360-1 Casting better?

I've been in several engine casting plants in Michigan..

Casting sand gets recycled over and over... It's burnt black, probably the dirtiest and smelliest manufacturing plants to be inside of because of the burnt green casting sand. That sand is also the source of flaws and what you get for surface texture. The pattern doesn't have a texture to it. And old pattern pieces sometimes get stored when they are at the end of there life to be used in emergency's and to piece other patterns together to make a mold. So, I'm not sure you could tell much about some blocks getting cast, there are sacrifices in the process.

I would be more concerned if a cast iron engine block wasn't allowed to get "seasoned" for a month or two before it gets machined. But when demand is high they go out the door as quick as they can.