High Performance Rocker Arms, Valve Springs, Retainers and Locks
On a small block Chevy, altering the rocker arm geometry without changing the rocker arm lift ratio can add 15 to 20 horsepower at the rear wheels. The stock lift ratio for a small block (SB) Chevy V8 rocker arm is 1.5:1, and for a big block (BB) Chevy V8, the ratio is 1.7:1. Bolt-on
Performance Notes: Stud Vs. Shaft Rockers: Why You Should Make the Switch
When the Chevrolet small-block V8 was introduced in 1955, one of its most highly touted features was its lightweight, high-revving ball and stud stamped steel rocker design. Around 1962, several of my buddies proved that claim to be true, time and again, when they twisted their Duntov-cammed 283s to 7,200 rpm. In fact, this same
Performance Drag Racing Heads
A quarter-mile strip of asphalt is not a great distance. But drag racing isn’t about distance. It’s about time. The car that reaches the finish line first wins the race. But the car that wins isn’t always the fastest car or the quickest car. It’s usually the car that runs with the most consistent elapsed
Racing Oils Can Offer Extra Power & Protection For Your Performance Engine
Building high performance engines doesn’t come cheap. The components you use cost more, the time you take to build each motor is longer, and paying attention to detail is the name of the game. High performance engines have a very small margin for error when it comes to tolerances and extreme loads, therefore the demand
Line Boring Equipment: A Boring Subject?
But as the British philosopher Bertrand Russell noted, "Change is one thing; progress is another." While some might say the basic techniques for line boring main and cam bearing bores in engine blocks hasn’t changed much in 30 years others say that isn’t such a bad thing. A horizontal boring bar with cutters mounted on
Balancing Equipment: a weighty matter
Everybody knows what balance is, right? You maintain your own balance by centering your body mass over your feet. If you lean too far forward or backward, or too far to the left or right, you’ll lose your balance and fall unless you grab hold of something or reposition your feet. Moving your center of
Performance Notes, How To Compete With The Crate Motor Business
If you are a regular reader of the performance automotive consumer magazines you may have spotted a trend – many of the feature cars and tech articles are focused on crate motors. To an engine builder specializing in custom high performance engines, and for engine builders looking to get into the performance arena, this could
Coretalk: Tony Stewart Motorsports To Headline SME Show
Stewart’s personal race team, which is a passion for the versatile NASCAR, IndyCar and USAC champion, will be featured on the show floor on January 24-25 at the Performance Theater. “The competition level is so tight right now – any extra bit of speed or performance you can squeeze out of your car can be
Which Cranksfaft Meets Your Racing Needs Best?
There are a lot of racing crankshafts in the automotive aftermarket today. You’ll find a wide variety of styles, strokes, weights and price ranges from which you can choose. The question you need to be asking is which crank is “right” for the engine you’re building? The answer to that question depends on several things
Rebuilding the Ford 3.0L
This engine came out of the Cleveland Engine Plant #2 (CEP2), originally opened in 1955 to manufacture the 361 cid truck engine. By 1985, this facility was down to 400 employees and on the verge of closing. Then in 1988, plant renovation was begun (with the 3.0L Duratec engine family on the drawing board) at
Engine Parts Coatings
Lubricity, heat management, corrosion protection and cosmetics. These are the main benefits that coatings can provide when applied to the surface of various engine parts. But there are different coating materials for different purposes, so the key to maximizing engine durability and performance with coated parts is using the right coating materials in the right
The Lives of Lifters, What You Need to Know
It’s like any other mechanical part in an engine. It has a simple yet specifically designed function, it’s not overly complicated and it’s definitely not the proverbial rocket science, tricked-out part. But there’s more to know about the valve lifter than you may think. First off, there are two distinct styles of lifters used in
Crankshafts:Stock and Performance
The crankshaft is the working arm of the engine. All the force generated by combustion and the downward motion of the pistons is focused on the crank throws. The leverage effect of the force exerted on the crank journals twists the shaft and converts the up-and-down reciprocating motion of the pistons into rotational motion of
Engine Kit Opportunities
In nearly all aspects of today’s competitive consumer market, the customer is king, brand means everything, and warranties on parts and services are a given, right? Great news for the value-minded shopper, but what about the supplier? In the automotive industry, of course, OEMs have been offering unprecedented warranties and financing terms for the past
What’s Hot In Performance – Cams, Lifters & Rockers
The camshaft is really the heart of every performance engine because the cam defines the engine’s breathing potential, its torque curve and peak horsepower. The camshaft controls when the valves open, how quickly they open, how far they open (with some help from the rocker arms), how long the valves are held open, and when
Different engine-to-transmission dowels on Chrysler SOHC V6 engines?
Are there different engine-to-transmission dowels on Chrysler SOHC V6 engines? The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding engine-to-transmission dowels on 1998 and 1999 Chrysler 3.2L and 3.5L SOHC V6 engines. A change was made in March of 1998 to the engine-to-transmission locating dowel length and block counter bore. The new dowel (p/n 06505643AA)
Sprint Car Motors
While the World of Outlaws, the All Stars, and USAC are the most well known of the sprint car racing organizations in this country, there are nearly fifty organizations that sanction sprint car racing. In addition, that doesn’t take into account the racetracks throughout the country that have their own division of sprint cars. Although
Putting the ‘Power’ in Powersports
Performing rebuilds and other machine services on ATVs, personal watercraft (PWC) and snowmobile engines may provide your shop with a little added boost during a down period without having to retool your entire shop. However, to make the most of the opportunity, you should know what type of market you can serve best – ATV,
Pushrods – Key To Performance
Pushrods are the weakest link in the upper valvetrain. Pushrods transfer and redirect the upward motion of the lifters, which goes in one direction, to the rocker arms which move in another direction. Consequently, they are subjected to bending forces as the load and engine speed increases. For stock engines, mild steel stock pushrods are
Valve Seat Installation Procedures
If a valve seat is damaged, cracked, loose, receded or too badly worn to be recut or reground, it can cause a variety of problems: loss of compression, valve burning, valve failure, valvetrain wear and breakage, even head and valve damage if the seat comes loose. For that reason, replacing valve seats is often necessary