What's the status on the Aluminum T1 engine cases? Are they better than the Mag. engine cases? I'm going to build a new engine and I'm trying to figure the case situation out. I see where Scat has a Killer Case, CB has an aluminum case and I see others as well. Aircooled.net said in a tech article that the aluminum cases were junk. Well, I'm interested to hear other comments as well. New eng will be 94mmbore 82/84mm stroke.
no experience here with the new alluminum cases....but the mag cases have been used successfully for 40+ years for building high performance engines.....i would personally find that as a bit of "peace of mind" instead of the "gamble" you may take with the alluminum(just based on what I personally have read concerning the alluminum cases)....as a matter of fact i *did* find peace of mind int he fact that engine greats like John C at aircooled.net uses the mag cases in his own performance engines, and Jake Raby has reported a terrible crack int he alluminum type1 case....i bought a new mag "supercase" from cbperformance...
Aluminum cases are junk. End of story. Do not use them. There's a reason that those German engineers used magnesium for their engine cases. Magnesium expands and contracts at the proper rates and temperatures to not crack and gernerally screw up engine geometry like an aluminum case will. If you are building a brand new engine, use a brand new case, but use magnesium. Think how many engines there have been and are out there that have run hundreds of thousands of miles on a mag case.
~Anthony
vw "upgraded" the type 4 to an alluminum case....there are a couple long lived aftermarket alluminum cases....the pauter "big block" for one....the alluminum isn't the problem....my best guess would be that using alluminum in the same configuration(possibly same mold?) as the mag does not fit the alloy's charactoristics since it was not(the mold/configuration) designed for it....
------------------- Chris Perdue "I'm ever so thankful for the Internet; it has allowed me to keep a finger in the pie and to make some small contribution to those younger who will carry the air-cooled legend forward" Jim Mais Feb. 2004
I have to think that making a quality aluminum Type 1 case is possible. My 2CV's aircooled 2 cylinder is horizontally opposed, it's almost like half a VW engine. It has an aluminum case and they built those cars for 40 years.
i agree Ben...there are successful alluminum cases out there....but they are catored/designed for themore performance(read: race) side of things and priced accordingly.....don't know if any stockstyle(molded) alluminum case will ever measure up to the magnesium cases...time will tell....
------------------- Chris Perdue "I'm ever so thankful for the Internet; it has allowed me to keep a finger in the pie and to make some small contribution to those younger who will carry the air-cooled legend forward" Jim Mais Feb. 2004
Wow, great info guys. Does the same apply to the heads. I've looked at CB's 044 new designed head, are those also to be avoided because of cracking potential or have they beefed it up to avoid the thermal issues?
cb's 044 heads have an excellent reputation for good performance right "out of the box" and for their affordable price...nothing beats a head that is handported by a competant head porter, but the 044's fit the bill nicely...i have owned and used several sets of 044's over the years with no complaints...(i was one of the ones that ran to the phone when they were first released back in 199X...can't remember exact year but i have reciepts...LOL)
------------------- Chris Perdue "I'm ever so thankful for the Internet; it has allowed me to keep a finger in the pie and to make some small contribution to those younger who will carry the air-cooled legend forward" Jim Mais Feb. 2004
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