# Alusil
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{{Short description|Aluminum-silicon alloy}}
'''Alusil''' as a [hypereutectic](/source/eutectic_system) [aluminium](/source/aluminium)-[silicon](/source/silicon) [alloy](/source/alloy) (EN AC-AlSi17Cu4Mg / EN AC-48100 or A390) contains approximately 78% aluminium and 17% silicon.[{{cite web|title=ALUSIL - Cylinder Blocks for the new Audi V6 and V8 SI engines |url=http://www.kspg-ag.com/pdfdoc/kspg_produktbroschueren/a_audi_zkg_e.pdf |work=KS Aluminium-Technologie AG |publisher=KSPG-AG.com |access-date=13 January 2010 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}][{{cite web|title=What is Alusil coating?|url=http://www.finishing.com/3600-3799/3605.shtml|work=finishing dot com|publisher=finishing.com|access-date=13 January 2010}}] This alloy was theoretically conceived in 1927 by [Schweizer & Fehrenbach](/source/Schweizer_%26_Fehrenbach),[{{cite web|title=Rheinmetall's tradition of automotive excellence|url=http://www.rheinmetall-detec.de/index.php?lang=3&fid=3397|work=Rheinmetall Defence|publisher=Rheinmetall-Detec.de|date=January 2006|access-date=23 May 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20060925031207/http://www.rheinmetall-detec.de/index.php?lang=3&fid=3397|archive-date=25 September 2006}}] of Badener Metall-Waren-Fabrik,[{{cite book |title=Addreßbuch Baden-Baden 1926 |place=Baden-Baden |publisher=Ernst Koelblin |pages=49, 80, 185, 375 |url=https://www.baden-baden.de/mam/files/kultur/stadtarchiv/adressbuecher/1926_adressbuch_baden_baden.pdf}}] but practically created only by [Lancia](/source/Lancia)[{{Cite book|title=Pionieri dell'automobile. Lancia, Bazzi, Ferrari|last=Manicardi N.|publisher=Il Fiorino|year=2014|isbn=978-88-7549-464-3|location=Modena (IT)}}] in the same year, for its car engines. It was further developed by Reynolds,[{{Cite journal |date=1971-08-01 |title=REYNOLDS 390 and A390 |url=https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.ad.al0203 |journal=Alloy Digest |volume=20 |issue=8 |doi=10.31399/asm.ad.al0203 |issn=0002-614X|url-access=subscription }}] now [Rheinmetall Automotive](/source/Rheinmetall_Automotive).[ In the United States, Chevrolet was the first to use Reynolds A390 in the [Chevrolet Vega](/source/Chevrolet_Vega).
The Alusil aluminium alloy is commonly used to make [liner](/source/cylinder_liner)less aluminium alloy [engine block](/source/engine_block)s.][{{cite web|title=High-performance engine blocks for tomorrow's challenges|url=http://www.kspg-ag.de/index.php?lang=2&fid=444#11|work=Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG|publisher=KSPG-AG.com|date=12 September 2005|access-date=13 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227101531/http://www.kspg-ag.de/index.php?lang=2&fid=444#11|archive-date=2012-02-27}}] There is no coating applied to the cylinder bore and blocks are not honed conventionally. During the manufacturing process, a chemical or mechanical process is used to remove aluminum from the surface of the cylinder bore, exposing a very hard silicon precipitate. These exposed silicon particles, which under a microscope look like small islands, allow for oil to collect in the area surrounding them, thus forming the required tribofilm that supports piston and ring travel.[{{Cite web |title=Latest machining techniques for aluminium cylinder bores (Alusil and Lokasil) |url=https://cdn2.ms-motorservice.com/fileadmin/media/MAM/PDF_Assets/Latest-Machining-Techniques-for-Aluminium-Cylinder-Bores-Alusil-and-Lokasil_51886.pdf}}]
The pistons used in an Alusil engine block typically have an iron-clad plating or similar coating on the piston skirts to prevent galling of the aluminum pistons when run against the uncoated aluminum cylinder bore. Examples of this coating include Mahle Ferrostan (I & II), FerroTec, or Ferroprint.[{{Cite book |title=Pistons and engine testing |date=2012 |publisher=Vieweg+Teubner |others=MAHLE GmbH |isbn=978-3-8348-8662-0 |location=Wiesbaden |oclc=831115179}}]
[BMW](/source/BMW) switched from [Nikasil](/source/Nikasil)-coated cylinder walls to Alusil in 1996 to eliminate the corrosion problems caused through the use of petrol/gasoline containing sulfur.
