See, new technology does come to aircraft engines from time to time. Sure, it may be new as in new to the breed or new for this manufacturer, but the fact remains that both major piston-engine manufacturers are in a reinvigorated push to improve product. From Lycoming, introduction of roller tipped cam followers (or lifters) has become a battle cry in this push toward modernity. The company announced in 2004 that it would work with automotive supplier Delphi to develop the lifters, and had introduced them to the Experimental market by the summer of 2005 in select engines.
At press time, Lycoming had begun delivering new engines with the devices and had announced plans to phase in roller lifters to factory overhauled and remanufactured engines. (Its not a bolt-in affair, as we’ll soon see; the cases need to be exchanged or, at least, modified to take the new parts.) For the moment, Lycoming’s roller lifters as we’ll as Superior Air Parts’ similar products are largely for Experimentals. But this technology is becoming an option for owners of production airplanes.
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