AERA to hold Don Gross Regional Conference
AERA is doing its part to make gaining knowledge and networking opportunities easier by holding a series of regional conferences instead of a larger, national one. Along with the outlined technical programs, AERA is inviting leading manufacturers of engine building/rebuilding tools, supplies, services, parts and machinery to attend this conference. These suppliers will have table-top
Performance Valve Springs and Retainers
Old school thinking on these matters has usually been to increase spring pressure as much as possible by using the stiffest dual or triple springs that can be installed in the engine. But that kind of thinking is changing, thanks to improvements in spring technology. Stiffer springs are obviously needed if you are building a
International Lubricants, Inc., Unveils New Website
LUBEGARD by International Lubricants, Inc. (ILI) unveiled its completely new and upgraded website, featuring a new and improved look, easier navigation, current and relevant product information and downloads, and an online store. “Due to constant demand from end users around the world, we made it easier than ever for any type of user, whether it’s
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: December 2009
Keeping Your Parts Washer Clean I was having difficulty keeping my parts washer clean, and the fluid/solvent was not lasting long enough. By utilizing an old oil filter housing from a 390 Ford motor, I found a way to keep the parts washer clean and increase the longevity of the washer fluid. I keep my 390
Valve and Guide Material, Selection Update
Today’s engines are being designed with more valves per cylinder with smaller valves to reduce valve train weight and increase intake volume. Cylinder heads typically require valve guide and seat work to restore compression and oil control if you are rebuilding the heads. For the valve to seat properly and to gain the most power
Installing Valve Guide Liners
The first step for installing bronze guide liners is to assemble the parts for the boring reamer. Install the bushing, then the spring, and finally the retainer. You now have a reamer kit. Insert the reamer kit in an air/electric drill. The proper drill should not exceed 1,000 rpm under load. Next, choose the appropriate
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: October 2009
Valve Spring Clarification There are many misconceptions on the visual inspection of valve spring free heights. There is a manufacturing tolerance on this dimension. The spring can change during the heat treat processes and squareness during the coiling process. Spring dampers can also influence the free length as they are installed before the spring is
Gaskets, Seals, Sealants and Fasteners
The factors that typically cause a gasket to fail include age, heat, thermal expansion, abrasion, pressure, vibration, corrosion, material breakdown or poor design. Some gaskets go the distance and others do not. With head gaskets, problems like detonation and engine overheating can damage the gasket very quickly, causing an otherwise good gasket to crack or
Video Engine Inspection Can Show Internal Problems Without Complete Teardown
Used in hundreds of engines in hundreds of fleets around the world, here are some examples of how Shell LubeVideoCheck has helped save time and money for fleet operators. 1. Drain Interval Optimization A Shell LubeVideoCheck inspection was performed on a 6-cylinder diesel engine used in a fuel-transport tractor. The customer wanted to verify that
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: August 2009
Gasket Surface Cleaning Caution Cleaning gasket surfaces can be a terrible thing to do! Many of today’s cylinder heads, and various parts are made of aluminum. The use of cleaning discs can damage the surface being cleaned by actually removing some of the surface being cleaned. There are also dangers of getting fibers from the
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: July 2009
The Modular Block ‘Main Event’ When performing main bearing housing bore work on an LS1, LS2, Ford 4.6L or other modular blocks the following procedures should be followed. First do all of your cap indexing, with cutting or aftermarket cap installation, then put the final torque on the mains. Next, install both cylinder heads and
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: June 2009
One More Head Gasket Tip In addition to the past two articles discussing head gasket failures, other head gasket failures can be caused by installation mistakes. Head bolts can stretch out. Many manufacturers recommend the head bolts be changed each time they are removed. Another common mistake is not cleaning the bolt and hole threads.
Cummins B Series Engine Rebuilds
The Cummins B Series engine was developed by Cummins for use in a variety of industrial applications such as aircraft tugs, wood chippers, drill rigs, material handling equipment, etc. The B Series engine was developed as an American alternative to Perkins, Deutz and other industrial engines in the 70-150 HP range. Unlike those industrial engines
Executive Interview with Bill Skok, President of Elgin Industries
BillSkok is president of Elgin Industries, a leading global manufacturer oforiginal equipment and replacement engine and chassis products for theautomotive and commercial vehicle markets. Skok joined the company,founded in 1919 by his grandfather, Martin Skok Sr., as governmentsales administrator in 1985 and became vice president of OEM sales in1988. He was named president of the
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
Racing Oil and Additves
Engine oil has sometimes been compared to a cake mix. The base oil is like the flour and the additives are the spices. How much is used of each varies by the type of cake and its intended use. Birthday cakes don’t really work for weddings. Engine builders have also been compared to gourmet chefs,
Chasing the Restoration Engine Market
We’ve all heard the stories and urban legends about old classic cars being found in someone’s garage or estate. Typically, the story goes, the owner just passed away, and his widow had no idea what was in the barn. Sounds too good to be true but it happens. One such story that recently grabbed headlines
The Inside Angle on Valve Seats: What you need to know to go with the flow
No one knows airflow better than the legendary Joe Mondello, who rose to fame back in the 1960s for his race-winning cylinder head work. “Back in those days, we didn’t have flow benches to test our work. Our test bench was the drag strip. If a modification worked and made the car run faster, that’s
AMRA/MAP to Name Barry Soltz its New Executive Director and President
The Board of Directors of AMRA (Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association) and the Board of Trustees of MAP (Motorist Assurance Program) jointly announced the selection of Barry E. Soltz as the organization’s Executive Director and President. Mr. Soltz, who most recently was employed with CARFAX, Inc. as Program Manager, officially will take over upon the