What Is The Difference?

[jro909]

just kind of curious if their is a difference really between all the different rpo codes for various engines? i know theres aluminum blocks and iron blocks but besides that i'm empty...what are the pros and cons of each?

[Z45]

what year in particular?

 

They are always changing things so what is applicable to one model and model year is not to another.

[Nytemare]

Flex fuel

engine size...as in 4.3, 4.8, 5.3, 6.0

AFM

Block material

Head material

There are many things that make a difference...and therefore need a different RPO to track

[Z45]

not to mention what vehicle the engine is designed to fit. Go to gmpowertrain.com and look around. I have found every detail on a particular engine there i down-loadable speadsheet format. I have in front of me an 11 page data on the rpo LC9 engine used in 2010 Sierra pu's. From hp and torque charts to a pic of the engine to every application its used in to a complete description of every part of it.

[Nytemare]

not to mention what vehicle the engine is designed to fit. Go to gmpowertrain.com and look around. I have found every detail on a particular engine there i down-loadable speadsheet format. I have in front of me an 11 page data on the rpo LC9 engine used in 2010 Sierra pu's. From hp and torque charts to a pic of the engine to every application its used in to a complete description of every part of it.

Thats some good info man.

Thanks for posting

[jro909]

thanks for the info...so the aluminum block just generates a little more power? i assume it dosen't have as much durability as the iron blocks though?

[Z45]

They are just as durable and been around for a long time. In 1969 GM had the legendary ZL1 aluminum 427 engine option for the Camaro. The LS1 engine was aluminum block and years in thousand of COrvette's, Camaros, Firebird. The cast iron block is cheaper to produce. Get used to aluminum and other light weight components, they need to light the weight to improve fuel economy.

 

Here are the spec's for the LC9

315 hp on gas in trucks and SUV

326 hp on E85

 

Aluminum block

Aluminum heads

Composite intake manifold

powder metal main bearing caps

cast nodular iron crankshaft

hollow steel camshaft

powder metal connecting rods

cast nodular exhaust manifolds

[Nytemare]

thanks for the info...so the aluminum block just generates a little more power? i assume it dosen't have as much durability as the iron blocks though?

Yeah...pretty much.

The stock Iron Block will handle 800HP

the stock Al Block will handle 700HP

 

According to some websites that is...Take that with a grain of salt.