Engine Builder Shop Solutions: June 2011
Editor’s Note: In the March issue we printed a Shop Solution from Melling Engine Parts titled “Oil Pump and Engine Priming” In the May issue we printed a different view on the subject from Timm Jurinche titled “Pre-Oiling.” This month we have a still different viewpoint on the subject. A Better Way to Pre-Oil New
Media and Solutions For Cleaning Engine Parts
One essential aspect of engine building and rebuilding that cannot be avoided is the need for cleaning. Used engine parts have to be cleaned before they can be inspected. Parts that will be reused also have to be cleaned to remove dirt, grease, oil, carbon, rust, scale and other gunk that could contaminate a newly
Flat Tappet Camshaft Break-in Procedure
Note: New lifters must be installed with your new camshaft prior to Installation: • Check the compatibility of the camshaft with the remainder of the valve train components (valve springs, rockers, etc.) • On race type, high spring load applications, use lighter load springs or remove the inner spring (dual spring application) just for break-in.
Selecting The Right High Performance Rocker Arms
The rocker arms in a pushrod engine serve two purposes. The rockers serve as fulcrums to redirect the upward motion of the lifters and pushrods into downward motion to open the valves. The lift ratio of the rockers also serves to multiply the amount of valve lift generated by the cam lobes. Stock rocker arms
Karting Engine Market and Technology
Experts say that the situation isn’t getting any easier for flathead lovers because many parts and pieces, such as flywheels and sump covers, are not manufactured anymore. There are, however, some replacement parts on the market that are manufactured in China such as sheet metal and valves. Burris now makes most of the pistons for
Build Your Own Competition-Worthy 600 HP Engine
Last month, we introduced you to the UMP Modified racing engine being built by the engine experts at Earnhardt Childress Racing in Welcome, NC. The engine – a 600 hp, 411 cid plant built for UMP Dirtcar Modifed competition – will be awarded to the winner of the Sunnen Rev It UP Raffle at the
Can Diesel Performance Help Boost Your Business?
Most people associate diesel engines with truck and tractor pulling events, not traditional motorsports. There are no diesel-powered NASCAR races or Indy cars. But diesels are making inroads in other types of racing. Diesel-powered race cars and trucks are setting land speed records at Bonneville, winning endurance races at LeMans, and running over 200 mph
Diesel Performance: Camshafts, Lifters and Valvetrain
Diesel performance is nothing new. What is new is the level of interest in diesels for all kinds of racing; everything from traditional truck and tractor pulling to drag racing, even sports car and endurance racing. Diesel engines are a different type of animal when compared to gasoline engines. While both use the same four-stroke
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: October 2010
GM Castech Cylinder Heads I’m sure most of you know by now about GM’s 4.8L and 5.3L Vortec Gen III and Gen IV V8 engines with Castech cylinder head castings. GM has sent a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for Castech specific cylinder heads that are prone to cracking. GM’s TSB #06-06-01-019B covers 4.8L and 5.3L
Sunnen/ECR Offer 400 hp for $3 at IMIS
On Wednesday, Dec. 1 and Thursday, Dec. 2 at IMIS enthusiasts can purchase one Sunnen Rev it UP Raffle ticket for only three dollars, or two for just five bucks. The prize? A 415 cid engine built for UMP Dirtcar Modified competition by the engine experts at ECR in Welcome, NC. The engine will include
2010 Stroker Engine Guide: Building a Late Model Hemi Stroker
What is the purpose of stroking a motor? The answer is simple: toobtain more cubic inches. And in today’s economic times, it’s alwaysbest to achieve “more” with less – as in less money. The key word tomany stroker enthusiasts today is “budget”. However, the word “budget” has a way of being interpreteddifferently by different people.
Rebuilding The 6.6L Duramax Diesel
It was really no surprise, since GM had single-handedly alienated the American buying public against the diesel engine beginning back in the late ’70s and early ’80s with the 5.7L V8 and 4.3L V6 diesel engines that were, let’s just say, “less than stellar.” While there’s no point now in rehashing mistakes of the past,
OHC Cylinder Head Rebuilding and Equipment
Originally featured mainly in European racing machinery from Fiat, Peugeot and Alfa Romeo in the early part of last century, by the 1960s companies like Fiat and Jaguar had introduced OHC production engines. It was advanced technology for the time, but today OHC is the norm for even the least expensive production engine. OHC cylinder
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: August 2010
Head and Block Surface Prep Most cast iron V8 heads and/or blocks usually don’t require anything more than a good cleaning. They are not as likely to warp as straight-six or aluminum heads or blocks. But it is unusual to have all the old gasket material wash away in your hot tank. Minimal surface prep
The Lifter/Cam Relationship
They are lifters, and they are critical to proper engine operation. “On the outside they look the same, but the inside is where the big difference is,” says Scott Reynolds of Scorpion Performance. “The mechanical or solid lifter is just what it sounds like: solid with no internal movement. These lifters are designed to be
Street Performance Valvetrains
Street performance requires everyday driveability and reliability. A good street performance engine should have a broad torque curve, plenty of low end power and a reasonable amount of intake vacuum at idle, especially if the engine is backed with an automatic transmission. A street engine also has to be capable of lasting tens of thousands
Valve Timing Basics
Although we can not explain cam design in such a small space, we might be able to clear up some of the most misunderstood terms and make clearer what actually happens as the engine goes through its four-stroke cycle. We will illustrate the relationship between all parts of the engine and try to help you
Building a Late Model Hemi Stroker
What is the purpose of stroking a motor? The answer is simple: to obtain more cubic inches. And in today’s economic times, it’s always best to achieve “more” with less – as in less money. The key word to many stroker enthusiasts today is “budget”. However, the word “budget” has a way of being interpreted
Spring, Sprang, Sprung: Why Valve Springs Matter So Much
Keep in mind the cam, pushrods, lifters, and rocker arms do all the work in opening the valves, but it is the spring that keeps that valve closed during the operation of the engine. Valve springs can be compressed and expanded throughout their life cycle, sometimes at more than 1,150 times per minute for most
Performance Valve Springs and Retainers
Old school thinking on these matters has usually been to increase spring pressure as much as possible by using the stiffest dual or triple springs that can be installed in the engine. But that kind of thinking is changing, thanks to improvements in spring technology. Stiffer springs are obviously needed if you are building a