Ok gang, I know the 4.0 block is cast iron; same with the connecting rods, but what are the metals used in other parts of the engine? Example: what is the crank made of? Are the heads aluminium? I think that these are things to think about since so many of us sixxers are starting to look at turbos/blowers/nitrous, or even upping the displacement. We should be looking at what can take a licking and keep ticking, and what needs to be thrown in the trash.

I know the pistons suck, but what's the metal used/how are they made that makes them suck?

 

check out super six motorsports.. they have a pdf on the construction of the engine.

 

Block : cast iron
Rods: Forged
Pistons: hypereutectic (aluminum?)
Heads: aluminum
Crank: probably iron

 

ok, so it looks like with the aluminum heads and pistons, that's really all that there is as far as the "possible" problems with theinternals.

thanks.

 

pistons, yes, heads, not really, aluminum is alot easier to port then iron heads so and dont hold heat as good, so they will be able to flow pretty good

 

the only real problem would be the pistons and with a good tune they wont be a problem until you make some major power as long as you have safe temps. Our stock block has handled some massive abuse by alot of members and a few aftermarket companies, with powerhouse making 450+rwhp and i beleive over 500 ft lbs and i think php did at least over 400rwhp....fazm is almost at the 400rwhp mark with stock heads, flapjack passed it with heads/cams and his procharger, rygen was pretty high in the 300's before his problems that were caused by fuel contamination, and since scrming swapped out to a smaller pulley im sure he is at least mid 300's. most of these cars are daily driven too lol. If you plan on over high 300's whp, id say definately go forged pistons if you can afford it, but so far there really haven't been that many problems with our block.

 

read that article i told you about, specifically regarding the "swiss cheese" dilemna

 

i read it last year, but didn't think too much of it, because guys like rygen and scrming had already done som checking and blew the article out of the water due to what they were doing at the time with NOS, er excuse me, Zex.

 

Sugar, spice and everything nice[8D]

 

the deck of the block has alot of open water passages. alot of these could be welded up and redrilled smaller and resurfaced. this could strengthen the block substantially. i used to weld up the "dogbone" passages in the front and rear of my old Buick V6 blocks. i didn't weld the completely shut just across the middle of them to make them 2 passages instead of 1.

idon't know if i would want to weld up the aluminum head passages though as warpage may be a factor. never hurt the iron Buick heads but the aluminum ford heads could be a different story