AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - December 2018 - 82

P&E

OWNERSHIP

Bust the rust

New!

TOP OFF YOUR PLANE

& YOUR WALLET

Nickel-plated cylinders resist the toll of humidity
BY KEVIN KNIGHT

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82 | AOPA PILOT December 2018

Lots of moisture gets sucked in, but operating temperatures stay too low to burn it off.
The best strategy is to fly for an hour and
make sure the oil temperature gets to 180
degrees Fahrenheit or above.
I've been researching this while preparing to rebuild my Mooney's engine. To
keep it from costing me more money or
anxiety when I can't fly enough, I want to
eliminate any chance of my new cylinders
rusting. Evidence suggests the best solution
is nickel silicon carbide electroplating, more
commonly called "nickel plating."
Cylinders in my current engine were
"chromed" roughly 300 hours ago. The
last three oil tests show fast-rising levels
of that metal, suggesting chrome is flaking
off the walls. My veteran mechanic says,
"Chrome is trash!" but he endorses that
hard metal for low-compression radial
engines. Others have different opinions so
personal research is highly recommended,
since it's a proven option that also looks
great on hubcaps.

KEVIN KNIGHT

GROWING UP IN HUMID LOUISIANA, it
seemed rust and mold were the state symbols. My grandfather said if he didn't keep
his butcher knives lightly oiled they would
start discoloring the instant he turned his
back.
Those 50-year-old childhood memories
recently flashed back while running my fingers over some rust-pitted steel cylinders
near Seattle. There may be a political divide
between the West Coast and Deep South,
but rust is the same in both places, and it's
expensive everywhere.
This orange-colored corrosion results
from iron being exposed to oxygen, moisture,
and combustion byproducts during extended
periods of inactivity. That's why cylinder
endurance is rarely a problem for flight
schools, commercial operators, or active
partnerships. However, many airplane owners barely fly 50 hours annually and are at
risk of having their engines rot from within.
Running an engine on the ground for
short periods is worse than letting it sit.

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AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - December 2018