dart vs china block
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Even if we were talking about an aluminum part, there is on helluva lot of difference in hardness, strength and wear durability between pure aluminum and any of the aircraft-quality aluminum alloys. I wonder how long a 10:1 compression cylinder head would last if it was just "aluminum"? 
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Even if we were talking about an aluminum part, there is on helluva lot of difference in hardness, strength and wear durability between pure aluminum and any of the aircraft-quality aluminum alloys. I wonder how long a 10:1 compression cylinder head would last if it was just "aluminum"?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,360
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From: NORTHEAST
Had a shop down in NY had to marine engines come in with ProComp heads and after 35 hours of running solt water through them they basicly fell apart and buy time the got the engine to the shop some of the cylinders were full of salt water and the blocks had to be replaced as well.
And he said he has runn the Dart heads and AFR's in the same inviorment for 7 years and no issues like this. HMMMMMMMMMMMM
And he said he has runn the Dart heads and AFR's in the same inviorment for 7 years and no issues like this. HMMMMMMMMMMMM
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Brand new engines and they fell apart like that wow!!! Were the engines built to marine standards? Not a marine engine expert at all but they have special requirements over road engines. Kinda sounds like a cheap gasket started the catastrophe to me??? So what was the outcome inquiring mind needs to know since I own a pair of procomp heads.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 3
From: NORTHEAST
Brand new engines and they fell apart like that wow!!! Were the engines built to marine standards? Not a marine engine expert at all but they have special requirements over road engines. Kinda sounds like a cheap gasket started the catastrophe to me??? So what was the outcome inquiring mind needs to know since I own a pair of procomp heads.
FWIW We won't build and engine with anything Procomp.
Do a search
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Should have gone with a heat exchanger or something to be on the way safe side of things. 35 hours spread out over how long? Big question is have they been flushing their systems after playing in salt water? Salt water sitting all year in or on aluminum will act like an acid. Magnesium and zinc don’t like salt water!!! Dart or procomp T4 or T6 will corrode to nothing. The more you replace these items with nickel or iron the better your chances of making it another year thus making the Dart a better aluminum part. Sodium hydroxide is what we use to boil our dies out with to clean them up and believe me in one night you can dissolve a boat load of aluminum.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 364
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From: Dane Wisconsin
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 508
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From: Olive Branch MS
I like the Dart stuff. I run the SHP block myself. I know they actually have their own foundry, so you can pretty much guarantee they make their parts here.
I can tell you form being in the industry, Procomp is just known as a China knock-off company. I've seen actual products of theirs compaired the their real counterparts and it is no comparison to any kind of trained eye.
There's good deals out there, but you got stick to known and proven companies. I know it's hard when the price is so tempting, but you got to do it!
I can tell you form being in the industry, Procomp is just known as a China knock-off company. I've seen actual products of theirs compaired the their real counterparts and it is no comparison to any kind of trained eye.
There's good deals out there, but you got stick to known and proven companies. I know it's hard when the price is so tempting, but you got to do it!
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,360
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From: NORTHEAST
Sucks to be those guys! What a way to go down.
Should have gone with a heat exchanger or something to be on the way safe side of things. 35 hours spread out over how long? Big question is have they been flushing their systems after playing in salt water? Salt water sitting all year in or on aluminum will act like an acid. Magnesium and zinc don’t like salt water!!! Dart or procomp T4 or T6 will corrode to nothing. The more you replace these items with nickel or iron the better your chances of making it another year thus making the Dart a better aluminum part. Sodium hydroxide is what we use to boil our dies out with to clean them up and believe me in one night you can dissolve a boat load of aluminum.
Should have gone with a heat exchanger or something to be on the way safe side of things. 35 hours spread out over how long? Big question is have they been flushing their systems after playing in salt water? Salt water sitting all year in or on aluminum will act like an acid. Magnesium and zinc don’t like salt water!!! Dart or procomp T4 or T6 will corrode to nothing. The more you replace these items with nickel or iron the better your chances of making it another year thus making the Dart a better aluminum part. Sodium hydroxide is what we use to boil our dies out with to clean them up and believe me in one night you can dissolve a boat load of aluminum.
35 hours this year and never had to use an heat exchanger so far as he has heads that have gone 7 years and has never seen anything like this before.
Last edited by BLOCKMAN; Nov 1, 2009 at 06:13 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 3
From: NORTHEAST
Originally Posted by CNC BLOCKS
Originally Posted by nich
This is a picture I took of the PBM block from our shop. Why would a person etch a logo over top of a serial number? Is PBM trying to hide something? Carl, does your Procomp block look like this on the starter pad, except without the PBM logo? Also, our block has the same weird insert in the rear main cap for the oil pump threads and it looks IDENTICAL to the Procomp block pics posted in the other thread.
Thanks,
nich
Thanks,
nich
A picture is worth a million words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Joined: Oct 2009
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That’s crazy!!! That short of time and to cook a hole through it. Man that was a horrible cast or something and must have been so thin you could have broken through with your finger new. Any rate I bet them (boat owners) also got educated after the fact on coating the insides of your aluminum stuff for salt water. Has been known to be an oversight to some builders. Take care of your stuff and it should last years. Were they first generation Procomps? I hope so…
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Aluminum mated with steel, and salt water really don't mix well. There is some nasty Galvanic action going on when these guys get together. That's why most salt-water boat owners use sacrificial anodes to take the 'hit'. Those that don't do so end up with aluma-mush.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 3
From: NORTHEAST
That’s crazy!!! That short of time and to cook a hole through it. Man that was a horrible cast or something and must have been so thin you could have broken through with your finger new. Any rate I bet them (boat owners) also got educated after the fact on coating the insides of your aluminum stuff for salt water. Has been known to be an oversight to some builders. Take care of your stuff and it should last years. Were they first generation Procomps? I hope so…
