March 2020 Archives - Engine Builder Magazine
Dealing with Advice Seekers

I read a great column in my current Drag Illustrated magazine by Will Hanna called the “Advice Buffet.” The theme of the article is how some racers and hot rodders seek advice from several sources. In most cases, the many sources will differ cost and effort to the seeker. The seeker will seek until he

Street and Drag Racing Transmissions

In today’s world, racing and street-driven vehicles are blending together in the same category, with street-driven vehicles yielding more power than ever imagined. These vehicles require drivetrains that can handle the extreme power and for those reasons, you’ve got to put more “green” in the transmission.

Pistons in 2020

If you’ve got an engine, you want to make more horsepower, and these days, everybody’s got four-digit power levels in mind. Better pistons are one of the key components in being able to achieve those numbers.

GM 604 Crate Engine

These GM 604 and 602 crate engines have found favor with some racers, and just as with any engine, they do wear out and break. There is a need for shops that can rebuild these engines.

50 Years of Performance Timing Sets

Timing sets aren’t the most glamorous or trick item in a racing or street engine, but it is a very necessary piece. If your timing isn’t right, the list of engine damage can get lengthy.

Sprint Car Engine Update

Sprint Cars are exciting to watch and even more exciting to drive, but, like most other forms of racing, the costs to run a competitive car have ballooned in recent years.

Grassroots Racing and the Future of Motorsports

Guessing which way the wind will blow is not something most racers and engine builders can reliably predict. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have any plan or foresight about what may be coming next.

Race Engine Packages

Pick a formula that’s repeatable, verify your horsepower, create your marketing and you have an engine package.

Engine Refresh Season

Turn-around time for a complete engine refresh varies, depending on their workload and also the parts they need.

Pro Racing Rules for 2020

The top professional racing series, while they’re only a small percentage of the total racing universe, represent the trends that get passed down to other grassroots level divisions.

Shop Solutions – March 2020

VACUUM TESTING FIXTURES When vacuum testing valves on some heads there may be obstacles in the way. In many cases there will be some exhaust studs in the way like this 3.4L GM. Rather than opening up a can of worms trying to remove the exhaust studs, I look through my pressure testing plates to

The 2020 Daytona 500 – Which Side Were You On?

In 2018, I got the chance to attend the Daytona 500 as part of a good friend’s bachelor party. We had a blast that weekend watching the race and seeing Austin Dillon take his first Daytona 500 win in an exciting last lap. That was my first time at Daytona International Speedway and the experience