firehawk
Full Access Member
2) Aluminum melts at 1280 f. It will not magically stay solid at 1600. That is why the crucial number on anyone's exhaust gas gauge is 1150, since it is downstream from the event. Any higher and you are looking at pistons with holes in the top.
Pistons and heads are not made from aluminum. They are made from an alloy that contains aluminum that will not melt at 1280. I have run my iron block/al head race car for hours at a time at 1200+ and have run other cars at up to 1400 with no damage.