Engine Builder Shop Solutions: March 2009
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. “What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you ‘make it’ for
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: February 2009
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. “What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you ‘make it’
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2009
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. “What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you ‘make it’ for
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: December 2008
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. “What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you ‘make it’ for
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: November 2008
Ford Reverse Rotation Rear Main Seal Replacement Ford small block 302 V8 engines have long been used in marine applications in both standard and reverse rotation crankshaft configurations. Many vendors list seals for the reverse rotation two-piece seal, but some reverse rotation engines use a one-piece seal. I don’t know of any aftermarket listings for
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: October 2008
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you “make it” for
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: September 2008
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips TIP #2 – Get The Job In The Door: As one shop owner who is also a fly fisherman put it, “You gotta set the hook.” Most shop owners would agree that once the job hits the floor it turns to cash. The key to getting more jobs to
Shop Solutions: August 2008
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips We recently held a series of 8 focus meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting: 1) What’s working? 2) What’s not working? and 3) What do you need most to help you
Shop Solutions: July 2008
Timing Chain Tensioner Installation Caution: 1996-’06 GM 2.4L This tensioner consists of a housing and a piston. The piston has a secondary piston or plunger contained in it and must be in the compressed position for installation. When compressed, the plunger extends approximately .070? (or 1.7mm) beyond the piston cylinder. If this is not the
Shop Solutions: June 2008
How To Handle Engine Diagnostic Nightmares Automotive machine shops are being asked more than ever to help diagnose engine related problems by a variety of customers. Repair shops, car dealers, parts suppliers and DIY’s are all in need of input from machine shop personnel. Two problem areas we see today frequently involve auto manufacturers designs
Shop Solutions: May 2008
Installing Cam Bearings In Vintage Engines I have found that building vintage engines can be fun and also challenging, especially the very early engines where assembly information was somewhat limited. Here is a suggestion that may be helpful when installing cam bearings in vintage engines: Save the old cam bearings, especially if the engine will
Shop Solutions: April 2008
Charging For Expert Advice Bench racers wasting your time? Our shop labor rate is $80 per hour. I sell my advice for 1/2 price! When a guy wants me to engineer a motor by selecting parts combinations and machining specs to achieve a specific level of performance, I charge him for my time. I explain
Shop Solutions: March 2008
Debunking the 10 x 10 Crankshaft Myth for Customers We’ve heard a lot of customers say they need a .010? x .010? undersize grind crank because “the vehicle will be towing a lot of weight” or “this guy drives his car/truck real hard” or “this boat runs at high rpms and I don’t want to
Shop Solutions: February 2008
Improving Dowel Puller Grip To enhance the gripping power of a collet type dowel puller, put a dab of valve grinding compound between the collet and sleeve, and also a small amount on the dowel to be pulled. Dave Barcott, Custom Engine & Machine Sedro-Wooley, WA Better Block Prep on Engines with Oil Gallery
Shop Solutions: January 2008
Crankshaft Thrust Failure – Ford 5.0L (302 CID) V8 Some 1982-’90 Ford 302 V8 engines may have insufficient torque convertor to crankshaft clearance. This may result in a metallic noise caused by flexing of the torque convertor, allowing the convertor to contact the flywheel bolts. This can also lead to damage to the crankshaft and
Engine Builder Shop Solutions, December 2007
Piston Rings 101: Proper Break-In If piston rings are not properly broken in, the result may be excessiveoil consumption. Compression rings rely on combustion pressures toforce them down against the bottom of the ring groove and out againstthe cylinder wall. This is what makes the rings seat and seal. Initialring tension accounts for only a
Shop Solutions: November 2007
Solution for Pre-mature Camshaft Failure on Big Block Chevy Engines ≈Big Block Chevrolet engines are well known for being subject to premature camshaft lobe wear and failure. Here are ways to help relieve this problem. When replacing a hydraulic camshaft, instead of using the OE type of lifter (p/n 817 or VL37) use p/n 2095
Engine Builder Shop Solutions, October 2007
Intake Manifold Cleaning Caution – Ford 4.6L VIN ‘W’ Engines (1991-’98) If piston failure occurs in this engine, it is possible for broken pieces of piston to end up in the intake plenum. This is due to the design of the engine, which has tuned runners with the plenum located below the runners. The piston
Chrysler Shop Solutions
Chrysler/ Mitsubishi 2.6L/3.0L Some of the late 2.6L engines and all of the 3.0L Mitsubishi engines have a very small "auto-lash-adjuster" installed in the tip of the rocker. All too often, air gets trapped in the lower chamber of the lifter and prevents oil from filling the lifter. When this happens, the lifter holds the
Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions’ CNC Facility Goes Paperless with ProShop
ProShop is playing a vital role at Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions (RYMS). RYMS is utilizing ProShop’s vast experience and module-built Digital Manufacturing Eco System to help expand and connect its growing facility. The turn-key software brings the tools of ERP, MES, and QMS together to make one complete robust package.
