The Lycoming TIO, and TCM TSIO's are in theory equivalent types often pulling equivalent airframes.
The difference in naming is simply that TCM wish to "you beaut!" their name by adding the term supercharged to an engine that the rest of the aviation engineering fraternity (myself NOT included) considers to be simply turbocharged.
Not wishing to overstate the obvious, a reciprocating engine can be:
Normally aspirated,
Turbocharged; or
Supercharged.
Turbocharging and Supercharging both achieve acceleration of the inlet manifold airflow. Turbocharging however, is driven by exhaust gases where as supercharging is driven either directly or through a gearing mechanism by the crankshaft. My point, unless someone wants to correct me, is that you cannot have both S and T on a TCM TSIO-520 as they are mutually exclusive, despite how good TCM believe that sounds, of course a TCM TSIO-520 engine is turbocharged NOT supercharged.
BTW, I could be wrong, but I am fairly certain that a lycoming LTIO-540 lives on the starboard wing of a Chieftain not the port wing.
IMHO it would seem, given reconditioning tolerances accepted by TCM as compared to Lycoming, Lycoming wins the brand new toaster....ask your friendly engineer, one that tinkers with both.
Last edited by Willie Nelson; 10th Aug 2002 at 10:42.