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Aftermarket Aluminum FE Blocks
Whether Genesis, Pond or CSX, how many of you out there have more than 8,000-10,000 miles on your engine without any rebuild? How many miles do you have on your aluminum block FE?
Somebody over on the SAAC Forum said he thought, felt or heard that any FE engine, due to the FE design, built with an aluminum block will need a rebuild at 8,000-10,000 miles. Once fully sorted of course. Any truth to this statement? |
Rodney, I would guess you'd get a much more accurate answer from Tom Lucas than this forum.
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Maybe Barry R could shed some light... |
Essentially that our aluminum FE's are intended to be a racing item and as a result may have some drawbacks to it and less overall durability just like race engines.
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I would argue the exact opposite. Quality parts assembled to blueprint specs with superior oiling seems like greater durability to me. Especially when these are seldom used in the stress of a race-only environment. Also the block, heads, pistons -all have similar rates of expansion.
Not arguing with you Rod but I'd love to see some pros explain how the FE design is fragile when done in all alloy. |
Chas, I agree with you. It's not me. There's a gentleman over on the SAAC Forum that has made past and present comments deriding the all-aluminum FE that I and others have.
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He's probably jealous and because he doesn't have one, wants you all to feel bad about yours so he bad mouths the engine.
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Moving around doesn't mean short-span rebuilds, especially with predominantly street/cruise use. |
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This person also made some derisive remarks about aluminum FE's previously too, but he obviously has no factual data to support it theory, and neither do I. However, I do know that Rokndad (Tom) with CSX4758 has around 8,000-10,000 miles on his car and his is running just as strong as ever with a Pond aluminum block. The new aluminum blocks are thicker with better mounting bosses for "stuff" so I would think I'll/we'll be fine. Sheesh, 10,000 miles may be 10 years from now for me. :CRY: |
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Steve |
Its not who makes the nut, its about the *nut* who makes it.
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Aluminum like any metal, has properties that are different than cast iron. Some good; some bad. Light is good. Way more thermal expansion is bad. So there will be advantages that can used and disadvantages that will need to be mitigated in some way. Ok enough theoretical babble....
Ford sure did make a lot of all aluminum Modular 4.6 engines for Lincoln's to Mustang Cobra's. I pulled a Lincoln down that had 105K miles on it. There was no ridge at the top of the cylinder and the cross hatch looked like it was just honed. They use ductil iron sleeves and low tention rings. If it wasn't for a broken valve spring (dropped valve into a piston), I think it could easily went 200K miles. I doubt an aluminum FE is going to need a rebuild at 8K miles, just because it was aluminum. I would ask this guy, what are the simptoms that indicates in needs rebuilt, and what parts are they measuring the wear on? |
I know of several 200k mile Chebby aluminum LS motors running around in C5s locally. One in particular has been dogged pretty hard too. Engine temperature management is much more critical on an aluminum engine due to the increased thermal growth issue. MFRs will target certain clearances by maintaining temps a bit more precisely. Methodical warm-ups are much more important too due to improper clearances at colder temps. Poor ring seating, cylinder wall scuffing and ultimately excessive ring blow-by are the primary occuring culprits of a routinely "beat on" cold/too hot aluminum block'd engine. You just need to be a bit more mindfull of what you're driving and keep a routine eye on a reliable temp gauge. An aftermarket aluminum FE block if properly maintained and driven should last every bit as long as the iron version.
I would put any stock in his "generalized" uninformed deduction... |
blanket statements as quoted in the original post cannot be true due to many different circumstances of how an engine is used.
you know how iron blocks get better with age, i have read aluminum is the opposite. |
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I have a DOHC 4.6 aluminum mod motor in my '04 Mercury Marauder and it has 211K+ miles on it with the last 128K miles Supercharged!!;)
It has never used a drop of oil between 5K mile changes and runs like new making over 400 RWHP......I haven't dynoed it but most with ProChargers are making 425-450 RWHP!!:D I would expect modern FE aluminum blocks will last a long time with reasonable maintenance.....I'm sure most of you "OVER DO" your maintenance.....so I think life expectancy of aluminum blocks in street cars should be as good or better than iron blocks!!:cool: My $.02 FWIW!!:rolleyes: |
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