Rebuilding the Chrysler 3.3L / 3.8L Engine
Before we run through the changes, though, here’s a quick overview of the 3.3L and 3.8L engines: (download the illustrated pdf here) • They’re conventional 60 degree V6 motors with iron blocks and aluminum heads, including some castings that are shared by both engines and some that aren’t. • The differences between
What’s New with Oil Pumps, Pickups and Pans
The two greatest concerns from a lubrication standpoint are dry starts and loss of oil pressure while the engine is running. Dry starts are more of a worry in engines that have front-mounted oil pumps with relatively long pickup tubes, which includes such popular engines as the GM 3800 V6, Chrysler 3.5L V6, etc. as
CNC?Head Porting & Machining Centers
The fact that CNC machines have come down in price over the years, coupled with less complicated interfacing systems means that today they can be used by nearly anyone. You don’t have to relearn everything. You don’t have to take endless courses on how to make a tool change. Today’s machines are sophisticated and savvy
Building a Late Model Hemi Stroker
What is the purpose of stroking a motor? The answer is simple: to obtain more cubic inches. And in today’s economic times, it’s always best to achieve “more” with less – as in less money. The key word to many stroker enthusiasts today is “budget”. However, the word “budget” has a way of being interpreted
Spring, Sprang, Sprung: Why Valve Springs Matter So Much
Keep in mind the cam, pushrods, lifters, and rocker arms do all the work in opening the valves, but it is the spring that keeps that valve closed during the operation of the engine. Valve springs can be compressed and expanded throughout their life cycle, sometimes at more than 1,150 times per minute for most
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
Pre-War Engines: Vintage Technology, Modern Products
How have the changes in the market and the changes in vehicles affected shops specializing in vintage engines as well as those shops thinking about adding vintage to their list of services? The automotive enthusiast and collector market is a funny creature. While the actual mechanical evolution may sometimes run in opposite directions, the eras
Diesel Crankshaft Basics
The crankshaft turns this linear motion into a rotating motion that provides power to move a vehicle forward, operate generators or otherwise give measurable activity. Whether in a gasoline or diesel-powered engine, the crankshaft is a key component. With diesels, the crank is typically thought of as bigger, heavier and harder to get in the
Caburetors and Electronic Fuel Injection Systems
These days just about everyone is looking to new technology to solve their problems. In some cases it makes sense: others, not so much. Take the trusty old carburetor for example: it has been around since the beginning of time (automotive time anyway), and many have predicted its demise, but somehow it keeps coming back
A Closer Look at Today
The location of the wrist pins must match the stroke of the crankshaft, the length of the connecting rods and the deck height of the block. The compression ratio needs to be right for the application, and the configuration of the piston dome and valve reliefs have to be compatible with the combustion chambers in
2010 Engine Builder Tech Solutions Guide
(Use the links below to view a PDF of each section) PERFORMANCE CHRYSLER FORD GM Sponsored by:
2010 Engine Builder Tech Solutions Guide
(Use the links below to view a PDF of each section) PERFORMANCE CHRYSLER FORD GM Sponsored by: