What's the appeal of an aluminum engine block?

patrickt · #1 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 09:17 AM

Alright, I'll still buy you a Porterhouse at 21 Club.

RodKnock · #2 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Alright, I'll still buy you a Porterhouse at 21 Club.

You do realize that most of your schtick goes over people's heads.

Do they have vegie burgers?

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodKnock

You do realize that most of your schtick goes over people's heads.

Do they have vegie burgers?

Yes, sadly I do realize that. And, yes, we can get you a veggie burger if you really want one.

RodKnock · #4 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Yes, sadly I do realize that. And, yes, we can get you a veggie burger if you really want one.

None of those crappy Costco types. I want fancy veggie burger with quinoa, mushrooms, black beans, beets, lentils, etc. Too much red meat is bad for you. Some fresh fish would be great also, but hopefully not caught on the East Coast.

rodneym · #5 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 10:45 AM

I'm all aluminum with my FE and I thought I had a rear main leak on top of an oil pan leak.
Then I got the Kirkham billet pan.
Haven't seen a drop of oil on the floor in almost 1,000 miles. And yes, Pat, there's oil in the engine

And while I'm not a race car driver, it does gets exercised enough to embarrass every one of the haughty cars that have wanted to play. Granted, the lines were always "somewhat" straight

RodKnock · #6 (**permalink**) 11-23-2016, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodneym

I'm all aluminum with my FE and I thought I had a rear main leak on top of an oil pan leak.
Then I got the Kirkham billet pan.
Haven't seen a drop of oil on the floor in almost 1,000 miles. And yes, Pat, there's oil in the engine

And while I'm not a race car driver, it does gets exercised enough to embarrass every one of the haughty cars that have wanted to play. Granted, the lines were always "somewhat" straight

See rodneym^^^. Uh let's ask rodneym about "reliability, power output and quality". He has an all aluminum twin Paxton blown FE, IIRC. And he's driven his car 5,000-10,000 miles. I don't remember him complaining about "reliability, power output and quality." We both had our engines built by Tom Lucas here in CA. While I haven't driven as many miles, I think my engine has been quite reliable with 600+ HP, no leaks, etc.

Do cast iron blocks make more HP? Everyone seems to think so, Barry and Brent do too. But if folks believe that a 125 lbs of block weight isn't a big deal (5.5% of my Kirkham), then why does a few extra HP with a cast iron block?

blykins · #7 (**permalink**) 11-23-2016, 08:30 AM

Blair Patrick will also tell you that an iron block will make more horsepower without the "fickle-ness" of an aluminum block. He's not a fan either.

In my mind the horsepower difference between the cast iron block and the aluminum block would almost make up for the weight difference in a straight line, 1/4 mile type deal. A 20-hp difference is a .1 ET difference in the 1/4.

There's not that many corner-carvers on here, so I don't know how justified the loss of weight is for most Cobra owners. I think, in my opinion, that to most buyers, "all-aluminum" is a buzz-word, just like "billet" or "roller" or "forged".

I wish Richard Hudgins was still active here. I'd like to have a true chassis guy's input on how much the weight difference affects the handling of a Cobra and at what point the "average" driver would be able to tell it.

rodneym · #8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2016, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodKnock

None of those crappy Costco types. I want fancy veggie burger with quinoa, mushrooms, black beans, beets, lentils, etc. Too much red meat is bad for you. Some fresh fish would be great also, but hopefully not caught on the East Coast.

Sounds like Soylent Green to me.