Casting shift
 

In a few short words, please explane to me the definition of casting shift.

Re: Casting shift
 

If you're referring to an engine block, it's when one or more of the baked sand cores which are placed in the mold cavity to form the cylinders mislocates during the pouring of the hot iron. The mold cavity is defined by the exterior of the pattern-which looks like the outside of the block. The interior of the engine is defined by the various cores that are placed (and usually "glued" in place in the cavity. When the iron is poured, it goes everywhere there is no core or mold cavity wall. If the "glue" fails or the core was improperly placed the core and thos the cylinder will be off location.

Re: Casting shift
 

They were actually held in suspension by wires. Many times you can find core wire inside an old block if it has not been cleaned out well during previous overhauls. The wires become part of the block during the pour but they sometimes melt out of position or were not placed in the mold box well during assembly of the mold. THis can shift the placement of the cylinders enough to make one side very thin and the other very thick. The only way to non-destructively test it without X-ray or gama-ray pictures. is with ultrasonic equipment.

Re: Casting shift
 

Kinda forgot about thewires-I think most of the modern ones are pasted.
Recommend to anyone interested in the mfg technology of the V-8 to obtain a copy of either the Francis/DeAngelis or,even, the Tony Thacker book to see the complex collection of cores required to creat that casting. I don't think there is a modern counterpart : the complexity of a modern cylinder head combined with that of a cylinder block.

Re: Casting shift
 

I rebuilt an 8ba last year. Found core wires in both the rear exhaust ports. Surprised they hadn't burned out.

Re: Casting shift
 

Thanks all.