Cautioning on Valve Seat Concentricity
If the valve seats are not concentric to the valve guides, the valves will not seal effectively. When it comes to gas engine re-manufacturing, the subject of valve seat concentricity is a very serious one. Concentricity, as we are discussing here, is the relation between the centers of the valve guides and the centers of the valve
New 2014 Dura-Bond Catalog Available
The new catalog features many new applications complete with photos, competitors’ interchange, conversion reference charts, and a powder metal valve seat technical information and installation instruction manual. Company: Dura-Bond Bearing Company www.dura-bondbearing.com Dura-Bond Bearing Company recently introduced its new 2014 engine parts catalog that includes the following feature items: • The “All-Round Cam Bearings” • Oversize
Cylinder Head Porting
Huge flow numbers may be impressive, but optimizing airflow at mid-valve lift is key to power. If airflow though a valve port is plotted on a graph for the entire valve cycle (from opening to peak lift and back to close), the area under the curve is total airflow, which corresponds to total power. So
Tech Talk: Why VVT Engines Are Becoming a Reality for Most Vehicles
Variable valve timing can dramatically increase low- and high-speed engine torque, increase fuel economy and reduce exhaust emissions. When the topic of variable valve timing (VVT) comes up, few realize that the concept of increasing low- and high-speed engine torque by automatically advancing and retarding valve timing isn’t a recent development. For example, I recently discovered an
General Guidelines for Adjusting Brass and Nitrophyl Floats
The two methods of adjustment are internal (dry) setting and the external (wet) setting. The internal float adjustment is accomplished with the fuel bowl off the carburetor. With “internally adjustable” needle and seats, the fuel bowl is inverted and the float tang, or tab, is adjusted to the point where the float surface is parallel
Cleaning Engine Blocks & Engine Cylinder Heads
Cleaning engine blocks and cylinder heads is just as important as the machining operations you will perform on the castings. You can’t do a thorough job of inspecting these parts if they are dirty, greasy or covered with paint or corrosion. Checking for cracks in cast iron heads and blocks requires a clean surface for
Performance Diesel: Turbos & Tuning
There is nothing more fast and furious than the roar of a turbo engine when it is finely tuned and performing efficiently on all levels. Whether pulling gear with the diesel truck or revving the street hot rod, making the most out of the turbo is crucial to most engine builders. As the consumer’s appetite
Parts Making With Your CNC
Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machining allows engine builders to achieve almost unbelievable levels of accuracy and consistency. The programmability of a digital computer not only automates the operation of the equipment but also provides a level of repeatability that can’t be matched by manual equipment. That’s why CNC has been the backbone of virtually all
Pursuing The Small Engine Market
Small engines are everywhere. They power lawn mowers, garden tillers, portable generators, all kinds of pumps, go-carts, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, forklifts, even refrigerated trailers on reefer trucks. Most of these engines are single-cylinder four-stroke air-cooled motors that range in power from 5 to 15 hp or more. Some have vertical crankshafts and some have horizontal
‘Heads Up’ On Today’s Cylinder Heads & Bolts
Some say the air cleaner of an engine is like the front door of a house. That is, it’s what you see first and foremost. And the home owner can use that door to make a statement about the house without anyone seeing what’s inside. Much like what an air cleaner says about an engine
Valvetrain
Selecting the right components to make a rock-solid valvetrain is key to assembling an engine that will last – and win. The pushrods, rockers and valve springs must be able to handle all of the stresses of the camshaft rotating with high spring pressures and with huge lift. Weakness in any part of the system
Going Green Not Just for Irish
Did you know that as engine builders, we were green long before green became the IN thing? We were green even before Kermit said it wasn’t easy. How are we green, you ask? We are green because we rebuild, which means we recycle. Green is defined as: • Relating to or being an environmentalist
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: March 2013
Safe Valve Spring Break-In Most engine builders are well aware of the fact that high performance valve springs should be compressed to coil bind through several cycles before being installed. The problem with this procedure is that it can be time consuming, costly and even dangerous. It is time consuming if each spring is compressed
World’s Smallest V8 Engine
Gary Conley’s 30-year quest to manufacture a true production V8 engine in quarter-scale almost went up in smoke twice, once in 2001 when a foundry fire claimed all his critical molds, and later when oil smoke proved a stubborn problem during run-offs of the engine. Conley overcame the first setback with years of sheer determination.
Warranties Are Everyone’s Problem
Warranty! The word shouted from the other end of the telephone can cause some people to wake up screaming in the night. It seems that warranty problems grow exponentially – once one comes in they seem to multiply just in time to ruin a good month’s sales results. Who’s Fault Is It? Usually it’s yours
Revised Camshaft Seals for Acura B18A Engine
To repair or prevent oil leaks around camshaft, use revised camshaft oil seals (p/n 91203-PR4-004). 1) Remove the timing belt and the camshaft pulleys. Note:There is a small possibility that the timing belt may have beencontaminated with oil if this is a warranty repair. Inspect the beltand replace it if it has been contaminated. See
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2013
Detonation vs. Pre-Ignition (Editors Note: the following is in response to Greg Goss’s entry in the August 2012 issue) A sharp point or edge that can glow in a combustion chamber or on a piston top does not cause detonation. Mr. Goss inadvertently was referring to pre-ignition. Detonation and pre-ignition are two distinctly different terms and
Valve Seat & Guide Machines
A valve seat and guide machine is an essential piece of equipment for any shop that does cylinder head work. So whether you are thinking about upgrading your existing equipment, buying a brand new machine or finding a good used machine, there are a number of important factors to consider as you make your decision.
HPBG: Burnt Aluminum and Motor Oil
It’s a late-August Sunday in 1988 and I am staging up my Outlaw Pro Stocker for the final at the World Series of Drag Racing at Cordova, IL. I am driving my legendary ’79 Mercury Zephyr (Zeke) powered by the NOS assisted 1,600 hp “Monolith,” a 672-inch Kaase Boss Hemi Ford engine. I need
Crack Detection and Correction
First off, let’s get one thing perfectly clear – there’s no such thing as “flawless.” Like those shocking tabloid photos of that Hollywood actress who gets blindsided beside a bistro, even the most conscientious engine builder sometimes has to deal with surprising surface imperfections. And just as she has paparazzi to expose the damage and