Experimental Engine Enters The Certified Market

By Bruce Brandon

ECI, one of the oldest and largest assemblers of Lycoming and Continental Engines has decided to get in the certified engine business with the TITAN 340 Stroker via the STC method.  ECI found a way to make an engine the size and weight of the Lycoming O-320 deliver the power of an O-360 by increasing the stroke of the cylinder.  It is a direct replacement for the O-320.  Obviously, the increase power improves performance in most, if not all, areas.

While the engine has been certified for carburetors it is expected to soon be certified for fuel injectors and a constant speed propeller.

Tim Moland (left in picture), General Manager of Titan Aircraft Engines, explained that the Stroker 340 isn’t a new engine.  It was released into the experimental market in 2005.  Consequently it has thousands of hours of operation.  Seven years later, ECI decided to go through the STC certification process which is has successfully completed for the engine.

So far, only the engine has won certification.  Texas Skyways, Inc. is in the process of acquiring STCs for the Cessna 172 A,B,C,D, and E. Jack Johnson (right in picture), owner of Texas Skyways stated that installation of the Stroker 340 is identical to installing an O-320 and that in their test, the modified C-172 performed at lower altitudes similarly to a C-182.

Cost on a new carburetor engine is $29,200 with your old O-320 case used as an exchange.  This gets you a souped-up C-172 with a new engine with a 2,000 TBO that is a direct replacement for your O-320. Jack Johnson also explained that putting constant speed propellers on the engines will be available for an additional cost.

FMI: www.txskyways.com, www.eci.aero