Chrome cylinders?

I understand they help stop corrosion, what is not good about them? Looking at a 1000 hour O-320 with chrome cylinders, looks clean and runs nice, I have only had engines with steel cylinders. Thanks

I bought a -12 with cermi chrome cylinders and it was a headache. I was going through a quart of oil every2-3 hours. I was told my cylinders were "glazed" which from my understanding can be common in chrome cylinders. We tried everything to get the oil consumption down with no luck. Ended up doing a major overhaul and replacing all the cylinders with steal cylinders. My oil consumption now is maybe a quart every 10 -20 hours which is nice. I believe chrome cylinders resist corrosion better than steal, but if you fly just once a month and get your oil temps to at least 180 you shouldn't have a problem with steal.

This is my personal experience and what I think I know. I'm always learning, and I'm sure others on the site have more experience and will chime in.

Been flying on chromes for 20 years. 1 qt every 14 hours. Break'm in correctly on the FIRST flight and not an issue.

1000 hour engine, check the exhaust valves / guides for "wobble".

I know a number of people who've had trouble with chrome cyls which apparently weren't broken in correctly.
When I had the C145 in my old C170 OH'd, I specified steel cylinders.
Easy break-in, and never a lick of trouble.

I think if you're gonna let the airplane sit a lot, chrome cyl's are probably a goo idea.
If you're gonna fly it often, not so much.

Are they 1st run chrome cylinders or overhauled and chrome plated to bring them back to size? Overhauled cylinders just seem to have more issues, cracks, ect most likely due to high cycle times.
DENNY

Overhauled chrome here. Only 23 hours, but so far no excessive oil consumption. I generally just go fly - no consideration for break-in.

I have had chrome cylinders both ways, use oil and don't. At 1000 hrs. should be easy to tell. Good thing is they won't rust.

Make sure you have the right rings installed. Just had chrome rings on a steel barrel on a jug that I had squawked on a pre-buy for replacement. 1st annual and the cylinder was dead. Buldoc caught it and changed rings. I agree that chrome is good and bad and have seen both just like steel. Can't fix stupid people you can just work around them. Should be fun to get out of the water with 6 cylinders this summer on the 180.

Paul Jackson said:

Make sure you have the right rings installed. Just had chrome rings on a steel barrel on a jug that I had squawked on a pre-buy for replacement. 1st annual and the cylinder was dead. Buldoc caught it and changed rings. I agree that chrome is good and bad and have seen both just like steel. Can't fix stupid people you can just work around them. Should be fun to get out of the water with 6 cylinders this summer on the 180.

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?? Elaborate a bit more please. "chrome" rings are commonly used in steel cylinders. If someone installs chrome rings into a chrome cylinder you will have major damage and will be replacing the cylinder.


Gray cast iron is most often used in making piston rings. In some engines, chrome-plated mild steel piston rings are used in the top compression ring groove because these rings can better withstand the high temperatures present at this point. Chrome rings must be used with steel cylinder walls. Never use chrome rings on chrome cylinders.
http://www.flight-mechanic.com/piston-rings/

Thanks, the engine runs good, guess its a gamble buying anything used. Its not too expensive and comes with a homebuilt, I can sell the homebuilt and buy new cylinders if I have problems with the chrome.

The article linked previous post on rings doesn't say what kind of rings you use on chrome cylinders? Steel no plating?

Typically see a cast iron type compression ring in chrome cylinders. Superior says that their rings used to be good for any chrome cylinders but a few years ago ECI came out and said that Superior rings were not compatible with their process. Superior will now tell you that you need to check with the manufacture of your cylinder chrome process.
Perhaps this is why some are having better luck then others. Perhaps its the ring manufacture choice....
I run "Nu-Chrome" on my 0-360 and they work great.