Len Emanuelson, Author at Engine Builder Magazine
EFI Modules – Nothing To Be Scared About

I just finished watching my favorite TV show – Discovery Channel’s Street Outlaws. A good portion of each episode is devoted to tuning these 2,000-3,500 hp monsters to get down the street without smoking the tires the entire 1/8th mile. However, you rarely see any hoods open or any adjustments to the engine taking place.

MLS Gasket Update 2017: Is there anything the MLS gasket can’t do?

Sometimes, the less you know the better. I’ve spent the last 50 or so years punishing all types of engines with insane compression ratios, huge doses of nitrous oxide, and virtually every type of supercharger I could get my hands on.

Modern Stroker Kits

Folks have been stroking engines as long as hot rodding has been around. Swapping Merc cranks in Ford Flatheads was a surefire recipe for a fast car. And as you can see from this as well as past Engine Builder Stroker Resource Guides, there is a kit for virtually any engine worth modifying.

Aluminum SBC Cylinder Heads

A lot has changed in the performance cylinder head market since my last head story in EB in 2010. First of all, 600hp is the new 500hp, and if a power adder is involved, you’d better be packing 800hp to have any bragging rights at all.

Are Carbs Making You Look Bad? – The Best Engine Build Means Nothing If It Doesn’t Run Right

It’s hard to believe that we’re still talking about carburetors in 2017, especially since the last vehicle sold in America with a carburetor was more than 25 years ago. This seemingly rudimentary device has been fueling the internal combustion engine since its inception more than 100 years ago.

2011 Stroker Engine Guide: Unlocking LS Stroker Engine Potential

Modifying the LS for more power is as easy as falling off a log, to apoint, then some tough issues arise, especially if you are building ahigh-rpm race engine. But until you reach that point, the LS respondsnicely to boring and stroking, improved cylinder head flow and theyrespond especially well to power adders. The only

Pro Stock Engine Technology

For a gearhead it’s always interesting to look at the upper echelons of motorsports to see what’s ticking under the hood. F1, Sprint Cup, and endurance cars are all fairly engaging from an engine perspective, but nothing tops drag racing for its sheer power, variety and ingenuity. In a single event you have vehicles competing

Does Ignition Tuning Still Matter? Things You Need To Know

Spark plugs never foul out anymore, and the old term “it’s breaking up at high rpm” has literally disappeared from the racer’s vernacular. And now thanks to digital electronics, even the spark advance curve can be programmed on a laptop computer instead of adjusting weights and springs that fly around inside of a distributor. How

Unlocking LS Stroker Engine Potential

Editor’s Note: Our March 2013 Issue will feature the 6th Annual Engine Builder Stroker Guide with a detailed listing, broken down by engine, of the components and part numbers currently available. Be sure to stay tuned! Modifying the LS for more power is as easy as falling off a log, to a point, then some

Dyno Decisions Depend on Business Model

If you need a dyno only  three or four times a year, you’re probably better off renting dyno time from another facility. If you build race engines for a living, an engine dyno is an essential part of how you do your job and ultimately the value you provide to your customer. So what are

A Closer Look at BBC Bracket Racing Cylinder Heads

However, it proved to be just the opposite – sportsman racers loved it  and it allowed local drag racing to thrive and grow. Back in its infancy, I covered weekly bracket racing in Southern California at the now defunct Irwindale and Orange County International Raceways. The action was hot and heavy with full fields of

Selling Vintage Speed Can Help Business Until Business Gets Better

Due to these hard times, fewer customers are looking for your services, and they’re looking to spend as little money as possible. A small shop can survive on low-margin jobs for only so long before the overhead simply eats you alive. One alternative plan is to add a line of vintage performance engines that command