this many times with auto engine builders, it's faster. But they shouldn't have assumed all 6 pistons were perfect. We've never had to "fit" forged pistons in new cylinders but we always measure each and every part and each kit has it's own set of parts.

I'm sure you'll have better luck now with the new parts fitted right. (we hope) Blue Skys
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  #26  
Old 02-13-2016, 08:57 AM
scarter770 scarter770 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: fort worth,Texas
Posts: 22
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Ly-Con gave me the data sheet on the 6 pistons that were shipped to ECI
All six were very close dimension wise .0005 and within a gram on weight. We weighed them again while I was there. I spent 4 days at their shop.
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