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Terry Burtz, Calif · 02-15-2025, 01:22 AM

Wow, 51 comments and 2976 views.

Thanks to those who understand why the new engine parts are made in China.

The new cylinder block is a thin wall casting and it takes a lot of expertise and coordination between the core box and pattern makers, core and mold makers, those that pour iron, and the machine shop to get a good cylinder block. All of the preceding need to be part of the same company to avoid the foundry workers blaming the pattern makers and the machine shop claiming they received a bad casting.

We have a few foundries in the USA that can pour thin-wall castings, but I don't know if any have 5-axis CNC machining centers that can machine a cylinder block.

The new cylinder block is made in a factory with the capability of manufacturing 10,000 cylinder blocks per month and there is a possibility that the cylinder block in your new car was also made by this factory.

Other new engine parts like the crankshaft and connecting rods are made in factories that specialize in the parts they make.

There are lots of pictures of the new engine on the internet.

I encourage those who think the new engine can be produced in the USA to show the pictures or take original Model A parts to a foundry and machine shop to get a ballpark cost for having them make new engine parts.

Please post your ballpark cost findings on this forum.

02-15-2025, 01:22 AM	#52
Terry Burtz, Calif Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Campbell,CA, USA Posts: 395	Re: Burtz Block Price?? Wow, 51 comments and 2976 views. Thanks to those who understand why the new engine parts are made in China. The new cylinder block is a thin wall casting and it takes a lot of expertise and coordination between the core box and pattern makers, core and mold makers, those that pour iron, and the machine shop to get a good cylinder block. All of the preceding need to be part of the same company to avoid the foundry workers blaming the pattern makers and the machine shop claiming they received a bad casting. We have a few foundries in the USA that can pour thin-wall castings, but I don't know if any have 5-axis CNC machining centers that can machine a cylinder block. The new cylinder block is made in a factory with the capability of manufacturing 10,000 cylinder blocks per month and there is a possibility that the cylinder block in your new car was also made by this factory. Other new engine parts like the crankshaft and connecting rods are made in factories that specialize in the parts they make. There are lots of pictures of the new engine on the internet. I encourage those who think the new engine can be produced in the USA to show the pictures or take original Model A parts to a foundry and machine shop to get a ballpark cost for having them make new engine parts. Please post your ballpark cost findings on this forum.