Cast ironvs. Steel was Prowler V6

[Gary Derian]

Steel is a carbon-iron alloy.  The carbon is part of the structure.  Cast
iron is a mixture of iron and little pieces of graphite.  In gray iron, the
graphite is in flat flakes and seriously reduces the strength and stiffness
of iron when in tension but not in compression.  Nodular iron is much
stronger than gray iron because the graphite is spherical and detracts much
less from the strength.

To make steel from iron, the carbon is burned out with oxygen.

Gary Derian <gderian at oh.verio.com>
Subject: RE: Cast ironvs. Steel was Prowler V6


> > You have just stated the total opposite of what I believed was true
> > about cast iron vs. steel...
> >
> > You stated:
> > "the excess carbon present in cast iron compared to steel, etc."
>
> Yes, I did and it's true.
>
> > Then ya stated that:
> > "It's the reason that machine tools are all made from cast iron, not
> > steel."
>
> Yes, I did, and yes, they are.  Cast iron is much better at vibration
> damping
> than steel.
>
> > The BASIC FUNDAMENTAL difference 'tween Cast IRON and STEEL is that
> > Steel is merely cast iron with CARBON added to the molten
> > Cast Iron....
>
> No, that's not the case at all.  You're thinking cast iron is just
> elemental iron, which it isn't.  Steel is iron and carbon (and other
> stuff, depending on the steel) with a carbon content below the
> eutectic point (I think that's the correct point, but I can't remember
> offhand) while cast iron is iron and carbon with a carbon content
> above this point.
>
> > You stated the opposite, hopefully it was a type-o or the like?
>
> Nope.
>
> > ALSO Steel is stronger than cast iron, period, I'll use a steel pan
> > against a cast iron pan in a fight anytime....
>
> Not necessarily.  It sounds like you're confusing fracture resistance
> with strength.
>
> Consult a materials science text if you want the full scoop.  Mine are
> at home so I don't have a reference handy, and I don't feel like typing
> that
> much anyway.
>
> Not to mention it has zero to do with DIY-EFI.
>
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