In other engine news, the first owner-built XP-360-plus Superior Air Parts engine was completed last week by Adam Silverstein at the factory build school in Coppell, Texas. Silverstein is building an RV-8 at home in New Jersey. The plus version has roller cams and roller lifters, which were designed and developed by Thielert Aircraft Engines in Germany. “Our roller lifter design relies on a different lubrication strategy than the sliding interface of a conventional flat tappet,” said Keith Blockus, senior engineer for Superior. “This results in the engine being more tolerant to surface degradation than the conventional lifter in low-lubrication conditions such as engine startup, eliminating cam and lifter spalling.” The roller lifter has a conventional hydraulic plunger assembly that interfaces with conventional pushrods. However, the oiling strategy has been designed such that increased oil is directed to the cylinder top-end, aiding in both lubrication and cooling of valve and rocker components, Blockus said. “I think the value received is very good for a brand-new engine,” said Silverstein. “I didn’t necessarily want to be the first to do this, but somebody had to do it.”
For more info about Superior and other “aftermarket” engines, see AVweb columnist Marc Cook’s recent Motor Head column.
First Owner-Built Superior XP-360 Completed
Key Takeaways:
- Adam Silverstein completed the first owner-built XP-360-plus Superior Air Parts engine at a factory build school in Texas, for his homebuilt RV-8.
- The XP-360-plus engine features roller cams and roller lifters, a design by Thielert Aircraft Engines.
- This roller lifter design utilizes an enhanced lubrication strategy to improve tolerance in low-lubrication conditions (e.g., startup), preventing cam and lifter spalling, and also directs more oil to the top-end for better lubrication and cooling.
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