Aluminum engine parts and the winter

[Tony]

Where I live we get some cold winters (-10c to -30c at the coldest), obviously the best solution would be to park my car in a garage for the winter but I wont have that luxury for the next 2 years.

So

I am getting a new crate chevy 350 engine installed in my car, it will come as a cast iron block but will have an aluminum intake, valve covers and pistons. I was told aluminum parts on an engine build up condensation in the winter, and upon starting the car basically suck water into the engine, is this true?

I understand this is all a matter of preference or personal opinion, but that’s what I am looking for, at what temperature should I be walking to work in your personal opinions?

Topic

[Kevin Criswell]

I would not worry about it one bit. Just make sure your engine fully warms up while driving and any moisture will naturally leave the system.

[dan]

a alumion engine will really not build any more condensation than a cast iron engine, the most important thing you can do for either is let it warm up before you take off and take enough of a trip for the engine to run at Operating temperature for a little while, this way all the condensation that is in the crank case can evaporate out of the crank case…

short distance driving and not letting your engine do its thing at operation temperature is what causes condensation build up too turn your oil into sludge…

[Kevin Criswell]

I spent some time in Alaska in the military (I really hate the cold) and they have plenty of aluminum engine parts there. Everyone just knows to take the time to warm it up and make sure it runs long enough.

[Jay]

You will have no problems with this setup. My suggestion though would be to let it warm up to normal before driving. Cast iron and aluminum will heat up, thus expand, at a different rate. This can cause problems if the engine is not yet warm and you go rip off a 500 foot burnout….

[Tony]

Is it ok that the new engine has a carb?

I was thinking if I get a block heater it really shouldn’t have much trouble starting up, im just worried about getting the carb tuned properly

[Bill]

They have been building engines that way forever and trillions of engines have survived a little condensation.

[Jay]

No problem with a carb, as long as it has a choke.

[Author]

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