Aluminum Cylinder Walls?
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Quick question:
Is it possible to have aluminum as the cylinder wall material in an engine.
I dont think it is possible, but a friend of mine swears his 03 cobra has aluminum cylinder walls.
Anyone know?
Is it possible to have aluminum as the cylinder wall material in an engine.
I dont think it is possible, but a friend of mine swears his 03 cobra has aluminum cylinder walls.
Anyone know?
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You can, but you need to have a special coating on the bore. It is a super hard coating, I believe one of them is called Nikasil. It is sprayed onto the aluminum and makes it able to hold up to combustion temps.
I am not sure on the cobra, maybe a ford person can help you there.
I am not sure on the cobra, maybe a ford person can help you there.
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no aluminum cylinder walls on any production or aftermarket cobra blocks. I have only seen one engine it was a pro fwd neon engine from mopar very expensive and not for running more than 1 pass at a time. Some other uses might be out there but not sure what for because they are so rare.
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Its been done before, as a matter if fact, the original ZL1 Corvettes and Camaros had sleeveless all aluminum 427's (THE ZL1). That block supposedly had a very high silicon content so that when it was honed, the rings actually rode on the silicon and not the aluminum. There were also some 4 cyl engines in the late 60's with the same techology.
Also, to answer your other question, I know of no late model Cobra to come with a non-sleeved aluminum block...
Shane
Also, to answer your other question, I know of no late model Cobra to come with a non-sleeved aluminum block...
Shane
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Rotary engines have what would be the equivalent of aluminum cylinder walls. the rotor housings are aluminum, but it is also coated with a hard surface material. They all call it chroming since it is shiny, but not sure what the actual material is.
-John
-John
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BMW uses Alusil lining and previously used Nikasil. As mentioned, this is a hardened coating that goes on the bare cylinders. This makes the blocks unable to be bored without recoating ($$$ and hard or impossible to find someone to do it) Also, the higher sulfur gas here in the US ate the Nikasil lining, which resulted in huge warranty claims for BMW on the M60 V8 engines. (The PO of my car got a new engine @ 50K miles).
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when the early jaguar xk8's came out (97) they had aluminum cylinders with nikasil coatings... most of those motors have since been replace under waranty as previously stated above with the beamer motors
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