Ron, you are right. The Vega did not have Chromed cylinder bores, nor did
it use chrome rings. The block was cast from a high silicon aluminum
alloy. The surfaces of the bores were then leached to remove a part of the
aluminum, leaving an even higher silicon content. This left a very hard
surface which was then finished. The pistons used iron rings which are
softer than chrome rings to comply with the silicon rich surface. The
engine failed, but not actually because of the material or scheme. I don't
know if Chevy actually put steel liners in some or not, but I know some
Cosworth-Vega owners who had it done to increase life in their engines
which probably saw harder service than most Vegas.
-----Original Message-----
From: Fraser, Ron [SMTP:Ron.Fraser@usa.xerox.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 1998 8:40 AM
To: 'tigers@autox.team.net'
Subject: RE: Chrome Bores...
Importance: Low
I never saw any Chrome in the bores of the Chevy Vega Aluminum
engines. I worked at the engine assembly plant in Buffalo N.Y. the summer
of 1972.
The process was to infuse a silicon compound into the aluminum matrix
of the cylinder walls so the rings would ride on the harder silicon
compound
and not the softer aluminum. According to some people on the inside,
Chevy
never got the process right. I believe in the last years of that engine
they used cast iron sleeves for the bores, then dropped the engine in favor
of the "Iron Duke" engine.
I drove a '75 Vega for over 100,000 miles, got 32 to 40 mpg after
tuning and tweaking, the body rusted out, the engine was still strong.
Ron Fraser
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Laifman [mailto:laifman@flash.net]
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 1998 12:47 AM
To: Rich Atherton
Cc: Sunbeam Tiger List
Subject: Re: Chrome Bores...
Rich Atherton wrote:
>
> let us NOT forget the plight of the early Chevy Vega's with their
> Aluminum engines, and their aluminum Chrome plated bores. ..... The
> chromium rings with their razor sharp edge then shave off the chrome
> cylinder lining. Then these same rings carve large pockets into the the
> soft aluminum walls, ...
|