The TCM TopCare Cylinder program summarizes the activities and planned product improvements resulting from field service reports of low differential compression checks, cylinder barrel wear and rust formation on 520 and 550 engines reported during service inspections and maintenance actions. A review of these reports indicates that the percentage of reported incidents on these three issues has not changed significantly from historical levels. The actual number of incidents has increased proportionally with the increased use of factory new cylinders at overhaul and/or cylinder replacement.

Although the information presented is pertinent to obtaining maximum service life for all cylinder assemblies, the larger and higher output 520 and 550 series engine cylinders are more susceptible to the premature service life issues identified. These TCM engine series have been used in a large number of engine installations that have been in service for many years. They are also frequently employed as power upgrades to older aircraft. These installations require careful control of cooling as margins can be quickly eroded by deviations from nominal baffling performance, improper fuel system setup and inadequate maintenance.

Improperly maintained and low-usage aircraft are the most susceptible to premature cylinder service issues. Many of the factors which lead to these problems are within the control of operator and maintenance personnel and are detectable during routine inspections, if the proper preventive checks are performed. Even with cylinder design and manufacturing process improvements, decreased cylinder life can occur if proper attention is not given to the various factors identified in the TopCare Health Check.

When operated regularly in a properly designed and maintained installation, current TCM cylinders provide excellent reliability and durability. In specific fleet applications, TBO extensions based on condition inspections have been regularly obtained.

TCM has invested heavily in the development of improved cylinder designs and manufacturing processes. These improvements have resulted in the reduction of new cylinder prices by as much as 40% since 1993. So that we can continue to deliver increased value to our engine and cylinder customers, TCM is introducing the TCM TopCare Program.

This program includes information on maintenance and operational needs, introduces new cylinder assemblies with improvements, and provides for a substantial warranty coverage improvement.