If rust formation from irregular and infrequent use can severely limit cylinder life, what unique features do the Continental TopCare cylinders have to address the issue of corrosion resistance?


The power demands placed upon your piston aircraft engine require the use of high strength steels, such as Aircraft Quality SAE 4140 that can rust if not protected. Lots of issues can affect cylinder life, like leaning practice, inactivity, cold starting and corrosion from inactivity. Rust is perhaps the biggest threat to the health of your engine, especially if your flight hours are irregular or less than 100 hours per year. The Hard Fact is that rust can begin to form in your engine almost overnight from the cycling of ambient temperature extremes, even with hangared aircraft. Prevention requires that the engine be flown regularly, for long enough, to get oil temperatures high enough to remove latent moisture from the engine.

Continental has incorporated a manganese phosphate coating (shown in photo) in its TopCare cylinder bores to protect the cylinder barrel through the initial break-in period. The coating is specifically designed to provide rust protection during the first hours of operation. The benefits of the phosphate coating in the TopCare cylinder can be dramatic. The Hard Fact is that the phosphate coating in the TopCare cylinder provides you with additional insurance to protect your engine investment.


Manganese Phosphate Coating

Does it work?

The photographs below show cylinders operated for 300 hours on the same engine followed by 6 weeks of storage with the cylinders removed. *

          
         TopCare Cylinder Competitor's Un-coated Cylinder

* The engine operation which preceded the photographic comparison was not keyed to any particular engine use scenario and results may vary significantly depending upon a number of factors. TCM does not recommend that any cylinders be left “inactive” for longer than 4 weeks and stresses the importance of complying with detailed cylinder and engine break-in and preservation procedures set forth in M89-7R1 & SIL99-1 respectively.



What about the outside?

Heavy rust pits on cylinder barrel fins can lead to problems in highly stressed areas. TCM barrels are bronze plated underneath the painted surface exterior to help protect the outside from the harsh environment of your engine compartment. Aluminum surfaces are alodined to help them to resist corrosion in that same hostile environment. After the plating and the alodine, we then put the paint on. Ring locked exhaust studs help avoid cylinder damage during exhaust system servicing.