What material is the engine cylinder head made of?
2 Answers
The engine cylinder head is cast from high-quality gray cast iron or alloy cast iron. Gray cast iron has good wear resistance and vibration damping properties, which are beneficial for lubrication and oil retention. It has a high carbon content, excellent fluidity, and low shrinkage rate. Aluminum alloy has good thermal conductivity, which helps to increase the engine's compression ratio. The cylinder head is a structurally complex box-shaped component that includes intake and exhaust valve seat holes, valve guide holes, spark plug installation holes, or fuel injector installation holes. The cylinder head also contains cast water jackets, intake and exhaust passages, and the combustion chamber or part of the combustion chamber. If the camshaft is installed on the cylinder head, the cylinder head will also have machined camshaft bearing holes or camshaft bearing seats and their corresponding lubrication oil passages.
The material of the engine cylinder head is quite important, and I remember there's been a big change from old cars to new ones. The earliest ones were all made of cast iron—super heavy but extremely sturdy, with slower heat dissipation, prone to heating up on long drives but very durable. Nowadays, most cars have switched to aluminum alloy, which is much lighter, making the engine more efficient, saving fuel and accelerating faster—I really like this improvement. However, aluminum alloy has its issues too, like thermal expansion and contraction potentially causing oil leaks from the gasket, requiring repairs. Maintenance requires extra care to prevent cracking. Overall, the change in materials has made cars more stylish and energy-efficient. Choosing the right material really enhances the driving experience, especially in urban stop-and-go traffic, reducing the engine's burden.
