EngINtel: Practical Builder Tips To Common Questions
Since you all indulged me last month with editorial musings, thismonth will be a couple of Practical Builder Tips (PBTs) that shouldkeep you out of hot water from time to time. They’re somewhat genericbut have been popping their ugly heads in all types of engines and theyhave no manufacturer preference so no one is immune.
Melling Named Engine & Performance Warehouse’s 2007 Vendor of the Year
At the recentEngine & Performance Warehouse (EPWI) annual summer conferenceawards dinner, Melling Engine Parts was named the EPWI 2007 Vendor ofthe Year. David Dent, president, Marion Holt, vice president of sales andmarketing, along with regional sales managers Bill McCleskey, AlanMcVey and Dennis Fox accepted the award on behalf of the entire Mellingstaff. Melling Engine Parts
Still The Same Old Grind?
The market for crankshaft grinding has changed a great deal in recent years. With many passenger car and light truck engines now lasting upward of 200,000 miles, there’s much less demand for grinding crankshafts than there used to be. By the time the engine needs major work, the vehicle has often depreciated to the point
Federal-Mogul Begins Producing Powertrain Components at New ‘Greenfield’ Facility in Brazil
Federal-Mogul recently beganproducing the first pistons from a state-of-the-art manufacturing lineat its new Powertrain Energy business segment facility in Araras,Brazil. The 10,300-square-meter "Greenfield" facility produces pistons,camshafts and valve seats and guides for several leading vehiclemanufacturers. The new Araras facility shipped the first pistons to customers, four weeks ahead of the planned shipment date. "We are
Balance of Power (and Profit)
One of the keys to a smooth running, long lasting engine is proper balance of the reciprocating and rotating parts. When a crankshaft is out of balance, the uneven distribution of weight can generate centripetal forces that shake the engine with increasing intensity as engine rpm goes up. Centripetal force (which many people mistakenly call
Overcoming Cam Problems in GM 4.3 V6 Vortec Industrial Engine
The GM 4.3 V6 Vortec industrial engine is a rugged engine that has been used in a variety of applications. However, some rebuilders have found problems with the roller camshafts on the GM 4.3 V6 Vortec industrial engine if the GM V6 is used in a low rpm, constant speed application. This includes applications such
Ram Tough Rebuild
The B-series Cummins engine may potentially go down in history as the single most important engine development project, strategic market share gain and opportunity for diversification partnerships in Cummins history. The Cummins B-series is a family of four- and six-cylinder inline engines known as the “one-liter per cylinder” in both the popular 3.9L four-cylinder and
Choosing A Replacement Camshaft
Unless you are doing a totally stock rebuild and reusing the original camshaft, selecting a camshaft depends on what kind of engine you are building and how that engine will be used. A stock engine for a daily driver is obviously an entirely different application than an big stroker motor for a Pro Stock racer.
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
Performance Oils and Additives: Got Zinc?
How do you choose the right oil for your racing or performance engine application? While you don’t have to be a chemist to know there are differences in oil formulations, these variations can be as broad as the type of oil, or as specific as the additive package that is used. Your father’s motor oil
Lunati Returning To Its Performance Roots
An exclusive ownership group made up of industry and racing veterans has purchased Lunati. The new ownership group says it will continue with the foundation that has already been laid with Lunati’s history of excellence in motorsports and intends to use that as a base for even greater success on the race track. Lunati’s new
New Metals-New Challenges
Cast iron is like an old familiar friend to most of our readers because it’s been around forever. Vehicle manufacturers like cast iron because it’s cheap compared to most other metals, it is strong and durable, and it can be easily cast and machined to make engine blocks, cylinder heads, crankshafts, connecting rods and other
Horsepower – Building In and Bolting On
I consider myself blessed that for the last 35 years I’ve had the opportunity to hang around with some of the nation’s best engine builders and racers, and had the rare opportunity to pick their brains about engine building tips and tricks. Most of these concepts are pretty well known in the engine building community
Timing Chains & Gears
As a rule, most pushrod engines use a timing chain to drive the camshaft, though some older four and six cylinder engines use a gear set. A short chain or gear set works well in this kind of application because the camshaft is located in the block just above the crankshaft. In overhead cam (OHC)
Coretalk: Chicago To Host PERA’s 62nd Annual Conference September 27-29, 2007
An assortment of professional and technical seminars will be held along with a wide range of social and networking opportunities for engine remanufacturers and their spouses. For more information on this event or to register for the convention, visit www.pera.org. Recon Launches Plan To Increase Availability and Reduce Delivery Times Recon Automotive Remanufacturers has announced
The Ups And Downs Of Valves
It’s always good to take a fresh look at some of the many engine components we work with. Rather than being lulled into complacency, the idea is to see what’s new, what trends are in play and to get a current reading from others on the inside. In other words, it’s good to keep it
Resurfacing Cylinder Heads & Blocks? Mistakes to Avoid
Cylinder heads and blocks may need to be resurfaced to restore flatness or to improve the surface finish, or milled to change the deck height for a variety of reasons. The deck surface on the head or block may need to be resurfaced if the surface isn’t smooth or flat. A head may need to
Rocker Arm- Form & Function
For all the changes in the performance engine over the years, one constant remains – no matter what series they’re running, no matter what the payout, no matter if it’s just a couple of guys trying to outdo each other stoplight to stoplight, racers will often spend money they don’t have in search of the
Coretalk: Clevite Aftermarket Sale To Mahle Group Approved by Court
Nearly a year and a half after Dana Corporation announced plans to divest its engine parts operations, the deal is complete. The $98 million sale to the MAHLE Group of Germany has been approved by European Union (EU) regulators. EU commission officials said the purchase didn’t pose antitrust concerns, and Dana has said the sale
Core Corner: Finding Your Direction With The Northstar
I’ll be honest, it’s had me baffled. Even I’ve struggled to understand why I would put much research effort into the casting proliferation of this engine. My perception was, "Who in his right mind would spend the money to put a reman engine into a car that is so old?" Yet, jump up onto AutoTrader.com