Lycoming o 360 vs continental io-360

Q: What does the O stand for in Lycoming O 360?

So to start, the first letter, O,” indicates a carbureted engine. If the letter I” proceeds this first number, this indicates an injected-fuel system. 320. This represents the basic cubic-inch” displacement of the engine, but read on.

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Ted The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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Is Continental or Lycoming better?
How the Continental turbocharger system differs from a Lycoming turbocharger system?
What does the O stand for in Lycoming O 360?
What is the horsepower of a Lycoming IO 360?

I would like to understand why Lycoming and Continental both gave their engines the same nomenclature when they have nothing in common except aluminum and total displacement.
If you could put either engine in an airframe, which would you select and why?
That is all they need to have in common for that designation. I equals fuel injected. O for horizontally opposed and 360 for the displacement. That is just how aircraft engines are generally designated. Is that what you were looking for?
Lance F En-Route
Joined:Apr 9, 2005Messages:2,766Location: GA
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Lance F

I've got a Lycoming IO360A3B6D in my Mooney. Don't think the type certificate would allow anything else.
It's nothing new, and not limited to Lycoming and Continental. In 1937 you could buy a DC-3 with either Wright R-1820 or P&W R-1830 engines.
And while there is only 10 cubic inches difference in displacement, the R-1820 uses only 9 cylinders in a single row vs 14 in two rows for the -1830.
They are both injected and opposed engines of 360 cubic inch displacement. Personally I will always take a 6 cylinder over a 4, much smoother.
Not quite....
Why would a homebuilder choose Ly or Conti, if he could do either. I am looking for pros and cons of each.
Six cylinder is smoother, 4 cyl has less cylinders to maintain.
Okay. I know nothing about either. My experience with Lycs is limited to renting and hearing my dad bitching about the ADs he has has to deal with over the years on his TIO-540. M ownership experience all Continental. I've personally had positive experiences with Continentals.
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But the Continental has half the valve problems of the lycoming.
Last edited: Feb 23, 2014
For a certain power rating at the crankshaft, which has better fuel burn? Apples to apples?
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How much horse power do you need? there are other engines.
I am working another question backwards. Just indulge me please.
Ted The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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As was already stated to your original post, it's a matter of configuration and displacement for why they're both IO-360s. The -WXYZ after the IO-360 will be different for both.
The Lycoming IO-360s are also in different forms - 180 HP (parallel valve) and 200 HP (angle valve). Both are good engines, and I think generally more reliable than the Continental IO-360s. I've never really heard good things about the reliability of these Continentals, but I've never owned one.
What Ted said. It's the same basic engine but with different components. Parallel valves, angled valves, different mags, etc. It's all in the suffix after the basic engine model.
Only if you let them sit. I love the Lycoming IO360 in my arrow. II. I'll never go back to the Conti TSIO 360.
And it didn't really run smoother. I have the three blade prop on my II, and it's still smoother than the two blade prop on my Turbo Arrow.
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Whoa, slow down, lets not confuse the "T" sio for the good old IO360- Run the power up turn the time down. you can't expect the 195 horse power IO 360 to be super charged to 220 horse (@ 42HQ) to run very long.
compare an O-300 powered cessna 170/172 to one with a 4-cyl. The control hinges, instrument mounts, electrical switches, everything that moves will be worn out on the 4-cylinder version pushing 7-8k hours.
IIRC Conti IO360 has one of the best specific fuel consumptions on the market.
Last edited: Feb 23, 2014
I've owned and operated four of them (TCM IO-360) and had no issues or problems. One was 2200 SMOH and running strong with zero issues.
sure you can. You can always ante up to the IO390. new motor, different prop, another $50k and maybe 1-2 additional knots.
oh yeah, forgot to the mention the obscenely expensive jugs in case you need to do a top overhaul.
What's the Conti IO360 used in? Mooney?
no, mooney used lycoming 4 cylinders. I'm not 100% positive, but I don't think they switch to contis until they get 6 cylinders.
SR20s if I recall correctly.
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Hawk XP, Mescalero, SR-20
Cessna R172 series (Reims Rocket, Hawk XP, T-41B/C/D) and 336/337 Skymasters.
Real noisemakers at 2800 rpm redline (210 hp), which is why the R172K Hawk XP's engine was de-rated to 2600 rpm (195 hp).
Last edited: Feb 24, 2014
Piper Seneca II has two of 'em, 1200 hr TBO. Lycoming IO-360 TBO is 2000 hrs and if operated under part 91 they can be expected to exceed that.
Continental's published specs say the IO-360-KB in the R172K and the IO-360-GB in the C-337 (both normally aspirated) have a TBO of 1500 hours. For the IO-360-ES in the Cirrus SR-20 Continental claims 2000 hour TBO.
The turbocharged L/TSIO-360-E in the Seneca II is listed at 1400 hours, and the TSIO-360-F in the Piper Turbo Arrow IV is 1800 hours. Why the difference in these similar engines, I don't know.
Lycoming lists TBO for the TO-360 in the Turbo Seminole at 1800 hours, and that's a 180 hp engine vice 210-220 hp for the turboed Continental 360s.
Now whether you actually get that far before an overhaul in any of these is another question. Your mileage may vary.
Last edited: Feb 24, 2014
Hey, you can always get a field approval.
The Swift I fly has a Lycoming IO-360. There is a very small placard on the panel. It reads

