baumaxx1 wrote:yeah, it's usually for components such as exhausts. Exhausts don't have to be super thick, unlike engine blocks, so titanium can be used here. It allows for thinner walls, and less material is used, hence the lighter weight. Titanium is not light...
Yep, the lighter weight plus poor heat conductivity is ideal for an exhaust.
xHaZxMaTx wrote:I've heard of engines being made with carbon fibre (such as the Koenigseggs), but what components of the engine are those? I can't imagine being able to mould carbon fibre to such fine tolerances as required in the pistons and whatnot.
Carbon fibre can be used for the airbox, valve covers and timing belt covers, but I can't think of anywhere else you would put it. Carbon composite is different.
steelsnake00 wrote:The cylinder liners are steel, most of the time.
Manufacturers are starting to move away from that now. The technology is available to create a durable honed finish on the bare aluminium block, like the plasma spraying that was mentioned a while ago in another thread.
As for warping, all metals will warp when they get hot enough. The trick is to not let that happen.
Iron is harder to warp, but aluminium is easier to cool because it's a better conductor of heat.
Aluminium is also much easier to weld if it cracks.