Engine block materials...

I am just curious as to what kind of materials have been used in engine blocks over time. OF course there is aluminum and iron, but i dont know if there have been steel blocks. what would be the advantages of this over an iron block. I am assuming it would be stronger but am not sure and would it be any heavier or lighter. (I'm no metalergist) Have any other metals been tried in engine blocks. How about composite materials or ceramics?

i know there have been different alloys involving nickel, i think magnesium as well. also some carbon fiber internals have been tested, i don't know if they ever made it into a car because they tended to shatter instead of bending a bit, carbon fiber is very brittle but very strong.

Many performance motorcycle engines are CNC'd billet aluminum. Of the cast iron blocks, some in the past have used higher nickel contents than others like later Ford blocks, Cadillac engines, and the LSx-based truck engines from GM. Nickel content raises the hardness of the alloy, making it preferred for wear, but slightly less desirable for higher RPMs since it doesn't absorb vibrations as well as a low-nickel block like a Bowtie casting.

Cast aluminum of course has been used. Back when folks were working hard on the hydrogen engine they experimented with ceramics due to the intensely high heat of combustion. I don't think it ever really worked well with today's ceramic technology.

Don't for get the Vinyl Acrylate plastic that they used for the "visible V8" model :)

Most aluminum engines use steel liners, of course, but there have been a few steel blocks.
For example, 55 years ago, Crosley introduced 4 cyl OHC engine with a block and head made from stamped steel plates which were brazed (brass welded) together.

My Chinese-made Homelite leaf blower seems to have a mostly stamped-steel 2 stroke engine. :smile:

honda used an special material for the F1 i think was NASA and boeing who make the block for one race.
daniel