Stroker Motor Opportunities: Love the One You’re With
Let’s face it: there are only so many 340 Chryslers, Boss 302s, 427 medium risers and 440 Six-pack engines out there. Luckily, many combinations of less-familiar engine components are readily available and can rescue you from the cookie cutter mentality. A quick inspection of a few of the many forged piston manufacturers’ catalogs reveals a
Caburetors and Electronic Fuel Injection Systems
These days just about everyone is looking to new technology to solve their problems. In some cases it makes sense: others, not so much. Take the trusty old carburetor for example: it has been around since the beginning of time (automotive time anyway), and many have predicted its demise, but somehow it keeps coming back
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2010
Dealing With Bad Employees One of the fastest ways to lose control of your business is to let a bad employee take control of your shop and ruin the overall moral. Pay attention to your people and understand that when things change in their lives it can affect the attitude they have at work. If
HDAW’10 Anticipating More Than 1,700 One-on-One Supplier and Distributor Meetings
Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week ’10 has successfully registered aconference-record 110 suppliers and 70 distributors for pre-scheduled,one-on-one meetings during the January 2010 conference. HDAW ’10 will be held Monday, Jan. 18 through Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010, at the Mirage in Las Vegas, During HDAW ‘09, distributor and supplier companies participated in1,409 scheduled meetings. One-on-one
Perkins Engine Serial Number Information
Perkins Diesels are the most widely used engines in the world. SinceFrank Perkins began in 1916, these engines have been made in many different countries. Because theengine is configured differently for each application, it is veryimportant to determine the actual serial number of the engine you wishto repair or replace. That unique serial number, akin
Sludgy Saab May Rattle Your Chain
By Tom Purser, ALLDATA editor and Jeff Webster, ALLDATA technical writer If a Saab vehicle owner/engine installer complains about a rattling timing chain, oil sludgeor any of the other conditions described in this Tech Tip, follow therecommended procedures. Various conditions can cause the formation ofoil sludge in the engine or a rattling noise from the
Smith Wins IMCA National Modified Championship
A division-best 28 feature wins and bonus points from three local track titles paved the way for Dylan Smith’s first national IMCA Modified championship. The Osceola, Neb., driver edged Garner’s Jeremy Mills by five points or the title. Mills won 25 features and was the only driver in the division with four track crowns to
Chevy LT1 Engine and Reverse-Flow Technology
The Chevrolet LT1 5.7L V8 engine that was produced from 1992 to 1997 has some significant differences compared to the previous small block Chevy it replaced, and the third generation LS1 small block that later replaced it. The most obvious difference that distinguishes the LT1 from these other engines is the front-mounted Opti-Spark ignition system.
Rebuilding the CAT 3208 Diesel
Since information from Caterpillar is always held very tight within the family it was very hard to get an accurate history of how the relationship all came about, so if I’m a bit off in my timeline, forgive me. I assure you, it won’t affect the content of this article. The bottom line is, Ford
ROL Manufacturing Makes Progress with Restructuring Plan
ROL Manufacturing, which has been operating under creditor protectionin Canada under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) andChapter 15 in the United States, is in negotiations and due diligencewith potential buyers for various parts of the business. ROL has received two court extensions to its CCAA stay of proceedingswith the latest set to expire Sept.
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
Selecting Cranks, Rods and Bearings For Your Next Build
Racing engines are made for one thing – speed. But speed is a wide target. It is in the sum of parts that are bolted together to make up the package that speed is delivered to your customer. Engine builders know that one of the biggest areas where races are won and lost is in
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
A Total Eclipse Of The Son
Not all that long ago, an entire generation learned about high performance and hot rods from Jan & Dean and The Beach Boys. Their lyrics romanticized surfing, cars and the California lifestyle. I knew kids who quoted those lyrics as they described either the car they were driving, or the one they desperately wanted to
Five Plans To Turn A Profit From Sales of Performance Parts
It seems that lately everyone wants to build high performance engines and sell high performance parts. But it has not always been that way. In the 1950s and ’60s, high performance engine builders were racers first and to feed their need for speed they built their own high performance parts. Many started small businesses producing
Federal-Mogul Lists Class A Common Stock on NASDAQ
Federal-Mogul Corp. Class A Common Stock is now listed on the NASDAQ Global Market and began trading today under the ticker symbol “FDML.” President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Maria Alapont and a representative group of employees commemorated the listing at the NASDAQ MarketSite bell ringing ceremony in New York at the market opening. “Listing Federal-Mogul’s
To Dyno or Not To Dyno…That is the Question
The word dynamometer is defined in the dictionary as: Dynamometer (Dy – Na –mom – e – ter) – any number of devices for force measurement or measurement of mechanical power. The word comes from the Greek (dunamis – force) + (metron – measurement) and dynamometers might seem more like Greek than anything else until
Alex Xydias Presented Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award
Alex Xydias, founder of the So-Cal Speed Shop, was given the Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Hot Rod & Restoration Trade Show held in the Indiana Convention Center. The annual award recognizes contributions to the business and hobby of hot rodding and restoration, Xydias is the seventh person to receive the
Intake Manifolds, Fuel Injected Engines, Carburetors
An intake manifold is more than the plumbing that connects the carburetor or throttle body to the ports in the cylinder head. It is an integral part of the induction system that has to match the airflow characteristics of the cylinder head and camshaft, as well as the displacement and rpm range of the engine.
Honing Stones & Equipment
The finish on the cylinder walls is critical for proper piston ringlubrication and sealing. The bore geometry is also important, and mustbe round, cylindrical and straight for optimum sealing and minimumblowby. The equipment used to hone cylinders has changed in recent years as thedemand for better surface finishes, faster cycle times and lowerproduction costs have