Back to Basics: Preventing Piston Problems
Burned pistons. Scuffed pistons. Cracked pistons. These are problems no customer wants to experience in an engine you’ve built. Warranty claims can kill your business, so here are some tips on how to prevent these and other common piston problems. First and foremost, if you’re custom building an engine that has already suffered some kind
Little Engines, Big Money
For the rebuilding facility familiar with typical automotive or heavy-duty engines, the small displacement, four-cycle, air-cooled engine may seem insignificant. After all, these one-cylinder motors, which may produce just 5 hp, are found in lawn mowers, rototillers and kiddy go karts, for cryin’ out loud! Although the small four-cycle engines from Briggs & Stratton, Tecumseh,
Engine Balancing Traditional and Niche Market Opportunities, John Witt
Like many segments of the auto market, automotive machine shops have seen technology changes, changes in marketing/distribution channels (crate motors, for example) and the consolidation of shops. Staying competitive and profitable can be a daily challenge. The selection of services you offer and the direction in which you grow your business has never been more
Engine Builder Letter: Automotive Rebuilder Will Be Changed To Engine Builder
When you look at the cover of your magazine next month, you will notice a new name there. AUTOMOTIVE REBUILDER will be changed to ENGINE BUILDER. Founded in l964, AUTOMOTIVE REBUILDER originally served the entire rebuilding industry including engines, parts and transmissions. And, it was primarily an automotive focused publication. Much has changed during the
Hot Heads, Head Work On Harley Davidson Engines Can Yield Good Profits
Porting these heads and increasing airflow and valve sizes does the trick For decades, Harley Davidson (HD) owners have sought increased power and performance for their machines. We have found over the years that porting the cylinder head and increasing the valve sizes and airflow not only adds horsepower but also increases torque and driveability.
Automotive Rebuilder Interview with Brad Hartmann, Hartmann Bros., Inc.
Brad Hartmann is president of Hartmann Bros. Inc., a heavy duty rebuilding operation located in Abilene, TX. He is the incoming chairman of AERA’s Vanguard committee, the group providing leadership opportunities to AERA members under the age of 40. Hartmann, 31, has been with the company since high school in the 1980s, beginning full-time employment
Saab’s Unique Engine Concept Provides Variable Compression
New concept enables more accurate engine operation, higher efficiency vehicles Saab Automobile AB recently unveiled its Saab Variable Compression (SVC) engine, a new engine concept that enables fuel consumption to be radically cut while increasing engine performance per liter of engine displacement. The combination of reduced engine displacement, high supercharging pressure and a unique system
Engine Cylinder Bore Surface Finishes
What’s the best type of cylinder bore finish for today’s engines? Most would say it’s a finish that allows the rings to seat quickly and completely so the engine doesn’t use oil. For many applications, that may mean a plateau finish. The surface finish must also meet the piston ring manufacturer’s specifications and have the
Rebuilding the New Chevy 262
This enabled GM to shorten the development process dramatically because it was able to adapt a proven design. But it also allowed it to share a lot of the existing tooling from the V8 production lines so the engines could be on the road sooner. The original 200 V6 that came out in 1978 was
Rebuilding the Chevrolet LT1 Engine
Compared to the 1991 Chevy 350 L98 with TPI, the LT1 made 20 percent more horsepower, got better fuel mileage, and had a much broader torque band with 90 percent of its peak torque available from just over 1,000 rpm all the way up to nearly 6,000 rpm. GM Powertrain accomplished all of this by
Rebuilding the Chevrolet LT1 Engine
Although it shared many common dimensions, looked much the same and even had a few common parts, it was totally redesigned to provide more power with lower emissions and better fuel economy. Compared to the 1991 Chevy 350 L98 with TPI, the LT1 made 20% more horsepower, got better fuel mileage, and had a
1999 Machine Shop Of The Year Award Winner: Metric Automotive Engineering Ltd
Each year, the staff at Automotive Rebuilder magazine recognizes one machine shop that displays business practices that go above and beyond the norm. This year, along with input from the Engine Rebuilders Association (AERA), we have selected Metric Automotive Engineering (Pty) Ltd., from Germiston South, Republic of South Africa. Metric was chosen from numerous entries
Rebuilding The GM Quad 4
The Quad 4 had four valves per cylinder, tuned intake and exhaust manifolds, no distributor, no plug wires, lightweight rods and pistons to reduce shaking forces, and a crank with eight counterweights that was designed to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and bearing wear. It didn’t have an A.I.R. pump or an EGR system,
Hot Heads: Valve Bowl Porting…Boost Power And Profits
Valve bowl porting is a smart way for shops to boost power and profits. A few new tools and a little knowledge can score big with performance heads Many shops in the country are getting lots of calls and opportunities to do cylinder head porting work. Many shops are stock rebuild businesses that are afraid
Rebuilding Hot Rod Honda Engines
Traditionally, hot rodding has been as American as apple pie, baseball, hot dogs and Chevrolet. Certainly, imported vehicles have been "hopped up," but serious hot rodding has always been dominated by enthusiasts who believe that engines have eight cylinders, pushrods and 16 valves. For the past 40 years, machine shops catering to devotees of high
Jobber Rebuilt Small Parts Report
Most rebuilders will tell you that the markethas never been more competitive than it is today. Many will alsotell you that the past 12-18 months have been difficult in termsof maintaining their sales levels of rebuilt units. However, although total units sold may be downindustry wide, according to a recent survey of 1,000 jobbers acrossthe
Rebuilding the Buick 3300
The Buick 3300 was introduced in 1989 as areplacement for the 3.0L that had been around since 1982. It hadthe updated block with on-center bores, just like the revisedversion of the 3800 that came out the year before, along withseveral other changes and improvements. This engine was installed in many of the "A"bodied cars including
In Pursuit of Quality: Tom Vecchi, Engine Supply, Inc. incoming PERA president
Tom Vecchi, president of Engine Supply, Inc.,Phoenix, AZ, and incoming president of the Production Engine RemanufacturersAssociation (PERA) hasn’t spent his entire business life in theengine rebuilding market. However, since acquiring Engine Supplyin 1988 with his brother-in-law, Len Joy, who is chairman of theboard, he’s learned enough to know that rebuilding engines isnot an easy way
Washington Way: The Activities Of ACC
Americans have a love/hate relationship withtheir motor vehicles. We love the freedom and mobility the automobilegives us. We love the feel of a good car on the open highway andhow it handles on a challenging stretch of road. And we love thestatement that a car makes about who we are and what we want. On
1998 Market Update – Electrical
The information provided in this article is excerpted from a presentationmade by Doug Barron, Manager of Freedom Battery Design & Application,Delphi Energy & Engine Management Systems. The presentationwas made at last year’s Independent Battery Manufacturers Association(IBMA) Convention in Chicago, IL. Barron’s comments pertain to the future requirements of automotivebatteries. However, they also address the increasing