Small Block Chevy and Ford Performance Cylinder Heads
Over the years, the SB Chevy V8 evolved and grew in displacement from 265 to 283 to 302 to 327 to 350 to finally 400 cubic inches. Aftermarket blocks and stroker cranks have allowed even more displacement, with some “small blocks” now having as many cubic inches as a big block Chevy (427 and 454
Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Engine Rebuilding
The book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance demonstrates that working on motorcycles may be either dull and tedious drudgery or an enjoyable and pleasurable pastime; it all depends on the inner attitude, or lack thereof. Looking deeper into Zen and the Art, the narrator seems to point out that there are two different
Harding Promoted to Director of Aftermarket Operations at Katech
Katech Performance, manufacturer of race-proven aftermarket crate engines and components for Gen3 LS1/LS6 and Gen4 LS2/LS7 engines, has promoted Jason Harding to director of aftermarket operations. Harding will oversee the sales efforts of Katech’s aftermarket division. Previously, he served for three years in performance parts sales, where he focused on expanding Katech Performance’s distribution
DynoMax Names Top Competitors in 2008 ‘Power to the Wheels’ Dyno Tour
After making history last year in the DynoMax Power to the Wheels Dyno Tour inaugural season, enthusiasts everywhere were anxiously waiting to see what – and who – would be competing in this year’s DynoMax Power to the Wheels Championship Shootout. The DynoMax “Power to the Wheels” Dyno Tour tested the horsepower and torque of
Taming The New Tiger
Say the name Arnie “Farmer” Beswick and many an old Pontiac fan will nod and share a story or two about Arnie and his legendary GTO, the Tameless Tiger. About two hours down the highway in Illinois, Jim Riskovsky, owner of Turbo Connection in Edwardsville, IL, is learning to tame his own tiger, his 2005
GM’s LS9 Becomes SAE’s 100th Certified Engine
The LS9 engine in General Motor’s 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 holds the distinction of being the 100th engine certified through SAE International’s Engine Power Test Code – Engine Power and Torque Certification (J1349). The 2009 Corvette ZR1 engine is certified at 638 hp at 6,500 rpm, with 604 lb-ft torque at 3,800 rpm. Engine certification
GM Scraps Plans To Build New DOHC V8 Engines For Luxury Cars
General Motors has canceled plans to build a new advanced double overhead-cam V8 engines for its luxury cars.The move means the future for Cadillac’s V8 engines is unclear. In January 2007, GM said it would invest $300 million in its Tonawanda, NY, engine plant for the new V8 engine, which was scheduled to start production
Mitch’s World: Serving Up A Well-Balanced Engine
One of the most colorful threads woven through the fabric of my early life growing up in Brooklyn was going for Chinese food on special weekends with the family. No matter how ordinary a second look at the same restaurant with adult eyes might seem today, as a child these exotic destinations were always a
Engine Builders: Pistons and Rings – Hypereutectic, Valve, Installation
Though pistons can often be salvaged when remanufacturing an engine, sometimes they have to be replaced. The original pistons may have worn or damaged ring grooves, wrist pins or skirts, or they may have cracks. New pistons may also be necessary if the cylinders have too much taper wear and the block has to be
Building Hot Rods & Muscle Car Engines
Sometimes the best opportunities are cleverly hidden in plain view. As one example, when Chris Lafferty of Lafferty Engine Creations was asked why he opted to expand beyond race engines into the hot rod and muscle car arenas, he snorted, “Just look outside.” His North Carolina facility sits squarely in the middle of both NASCAR
Fast Talk: Ward’s Announces ‘Top 10 Best Engines’
The winners of “Ward’s Auto 10 Best Engines” each reflect a changing environment within the automotive industry, according to the publication. Where past lists have been dominated by large-displacement engines, half of this year’s list is made up of 3.0L or smaller displacement engines. Only two of the winners are larger than 3.5L, and four
Coretalk: Jasper Engines Unveils ‘Authentic Custom Drivetrains’ Program
Alex Ernst, Jasper Authentic Group Leader, says the division expects to produce approximately 1,300 engines in 2007. He says the number of drivetrain components that fit the profile of a Jasper Authentic built product will increase as the company begins to establish itself as “one of the premier custom remanufacturers in this market. With traditional
Performance Notes: Cashing In On Power Adders: Blowers, Turbos, Nitrous
The demand for high performance vehicles has never been stronger. A good indicator is that automakers are turning out more powerful models with each successive new car introduction. Remember when 500 horsepower was a pretty good number for a race motor? Today you can purchase a number of vehicles that eclipse 500hp, from a Z06
Coretalk: R&R Engine & Machine Named 2006 ‘Machine Shop Of The Year’
“The Machine Shop of the Year Award is always presented to a shop that represents this industry with integrity and professionalism,” explained Kaufman. “For its innovation, its attention to customer satisfaction and nearly 40 years of businees in Akron, we’re pleased to present this award to Bryan and all the employees at R&R.” This is
PERA President Mark Fellanto
On the surface, you might suppose that Mark Fellanto, incoming president of the Production Engine Remanufacturers Association (PERA) is a pretty simple fellow. You can set your watch by his daily routine. Even he admits that if someone was looking to do him in, he wouldn’t be hard to track down. Fellanto rarely veers from
Performance Drag Racing Heads
A quarter-mile strip of asphalt is not a great distance. But drag racing isn’t about distance. It’s about time. The car that reaches the finish line first wins the race. But the car that wins isn’t always the fastest car or the quickest car. It’s usually the car that runs with the most consistent elapsed
Gen III GM Small Block Engine, LS1 Motor for Cars, Trucks
The first generation small block was revised to create the second generation LT1/LT4 that was used for some applications from ’92 to ’97, but the results didn’t satisfy the people at GM Powertrain, so they started all over in ’91 and designed a brand new small block. It’s officially called the “Gen III” motor, but
Preacher, Teacher, Fighter, Friend
Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that reading this article may be hazardous to a negative attitude, and acting on the recommendations contained herein may result in increased job satisfaction and a more productive business atmosphere. If enthusiasm for his job were a virus, Dave Deegan would have one of the most serious infections the
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
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