Whats a 3100 made of ?

[godofthunder]

Just currious. For some reason, I thought a lot of it was Alum.

 

Im mainly wondering caus im about to do an engine detail. I dont wana discolor or damage anything. I was planning on spraying down everything and cleaning with Simple Green ,but have some alum. engine cleaner too

 

jon

[91GranSport]

I think both the block and heads are cast iron, though the intake manifold and such are aluminum. The top cover that says "3100 SFI" is aluminum though. Just use some high-heat paint and you should be okay.

[Vegeta]

The block is iron, the heads are aluminum. The intake manifolds are cast aluminum.

[grandprix104]

simple green cleans it up real good

[Brian P]

Plastic valve covers if you didnt take care of the recall......

[ismellrealbad]

Is THAT why the 94's are BLACK?????? explain more please

[Brian P]

Yes Blojobrob, theyre composite and can leak, but hell they probably still work

[Brian P]

Actually I think I see plastic valve covers on that gp104's!! Get that taken care of

[ismellrealbad]

ok thank you Brian Pisshead

[Brian P]

:shock:

[godofthunder]

see, i thoought SG would damage the alum. I need to clean up some of the vavlecovers and lower on the block.

 

is that stuff ok (if diluted) on the paint?

 

also, any tips for the hoses and such, to clean? and then protect, dress?

 

jon

[91GranSport]

The heads are aluminum? Hell I thought all of the GM V6s used cast iron for their blocks and heads!

 

The block is iron, the heads are aluminum. The intake manifolds are cast aluminum.

[Guest TurboSedan]

simple green cleans it up real good

 

Simple Green IS awesome stuff. i use it to clean my aluminum GTP wheels and they turn out really nice. i've probably accidentally got it on the paint a few times but it didn't seem to hurt anything. if i pull an engine out i will spray it down w/Simple Green LIBERALLY, then load it up in the truck and pressure wash it at the car wash along with some Brakleen to get the really nasty stuff off. i try to keep Brakleen off painted parts tho. the foamy engine bright stuff seems to work well too and it's cheap. toothbrushes, clean rags, and some beer and you'll have a great looking engine

joshua

[Lee]

Has there been an all iron (block and heads) in any GM motor since the venerable "Iron Duke?"

 

2.5 liter 4 banger

[godofthunder]

i used to have an iron duke in my Ciera. Theres one in my bros celeb. now.

 

looking at my engine, i dont have black valve covers, must have been fixed before car was bought in late 96.

 

Now, what about the heads? And dont call me stupid, but what exactly do yall mean when you say heads (im half asleap right now).

 

jon

[Guest TurboSedan]

the cylinder heads. you know, the big aluminum pieces with the combustion chambers on the bottom and valvetrain on top.....

joshua

[Guest TurboSedan]

Has there been an all iron (block and heads) in any GM motor since the venerable "Iron Duke?"

 

2.5 liter 4 banger

 

i think the Vortec truck motor was all iron. but obviously that aint no W-body engine.

joshua

[godofthunder]

yah, my brain fart is over now.

 

im looking at a pic of the 3100 on the GM power train site. this is on the 175HP version, but looks just like mine. Its says cast iron block, and cast alum. heads. but just to clairfy, the oil fill is on top of the valve covers, and then the heads are where the spark plugs are, vcorrect?

 

Now, will SG hurt that? or any for that matter? And what about below, like oil pan and such. Can i just spray some diluted SG on, agitate, and then spray off?

 

Jon

[Guest TurboSedan]

yeah the spark plugs thread right into the heads. i would use a liberal amount of straight concentrated Simple Green if you want to get things as clean as possible. it won't hurt anything. you can dilute it tho to make the bottle last longer i guess.

joshua

[godofthunder]

i dont care about it lasting longer, i just dont want it to pit them, or discloer, or ruin anyhting else

 

and what about on the hoeses and stuff? Is it ok?

 

jon

[Lee]

Heads are the caps for the pistons, the domes with the valves and lifters and springs. Just under the valve covers.

 

Of course if you have an overhead cam or double overhead cam motor...it also houses the camshafts (minus the lifters).

[Guest TurboSedan]

i've never had a problem with it ruining or damaging hoses. obviously you probably shouldn't spray the coil packs or throttle body liberally.

[Brian P]

Has there been an all iron (block and heads) in any GM motor since the venerable "Iron Duke?"

 

2.5 liter 4 banger

 

i think the Vortec truck motor was all iron. but obviously that aint no W-body engine.

joshua

 

Yeah, the 2.8/3.1/3.4 in the F-body, and the archaic boat anchor 3.8/3.8 SC (heavy as hell). Iron block Iron heads!

[Lee]

Is that a case of iron is better unless weight is a concern? Or is it camaro's get more abuse so iron?

 

I'd never have guessed that they made iron heads just because its inline. I'd think that aluminum would be much more expensive to manufacture.

[Brian P]

I don't know why they didn't update the 60 degree in the F-body. Maybe they didn't want to invest into it. I mean the Aluminum headed FWD 60* came out in what, '85? I should also add that the TBI 3.1's in the minivans were iron headed too.