magnesium
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magnesium
Hey Tadge, The old VW beetle's engine blocks and transaxle cases were made from magnesium. I know from personal experience that these items were very strong and lighter than aluminum. Considering that the VW beetle was built and sold as an economy car, one would conclude that magnesium could not be all that expensive. Why doesn't corvette use this metal for their engine blocks and any other components that are currently made from aluminum?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Mid-Missouri
That is an interesting point. I am aware of using manesium in the C6Z for the engine cradle.
Perhaps the V8 engine doesn't have the structural ability to hold together when using magnesium.
VW beetles were air cooled, not liquid cooled, so there are more channels with fluids.
Maybe the magnesium doesn't hold up well with the ethyl-alcohol in antifreeze?
Or, maybe it was cheap then and expensive now.
Ever throw a big chunk of it in a campfire?
I think we can all agree that it is a blessing Ford did not use any magnesium in their rolling fire hazard, the Pinto!
Perhaps the V8 engine doesn't have the structural ability to hold together when using magnesium.
VW beetles were air cooled, not liquid cooled, so there are more channels with fluids.
Maybe the magnesium doesn't hold up well with the ethyl-alcohol in antifreeze?
Or, maybe it was cheap then and expensive now.
Ever throw a big chunk of it in a campfire?
I think we can all agree that it is a blessing Ford did not use any magnesium in their rolling fire hazard, the Pinto!
Hey Tadge, The old VW beetle's engine blocks and transaxle cases were made from magnesium. I know from personal experience that these items were very strong and lighter than aluminum. Considering that the VW beetle was built and sold as an economy car, one would conclude that magnesium could not be all that expensive. Why doesn't corvette use this metal for their engine blocks and any other components that are currently made from aluminum?
Last edited by hippiefreak67; Dec 20, 2020 at 12:23 AM.
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Campfires-funny you should mention it. This is how I became familiar with this metal. We would go to Bullocks junk yard and get several VW engine blocks and transmissiom cases, strip out all of the steel components, and break them up into pieces with a sledge hammer. This is how I learned how strong they were; it took a great deal of pounding to even fracture the magnesium. We then built a small wood fire and started adding the metal, fanning the flames until they lit until we had about fifty pounds blazing. The real fun began when you squirted the fire with a garden hose. The closest thing I could compare it to would be a small volcano. Just suppose that magnesium would not lend itself to a V8 engine block. Many other components coulsd still utelize this metal such as the transmission case, engine brackets, chassis components, ect. The stuff is very light.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 373
Likes: 99
From: Mid-Missouri
Agreed, it is strong and light, and fun in fires, with hoses!
I am interested to see of there is a response to this from those who may know more than I.
BTW, old LawnBoy pushmower decks were also made of it.
The older green ones.
Fun times as a teenager at the racetrack on Saturday nights!
I am interested to see of there is a response to this from those who may know more than I.
BTW, old LawnBoy pushmower decks were also made of it.
The older green ones.
Fun times as a teenager at the racetrack on Saturday nights!
