Our club received a call from Cirrus on Friday grounding our just received plane due to a problem Cirrus had with one of its demonstrators. A pin fell out of the magneto into the oil pump causing no oil pressure. The engine was shipped back to Teledyne where the pin was found. Cirrus is going to get back to us telling us whether our plane is affected. I’m surprised to see no mention of this in this forum. Did any other owners receive a call from Cirrus? (our plane is serial number 30).
I talked to Cirrus this morning about another matter and found out about the problem. Cirrus knows which planes are affected and has called all owners. Fortunately, my plane was NOT amoung them. Mike Busch (Cirrus) seems to have his hand on these things.
I am very surprised to hear so many problems with the engine. This is not Cirrus problem, but it hurts Cirrus. I would understand this with the Diesel engine (which I want) but not from an engine company that has been around for such a long time. You have heard of people sending a new Factory engine to their own shop to get it balanced and fined tuned. This only happens when engine manufactors put out trash. Look at the big picture. Cessna, Piper, Mooney, Beech did not improve their product so they are loosing over 600 customers to Cirrus (smart people). Engine manufactories are next. Can I get a Diesel on mine? Hurry, I want something that will just keep on ticking, not a 1940 era with poor (no make that VERY poor) quality control.
Cirrus: let’s put the push on Diesel, you need happy customers. Keep up the great job Cirrus, don’t ever slake on quality. Thanks…
Our club received a call from Cirrus on Friday grounding our just received plane due to a problem Cirrus had with one of its demonstrators. A pin fell out of the magneto into the oil pump causing no oil pressure. The engine was shipped back to Teledyne where the pin was found. Cirrus is going to get back to us telling us whether our plane is affected. I’m surprised to see no mention of this in this forum. Did any other owners receive a call from Cirrus? (our plane is serial number 30).
I have some unofficial information on this; there are about 6-8 SR20’s affected, and TCM will be issuing a service bulletin shortly, but Cirrus have contacted affected owners in advance. The problem was incorrectly installed magnetos, and TCM will be sending replacement magnetos to affected owners.
Until recently I was co-owner of a 1969 Siai-Marchetti S205. It had a 220 HP Franklin in it. I’m shooting from the hip a bit here because this is all heresay, but from what I understand there has never been an AD on that engine. If true, how come Continental and Lycoming are producing engines with so many?
Just curious…
Joe
I am very surprised to hear so many problems with the engine. This is not Cirrus problem, but it hurts Cirrus. I would understand this with the Diesel engine (which I want) but not from an engine company that has been around for such a long time. You have heard of people sending a new Factory engine to their own shop to get it balanced and fined tuned. This only happens when engine manufactors put out trash. Look at the big picture. Cessna, Piper, Mooney, Beech did not improve their product so they are loosing over 600 customers to Cirrus (smart people). Engine manufactories are next. Can I get a Diesel on mine? Hurry, I want something that will just keep on ticking, not a 1940 era with poor (no make that VERY poor) quality control.
Cirrus: let’s put the push on Diesel, you need happy customers. Keep up the great job Cirrus, don’t ever slake on quality. Thanks…
Our club received a call from Cirrus on Friday grounding our just received plane due to a problem Cirrus had with one of its demonstrators. A pin fell out of the magneto into the oil pump causing no oil pressure. The engine was shipped back to Teledyne where the pin was found. Cirrus is going to get back to us telling us whether our plane is affected. I’m surprised to see no mention of this in this forum. Did any other owners receive a call from Cirrus? (our plane is serial number 30).
Isn’t the direct injection diesel coming from Teledyne Contimental? Why should it have better quality?
Just being the pessimist.
I am very surprised to hear so many problems with the engine. This is not Cirrus problem, but it hurts Cirrus. I would understand this with the Diesel engine (which I want) but not from an engine company that has been around for such a long time. You have heard of people sending a new Factory engine to their own shop to get it balanced and fined tuned. This only happens when engine manufactors put out trash. Look at the big picture. Cessna, Piper, Mooney, Beech did not improve their product so they are loosing over 600 customers to Cirrus (smart people). Engine manufactories are next. Can I get a Diesel on mine? Hurry, I want something that will just keep on ticking, not a 1940 era with poor (no make that VERY poor) quality control.
Cirrus: let’s put the push on Diesel, you need happy customers. Keep up the great job Cirrus, don’t ever slake on quality. Thanks…
Our club received a call from Cirrus on Friday grounding our just received plane due to a problem Cirrus had with one of its demonstrators. A pin fell out of the magneto into the oil pump causing no oil pressure. The engine was shipped back to Teledyne where the pin was found. Cirrus is going to get back to us telling us whether our plane is affected. I’m surprised to see no mention of this in this forum. Did any other owners receive a call from Cirrus? (our plane is serial number 30).
Isn’t the direct injection diesel coming from Teledyne Contimental? Why should it have better quality?
Continental are working on a Diesel engine, supposedly to include a drop-in replacement for the IO-360, but there is also (already flying) a Diesel engine from Renault. While it might involve a little more engineering (engine mount etc.) there is no reason that it would not go into the SR20 (it’s an air-cooled, horizontally opposed, direct drive engine, just like a LyCon).
It seems certain that Renault will get their engine certified before Continental. It remains to be seen if they can overcome the inevitable bias against a non-American aero engine.
As to quality control, I think the original message was perhaps referring to the fact that a new engine, whether from Continental or whoever, could be forgiven a few glitches, whereas the IO-360ES in the SR20 is simply the latest incarnation of a long line of Continental 6-cylinder engines, that by now would be expected to be bulletproof.
