Machine Maintenance
In this column we
Old Iron
You know that customer? The one who waited not at all patiently while you found the parts, got the machine work done, and finally assembled his vintage or performance engine? The one who appeared to be in substantial pain when he wrote that $4,000 check and grudgingly tossed it on the counter with trembling hands?
Shop Financials
"Gap analysis" is a unique process geared toward finding inefficient day-to-day routines or uncovering those that create inefficiencies. Gap analysis measures every minute throughout the day for every person in the company, from executive to entry-level, from start of the day to the end of the day. Any minute found that is not geared toward
Thrust Bearing Failure
Thrust bearings are used to control end play in the crankshaft. End play is important because it limits the fore and aft movement of the crankshaft in the block. If an engine is assembled with too much end play in the crank, or if the thrust bearing fails, the forward movement of the crankshaft in
Flow Boxes
Over the years, I have had occasion to port cylinder heads when I had no prior experience with that particular casting. The results have not always been as good as I would have liked them to be, but with only one head or one pair of heads available to work with, the development opportunities were
Competitive Claimers
If there
Nuts About Bolts
The late Smokey Yunick, Hall of Fame race car mechanic, engine builder and car owner, once said that fastener technology used to be “cut and try.” In those days if there was ever a failure the philosophy was, “go one size bigger.” In today
The Wonder Spring
Suspense might be fine if you are Alfred Hitchcock but I really don
Final Wrap: May
In Las Vegas, a city where being lucky is more important than being good, AERA Expo attendees really stood out. Despite the best efforts of a great many people, you could say that the engine building industry has had more than its share of bad luck. Yet the mood at the recent AERA Expo 2003