This early model Vega utilized an aluminum Opel transmission notorious for failure. This was eventually replace with a Borg Warner transmission after the second OEM replacement.
The motor was designed with an aluminum block and cast iron head. The block was of high silica content aluminum. It was intended to provide a surface hard enough for the rings to seal against without the added cost of steel sleeves. This design proved to be the little motors downfall. The cylinder rings quickly failed resulting in lowered compression and oil consumption. General Motors provided installation of steel sleeves for those seeking repair to avoid a complete recall. The motors also failed to maintain proper head gasket seal beyond 80,000 miles due to the dissimilar expansion and contraction rates of iron and aluminum. After 250,000 miles and two head gaskets the motor was finally scrapped for metal salvage. The aluminum was corroding away due to electrolysis caused by the dissimilar metals.
The motor performed well with a standard engine rebuild and the addition of performance camshaft.
The car is extremely light and handling very neutral without excessive under or over steer.
Dissimilar metals do not cause electrolysis! maybe you mean galvanic corrosion.
Electrolysis and galvanic corrosion really describe the same thing... an oxidation-reduction chemical reaction. Electrolysis is the process, galvanic corrosion is the result. The cast iron has a higher reduction potential than the aluminum, and hence when the two metals are in contact and in the presense of an electrolyte, the aluminum will act as an anode and oxidize/corrode. Different terms might be used for different applications of this principle, but they are still describing the same reaction.
The Vega was a classic case being a good car from a design standpoint to being a bad car due to poor quality and workmanship.
The 2300cc engine was definitely a lesson learned for General Motors, while it was a good start with an overhead cam and aluminum block, the lack of sleeves to line the cylinder walls was an unfortunate omission. GM as much as admitted to that late in the engine's production run by installing sleeves in the engine and renaming it the "Durabuilt" engine. However by that time, the marketing damage was definitely done.
When the Chevy Citation came out in 1979, great lengths were made to make it known that the 2.5L "Iron Duke" was its base engine. The 2.5L was a gem of a motor with legendary durability and aluminum composite in engine blocks became a bad word.
Metallurgy has come a long way in the past 30 years, aluminum is back at least in cylinder heads and the introduction of DEX-Cool has helped with the deterioration problem. GM now builds pretty decent small cars, and the Vega in its own manner probably cleared the way for this to happen.
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