Star Date 2025 Closer to Reality
Hold on, because some industry experts predict a bumpy ride ahead By Dave Sutton In 11 years – 2025 – the industry will still exist, but might be as much as 50 percent smaller, with fewer repair shops, machine shops and wholesale distributors, according to some industry professionals I recently surveyed. Their overall consensus was
Replacing Oil Pump Intermediate Shafts
By the time an engine needs a new oil pump it has had considerable wear. By the time an engine needs a new oil pump it has had considerable wear. The cylinder walls, rings, cam and lifters all wear. The material worn off all goes to the oil pan where some is washed out during
Surface Finish Testing: Dealing with Dirty Patches
Gauge calibration is a routine process followed by most users of precision gauges. How regular a gauge needs to be checked and its performance documented is usually defined step-by-step in a documentation procedure. Surface finish roughness instruments use a roughness specimen, or “patch,” that is certified for a known wave form to provide a specific
Surface Finish Testing: Dealing with Dirty Patches
Surface finish roughness instruments use a roughness specimen, or "patch," that is certified for a known wave form to provide a specific surface parameter result. With this certified specimen in hand, it is easy to verify that the surface finish measuring instrument is reading properly. Because of the nature of their sensitive probes, and because
Built for Auction
The criteria for selecting Engine Builder magazine’s inaugural “Performance Engine Builder of the Year” included much more than the ability to put together race-winning engines. Things like community involvement and the support of training and education were part of the mix. To be sure, our 2012 award winner, Ed Pink Racing Engines of Van Nuys,
Oiling System Technology
Oil is the lifeblood of every engine. Any significant loss of oil pressure can destroy an engine in a split second so the oiling system must provide a constant supply of oil under all operating conditions. With performance engines, keeping the engine lubed with a steady supply of oil can be a challenge because
Performance Diesel: Turbos & Tuning
There is nothing more fast and furious than the roar of a turbo engine when it is finely tuned and performing efficiently on all levels. Whether pulling gear with the diesel truck or revving the street hot rod, making the most out of the turbo is crucial to most engine builders. As the consumer’s appetite
Why Replace Oil Pump Intermediate Shafts?
The material worn off all goes to the oil pan where some is washed out during the oil changing process, but a portion goes through the oil pump and to the filter. Pushing grit through the oil pump puts an additional load on the oil pump intermediate shaft. The photos in Figures 1-2 show the
Learning From Broken Parts
In 1973, I was a sportsman drag racer. My car was the two-ton orange ’57 Mercury named, “The Big Animal.” The transplant engine was a pure stock Ford 427 FE 8V low riser I called “Old Reliable,” shifted by a top loader four-speed with a Hurst Competition Plus shifter. In August of that year, I
Assembly Oils, Greases and Lubes
In the October 2012 issue of Engine Builder, I wrote about engine assembly lubes and why you should consider using them. When I was asked to write another article to help engine builders better understand and select engine assembly lubes for their operation, at first I didn’t understand the assignment. I thought I had
Ready for a Diesel Resurgence?
Diesel engine building will soon see an increase in numbers – very soon! Why do I say that? In an effort to eliminate smoking engines and reduce emissions, the EPA came down hard on tuner manufacturers just a few months ago, issuing warning/cease notices on diesel particulate filters (DPF) and EGR delete tunes/kits.
Valve Seats & Guides
Most engine builders worth their salt know that with the components and technology available today, it’s not that difficult of a task to make horsepower. With the availability of so many performance parts – whether it’s from the OEM or the aftermarket – engine builders can pull from vast resources to achieve a balance between
‘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
Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Repeal Ethanol Mandate
Originally passed by Congress prior to the recession, the RFS requires gasoline sold in the U.S. to contain a minimum amount of renewable fuel, most of which happens to be the corn-based ethanol. However, given that an increasing amount of corn continues to be diverted to ethanol creation rather than toward other uses like livestock
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.
Proper Installation of Elastomer Cylinder Head Cover Gaskets
The advantages are clear: weight reduction, a high degree of constructional freedom in design, integratability of additional components such as the "Multitwister" oil separator, decoupling of components and therefore reduction in noise emissions, etc. An adaptable rubber gasket requiring only little line pressure ensures reliable sealing. Regarding warping and bolt spacing, however, physical limits are
Custom Crankshafts and Connecting Rods
As an engine builder, you get to decide what parts go into the engines you build. If you’re rebuilding a stock engine to stock specifications, you’re probably going to use a reconditioned stock crankshaft and connecting rods to keep costs down. There’s no reason to upgrade these parts because they should be adequate for the
Trick Flow to Build Big Block Ford For 2013 Summit Racing SuperSeries Top Class Champion
Trick Flow designed and assembled the 565 cubic inch big block Chevrolet engine that was part of the prize package awarded to Tim Butler, the 2012 Summit Racing SuperSeries Top Class Champion. Outfitted with Trick Flow PowerPort 360 cylinder heads modified by two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jason Line, the big block Chevy made 1,103
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2013
Detonation vs. Pre-Ignition (Editors Note: the following is in response to Greg Goss’s entry in the August 2012 issue) A sharp point or edge that can glow in a combustion chamber or on a piston top does not cause detonation. Mr. Goss inadvertently was referring to pre-ignition. Detonation and pre-ignition are two distinctly different terms and
Beseth, Corey Win $1,000 in Engine Pro’s ‘Top 5 of the Past 5’ Contest
Engine Builder and Engine Pro recently teamed up to offer the "Top 5 of the Past 5" awards to commemorate the last 5 years of Shop Solutions. We awarded both the Shop Solution authors and our readers who helped us choose the winners with cash prizes. Jeff "Beezer" Beseth of Beezer Built Inc., Newton Square,