May, 2010 Archives - Engine Builder Magazine
Respect Between Shops and Stores Strengthens Both

I have been lucky enough to make sales calls on hundreds of machine shops over the past 30-plus years. Some are still here today and sadly, some are not. In that time I have met a few machine shop owners who were hard working and quite successful. They put in their years, formed an exit

Race vs. Street Oil and Lubricants: The Great Zinc Debate Continues

In racing applications, it’s not usually so serene. Engines live on the edge. Engine builders and racers are always fighting and scratching for more power, more torque, just that little something extra, even 100 rpm off the corner more than the next guy – but it comes with a price. About the only protection these

A Closer Look at BBC Bracket Racing Cylinder Heads

However, it proved to be just the opposite – sportsman racers loved it  and it allowed local drag racing to thrive and grow. Back in its infancy, I covered weekly bracket racing in Southern California at the now defunct Irwindale and Orange County International Raceways. The action was hot and heavy with full fields of

Bolt-on Horsepower: Choosing An Induction System

The induction system feeds the engine air and fuel.  So to increase the torque and horsepower output of an engine, the induction system has to provide more air and fuel.  That usually means adding an aftermarket performance intake manifold with taller, larger and/or longer runners to increase air flow into the cylinder head ports, bolting

When Does One-Thousandth Of An Inch Equal A Mile?

Now this statement has both good and bad advice in it. Good, because we all know high quality tools cost money, and bad because, as engine builders, who are you going to borrow tools from? The guy next door? Probably not. You need to have your own tools and tooling to control your quality in

Chrysler 3.3L/3.8L Labor Costing Study

First introduced as a family back in 1990, these engines have been upgraded and improved to provide good torque for the necessary applications, reasonable fuel economy and a reputation for durability and appropriate performance. Both have iron blocks and aluminum heads and since 2001 have been used nearly exclusively in Chrysler’s FWD?lineup, powering the Dodge