Posted By: 69charger440_6pa
Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/20/14 11:08 PM
Starting a 572 hemi build. Was wondering what people's opinions are on if the aluminum block is worth the $$ over the iron block?
Car will be naturally aspirated , mostly street car.
Thanks
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/20/14 11:26 PM
Sleeves insure good thick cylinders and all even--Mega Blocks are good when they are good but some keep you from boring bigger --Mains are way stronger in the KB, Indy style blocks vs. Mega blocks--the cross bolts there are not that big a deal--I have seen plenty of cap walk on Mega blocks--You can fix an aluminum block but busted iron is usually candidate for coffee table art My take is a 572 on the street is like driving the Zamboni at the ice rink
Posted By: Dragula
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/21/14 04:08 AM
Yes....I would have one if I had saved a little more. I have a iron one instead. Would love an aluminum one. Any after market block you buy will give you some trouble, get it thru a dealer who will make it right if something is off.
Posted By: dogdays
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/21/14 04:55 AM
Difference in expansion rate between iron sleeves and aluminum block? That's a non-issue. Here's why: Iron sleeves have a smaller coefficient of linear expansion than the aluminum block, but they are closer to the fire. The block for the most part is a little hotter than the coolant, and the sleeves are hotter than the block. Those temperature differentials have to be there for the heat to flow out of the cylinder.
How would an iron cylinder that didn't expand as much as an aluminum block cause oil burning? That's hard for me to see. The reason that we have to run several thousandths of clearance between the aluminum pistons and the iron blocks is because the piston expands that much more. So unless you have an iron piston running in an aluminum bore, the hotter the engine gets the less clearance between piston and cylinder, meaning there is less chance of oil escaping.
Also, think of all the millions of aluminum block engines that have to pass emissions for 100,000 miles. If they tended to become oil burners they could never be certified, never be sold at all in the USA.
So here's the real issue - Money and weight. A stock 440 block weighs something like 220lb. A cast iron aftermarket block, at least the World Products cast ones, weigh 320 lb. An aluminum block may weigh 120 lb. So going from the iron to the aluminum aftermarket block will take about 200# off the front end of your car. That's quite a bit less mass to try to steer, accelerate and brake. If you can afford it, it's the way to go in my book. Add in the repairability of aluminum over cast iron and it's quite an advantage.
Sure you don't NEED it, but most of us don't NEED more than Slant 6 type power to get our cars from pt. A to pt. B, either.
R.
Posted By: jim sciortino
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/21/14 05:34 AM
I've had iron and aluminum in street cars and would NEVER consider an iron block again......especially the iron blocks available for big blocks and HEMIs.
The stock 440 block in my 499ci Indy 440-1 engine weighed about 240#. An iron aftermarket block is well over 300# and they aren't exactly state of the art.
My 526ci HEMI uses a KB water block without issue and it came in a about 140# w/caps. It is a far better choice than the currently available iron blocks and is repairable in most instances should the unforeseen occur.
With current piston and ring technology, along with vac pumps, the sealing issues are not what they were years ago. As long as no high-end manufacturer of iron, or CG blocks is willing to take the plunge into the MOPAR market and release a cutting edge piece that doesn't weigh slightly less than the anchor on the Titanic, aluminum is the way to go and well worth the money.
Posted By: gregsdart
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/21/14 01:15 PM
If you like acceleration, then aluminum! That 100+ lbs off the nose is going to be worth it, even on the street where traction is more limited. The 1500 or so you save will soon be forgotten when you wish (like me ) you had gone aluminum!
Posted By: Al_Alguire
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/21/14 07:37 PM
After seeing these blocks first hand and speaking to them at the MATS I would not hesitate to buy one of these. In fact I will be ordering one here soon.
http://www.hpperformancellc.com/ FWIW I have a KB and World aluminum block here and the next build will be with an HP block.
Posted By: Al_Alguire
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/21/14 07:58 PM
Well the KB block in under my B1MC motor and the World block in under my Predator motor. But as they say everything is for sale
Posted By: Al_Alguire
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/22/14 01:10 AM
STD cam, Raised cam, big cam journal. pushrod oil, etc they can pretty much do whatever you want. Looks like very nice pieces in person. They have WAY more cylinder wall thickness than Indy for sure. Saw a cut away version and look much better than the indy or world stuff as well. Plus they incorporate some other cool features. They have a short lead time for traditional type stuff, believe they told me 2-3 weeks but don't quote me on that.
Posted By: 69charger440_6pa
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/22/14 01:26 AM
I talked to HP today and they said turn around was a couple weeks. They keep blocks on hand and finish machine once ordered..... What a concept.
Posted By: wyoming
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/22/14 02:46 AM
They look pretty darn good, hope they can stick around awhile, how long have they been in the block biz?
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/22/14 03:17 AM
Think I may sell my mega block and get myself one of these aluminum blocks. My block is sitting with Dan the man at Performance Only so if anyone has interest you can pm me, and no this is not an add thank you.
Posted By: Forest
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/22/14 08:44 PM
For me and my car yes it was worth it. My car weighed 2512 with me and a indy headed small block and a 727. I switched to a B1 headed Indy Maxx motor and a glide and the car weighs 2500 lbs exactly now with me in it.
Had I used a World Iron block my car would be 200 lbs heavier and all on the nose!
Posted By: dogdays
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/23/14 02:29 PM
HP Performance blocks are cast at the Buddy Bar foundry California. According to the article I read, they used to cast all Edelbrock's stuff until E built its own foundry. They still do all the Weiand and Holley intakes and stuff.
R.
Posted By: an8sec70cuda
Re: Building 572 hemi. Is aluminum block worth the $$? - 04/23/14 02:32 PM
When I built my hemi, there were no iron blocks available and KB or Indy were the only 2 choices. I went w/ KB and couldn't be happier. Should be the last block I'll ever need to buy...repairable if it blows up, mess up a bore just install a new sleeve, etc. Not to mention saving a little weight up front.
I'm sure now with all the LS3 and up LS Chevy motors out there that have aluminum blocks that you can make a aluminum block motor not smoke from oil consumption 
But I do know you can make more power and have a longer ring seal life with iron blocks compared to aluminum street blocks 
I didn't really lose any weight when I put the hemi in...turns out my all aluminum hemi weighs nearly the same as the iron block/aluminum head 440 it replaced.
