Ford, GM, And Chrysler Aluminum Crate Engines - Alloy Alternatives

There's a lot to gain by lightening up your car. Lowering total weight will allow you to accelerate faster, and lowering weight in the front of your car can do even more in terms of handling. We all seek that 50/50 weight distribution, but with the early-style iron motors, it's hard to achieve. Scrapping the iron block for an aluminum one can get you one step closer in a lot of performance areas.

By swapping over to an alloy engine, depending on your choice, you will be adopting some modern technology, which can only benefit you further with better fuel economy, better cold-start manners, and none of the problems associated with float bowl fuel levels and jets under the extreme g-forces of turning or braking. The aftermarket is in full support of EFI in early cars and trucks, and they have the parts to prove it.

There is a misconception that aluminum blocks have a tendency to be weak and overheat, but many, if not most of today's production cars, use them. These cars are put through quite a lot of testing by the Big Three, sitting in traffic for hours at a time, without complaint.

We'll go over our favorite alloy crate motors from the Big Three: Ford, Mopar, and Chevy. They vary in levels of displacement and horsepower, but it should give you some food for thought on what's out there.

Ford Modular 4.6
"The code name for the '03-04 Cobra engine was Terminator," says Jesse Kershaw of Ford Racing. "This leaked out and became the preferred nomenclature among the Mustang enthusiasts. In 2005, the new Mustang featured a revised aluminum cylinder block (M-6010-A46SC) that was far stronger than any previously offered 4.6L aluminum block. We were able to use this block and make the Aluminator line of modular engines (aluminum plus terminator). This shaved 65 pounds from the engine."

The block was tested hard in Formula Drift competitions, and proved itself to be an extremely durable part. Though there were no problems, some places for improvement were found, and small changes to bearings and piston/bore clearances were performed. This block can be purchased by itself and carries a $999 suggested retail sticker.

With the low 8.4:1 compression ratio, this semi long-block engine is ready for boost. Ford is in the tailing end of the development stage of their "fully dressed" long-block version, featuring a stand-alone speed-density processor. This will make it an easy addition to a resto-mod. They plan to have the ready-to-run version unveiled at this year's SEMA convention.

Source:
Ford Racing
www.fordracingparts.com
800-367-3788

Mopar 540 Hemi
Chrysler's big-block Hemi motor is legendary, to say the least. This motor is easily identified by its through-the-valve-cover spark plug wires. The Hemi was named so because of its unique half-spherical combustion chamber design that proved more efficient than the competitors during that time. The center location of the spark plug gave it a higher chance of burning all of the fuel, and the spacing and cant of the valves allows the engine to breathe better.

The guys at Mopar are hip to the aluminum trend, though. Mopar Performance produces this early-style all-aluminum Hemi. It's got 540 cubes and comes packed with performance parts, including a roller camshaft, 4340 H-beam rods, forged pistons, raised cam for rod clearance, nitrided stroker crankshaft, 8-quart aluminum oil pan, and aluminum water pump, to name a few of those goodies.

The block is currently supplied by Keith Black, but Mopar is making revisions to produce their own, and make a tidy, lower-cost package. Mopar boasts that these blocks are ready to assemble with no machine work, unlike some other suppliers.

Source:www.mopar.com/muscle

Chevy LS3
The LS3 comes from a long line of very successful LS engines, which began with the LS1, first introduced in the C5 Corvette. Since then, Camaros, Firebirds, and a number of other GM products have showcased the LS-series motor. The LS3 version features a larger bore, better-flowing heads, and a more aggressive camshaft than the LS2 it replaced.

LS-series engines have been well-accepted in the aftermarket world, with many aftermarket manufacturers building parts to make these engines fit and run well in older cars. They have proven to be extremely reliable, they come with a reasonable price tag, and of course, they have the all-important all-aluminum alloy block and head combination.

If you want to pack a little more punch, GM Performance Parts offers a 485-horse "Hot Cam" edition (PN 19171224) for about $500 more. If that still isn't enough, wait till late this year for the 515hp version!

Source:www.gmperformanceparts.com