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Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
#769735
08/09/10 04:45 PM
08/09/10 04:45 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Santa Barbara, CA
HitIt
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Santa Barbara, CA
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Looking at the aluminum and CG blocks. What are the pros and cons of each for a 625hp-ish street strip engine? Is the CG block way overkill for this much power? Why do they no longer make these CG blocks?
Thanks!
very clever dinner. appetizing food fit neatly into interesting round pie.
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: HitIt]
#769736
08/09/10 05:06 PM
08/09/10 05:06 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 842
Baltimore,MD
Bill_LBSR
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 842
Baltimore,MD
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I would say that a CG block would be way overkill for the HP your talking about. Actually I would say the aluminum block would be too. A stock block or one of the World iron blocks would be fine for that hp.
LBSR
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: HEMIFRED]
#769739
08/09/10 06:57 PM
08/09/10 06:57 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,106
Quebec, Canada
Diablo
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,106
Quebec, Canada
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Quote:
Quote:
I would say that a CG block would be way overkill for the HP your talking about. Actually I would say the aluminum block would be too. A stock block or one of the World iron blocks would be fine for that hp.
x2 stock would be the best bet. ligter than aftermarket steel less costly tan the others can withstand near double your 600 HP
X3 save you money for other things....
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: We The People]
#769742
08/09/10 09:20 PM
08/09/10 09:20 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,502
SOUTH JERSEY
HEMIFRED
master
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master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,502
SOUTH JERSEY
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using aluminum does have horsepower loss issues
home of the
Sox and Martin Hemi Duster
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: HEMIFRED]
#769744
08/09/10 11:42 PM
08/09/10 11:42 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 778
Sherwood park, Alberta.
go green
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 778
Sherwood park, Alberta.
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Quote:
using aluminum does have horsepower loss issues
Far outweighed by weight loss and repairability .
Buy a block you can run and fix forever or buy a CG and hope for the best . 
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: Dragula]
#769746
08/10/10 08:29 AM
08/10/10 08:29 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 627
IN
BIG BEAR
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 627
IN
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Quote:
The reason CG block might become obsolete, isn't because of the any issues with the block itself, its the cost to machine it. They are very nasty on tool life. Also, if you did get one and wanted to go +.030" in the future, your engine builder might not like it either.
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: BIG BEAR]
#769747
08/10/10 12:58 PM
08/10/10 12:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Santa Barbara, CA
HitIt
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Santa Barbara, CA
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Great info guys, thanks very much.
The reason I ask is that I can get a screaming deal on a new alumnium block wedge block, and the guy offered the GC block at the same price. Might still go aluminum but like you all say money could be spent in better places...
Thanks again!
very clever dinner. appetizing food fit neatly into interesting round pie.
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: HitIt]
#769748
08/10/10 01:10 PM
08/10/10 01:10 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 684
St. Charles, MO.
Slingshot383
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 684
St. Charles, MO.
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Carbon graphite takes diamonds, tungston, or carbide tooling to machine it. It also grows and shrinks much differently than aluminum or iron.
1994 Undercover Chassis 125" altered
stack injected big block, soon blown and injected
Member of The Torque and Recoil Club
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: HEMIFRED]
#769751
08/10/10 01:54 PM
08/10/10 01:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Santa Barbara, CA
HitIt
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Santa Barbara, CA
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Why the difference in power?
very clever dinner. appetizing food fit neatly into interesting round pie.
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: Cab_Burge]
#769753
08/10/10 02:38 PM
08/10/10 02:38 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,106
Quebec, Canada
Diablo
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,106
Quebec, Canada
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Quote:
Quote:
Why the difference in power?
ring seal due to the differences in the expansion rate between the aluminum block and steel sleeves is what I have been told. I heard this from a relaible source that has used both types of block that the aluminum block would only hold minimum (less than 5 inches)vacume on start up cold and end up with positive crankcase pressue at the end of the run, 45 seconds to a minute and fifteen seconds later  The iron block holds 17 inches on start up and crooses the finish line at 15 inches or more depending on how many runs are on the rings and pistons. This is on a boosted 2000+ HP motor  IHTHs
Completely agree there is a loss with Alum blocks but i'm wondering how much closer a solid alum block is to a iron one compared to the water ones.
Both my TS engines have solid KB blocks. (but if i had the choice and there were iron 4.840bs blocks out there i probably would have gone with steel.
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: Diablo]
#769754
08/10/10 03:29 PM
08/10/10 03:29 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,008
Sweet Home Alabama
MRMOPAR622
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,008
Sweet Home Alabama
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I have one more question. Do you think there is enought horespower advantage in a steel block to make up for the extra 100 lbs or so? Indy says  the Maxx aluminum block is a 110 lbs lighter than the cast iron block. No one has mention that yet. I was just curious. How much extra horsepower would it take to make up a 100 lbs? I can't find my Moroso(sliderule) calculator.
"To Be The Man'You Have Got To Beat The Man"
"T/D and Pro-Bracket Racer"
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: HitIt]
#769757
08/10/10 07:53 PM
08/10/10 07:53 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,667
Arizona
Chris'sBarracuda
master
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master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,667
Arizona
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Quote:
Why the difference in power?
The weight makes up for it. Don't worry about that.
It really depends mostly on what your long term plans are.
If you are happy with 650 hp and never plan on going any faster, then a stock block is a good choice. If you want to go real fast later, the Aluminum Block is a great choice for expanding your horizons.. 
It's ultimately your choice.. 
I have Aluminum Block, and would never go back.. But that's me.. Just my opinion..
Have Fun either way. 
Chris... 
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Re: Aluminum Vs. Graphite Block
[Re: MRMOPAR622]
#769758
08/11/10 04:42 AM
08/11/10 04:42 AM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 14
Europe
BB 70 Challenger
member
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member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 14
Europe
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Quote:
I have one more question. Do you think there is enought horespower advantage in a steel block to make up for the extra 100 lbs or so? Indy says the Maxx aluminum block is a 110 lbs lighter than the cast iron block.
No one has mention that yet. I was just curious.
How much extra horsepower would it take to make up a 100 lbs? I can't find my Moroso(sliderule) calculator.
This is an interesting topic. I have been thinking this very same thing myself, also. So, I found this info on "Mopar Engines West" pages:
* (4/16/04) Okay, okay... We have had several emails from people that feel there's another "con" we need to mention if your building an all out race motor. Everything else being equal, the aluminum motor will make a little less horsepower. We have seen as much as 20 HP, on the dyno, on 900 HP motors. This is because the engine is basically an air pump AND a heat engine, and it's harder to keep heat in an aluminum motor. Also, aluminum moves around more, so ring seal varies at very high cylinder pressures. But this only affects all out race motors. On a street motor it would be hard to measure any difference, and any slight decrease in HP would be more than offset by the decrease in weight.
http://www.moparengineswest.com/No_Blocks.htm
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