2013 Editions Archives - Page 2 of 8 - Engine Builder Magazine
Hydrocarbon Heartburn? — Effects of Sulfur Reduction in Motor Oils

Let’s face it, things change. Not only have the prices of gasoline, diesel and motor oils changed in the last decade or so, the chemical makeup of these products have all changed, too. The reduction of sulfur in diesel fuel, gasoline and motor oil has had measurable effects on fuel injectors and other vital engine

Time in a Bottle — Reasons Behind Changing Engine Oils

When I was just a young pup in the 1960s working on lubes for Shell Research and Development, passenger car motor oils (PCMO) were much simpler and easier to understand. There were only three performance levels: motor light (ML), motor moderate (MM), and motor severe (MS). Auto manufacturers and lube oil marketers worked closely with

November Issue Engine Builder Shop Solutions

Jeep 3.8L Oil Pressure Problem Many late model 3.8L Jeep engines are losing oil pressure at the oil pump due to failure of the bypass valve. This results in destruction of not only the crankshaft, but the connecting rods. To fix the problem, you need to find the bypass valve inside the plastic timing cover.

Computer ‘Tools’

Infusing Software Technology into a Performance Build For years, computer-aided ­design (CAD) has been used in the automotive industry to develop prototypes of body styles, as well as to design auto components including engine parts, ­electronics and even tires. In fact, Dr. Patrick J. Hanratty, an American computer scientist who is known as the “Father

Handling Stress Fractures

Salvaging Cracked or Flawed Engine Parts through Detection and Repairs Cracks are often blamed as the cause of a head failure. In many instances, the cracks are not the cause of the failure, but a symptom of another underlying problem such as overheating, detonation or incorrect installation (wrong torque on head bolts, dirty bolt threads,

Big Winners In Las Vegas

Cab lines aside, smiles were evident People were everywhere. Lines for restaurants, cabs and elevators seemed interminable. Traffic jams in aisles and on the street meant no matter where you were going, it was going to take you a while to get there. And by nearly every measure ­imaginable, people couldn’t have been happier. “Industry

Scratching the Surface: Coatings and Treatments for Engine Components

When it comes to preserving performance parts, it’s the ‘Icing on the Cake’   Various kinds of coatings and surface treatments can be applied to engine parts like icing on the cake to improve durability, enhance scuff resistance and lubrication, control heat, boost thermal efficiency and reduce friction. No single coating or surface treatment can

Choosing Camshafts – Picking Performance

  Choosing the “right” cams­haft is not only the cornerstone of building a performance engine, but also its centerpiece. Choosing a cam can give anyone a headache – especially if they choose the wrong cam for a given application. There’s a lot of science involved in cam selection, so keep reading and we’ll help you

Fuel Feature: Eliminating Poor Throttle Response

Impact of Today’s Gasoline on Carbureted Engines The pump gasoline sold at gas stations around the country has changed quite a bit over the last several decades. The first major change was the removal of lead from the gasoline. The next major change was to reformulate the gasoline to reduce both the evaporative and exhaust

Toyota Oversize Valve Lifter Modification

A Video from John Edwards of Cost Mesa R&D Automotive Machine Shop, Costa Mesa, CA that shows How to Resize OHC Oversize Lifters According to Edwards, occasionally, you will need to buy lifters to make valve adjustments because the one piece tappet is of a specific height and must be changed. This is the case

Shop Solutions: October 2013 Issue

Balloons Belong at Birthday Parties Not in Transmissions I rebuilt a 454 GM engine that went into a motorhome application. It ran well, and no problems immediately appeared. But later on, it was towed in with a main bearing failure in the thrust area. I gave the customer another engine, and a month later it

Maintaining Your Balance: Engine Building Tips to Reduce NVH and Increase Life

A high revving racing engine obviously needs a good balance to minimize these destructive forces, but balancing can be just as beneficial to low revving engines, too. Nobody would argue with the fact that engine balancing is right up there with “blueprinting” an engine. The goal is to equalize the reciprocating and rotating forces inside