Performance built Lycoming and Continental aircraft engines

The Blue Printed Engine Overhaul
Perfomance Engines prides itself on building the tightest tolerance aircraft engine in the industry. In fact the focus is on generating a “Zero Tolerance” engine on all dimensions critical to performance and reliability.

The crankshaft cases are lapped and align bored, locating registers are corrected to ensure straight and parallel crankshaft and camshaft bores. This reduces mechanical losses and establishes appropriate bearing clearences. Furthermore, it minimizes case fretting.

Each part that will be reused in the overhaulled engine is inspected either visually, dimensionally and using non-destructive inspections such as magnafluxing and using dye penetrants. If any part shows any abnormal wear or is beyond tolerances it is discarded.

Cylinder mounting pads and registers are measured and corrected from the crankshaft centerline to ensure equal and maximum cylinder compression height. The cylinders are matched using diamond hones with absolute dimension held, emphasis is on correct size, exact choke (where applicable) and exact finish. Cylinders heads are flow balanced.

We use our own High Performance forged pistons, which have a dimensional tolerance of 0.0001”. Manufactured with aerospace grade 2618T-61 aluminum these pistons are approximately 40% stronger and more dense than OEM Cast pistons. Also, Performance Engine's Pistons are balanced to within 1 gram of one another in opposing bays. OEM pistons tolerance is 14 grams. Click here to view our full line of High Performance Forged Pistons.

Valve guides are not reamed. They are honed to size, thus ensuring size and straightness, eliminating taper and out of round conditions. Valve seats are ground to maximum overall airflow and checked for concentricity. Our tolerance is .001” run out and each seat is measured with a dial indicator.

Rocker shaft boss dimensions are corrected and sizes are held to a minimum tolerance to ensure a tight and secure fit. This aids valve train stability and endurance. Rocker arms are rebushed and ratioed, providing maximum effectiveness from camshaft timing.

The camshaft profile is changed, lift, duration and overlap are optimized to a computer profile to establish accurate valve timing and achieving maximum power potential.

The crankshaft (when necessary) is ground and heat treated. Particular emphasis is placed on ensuring accurate stroke and correct bearing clearances. All rotating and reciprocating parts are weighed, connecting rods are weighed and match balanced; weighing large ends, pin ends and total weight. Pistons, rings, wrist pins and pin buttons are also weighed and matched.

The crankshaft is also spun at several RPM ranges on a computer enhanced digital balancer to attain optimum dynamic balance. Our balance tolerance is 1 gram. (The OEM standard is 25 grams.)

Connecting rods are corrected for straightness and center to center distances are determined to ensure equal and correct rod lengths to maximize designed compression ratios.

The precision of the engine machining and close attention to detail by professional racing machinists make Performance Engines unique. We only use the highest quality parts and material in the industry. At Performance Engines we pride ourselves on building extreme reliability and performance.

Finally we finish our motors with the highest quality three part Epoxy paint. After a careful and methodical preparation the chosen color is applied and then baked onto the desired surfaces. This high grade epoxy paint is temperature resistant and extremely durable. Moreover, it looks fantastic!


	Magnafluxing and using dye penetrants

	Cylinders being honed

	Our own High Performance forged pistons

	Crank being precision balanced

	Connecting rods corrected

	Camshaft lobe profile analysed

	Head ported and polished

	Flow matching

	Rods balanced to within 1 gram!

	Completed components ready for assembly.

	Final assembly in our clean room.

	Completed engine ready for the test cell.