Although similar, Alusil is not to be mistaken with Lokasil which was used by Porsche in the Boxster, Cayman, and 911 models from 1997 through 2008. Lokasil blocks use a freeze cast cylinder sleeve pre-form which is inserted into the casting mold. This preform contains silicon particles suspended in a resin binder. During the casting process, the molten aluminum is injected into the mold and burns off the resin, leaving an area of localized hypereutectic aluminum only in the area of the cylinder bore. The silicon particles are then mechanically exposed in a similar process to an Alusil block resulting in a cylinder block that functions in the same way as one cast out of Alusil.
Although successfully used by many European manufacturers, there are potentially issues associated with engines that use Alusil blocks, namely [cylinder bore scoring](/source/cylinder_bore_scoring) which occurs when there is a breakdown of the exposed silicon particles in the cylinder bore, resulting in increased oil consumption and excessive piston noise.[{{Cite web |last=Navarro |first=Charles |date=2019 |title=Understanding Bore Scoring in Al-Si Cylinder Systems |url=http://lnengineering.com/files/2019-LN-Engineering-Understanding-Bore-Scoring-in-AL-Si-Cylinder-Systems.pdf}}]
Vehicles / Engines using Alusil include:
*[Audi](/source/Audi) [2.4 V6](/source/List_of_discontinued_Volkswagen_Group_petrol_engines)[{{cite web|title=KS Aluminium-Technologie: engine blocks for the new Audi A6 |url=http://www.rheinmetall.de/index.php?fid=1364&qid=&qpage=5&lang=3 |work=Rheinmetall AG |publisher=Rheinmetall.de |date=August 2004 |access-date=13 January 2010 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}]
*Audi [4.2 MPI V8](/source/list_of_Volkswagen_Group_petrol_engines)
*Audi [3.2 FSI V6](/source/list_of_Volkswagen_Group_petrol_engines)[{{cite web|title=High-tech products for the new and advanced BMW V12|url=http://www.kspg-ag.de/index.php?fid=206&qid=&qpage=0&lang=3|work=Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG|publisher=KSPG-AG.com|date=10 January 2003|access-date=13 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227101556/http://www.kspg-ag.de/index.php?fid=206&qid=&qpage=0&lang=3|archive-date=2012-02-27}}]
*[BMW N74](/source/BMW_N74) V12
*BMW [S65](/source/BMW_S65) & [S85](/source/BMW_S85) M Engines
*[Mercedes-Benz M112 engine](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M112_engine) V6
*[Mercedes-Benz M113 engine](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M113_engine) V8
*[Mercedes 420 SEL](/source/Mercedes-Benz_W126) [M116](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M116_engine) V8
*[Mercedes 560 SEL](/source/Mercedes-Benz_W126) [M117](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M117_engine) V8
*[Mercedes M119](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M119_engine) V8
*[Mercedes M120](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M120_engine) V12
*[Porsche M28](/source/Porsche_V8_engines) V8
*[Porsche 924S](/source/Porsche_924) [I4](/source/inline-four_engine)
*[Porsche 944](/source/Porsche_944) I4
*[Porsche 968](/source/Porsche_968) I4
*Porsche Cayenne V6 (excluding models with VW VR6 engine which has a cast iron block)
*[Porsche M48](/source/Porsche_V8_engines) V8 (excluding early naturally aspirated 4.5L M48.00, which uses Lokasil)
*Porsche Panamera V6
*Porsche MA1 H6
*Porsche Macan V6
==See also==
*[Hypereutectic piston](/source/Hypereutectic_piston)
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070715074516/http://www.kspg-ag.de/index.php?lang=3 Kolbenschmidt Pierburg] - official website of Alusil trademark holder
{{Aluminium alloys}}
Category:Aluminium alloys
Category:1927 introductions
Category:Aluminium–silicon alloys
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alusil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alusil) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alusil?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.