Aircraft Engine Cylinders
The cylinder is the single most consequential part on a piston aero engine — it determines how much longer the engine runs before a top or bottom overhaul. At American Aviation Parts we stock new and overhauled cylinders for the full Lycoming and Continental GA engine catalog.
New vs overhauled cylinders
- New cylinders — shipped direct from the PMA holder or OEM with 8130-3, no prior service time. Choose new when you need a known-zero-hour assembly and when cost premium (typically 30–50% over overhauled) is justified by the time you plan to keep the aircraft.
- Overhauled cylinders — disassembled, inspected, valves re-lapped or replaced, returned to service limits. Good overhauls are indistinguishable in service from new; poor overhauls fail early. Known shops: Penn Yan, ECi, Western Skyways.
Cylinder families
- Lycoming OEM — steel, Cermi-chrome, or ECi-licensed. Direct from Lycoming parts.
- Superior Air Parts Millennium — PMA cylinder for Lycoming O-320, O-360, IO-360, O-540, IO-540. Widely installed.
- ECi Titan Nickel — PMA cylinder for Lycoming and Continental engines; now owned by Continental Motors.
- Continental Motors new — OEM cylinders for IO-470, IO-520, IO-550, TSIO-520, TSIO-550 families.
- Continental Motors Gold / Platinum overhauled — factory-overhauled cylinders with a Continental 8130-3.
Top overhaul vs bottom overhaul
- Top overhaul — cylinders off, bottom end left alone. Used when one or two cylinders have failed compression and the rest of the engine is healthy. Not a substitute for TBO.
- Bottom overhaul — cylinders often stay on; the crankcase is split and the crank, bearings, cam, and accessory case are inspected and replaced as needed.
- Major overhaul — both ends addressed, the engine is zero-timed.
Ordering a cylinder
Some cylinders are eligible only above or below certain engine serial cutoffs. Each product page lists the eligible engine models and serial ranges, and the Aircraft Finder filters the catalog to cylinders that fit your aircraft.
