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The Terminator
Engine/Tuning
Cast iron block vs. Aluminum block
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<blockquote data-quote="Blown_By_You" data-source="post: 2939752" data-attributes="member: 35088"><p>"To me cast iron is a better material then aluminum for an engine block. From a performance standpoint the only major advantage aluminum has over cast iron is weight. Cast iron is much stiffer and stronger then aluminum and will provide much better durability in the long run. It is thermally more stable then aluminum and has 1/3 the coefficient rate of expansion which means it will maintain dimensional stability better. Cast iron is a poor conductor of heat (higher heat rejection) and will provide a more uniform thermal expansion rate over the entire structure where as aluminum will exhibit more local heating and cooling over the same area which can result in thermal induced stresses due to the heat disparity throughout the casting.</p><p></p><p>Does that mean aluminum is not a good choice for engine blocks? Not at all, It has been used for years and it’s weight advantages cannot be overlooked. It’s much easier to repair then cast iron, cheaper to machine and does not corrode as much.</p><p></p><p>I read an article where a Ford Engineer stated that the Cobra engine is designed to handle about 1100-1200 hp. On a continual basis I doubt that it would hold together at that power level. But if you paired that with an aluminum block Cobra engine my money would be on the cast iron motor holding together longer. I’m glad Ford had the wisdom of using cast a iron block in the Cobra." - Slow SVT</p><p></p><p></p><p>I smell an engineer!</p><p></p><p>I think there is some truth in everyone's posts. The fact is that there is no single reason why Ford went to an Iron block. The culmination of bean counters, lack of R&D time, etc, etc led them to do so. I think we all can agree that it Would be awesome for them to have used an aluminum block that can handle everything that we could throw at it, and we can hope that this is the case in the future. ( I have a feeling it will be)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blown_By_You, post: 2939752, member: 35088"] "To me cast iron is a better material then aluminum for an engine block. From a performance standpoint the only major advantage aluminum has over cast iron is weight. Cast iron is much stiffer and stronger then aluminum and will provide much better durability in the long run. It is thermally more stable then aluminum and has 1/3 the coefficient rate of expansion which means it will maintain dimensional stability better. Cast iron is a poor conductor of heat (higher heat rejection) and will provide a more uniform thermal expansion rate over the entire structure where as aluminum will exhibit more local heating and cooling over the same area which can result in thermal induced stresses due to the heat disparity throughout the casting. Does that mean aluminum is not a good choice for engine blocks? Not at all, It has been used for years and it’s weight advantages cannot be overlooked. It’s much easier to repair then cast iron, cheaper to machine and does not corrode as much. I read an article where a Ford Engineer stated that the Cobra engine is designed to handle about 1100-1200 hp. On a continual basis I doubt that it would hold together at that power level. But if you paired that with an aluminum block Cobra engine my money would be on the cast iron motor holding together longer. I’m glad Ford had the wisdom of using cast a iron block in the Cobra." - Slow SVT I smell an engineer! I think there is some truth in everyone's posts. The fact is that there is no single reason why Ford went to an Iron block. The culmination of bean counters, lack of R&D time, etc, etc led them to do so. I think we all can agree that it Would be awesome for them to have used an aluminum block that can handle everything that we could throw at it, and we can hope that this is the case in the future. ( I have a feeling it will be) [/QUOTE]
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Cast iron block vs. Aluminum block
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