Danny Soliz, Author at Engine Builder Magazine
How to Clean a Direct Injection Cylinder Head

Cylinder heads can pretty dirty over time. They get filled with carbon and other deposits that can eventually rob your engine of airflow, fuel and power. For that reason, cleaning cylinder heads is an important thing to do on a performance engine, especially if you have a direct injection head. Danny talks about techniques for

A Better Way to Remove Valve Springs

Danny Soliz of Hill Country Performance & Machine has a lot of tricks up his sleeve to make engine work a little easier. He’s great at working smarter not harder, and in this latest video he shows you a great way to remove valve springs and keep some of those valvetrain components organized.

How to Install Valve Seats and Get Proper Press Fit

In this episode of Danny Soliz Says, Danny shows you the steps to properly install new valve seats. He also stresses the importance of having the right press fit in order to avoid dropping seats.

Why You Should Be Bleeding Lifters

In this episode of Danny Soliz Says, Danny talks about lifter preload and how to avoid issues with your lifters and valvetrain components by making sure you bleed your lifters prior to reassembly.

Converting Cylinder Heads for Unleaded Fuel

In this episode of Danny Soliz Says, Danny walks you through the steps needed to convert a cylinder head to run unleaded fuel.

How to Check Piston Ring End Gap

Now that Danny has given an overview of piston ring differences and understanding piston ring end gap, he’s going to show you how to properly check it for your engine and application.

Understanding Piston Ring End Gap – Part 1

Piston ring technology has changed a lot over the years, and it continues to change. Different materials, different widths, different features, and so on mean that knowing what to set your ring end gap at becomes very important. In this episode, Danny walks you through what you need to know. More episodes on rings to

Clean Out Your Oil Passages

Although it may seem simple and obvious, there is no denying the importance of a clean block before assembly. Danny Soliz of Hill Country Performance Machine explains how he ensures the oil passages are free of debris.

Straightening Cylinder Heads

In this episode of Danny Soliz Says, Danny walks you through the importance of straightening your cylinder heads before milling the bottom so your valvetrain components can perform at their maximum capacity. Danny Soliz owns and operates Hill Country Performance & Machine in Spring Branch, TX.

Danny Soliz
Better Oil Galley Plug Removal

In this episode of Danny Soliz Says, Danny walks you through how to remove oil galley plugs in a timely and safe manner, so you don’t damage the block. Engines such as FEs have oil galley plugs all over the place. Make removal less of a headache.

Remove Your Camshaft and Lifters Easier

Work smarter not harder! In this episode of Danny Soliz Says, Danny shows you how to remove your camshaft and lifters in an easy fashion without damaging the lifter bores or the lifters themselves.

Never Use Scotch-Brite on Aluminum Heads

Scotch-Brite may have some usefulness in the engine shop, but one place it should NEVER be used is on aluminum cylinder head deck surfaces. Using Scotch-Brite is the equivalent of strapping a chain to the cylinder head, having a buddy stand on it and dragging it behind a car on the street. Your results will