Engine Pro Shop Solutions – May 2018
PISTON CLAMP Eliminating the movement of parts when installing or removing Spirolox-type retaining rings in piston and rod assemblies will make the job easier and save time and cursing. Instead of clamping a connecting rod in a vise and then trying to steady the piston, we make a simple device to stabilize the entire piston
We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1918
No disrespect to Prince, but 1999 was really nothing to party about. At least not when you consider the possibility of celebrating 100 years with no end in sight. But before we get too deep in the past, let’s return to the present … and the future. As of May 1, 2018, engine builders,
Driven to Succeed
Optimize Personal Performance To Maximize Professional Profits I was looking back over the past 10 years since my first article appeared in the May 2008 Engine Builder issue and noticed a trend. Much of what I write about has to do with performance. Not speed or high performance, but something that might resemble personal performance. While
We Have Lift Off – Head lift and a look beyond the gasket
In the 1980s, many racers were experimenting with turbochargers on stock engines. Colossal horsepower and torque numbers could be produced for a short period until the engine self-destructed. One of the weakest links they focused on was how to keep the head attached to the block under extreme pressures. Many engine builders experimented with copper
Rocker Arms – Connecting Up Your Valve Train
Understanding how rocker arms work The rocker arms in an engine have one simple but very important function: transferring the opening and closing events from the camshaft to the valves. Well, we all SAY it’s simple, but is it? Questions about what works best are still asked by even the most seasoned professional. With all
Taking Over the World of Engine Building
What you should know if your business is going international Not many businesses are satisfied with simply maintaining a local clientele. Just as customers typically want bigger and bigger engines, engine shops are looking to grow their business reach outside their town, city or state. In some cases, engine shops reach an international clientele, making
What Your Diesel Customers are Asking About FA-4 Engine Oil
The ROI benefits may outweigh the maintenance challenges With a year of the new American Petroleum Institute (API) CK-4 and FA-4 oil categories under the industry’s belt, many of your diesel customers, especially fleets, have likely switched over to the CK-4 formulation, as that was the engine OEM-approved backward compatible formula. The transition to FA-4
Military-Spec Coatings
How thermal coatings can benefit multiple engine areas M ilitary coatings are exponentially better than commercial coatings. At my shop, Hekimian Racing Engines in Watertown, MA, we use what are known as Mil-Coats, proprietary coating combinations for engine components. These are not available through your commercial channels. Hekimian Racing Engines’ coatings are proprietary, and Mil-Coat
Ford FE Stroker Build
Guardian of the Galaxie How Ford’s FE Engine Rose from the Ashes of Disaster to Become a Versatile Veteran Ford’s FE engine has had a rich history that, today, is often overlooked or at least misunderstood. Many of us who have been around awhile have heard the term FE, but not a lot of people of today’s
Third-World Problems, First-World Production
Ask the typical reader of Engine Builder what his biggest business challenge is and you might hear complaints such as bargain basement internet parts sales, competition from OEMs and an inability to find enthusiastic employees. Ask Andrew Yorke about his headaches and things sound a bit different. “Things that all my fellow engineers take for
Taking Over the World of Engine Building
Not many businesses are satisfied with simply maintaining a local clientele. Just as customers typically want bigger and bigger engines, engine shops are looking to grow their business reach outside their town, city or state. In some cases, engine shops reach an international clientele, making their engines and services available to the world. While there’s