New Car Engine Technology
Sleeves & Liners – Selection and Installation

Engine sleeves have long been used to repair worn or cracked cylinders that can’t be bored to oversize. Installing a sleeve can save a block that would otherwise be unrebuildable. But sleeves can also be used to strengthen cylinders, especially in performance engines that are being pushed way beyond their original design tolerances. A prime

Engine Balancing – Explain the Benefits to Sell the Balance

Over the years I’ve seen many articles on engine balancing and it seems that most of them get pretty technical and complicated. It is always nice to understand the depth of what you are trying to accomplish, but we cannot lose focus of the ultimate goal – which is to give the customer the best-balanced

The Fuel Injection Phenomenon – What Normally (Naturally) Aspirated Engine Builders Need to Know

On a basic level, fuel injection just looks really cool. The intake on a fuel injected power plant is the most visible part of the engine while the ram tubes, injectors and fuel lines make it look intricately sleek. With recent developments, simple mechanical fuel injection (MFI) is also useful for a level of complex

Head Porting – Going with the Flow

Flow…that magical, mystical word that is seemingly carved in stone anytime the discussion topic turns to performance cylinder heads. Whether you are a seasoned veteran in the engine wars or finalizing the specs for your first ever build, it is virtually impossible to avoid it. The flip side of that coin always carries another word

The BIG chill – Cryogenic Metal Treatment Benefits May Not Be Visible But Are Real

What is the purpose behind deep freezing engine parts (and other components)? Though its roots go back to the 1800s, the cryogenic craze started about 20-plus years ago when news was that some Pro Stock teams were “freezing” engine parts. The only answer given when asked “why” was that the cold temperatures somehow moved the

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.

10 Things You Might Not Know (But Should) About Pistons and Rings

We asked various aftermarket piston and ring suppliers what type of questions commonly arise when a customer is buying a set of pistons or rings for an engine.

Valves & Seats

When it comes to engine components working together, there are few areas that share the same level of relationship as the valves and valve seats. The factors that affect this duo’s ability to reside in harmony inside an internal combustion engine encompass everything from material compatibility to thermal conductivity. In regard to the actual physical

The Value and Benefit of Sonic Testing

Sonic testing is probably one of the most valuable tools of engine building – and often the most overlooked. It allows the engine builder to gain a basic perspective of the integrity of the parts that are going to be used for the engine build.

Hot Engines for Hot Wheels

If one of the most recognizable hosts of one of the most popular automotive-based reality TV shows came calling and asked you to build a blown big block to squeeze into a vintage collector car to help celebrate the history of an iconic toy, would you blink? For Jammie Wells, it’s just another day in

Step by Step: 6.4L Magnum Coming to Life

I recently had my forth call from a shop with interest in our 392 ci Chrysler build as a project they are hoping to tackle. The budget and power needs for his project were not to the scope of our project and he was discussing a less expensive cast steel crankshaft and the factory connecting