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FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: Qikbbstang on December 10, 2014, 09:50:39 AM

Title: Anyone ever CC'd a typical modern alum FE heads water jacket vs iron FoMoCo's?
Post by: Qikbbstang on December 10, 2014, 09:50:39 AM

had a conversation yesterday on the age old alum head's resist detonation better then iron heads but I keep thinking it's so complex in variables it's got to be more like comparing apples to donuts.....
   Sure you can blindly say aluminum dissipates heat faster then iron but when you get to a complex castings there must be significantly less surface area/volume within the water jacket of alum heads then iron heads. I believe the average iron head's thickness is approx 1/4" vs alum heads at approx 1/2" to over 5/8th's". The added thickness is not limited to about the chamber/deck but also about the ports and support areas of the rocker shaft stand fasteners are also thicker. Calculating any relationship of the volume of water in a head's water jacket to wetted surface area of the water jacket is one I know I could never figure out.

Title: Re: Anyone ever CC'd a typical modern alum FE heads water jacket vs iron FoMoCo'
Post by: chris401 on December 10, 2014, 03:09:01 PM

I compared a set of D2 and C4 heads and a C5 intake. It appears they all can be opened up a little around the gasket area to match the ports.

QUESTION: If the thermostat would alow more flow with the modification would that help detur detnation and alow a few more compression points on a pump gas street engine?

Title: Re: Anyone ever CC'd a typical modern alum FE heads water jacket vs iron FoMoCo'
Post by: frankenfords on December 10, 2014, 04:12:15 PM

Quote from: chris401 on December 10, 2014, 03:09:01 PM

QUESTION: If the thermostat would alow more flow with the modification would that help detur detnation and alow a few more compression points on a pump gas street engine?

I can't see how water flow would affect anything given the same operating temperature. That statement is of course based on no scientific data.

Brett

Title: Re: Anyone ever CC'd a typical modern alum FE heads water jacket vs iron FoMoCo's?
Post by: fastback 427 on December 10, 2014, 04:22:22 PM

I would say aluminum dissapates heat way way faster than steel. If you weld a piece of each at the same time same heat you will see why. We welded a dominator flange on my dove spider intake and the whole intake was so hot it could not be touched for awhile. On the water flow issue, I have heard that in some stock classes the are reversing water flow so the colder water hits the heads first. I would assume so they can add a little more timing?