"Engine Operating Limitations"
"This engine is limited to 125HP for all operations"
22" manifold pressure at sea level, 2700 RPM
I'm pretty sure all of the Swifts flying around (legally I might add) with 180-210HP continental or lycomings have a similar placard.
The Continental IO-360 is most commonly found in the Cessna 337 and the SR-20.
The 6 cylinder engine is smoother than a four. There's no getting around that. A good prop balancing job will make a four very smooth, but a well balanced 6cyl continental will be noticeably better.
That said the maintenance costs on the Continental IO-360's do amount to quite a premium over a lycoming 4cyl IO-360. Not only do they have two more cylinders, but IIRC there is a crank AD that makes a lycoming factory overhaul the most 'economic' option at $30-35,000 bucks. The lycomings can get a good overhaul from a reputable shop for around $20k.
Perhaps someone with more knowledge can fill in on the crank issue.
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I believe all the cranks in question have been recovered, and removed from service. It's pretty much a non issue.
Neither of these engines can be overhauled to "REBUILT" spec for your numbers.
For $20K you can over haul a Lyclone nicely for experimentals.
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The -F does not have an 1800 hr TBO. The -FB does have an 1800 TBO. A crank mod is the difference between the -x and the -xB for the series. The differences between letters include variations in exhaust and injection systems. The internals seem to be pretty standard up to the -M which at least has different cylinders.
My -FB is modified to have an intercooler and a -K fuel system. Pretty cool to just bolt on a 10% power increase.
Last edited: Feb 24, 2014
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Most kits use a Lycoming (or clone thereof), so if you choose to go Continental you'll be needing custom parts (cowling, engine mount, etc.). As others have said, the six cyl will be smoother, but how much effort is a small amount of additional smoothness worth?
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there ya go.
I can do that with TCM engines too.
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Why would overhauls of the same quality and caliber be any cheaper for an experimental?
Tom-D Taxi to Parking
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You can use tractor parts
My father had a Swift with the 210hp TCM IO-360. I never recalled seeing such a placard.
Last edited: Feb 25, 2014

Is Continental or Lycoming better?

Continentals normally have more valve trouble than Lycomings. Lycomings have better valves and guides. A Lycoming usually has its carb mounted to the oil sump, either the bottom or rear, and feeds the cylinders via tubes cast into the sump and connecting tubing from there to the intakes.

How the Continental turbocharger system differs from a Lycoming turbocharger system?

Continental numbers their cylinders back-to-front. Lycoming numbers them front-to-back, and the staggering of the cylinders is opposite between the two. Continentals, at least the smaller ones, have the right mag firing thte top plugs and the left firing the bottom.

What does the O stand for in Lycoming O 360?

So to start, the first letter, “O,” indicates a carbureted engine. If the letter “I” proceeds this first number, this indicates an injected-fuel system. 320. This represents the basic “cubic-inch” displacement of the engine, but read on.

What is the horsepower of a Lycoming IO 360?

The Lycoming O-360 is a family of four-cylinder, direct-drive, horizontally opposed, air-cooled, piston aircraft engines. Engines in the O-360 series produce between 145 and 225 horsepower (109 to 168 kW), with the basic O-360 producing 180 horsepower.