hello. recently ive been interested in switching over to an aluminum block and have done a fair amount of research. My only concern is that due to the softer metal, the main caps have a greater chance of ripping out. Are the mains on an aluminum block as strong as iron?

 

My guess is you'll be fine. It's an engine block not armor

 

It all depends on how the aluminum block was engineered. Look at the specs and see how much power the block was rated for, and what RPM it can support. If both blocks are built exactly the same, then the iron block will be stronger. At very high power levels other things besides the main bearing caps come into play, including the block actually splitting in half.