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Source for discontinued ECi piston

rotorbailey

Member
Straight Aero Aircraft Engines is inspecting my IO-540 and needs a new piston but has been unable to locate an ECi one of matched weight. Lycoming now goes to a different P/N and weight so we'd have to buy a whole matched set. Any ideas/leads on someone who might have the old one in stock and can confirm the weight stamped on box?

I found them listed on Airpower.com but they say they can't go into the warehouse and check the weight stamped on the box (we need one that matches the others = 1295 grams).

ECI P/N AEL-15357
1295 grams
 
An idea instead of buying a whole set. If you can find a replacement that it overweight, buy or borrow a good scale and grind off some material on the thick part of the interior of the dome. You don't need to go deep, just the surface off a 1" square area. A good engine machinist can tell you where to take the meat off if you are unsure. This is how they balance your rods. It is also how the old engine "blue printers" did it before they started selling pistons in match weighted sets.

Larry
 
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AAA gee---an good engine shop thats DOES blueprinting can balance it for you. IF in fact all the other pistons are the same weight, take one and the new one, and they can balance it for you. We did it all the time back in the racing days. Then sent the rotating assemblies out for spin balancing.
Check with Rhonda at Barrett, Neal at Continental, or gee, any well know race engine machine shop (BCI in Atlanta). I know that they have the info.

Tom
 
Found one with the correct weight at Sal's Aircraft Cylinders, Prosper, TX. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Others recommended trying:
ONE STOP engine shop, Oceanside, CA
J & J Airparts, Pleasanton, TX
 
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