Cast iron block vs. Aluminum block

Would you rather have a cast iron block or Aluminum block?

  • Cast Iron

    Votes: 175 31.9%
  • Aluminum Teksid

    Votes: 316 57.7%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 58 10.6%

  • Total voters
    548

Serpentor

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VERTIBLEMENACE said:
i think it's a compeletly different casting from the wap or teskid...

looks like it from the picture... I'm wondering if its an accurate picture though (maybe the sohc?).... are you suppost to be able see the cast iron liner in the block?? I've always thought the cammer motor was a bored out 4.6 DOHC block with a spray bore lining...
 

SlowSVT

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This is part of an article that might be of interest regarding this subject.

"Cast iron blocks can be counted on to maintain their integrity in high horsepower naturally aspirated, nitros and supercharged applications, and are even preferred by some hard core racers. For race or street the iron block does not come with the risk of block distortion that can be present in the lighter aluminum 4.6 blocks. This eliminates the issues that come with block distortion when trying to hold an engine together on the street or a long race season with out a rebuild.

The 4.6 aluminum blocks seen in Cobra from 96-98, rated at 305 horsepower, and 99/01, rated at 320 horsepower, and even the early Explorer 4.6 are effectively the same block. This block will work well for most street applications and can save the owner around 70 lbs of sprung weight. Lighter weight then the cast iron version they are prone to moving around, or distorting, when asked to produce big power. Later model Cobra cast iron blocks, 2003-04, rated at 390 horsepower, are significantly stronger and can be counted on for 700+ HP in their stock configuration with out the type of distortion seen in older aluminum block engines. These are modified Romeo blocks that have been clearanced to fit the extra center counterweights found on forged Cobra crankshafts."
 

SlowSVT

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I'm not sure what the background the author has. It did lack very specific technical information as you point out but I don't think that was within the scope of the article. I have friends with many years of experience in professional racing both NHRA and Bonneville and their assessment of iron and aluminum engines agree with the statement above. I read nothing in his articles that would suggest he did not know what he was talking about and to dismiss it as "conjecture and opinion and wrong" seems a bit extreme.
 

badcobra

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No one has pushed the modular engine block further than John Mihovetz. He stated the aluminum teksid block is FAR superior to all the other modular blocks. He even stated the '03 Cobra block is JUNK and he throws them in the trash. I am glad I went teksid, even before he stated this.
 

HISSMAN

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badcobra said:
No one has pushed the modular engine block further than John Mihovetz. He stated the aluminum teksid block is FAR superior to all the other modular blocks. He even stated the '03 Cobra block is JUNK and he throws them in the trash. I am glad I went teksid, even before he stated this.


That is 100% fact.

90% of the people that post on this thread are generalizing. Yes, in general an iron block will be stronger. But we are not talking in general. We are talking about the Teksid aluminum block, and the design is what makes it so impressive. The fact that Teksid is not going to give up those blueprints anytime soon to be copied without legal recourse says a lot. The design of the 03/04 cobra iron block is an inferior design made with a superior metal. If the 03/04 cobra block was made out of aluminum it is unlikely that they would even hold up to a full bolt on NA cobra, much less a supercharged cobra. But the teksid on the other hand can. Just imagine if they took the process and design of the Teksid aluminum block and made it out of iron. It would be nearly 40% stronger than the current 03/04 cobra block. You can't argue with that. And I think that this best explains everything, and the whole point of this thread. It is the design, not the material.

-Jeff
 

MaineStreetKing

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my engine builder says that with equal parts in both blocks.....making big power.....the aluminum will be down 100hp due to movement compared to the iron.
 

WDW MKR

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MaineStreetKing said:
my engine builder says that with equal parts in both blocks.....making big power.....the aluminum will be down 100hp due to movement compared to the iron.

Umm... who is this builder?
 

Fourcam330

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badcobra said:
No one has pushed the modular engine block further than John Mihovetz. He stated the aluminum teksid block is FAR superior to all the other modular blocks. He even stated the '03 Cobra block is JUNK and he throws them in the trash. I am glad I went teksid, even before he stated this.

Actually the Ford GT block, T356 over 1" thick around the bores, pisses on all other Modular blocks.

This might be the most misinformative thread I've ever seen. :dw:
 
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HISSMAN

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Fourcam330 said:
Actually the Ford GT block, T356 over 1" thick around the bores, pisses on all other Modular blocks.

This might be the most misinformative thread I've ever seen. :dw:

It is just an old thread. The Ford GT block was not even a dream when this thread was started.

-Jeff
 

Fourcam330

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HISSMAN said:
It is just an old thread. The Ford GT block was not even a dream when this thread was started.

-Jeff


Should have clarified, I meant the misinfo regarding 4.6 blocks.
 

tjvineyard

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The thread that will never die

MaineStreetKing said:
my engine builder says that with equal parts in both blocks.....making big power.....the aluminum will be down 100hp due to movement compared to the iron.

Does your engine builder smoke crack?

Seriously, if core shift is a problem, power loss would be proportionate to power made. There is not a fixed amount (i.e. "100 HP"). Second, if the shift is enough to create drag in the neighborhood of 100 HP, catastrophic engine failure is probably seconds away...

TJ
 

MaineStreetKing

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tjvineyard said:
Does your engine builder smoke crack?

Seriously, if core shift is a problem, power loss would be proportionate to power made. There is not a fixed amount (i.e. "100 HP"). Second, if the shift is enough to create drag in the neighborhood of 100 HP, catastrophic engine failure is probably seconds away...

TJ
you know zip.
 

Nonotech

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The actual reason Ford went with the Iron block was no due to being weak but to actually save money, See, the powdered rods on early cobras cost abut $8 a piece at the time where as the Manley rods cost $56 at the time, so in order to maintain costs down ford decided to switch to the iron block, it has nothing to do with power, the power issue was fixed with the rods. You can find this information if you read the actual story of SVT when the produced the Terminator; Although the iron block being stronger than the aluminum may be true, that was not the reason, Teksid and WAP aluminum blocks have seen numbers north of 1200whp, and ran for years without problems!!
 

gt347mustang

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The actual reason Ford went with the Iron block was no due to being weak but to actually save money, See, the powdered rods on early cobras cost abut $8 a piece at the time where as the Manley rods cost $56 at the time, so in order to maintain costs down ford decided to switch to the iron block, it has nothing to do with power, the power issue was fixed with the rods. You can find this information if you read the actual story of SVT when the produced the Terminator; Although the iron block being stronger than the aluminum may be true, that was not the reason, Teksid and WAP aluminum blocks have seen numbers north of 1200whp, and ran for years without problems!!

Lol! You win the award for oldest bumped thread this year. Good job
 

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