New Aurora V8

Acj 428 · 26 Mar 2003, 06:04 (Ref:548316)

Can some one please explain the new V8 for holden, is it a Chevrolet built engine or a new hybrid?

I did a search for this and no reply so I'm asking the experts......

Thanks
peter.

Onlooker · 26 Mar 2003, 06:09 (Ref:548319)

Apparently it is some Trans-Am engine,I was led to believe that it was the IRL donk modified but I read somewhere that this isn't the case.

rocket · 26 Mar 2003, 06:14 (Ref:548323)

i think holden got GM in the states to do a special run of blocks, the found what type they wanted to run but they wernt being made anymore so holden got them to do some changes and do a run
i dont know the original history of the block

hypo · 26 Mar 2003, 09:07 (Ref:548421)

You're both right
It was a Chev engine used in Trans-Am, but was modified to suit the Commodore's side engine mounts

Acj 428 · 26 Mar 2003, 09:28 (Ref:548457)

O.k it's as clear as mud !!!
No really thanks, I was wanting to clear up whether it was a GM product or not!

Cheers
Peter.

Mattracer · 26 Mar 2003, 22:28 (Ref:549340)

What are the diffrences internally? About the only differences I have so far been able to glean from various sources is that it will be moved back in the chassis slightly and it will have different internals. This sort of stuff should be posted on the V8 Supercar site for those of us more interested in the cars than what they look like.

jiminee · 27 Mar 2003, 00:00 (Ref:549454)

Apparently it does look a lot different although I did not get to see it. The external shape of the heads are much different, I believe much bigger but that is all I could find out.
The 2 Team Dynamic cars, who were running in full Project Blueprint spec definetly sounded different though, it was very noticable.

Crash Test · 27 Mar 2003, 00:40 (Ref:549491)

But would the sound have more to do with exhaust? Crompton was saying that the FPR BA sounded throatier because of a twin exhaust set up

Blu_butterfly17 · 27 Mar 2003, 02:11 (Ref:549522)

i heard crompton mention that also. I can't wait until the QLD300 to hear them for myself.

Jack racer · 27 Mar 2003, 03:20 (Ref:549560)

The engine is the basic aurora block with custom heads that have to be man made at the moment. I is more closer to the ford engine than the old holden as in stroke, bore, hight etc.
The dynamik cars have a different exaust as well just to confuse thing even more.

mixxer · 27 Mar 2003, 05:01 (Ref:549593)

Pretty sure its a GM Motorsport part # block with changes to mounting points, but 1 thing is for certain you cant tell by exhaust sound what engine config they are running

jiminee · 27 Mar 2003, 05:11 (Ref:549596)

Well I can tell you that through the hairpin at Adeliade last week they sounded very very different. All the teams sound a little different if you listen closely but whether it was their exhausts or the different engine the Team Dynamic cars had a totally different sound to them. The reason I remember it so clearly is that it actually sounded horrible when they down shifted and on the over run, the sound resembled nails being rattled in a can!
I really hope they dont all sound like that when they change!

hypo · 27 Mar 2003, 10:56 (Ref:549773)

OK, the difference between the new and old chev are as follows-

Block - New Aurora has a shorter deck height than the old block that is closer in spec to the Ford's (roughly 8 inches)

Heads - New Aurora has more evenly spaced inlet and exhaust ports to bring it inline with the Ford units

Thats all I know, read it in Aussie Muscle car Magazine

rocket · 28 Mar 2003, 05:42 (Ref:550711)

the differences, the new aurora block is 0.825 inches or 2.0955mm lower than the original vt/vx block, they made casting changes to the aurora block to suit a side mount aplication, it is mounted 22mm further back than the vt/vx engine to make the position the same as the ford, the maximum conrod length is now 5.7 inches (common to both makes), the head design has been changed to a more even port spacing, holden believed that the previous 18 deg heads wernt as efficent as the ford design (this only seemed to be in the top end stakes). with the valves the fords are more vertical than the holdens, 7.5 deg ford compared to 11.5 deg holden on intake & 8.0 deg ford compared to 7.0 deg holden exhaust, the intake valve size has been limited to 2.125 inches for both makes to try & keep flow rates similar. the only thing different the holden teams will have to do is develop a manifold to suit the new head/block design

Mattracer · 28 Mar 2003, 23:08 (Ref:551648)

Wasn't much wrong with the siamesed ports at Bathurst 2002 with all those hot spots creeping around in the heads ten laps from home.

rocket · 29 Mar 2003, 03:55 (Ref:551819)

they didnt seem to slow in a straight line either, but its one less thing the holdes teams can say the ford has better

Mattracer · 29 Mar 2003, 06:10 (Ref:551859)

How that car made it to the finish much less win the race is astonishing.

Mark Webber · 29 Mar 2003, 13:09 (Ref:552102)

yes but did the 17 deg tilt on the radiator help at all?

Mattracer · 30 Mar 2003, 00:59 (Ref:552558)

No, it only made it worse as the plastic bags had a more comfortable place to sit themselves to enjoy their ride and enjoy the 15 mins of infamy.

True Believer · 31 Mar 2003, 01:03 (Ref:553308)

The Holdens appear better in a straight line than they really are because the powerdown is so good in the Commodore, improving corner exit speed.

Watching the Konica coverage, the Perkins car of Porter fairly sails out of slow corners, while the Fords seem to struggle still...

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