Materials and Manufacturing processes of engine components

[JLB4344]

Hi, i am new to this forum and have just moved onto the second year of my BEng mechanical degree programme.We have been given the task of reverse engineering a 1.4l ford zetec s engine from a 1995/1997 fiesta.

The problem we are having is identifying the materials used and the manufacturing processes of critical components. We have tried contacting Ford but understandably they will not realease to us the alloys used to make their components. If there is anybody with prior experince in forging and casting engine components your help would be greatly appreciated.

So far we have carried out Vickers hardness tests on the camshaft, conrod, valves, shim and piston head. In the hope to determine the materials used and their finishes but can't find anywhere to look these values up against different metals and alloys.

If anyone can shed some light on the critical components such as the valve train, cylinder head, engine block, conrod or piston head, this would be welcome.

Thanks
John

 

[Astronuc]

Have you measured volume (by immersion) and mass, with which one can determine the density of the various components. One could also try to measure magnetic propreties.

Perhaps your department could invest in a portable analyzer which uses X-ray fluorescence to analyze elements in alloys. Something like -
http://www.oxinst.com/wps/wcm/connect/Oxford+Instruments/Products/X-ray+Fluorescence/X-MET3000TX/X-MET3000TX


http://www.zetecinside.com/xr2/specification.htm (nit much detail on alloy composition).

If you contacted Ford US - forget it. However, you might try contacting folks at Bridgend engine plant in Wales.

Try this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Zetec_engine

 

[FredGarvin]

The manufacturing processes for the parts you listed are pretty basic. For example, the cam shafts are cast, then lathe turned and then ground. I am sure you should be able to find information on the pasic processes without too much trouble. The tough part, as you have found out, will be in material selections and tratments, etc... That is where you start to get into the proprietary end of things. If you had access to a metalurgical lab, you could do tensile tests and etchings to get estimates of properties and the grain structures could point the way to certian heat treats. Other than that, I don't see how you could get that in fo without the OEM telling you.

 

[JLB4344]

Cheers guys now have several sections of components mounted in bakelite and waiting to be etched before they go under the microscope.