Guide and Seat Equipment
Cylinder head work has been and should continue to be a profit center for engine builders. Heads almost always require guide and seat work to restore compression and oil control. This includes drilling, reaming and replacing valve guides, removing worn, loose or damaged valve seats, cutting new seat counterbores, and machining valve seats. For performance
Bad For The Auto Industry, Good For Rebuilding
The headline in the Dallas Morning News caught my eye: “New Car Customers With Negative Equity Are Growing Problem For Auto Industry.” The words “negative” and “problem” are well-recognized around this segment of the “auto industry” so, of course, I read on to see how this story would impact the Engine Builder reader. To my
Pera’s Core Corner
In the quest to find the latest and greatest information about different casting identification, oddities and interchangeability to assist those within the engine remanufacturing or rebuilding industry, it is easy to lose sight of valuable information from the past. No, I am not talking about the ’50s and ’60s, although that may be an idea,
When Old Dogs Learn New Tricks
When Jay Steel was introduced to the assembled throng at last spring’s AERA International Expo 2003 as the winner of Engine Builder’s 2003 “Machine Shop of the Year” award, he was intimately involved with the down and dirty business of rebuilding and restoring all manner of antique engines. His shop’s lineage descends directly from the
Core Corner
Whenever I see a new subdivision being built further out into the rural areas of larger cities, I think about the new owners, many of whom will be young married couples moving out of apartments or condos and finally getting to that place where they are ready to start a family. Once that baby booming
Cylinder liner adjustment and compression ring gasket thickness for Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) 71 Series diesel engines
Engine Builders: The following information regards cylinder liner adjustment and compression ring gasket thickness for Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) 71 Series diesel engines. This information should be considered any time liners are replaced. AERA previously published TB 206 concerning compression ring gaskets. This supplements that information. The correct position of the liner top flange is
Removal Tricks For Broken Ford Flathead Bolts
First, the flathead design means head hardware is exposed at all times to weather and coolant so corrosion results. Second, several bolt holes in the block on both sides (between cylinders) crack. It’s rare to find any of them NOT cracked and experience says that although these cracks do not create a problem that would
PERA’s Core Corner
During our research of the General Motors Gen III engine family we continued to run up against a stumbling block of exterior identification between the 4.8L and 5.3L engines. It seemed that no matter who we spoke with, be it core suppliers, wrecking yards, engineers or rebuilders, when asked how they differentiated between the 4.8L
What’s Wrong With Our Industry
What’s wrong with the engine building industry today? It’s a simple question that has no simple answer. Like many other – if not every – industry facing difficult times, the factors impacting this market are varied, complex and frustratingly hard to pin down. Are the woes of the industry the fault of customers or suppliers?
Shop Line September, Enginer Builder
Our installers say late model GM 2.4L engines often have a rough idle. Nothing seems wrong internally. Any suggestions we can give them? According to AERA
How can the distributor cause damage to a freshly rebuilt engine?
How can the distributor cause damage to a freshly rebuilt engine? According to the AERA technical committee, cracked magnets in distributors on some 1987-2002 GM engines can indeed be a problem. In some instances faulty distributors have been reinstalled after an engine rebuild and caused premature engine failure. Distributors with cracks in this area (see
Valve Seat Installation Procedures
If a valve seat is damaged, cracked, loose, receded or too badly worn to be recut or reground, it can cause a variety of problems: loss of compression, valve burning, valve failure, valvetrain wear and breakage, even head and valve damage if the seat comes loose. For that reason, replacing valve seats is often necessary
Cylinder head stress plate for Caterpillar 3126 diesel engines.
Engine Builders: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding a revised cylinder head stress plate for Caterpillar 3126 diesel engines. Previously AERA published Technical Bulletin 1561 concerning a stress plate for this engine. The previously made plates covered a single cylinder and required multiple relocations of the plate to bore/hone all six cylinders.
PERA’S Core Corner
This month we are going to look at some issues that have certainly been identified in previous issues of Engine Builder. However, based upon the number of recent inquiries at PERA headquarters we thought it might be a good time to bring them to everyone’s attention again as a helpful reminder. First, is the 2.9L
Is it normal for a customer to lose up to a quart of oil every 2,000 miles?
Q. Is it normal for a customer to lose up to a quart of oil every 2,000 miles? A. Surprisingly, if your customer is driving a 1999-2002 GM truck with the 4.8L V8 (also known as the Vortec 4800), the answer is "yes." General Motors says oil consumption of this magnitude under normal operating conditions
Conferences And Seminars Offer Many Potential Rewards
Getting away from the day-to-day grind and going to a seminar or conference with fellow shop owners and machinists has rewards that far outweigh the expense, and often may even present new business opportunities. At the Engine Rebuilders Association Tech Expo (AERA) I attended this past April in Indianapolis, a presentation given by John DeBates,
PERA Core Corner
The very popular Chevrolet FWD/RWD, 2.2L/134CID, OHV four-cylinder engine is a solid steed in the GM stable. But even after more than 10 years, it still manages to raise questions surrounding the Gen II engine casting configurations, in particular the cylinder head. Since its birth in 1990, when the old Chevy 2.0L engine was upgraded
Special procedures to follow when working with Ford BSD engines
Q: Are there any special procedures to follow when working with Ford BSD engines? A: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding the crankshaft dynamic balancer on Ford BSD four cylinder diesel engines. The engines that are affected are the BSD 442, 442T, 444 and 444T. The 442 series engines are 256 cubic
Just Imports
So, you aren’t willing to work on import engines? To you they just seem too complicated and overwhelming? So you end up making the statement that you don’t do foreign vehicle repairs – or more specifically, import engine repairs. What happens when you get an offer to do a Mazda B2300 motor or work on
The Percentage Of DIYer Households In The United States Has Remained Constant For The Past Six Years
According to a new market research study released by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) segment of the automotive aftermarket is not shrinking; in fact, the percentage of DIYer households in the United States has remained constant for the past six years. This comes as no surprise to Ernie and Sandi Holder,