A Diesel engine should be more reliable than an avgas engine - it has no magnetos, a simpler fuel injection system, no moving parts in the induction air system, and, due to the inherent “oiliness” of the fuel, low wear rates, at least in the cylinders/rings/pistons. And of course, better fuel economy. Against that you have the added complexity of the turbocharger, but it’s no different to the turbos already used on aircraft and automotive engines.
But for now, we can only dream.
There is a French company that is much further ahead then Continental. I just don’t know when or if the company has a web site. Does anyone know? Thanks…
Isn’t the direct injection diesel coming from Teledyne Contimental? Why should it have better quality?
Just being the pessimist.
I am very surprised to hear so many problems with the engine. This is not Cirrus problem, but it hurts Cirrus. I would understand this with the Diesel engine (which I want) but not from an engine company that has been around for such a long time. You have heard of people sending a new Factory engine to their own shop to get it balanced and fined tuned. This only happens when engine manufactors put out trash. Look at the big picture. Cessna, Piper, Mooney, Beech did not improve their product so they are loosing over 600 customers to Cirrus (smart people). Engine manufactories are next. Can I get a Diesel on mine? Hurry, I want something that will just keep on ticking, not a 1940 era with poor (no make that VERY poor) quality control.
Cirrus: let’s put the push on Diesel, you need happy customers. Keep up the great job Cirrus, don’t ever slake on quality. Thanks…
Our club received a call from Cirrus on Friday grounding our just received plane due to a problem Cirrus had with one of its demonstrators. A pin fell out of the magneto into the oil pump causing no oil pressure. The engine was shipped back to Teledyne where the pin was found. Cirrus is going to get back to us telling us whether our plane is affected. I’m surprised to see no mention of this in this forum. Did any other owners receive a call from Cirrus? (our plane is serial number 30).
Isn’t the direct injection diesel coming from Teledyne Contimental? Why should it have better quality?
Continental are working on a Diesel engine, supposedly to include a drop-in replacement for the IO-360,
The Continental GAP engine is water cooled so accomidations must be made for the cooling system. New cowlings, radiators and intercoolers. It’s also gear driven but I’m not sure if that affects reliability.
From what I’ve heard about the M-R diesel they want to have it flying for at least a year before it is introduced to the states.
but there is also (already flying) a Diesel engine from Renault. While it might involve a little more engineering (engine mount etc.) there is no reason that it would not go into the SR20 (it’s an air-cooled, horizontally opposed, direct drive engine, just like a LyCon).
It seems certain that Renault will get their engine certified before Continental. It remains to be seen if they can overcome the inevitable bias against a non-American aero engine.
As to quality control, I think the original message was perhaps referring to the fact that a new engine, whether from Continental or whoever, could be forgiven a few glitches, whereas the IO-360ES in the SR20 is simply the latest incarnation of a long line of Continental 6-cylinder engines, that by now would be expected to be bulletproof.
A Diesel engine should be more reliable than an avgas engine - it has no magnetos, a simpler fuel injection system, no moving parts in the induction air system, and, due to the inherent “oiliness” of the fuel, low wear rates, at least in the cylinders/rings/pistons. And of course, better fuel economy. Against that you have the added complexity of the turbocharger, but it’s no different to the turbos already used on aircraft and automotive engines.
But for now, we can only dream.
Clyde,
The Morane-Renault Diesel engine is “guesstimated” to be about 1 1/2 to 2 years away from certification in the US. Most initial deployments are planned for Europe on Aerospatiale (Socata) aircraft. After they have worked any bugs out of the system we will see the engine in the US. On the upside when the engine is available it will burn Jet A1, be the same weight or lighter than an equivalent Lycoming and is estimated to have a 3000 TBO.
Regards
Andrew Knott
Do you have or know of how to contact the company via email? I sure would like to have one of those in my bird. Thanks
The Morane-Renault Diesel engine is “guesstimated” to be about 1 1/2 to 2 years away from certification in the US. Most initial deployments are planned for Europe on Aerospatiale (Socata) aircraft. After they have worked any bugs out of the system we will see the engine in the US. On the upside when the engine is available it will burn Jet A1, be the same weight or lighter than an equivalent Lycoming and is estimated to have a 3000 TBO.
Regards
Andrew Knott
Check out the MS250 on the Socata Web site (www.socata.com) - it will include a 4 cyl. diesel engine from Morane-Renault.
There is a French company that is much further ahead then Continental. I just don’t know when or if the company has a web site. Does anyone know? Thanks…
Isn’t the direct injection diesel coming from Teledyne Contimental? Why should it have better quality?
Just being the pessimist.
I am very surprised to hear so many problems with the engine. This is not Cirrus problem, but it hurts Cirrus. I would understand this with the Diesel engine (which I want) but not from an engine company that has been around for such a long time. You have heard of people sending a new Factory engine to their own shop to get it balanced and fined tuned. This only happens when engine manufactors put out trash. Look at the big picture. Cessna, Piper, Mooney, Beech did not improve their product so they are loosing over 600 customers to Cirrus (smart people). Engine manufactories are next. Can I get a Diesel on mine? Hurry, I want something that will just keep on ticking, not a 1940 era with poor (no make that VERY poor) quality control.
Cirrus: let’s put the push on Diesel, you need happy customers. Keep up the great job Cirrus, don’t ever slake on quality. Thanks…
Our club received a call from Cirrus on Friday grounding our just received plane due to a problem Cirrus had with one of its demonstrators. A pin fell out of the magneto into the oil pump causing no oil pressure. The engine was shipped back to Teledyne where the pin was found. Cirrus is going to get back to us telling us whether our plane is affected. I’m surprised to see no mention of this in this forum. Did any other owners receive a call from Cirrus? (our plane is serial number 30).