‘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
Rebuilding Chrysler’s ‘Revived’ Engine Family
Casting numbers, VIN codes, components and processes to rebuild/remanufacture these engines are compiled for Chrysler’s newly revised engine family including 4 cylinders, V6s and V8s Chrysler made some major changes in their engine line-up starting in ’07. They replaced their four cylinder engines in everything but the PT Cruiser in ’07, updated the 4.7L V8
The Raptor Takes Flight
In an age when kids would rather hot rod their computers than their cars, it’s kind of amazing that old fashioned hot rodding still exists – even thrives in today’s society. While computers certainly have their place, the younger generation is still looking for entertainment and thrills – whether captured in HD?or in real life.
Matching Pistons And Rings
Whether you are rebuilding a high-mileage engine or building a fresh engine from scratch, matching the pistons and rings to each other and the application is essential for a successful outcome. Rings are a wear component that are usually replaced during a rebuild. The pistons may be reused if they are not damaged, cracked or
Today
Although extremely important, the job of cleaning engine parts leaves nothing to the imagination. You’re idly standing with a spray gun in your hand or beside a washer tank or cabinet. It’s a basic, time-consuming procedure, but that grime, oil and baked-on sludge won’t come off by itself. This necessary evil is the difference
Chevy
When the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette arrives late next year, it will be powered by a technologically advanced 6.2L V8 that delivers an estimated 450 horsepower and runs 0-60 mph in less than four seconds. The new Corvette LT1 engine, the first of the Gen 5 family of Small Block engines, combines several advanced technologies,
GM Unveils All-New 450 hp Small Block LT1 V8 for 2014 Corvette
The new Corvette LT1 engine, the first of the Gen 5 family of Small Block engines, combines several advanced technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timingto support an advanced combustion system. “Our objective for the development of the all-new LT1 was to raise the bar for performance car engines,” said
Getting Your Bearings
Engine bearings have a tough job to do for such a small component. They must support big loads on a thin film of oil (between .0001-.0004? thick) between themselves and the crankshaft journals to prevent metal-to-metal contact. One of the biggest causes of bearing failures is dirt and debris that enters into the oil pan
Honing Different Coatings, Materials Webinar Set for Oct. 10
The PERA moderated event will be presented by Bob Dolder of Sunnen Products and cover a wide range of honing applications from NASCAR engines to street engines and everything in between. Other topics include – secrets for honing Nickasil, high nickel cast iron, compacted graphite blocks, the new aluminum Corvette block, Sulzer Metco coatings, bore
Rebuilding the Buick 3300
This engine was installed in many of the "A" bodied cars including the Buick Century, the Cutlass Ciera and the Cutlass Cruiser wagon. It was also installed in some of the "N" bodied cars including the Buick Skylark and the Olds Cutlass Calais. The engine had a smaller bore (3.70" versus 3.80") and a longer
Keeping Valve Jobs Profitable
Okay, so head work accounts for a large percentage of your business. But is it as profitable as it should be or could be? Do you have a good handle on cylinder head related costs (parts, labor and cleaning)? Are the employees who are doing the head work competent and productive? Is your valve guide
Engine Building Measuring Tools
The French created a measurement system in 1790 called the metric system. While the U.S. has never managed to switch over to it completely, as we were supposed to in the latter half of the 20th century, most automotive techs are familiar with it today because of the fasteners and components on late model vehicles.
Extending Valve Life
Most manufacturers of valvesoperate tech phone lines, and all have received that caller who opens the conversation by saying, "Your valve ruined my engine; when are you going to pay to fix it?"As much as the rebuilder or vehicle owner might like to lay blame it on the manufacturer for providing a bad product, it
Building Pontiac Excitement
Each GM division had its own engineering staffs and even its own assembly plants. There was very little parts interchange between the different divisions. Each unit had its own engines. Each division had its own personality. When Bunkie Knudsen became general manager of Pontiac in June of 1956 he set the world on fire. His
2012 Machine Shop Market Profile – Part 1
Because of the years of continuous data we’ve collected, we believe the information in this study is the most reliable data available for tracking trends in the production of engines, cylinder heads and crankshafts, as well as specific business data. While it isn’t always a rosy one, the picture that develops from our survey gives
Power Adders: Turbos, Blowers and Nitrous
The engine can only inhale so much air because the atmospheric force that’s pushing air into the engine is only 14.7 lbs. per square inch at sea level. To make matters worse, atmospheric pressure decreases with elevation. Air density also decreases with temperature because hot air is thinner than cold air. Most stock naturally aspirated engines
New Products for Modern V8 Engines
The numbers aren’t there yet, but engine builders and suppliers are taking notice of the new V8s. What has taken so long? For one, the new engines are more expensive and more complex. Some shops do not have the capability or expertise to work on them just yet, but more and more shops do. One
Building for the Drag Racing Market a Quarter Mile at a Time
At the top levels of drag racing there are multi-million dollar teams supported by corporate sponsors, but for the sportsman and bracket racers across the country, it’s still mostly supported by the racer’s wallet. Yet many of these racers have pretty deep pockets and the benefactors are those who service the market, including engine builders
Cleaning Engine Parts: Can You? Should You?
Here’s the kicker – those shops who feel that proper cleaning is too difficult, too time consuming or too expensive are actually leaving money on table when it comes to their engine parts. “At one point in my career, cleaning seemed like it was really difficult,” says Dave Arce of Arce Enterprises, El Cajon, CA.
Late Model Performance Cylinder Heads
As the economy continues to come out of its slump, cylinder head manufacturers are seeing a growing demand for new cylinder heads that can deliver race-winning performance. Whether the heads are upgraded aftermarket heads for traditional small block/big block Chevy and Ford applications, or hot heads for the latest generation of Chevy LS and