We Have Lift Off – Head lift and a look beyond the gasket
In the 1980s, many racers were experimenting with turbochargers on stock engines. Colossal horsepower and torque numbers could be produced for a short period until the engine self-destructed. One of the weakest links they focused on was how to keep the head attached to the block under extreme pressures. Many engine builders experimented with copper
Safe Cleaning – Are the Concepts Compatible?
The subject of cleaning is never far from the mind of the modern engine builder or machine shop supervisor. Obviously, parts must be as clean as possible so they can be inspected, repaired if possible and reassembled. The subject of SAFE cleaning is a little less definitive, however.
747 Big Block Chevy Nitrous Engine
Tired of seeing blower engines in Top Dragster, Bob Reinhardt of MadCap Racing Engines wanted to build a nitrous engine for his customer. The result was a 1,500 hp 747 big block Chevy nitrous engine. Find out what went into the build!
5.3L Turbocharged 329 cid LS Engine
We all have an engine platform we like better than others. For Mike Lough of Mike Lough Racing Engines, that platform is the LS. He recently built a 5.3L turbocharged 329 cid LS engine that runs on methanol and cranks out 1,341 hp! Read more to find out what makes it live.
Understanding What Dynos Can Do For Your Business
An engine dyno can be a valuable tool in many corners of a modern engine facility. As an investigative tool, it can help you find new solutions to old challenges. As a testing tool, it can help prove your hypotheses. As a creativity tool it can help push you in new directions. And as a sales tool it can help differentiate you in the eyes of customers.
Engine (Business) Building 101
Every build starts with the end in mind. What are your goals? What are you trying to achieve? Building a successful business is no different.
What Makes the Import Market Attractive?
The import market has been gaining more momentum than ever before due to two factors – the age of the market now and more purists focusing on import.
Ultrasonic Cleaning Technology
Ultrasonic cleaning is one of the ways engine builders can choose to clean parts, but what is it and how does it work? Is it the too-good-to-be-true stuff of science fiction or is it the best technique ever for cleaning the dirtiest of engine components? The truth, as they say, lies somewhere in the middle.
Solving Gasoline Direct Injection Issues: The facts and fictions of GDI
Gasoline Direct Injection or GDI has seen rapid adoption by the automotive industry over the last several years in lieu of multipoint fuel injection systems due to advantages in fuel efficiency and reduced emission levels.
Get’M Garage Launches New Carburetion Products
Veteran product specialists Mike Laws and Trevor Wiggins teamed up to create innovative carburetion solutions designed to rewrite the books on high performance engine fuel delivery.
Do Diesel Builders Need Installation Bays?
Because of weight and size of their creations, diesel engine builders can be faced with some unique challenges.
Finding Equipment Financing
For many of you in the engine rebuilding industry, having access to the proper machines and equipment is the missing piece to creating the best engines possible for your customers.
Blast Cabinets: Equipment, Media Options Make Quick Work of Different Cleaning Needs
No two custom engine builders use the same team to create their engine products nor do they create the same engine or use the same parts. Just like each application has different design outlines so do abrasive blasting machines that are used to clean, strengthen, shot peen and rebuild custom engines for use in vehicles from fleets to racing.
Labor Pains: What Do You Charge to Rebuild the 6.0L Power Stroke?
The 6.0L Power Stroke diesel was introduced as the eventual successor to the popular – but less emissions-friendly – 7.3L Power Stroke. For a year, both engines were available in Ford’s diesel pickups, but in 2004 the 7.3L was retired.
Mitee-Bite Products and Roush Yates Engines Announce Partnership Extension
Roush Yates Engines has announced a multi-year extension with Mitee-Bite Products, a supplier of high-density low profile clamping solutions. The official partnership started in 2015, but the relationship has been in place since 2003.
A Diesel Blend – How T&A Performance Integrates Both Service Work and Aftermarket Upgrades into a 6.0L Power Stroke
It’s a given that engine builders often combine components in innovative and unusual ways. That goes for their shop operations in general. Tim Anderson of T&A Performance LLC in Sparks, NV, is a prime case in point. Shown here is the buildup of a 6.0L Power Stroke, modified not only to improve performance by more
Understanding Cylinder Blow-by
While this industry continually runs on tighter and tighter engine clearances, in today’s world of engine building, no one has yet to figure out how to run engine parts on zero clearance. There has to be some amount of space available or an engine simply won’t run. Thus, when it comes to pistons and piston
Engine Balancing – Explain the Benefits to Sell the Balance
Over the years I’ve seen many articles on engine balancing and it seems that most of them get pretty technical and complicated. It is always nice to understand the depth of what you are trying to accomplish, but we cannot lose focus of the ultimate goal – which is to give the customer the best-balanced
Chemical Cleaning – Solvents and Aqueous Products Are Still Popular Choices: Here’s Why They Work
Cleaning is a process that no engine builder can avoid, whether you are rebuilding high mileage engines caked with gunk and full of gunk, or you are working with all brand new components and castings.
Race Engineering’s Secret To Success Is Spec Miata Engines (and Everything Else!)
What makes Chris Graham’s engine shop Race Engineering a successful business is no secret to him. He realizes that it’s more important to sell relationships than it is to sell a product. That’s not to say his relationship skills are better than his product, because he is well known in the import engine arena for