LO 8-3 Identify and describe the construction techniques and composition of cylinder blocks and outline the advantages and disadvantages of each design

Cylinder Block Materials

The requirement to produce durable, reliable, and lightweight engine blocks is driven partly by GHG regulations. Although a lightweight block enables a vehicle to carry more load, reduced fuel consumption is possible from lighter and stronger engines. Smaller displacement engines can also have smaller internal cylinder wall areas, reducing overall engine friction from rings and pistons. Other friction-generating surfaces, including camshafts and crankshafts, are smaller as well. Many compact block designs are made possible by using specialized block materials. Most cylinder blocks are manufactured from cast iron, but aluminum is popular in light-duty diesels such as General Motors (GM) and Mercedes 3.0 L diesels. Compacted graphite iron (CGI) blocks are also a popular block material in light-duty (LD), MD, and HD applications, not only for their strength and durable wear surfaces but also for their superior noise reduction properties.