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I have just found out that I need 4 new cylinders for my Continental A65 engine. Was told by a local cylinder shop that Millennium cylinders were the only factory new replacements available. However, my IA says he has had terrible luck with Millennium cylinders on Continental engines. Does anyone have experience with Millennium cylinders on an A65? Any advice about using or installing them?
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
The shop I work at uses Millennium cylinders on almost every engine we overhaul. We have never had a cylinder related problem since we began using Milleniums 6 years ago (we complete 6 to 8 engines a month).
The cylinder kits come with valves, pistons, rings, and gaskets. One caution with the A-65 Millenium cylinders: the piston supplied uses the large diameter piston pin (.9215). If your engine is set up for the small pin you will have to rebush your rods to accept the large pin. If you need more info let me know.
Garry Crookham
N5112M
Tulsa -
Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
I put four millenniums on my C-85 chief in 97. Has about 600 hours on it now, and the present owner says it still doesn't use any oil and has high numbers on the annual. He stopped out to my strip Saturday to visit, and when I gave him a prop it started on first one. I would recommend then. GeorgeTF# 702 Don't be afraid to try something new. Remember amatuers built the ark, professionals built the titanic!Comment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
I overhauled my A65-8 Continental engine last April and installed four new millenium cylinders. I have flown it almost 90 hours and no problems at all. Low oil consumption approx 8-9 hours per quart. I do not let the oil go below 1/2 qt low before adding oil and add oil 1/2 qt at a time. I keep it pretty full because I believe that the higher amount of oil better cools the engine. I imagine that it throws out some of that oil, so, if I were let it go lower, I think I would have better oil consumption. We did a compression check appx 10 hours after the overhaul and it was 79/80 on all four cylinders. The annual is coming up this month, so we will see what the new compressions are. I use Avblend at each oil change. I have to say that the engine runs very well and the Millenium Cylinders are performing very well. I don't shock cool the engine and make all approaches with power. I recommend the Millenium Cylinders.
Frank
N43684Comment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
They will only allow those installed in sets of 4. They have an O-200 head on an A-65 barrel. Don't know if it is supplied, but the intake elbows are also different. Not sure if you are also doing an overhaul or just the cylinders, but do to the cost of the new cylinders and value of the engine, I would at least consider the cost difference to upgrade to a C-85. You might be suprised.
MikeComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
Intake elbows are supplied. Everything is supplied except the rocker arms. Appx $3500 buys four new cylinders with new pistons, valves etc.--everything on the top end new except the rocker arms. Superior Air Products provides an STC and good paperwork.
Probably could have done the 85 HP conversion but did not because of extra costs of new exhaust and engine mount, tach, etc. I had limited funds and wanted a good engine. In the overhaul we sent all parts out to Aircraft Specialties Services in Tulsa for Magnaflux and yellow tags. The case went to Central Cylinder for line boring etc. Costly but complete overhaul and we wanted a good engine--and the cost of this overhaul was over my limit--but I did it anyhoo. Because of $$ I did not consider what a similarly overhauled 85Hp engine would have cost.
But it is probably a good idea to check out what a 85 HP would cost versus the overhaul with the Millenium Cylinder set. Now a year later, maybe I should have bellied up to the bar and spent the extra $$$ and installed an 85Hp engine.
Frank
N43684Comment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
Exhaust would not have changed, and the tach would only have needed remarked if you stayed with a -8. By the time you sold the A-65 core, I bet you could have upgraded for little to no extra money. Those are good cylinders though. If I had to build an A-80 today, I would only use millineum cylinders. With the O-200 heads, they have the larger valve stems, bigger intake, and may have snuck a C-85 spider and carb on it.
MikeComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
Mike,
Are the baffles different for the 85 than for the 65? Does the cowling have to be modified for the 85?
FrankComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
Baffles are the same and cowling needs no modification if you stay with a -8 series engine.
MikeComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
Mike,
Thanks for the info. Liive & learn. I should have installed the 85. What does a run-out 85 cost nowadays? It seems that for what I paid, the only thing that would cost more is the cost of the run out 85-8. The other items are mags and carbeurator. The carb would change--that would be another cost. How about the mags? Would mags be the same?
Just guessing but I bet for what I spent, I could have done the 85 for maybe 1,000 more--and it would have been worth it.
FrankComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
You are correct in guessing another $1000-$1500 would have put an 85 in your plane which is basically the difference in core costs between a 65 and 85. Overhaul costs are almost identical. Mags and carb are different. You would have added more value to your plane with the 85 also. Depending on what prop you have, it might also have been reused as well.
MikeComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
I'm sure liking what I've seen of the new Titan cylinders by ECI... they just unvailed them and they look really nice!!! Also check out the new IOEX-340 engine!!!
JH
I'm so far behind, I think I'm aheadComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
I wouldn't touch ECI cylinders with a 10 foot pole. They just recalled 10,000 Lycoming cylinders end of last year, YES I said 10,000 cylinders. They had an issue with several thousand Continental cylinders a couple years ago too.Originally posted by N96337
MikeComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
I was thinking lately that I probably should start to collect parts (slowly) for my C-85-12. I'm a little skiddish about ECI too. Does anyone else make them new? Everything on my bird is about maxed. I think my cylinders are .015 over and the crank is at min thickness too. Can you get a new crank?? (not that I can afford one right now anyways, but it can't hurt to start looking in that direction).
Richard Boyer
N95791Richard Boyer
N95791
Georgetown, TXComment
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Re: Reliability of Millennium Cylinders on A65?
I've never had an issue with ECI or their products. At least they stand behind things when there is a problem... can't say that for all the manufacturers out there anymore. We ran LOTS of ECI cylinders when I was in the overhaul shop and they seemed just fine..... but everyone has their opinion.
Richard, I'd go for the 0-200 STC crank, rods and pistons...cheaper than a C-85 crank, and more HP.
JHI'm so far behind, I think I'm aheadComment
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