Slides and expendable cores for high pressure die cast closed deck engine block

A method for high pressure die casting a closed deck engine block comprising:

• placing a slide in a high pressure die casting mold for casting an engine block, the slide having at least one mandrel and a tool steel portion for forming at least one cylinder and a water jacket surrounding each cylinder, the tool steel portion including at least one relief having an inner surface and an outer surface defining a tool steel relief;
• inserting at least one expendable salt core into the tool steel relief, at least one salt core having an inner surface and an outer surface with an aperture extending through the inner surface to the outer surface;
• closing the high pressure die casting mold;
• injecting a molten aluminum-silicon alloy into the high pressure die casting mold to create a closed deck engine block casting having at least one cylinder and a water jacket surrounding each cylinder, the water jacket having an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall corresponding to an outer wall of the cylinder, wherein the molten aluminum-silicon alloy enters the aperture of the at least one salt core to create a bridge between the inner wall and outer wall of the water jacket;
• cooling the closed deck engine block casting;
• removing the cylinder and water jacket from the high pressure die casting mold and the closed deck engine block casting, wherein at least one expendable salt core remains with the closed deck engine block casting;
• and dissolving each salt core.