Rebuilding The Chrysler 2.4L
Chrysler replaced its old SOHC four cylinders with an all-new family of SOHC and DOHC engines in 1995. There were 2.0L SOHC and DOHC versions, along with a 2.4L DOHC that was installed in the FWD cars and minivans. Add seven different head castings that came with and without EGR and A.I.R. and throw in
Balancing Equipment: Weighing the Options
Engine balancing is an important part of the process of building a performance engine today. In order to achieve the maximum performance and long component life, all rotating and reciprocal parts of an engine must be precision balanced. To properly balance an engine requires specialized equipment to measure the amount of unbalance and to locate
Blasting Equipment & Media
In today’s society, finding “the next big thing” seems to be all the rage. We no longer want to do things the same way and seem to keep asking “what’s the latest and greatest?” High technology and computerization have made many tedious everyday tasks a breeze, from communication to entertaining to operating your business. But
Building Hot Rods & Muscle Car Engines
Sometimes the best opportunities are cleverly hidden in plain view. As one example, when Chris Lafferty of Lafferty Engine Creations was asked why he opted to expand beyond race engines into the hot rod and muscle car arenas, he snorted, “Just look outside.” His North Carolina facility sits squarely in the middle of both NASCAR
Engine Builders: Pistons and Rings – Hypereutectic, Valve, Installation
Though pistons can often be salvaged when remanufacturing an engine, sometimes they have to be replaced. The original pistons may have worn or damaged ring grooves, wrist pins or skirts, or they may have cracks. New pistons may also be necessary if the cylinders have too much taper wear and the block has to be
Fast Lane: New Markets Could Give Your Business Hope For Survival
[email protected] Although some automotive machine shop owners believe that – with engine life measured in six figures – the good days are over, the shops that continuously seek out new markets that parallel their talents and abilities will continue to survive. Those shops willing to invest the time and effort to find those markets will
Machine Maintenance: The Flywheel Grinder – Getting To Know Your Shop Profit Pal
[email protected] In the last edition of “Machine Maintenance” I challenged you to tell me who introduced the first portable boring bar to the automotive aftermarket. I must admit that I was impressed by the number of responses I received. Here’s the answer: Rottler Manufacturing from Kent, WA.It seems that the founding father of Rottler was
Performance Notes: EFI Now ‘Doable’ For Every Hot Rodder And Engine Builder
[email protected] It is rare that a new product comes along that redefines a category and a market. Take Apple’s iPod for example. Digital downloading and music file sharing was becoming popular, but a portable device to take your downloaded music with you was needed. Apple’s iPod did just that. Now it’s nearly impossible to go
Fast Talk: Ward’s Announces ‘Top 10 Best Engines’
The winners of “Ward’s Auto 10 Best Engines” each reflect a changing environment within the automotive industry, according to the publication. Where past lists have been dominated by large-displacement engines, half of this year’s list is made up of 3.0L or smaller displacement engines. Only two of the winners are larger than 3.5L, and four
Final Wrap: A New Year And Some Brand Spankin’ New Technology
Happy New Year! As you undoubtedly realize, this is the time of year when magazine editors typically write their columns on one of three subjects: How bad the last year was and assurances that THIS year will be better. How great last year was but expressing concern that the bottom will drop out soon. Or,
Over the Peaks and Into the Valleys – Hones, Diamonds and Bores
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find the recipe for perfect bores…your instructions are to produce bores that are perfectly straight and round. This message will self-destruct after five minutes. Good luck.” Although it’s not “Mission: Impossible,” good bore geometry is critical in order to achieve proper ring sealing. Bore distortion
Understanding High Performance Valvetrain Technology
Parts are getting lighter, stronger and capable of producing more horsepower than ever before. One of the driving forces behind these advances has been the proliferation of aftermarket cylinder heads that require unique valvetrain components. In addition, new computer-aided design, modeling and manufacturing techniques are making it easier and faster for valvetrain component suppliers to