Diesel Crankshaft Basics
The crankshaft turns this linear motion into a rotating motion that provides power to move a vehicle forward, operate generators or otherwise give measurable activity. Whether in a gasoline or diesel-powered engine, the crankshaft is a key component. With diesels, the crank is typically thought of as bigger, heavier and harder to get in the
A Closer Look at Today
The location of the wrist pins must match the stroke of the crankshaft, the length of the connecting rods and the deck height of the block. The compression ratio needs to be right for the application, and the configuration of the piston dome and valve reliefs have to be compatible with the combustion chambers in
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2010
Dealing With Bad Employees One of the fastest ways to lose control of your business is to let a bad employee take control of your shop and ruin the overall moral. Pay attention to your people and understand that when things change in their lives it can affect the attitude they have at work. If
Advanced Machine Tooling
The key to boosting productivity is to remove more metal in less time. However, faster cutting speeds and feeds require tooling inserts that can take the heat and abuse without dulling. To achieve these goals, tooling suppliers have come up with various cutter shapes, edge geometries and surface coatings that significantly improve tool performance and
Herman Trend Alert: Health Care Reform
As the United States thinks about health care reform, it seemsappropriate to look at ways to reduce medical costs without sacrificingquality of care. Some of the leading-edge health care solutions areclearly non-traditional. They include "disruptive" healthcareinnovations, such as medical tourism, retail clinics, medical homes,alternative and integrated medicine and cyber visits. To help employerscapitalize on these
Critical Cam Event Criteria
If you want to build a performance street motor built on a moderate budget, part of the deal is that it’s up to you to select the cam for the job. Without spending forever researching it, and nearly as long installing and timing it, what cam will be the best for the job? Here are
Cleaning: Different Methods for Different Needs
Back in the late 1800s, the director of the U.S. Patent Office was said to remark “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” Charles Duell, U.S. Patent Commissioner in 1899 reportedly told the President of the United States that there was no more innovation and, therefore, no more need for the patent office. Except
Navistar Acquires Engine Components Business from Continental, Forms New Operating Company
Navistar Inc. has concluded an agreement to acquire certain assets andthe membership interests of Continental Diesel Systems US LLC tomanufacture key fuel injection components for its MaxxForce dieselengines. As part of Navistar’s industry leadership strategy, thecompany also will establish a dedicated research and developmentfacility to support Navistar’s diesel power system components. Thecompany, renamed Pure Power
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: October 2009
Valve Spring Clarification There are many misconceptions on the visual inspection of valve spring free heights. There is a manufacturing tolerance on this dimension. The spring can change during the heat treat processes and squareness during the coiling process. Spring dampers can also influence the free length as they are installed before the spring is
Gaskets, Seals, Sealants and Fasteners
The factors that typically cause a gasket to fail include age, heat, thermal expansion, abrasion, pressure, vibration, corrosion, material breakdown or poor design. Some gaskets go the distance and others do not. With head gaskets, problems like detonation and engine overheating can damage the gasket very quickly, causing an otherwise good gasket to crack or
International Motorsports Center to House the Corporate Headquarters of ISC, NASCAR and Grand-Am
For more than 50 years, Daytona Beach has been the mecca of motorsportsracing due to the vision of "Big" Bill France. Where there was nothingbut open fields and saw grass, he envisioned huge crowds cheering thefastest cars and drivers racing at a spectacular world-class facility.Through the France family’s hard work, the “Great American Race,” theDaytona
Ohio Technical College Celebrates 40 Years of Automotive Training
Alot has changed in the world of automotive technology since 1969, withV8 muscle cars making way for high-tech hybrids and the days ofdo-it-yourself repairs being replaced by professional technicianservice. The same holds true for leading automotive school OhioTechnical College, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary as apremier provider of hands-on technical training. This milestone
Racers, Race Team Members Invited to Return to Indy For IMIS in December
Scheduled to be held Dec. 2-3, 2009 at the Indianapolis Convention Center, the show is owned and promoted by Performance Events Promotions (PEP) and assisted in presentation by the Indiana Motorsports Association. According to show organizers, IMIS will bring together the global motorsports market and create a successful business networking environment. Tom Weisenbach of the
LPG Cylinder Head Conversions
The recent move to clean up inner city exhaust emissions has resulted in renewed interest in the use of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) as a motor fuel. Tax incentives are being offered to encourage fleet operators to convert to gaseous fuels and more vehicles are being offered by the OEMs that are already converted. What
Visteon Aftermarket and Proliance International Combine to Form Vista-Pro Automotive
CentrumEquities XV, a holding company that had previously acquired selectaftermarket assets of Visteon Corp. in 2008, has acquired substantiallyall of the North American assets and operations of ProlianceInternational and renamed the combined operations Vista-Pro Automotive. Vista-Pro combines Centrum, a leading North American designer,manufacturer and distributor of aftermarket climate control productssuch as radiators, condensers and
Snap-on No Compromise Tour Covers Midwest
Taking only some time to refuel and grab some grub, the Snap-on NO COMPROMISE TOUR™ will continue its trek across the Midwest with tour stops scheduled in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Kansas in the coming weeks. “We are heading toward year two of the NO COMPROMISE TOUR™ and we are excited to be visiting areas
As Cash for Clunkers Crosses Finish Line, Long-Term Effects Remain Uncertain
From AAIA Capital Report Yesterday officially marked the last day of the federal $3 billion"Cash for Clunkers" program (extended until Wednesday), though many dealerships pulled the plug onthe program several days ago. Some dealerships, many currently owed inexcess of $1 million, voluntarily ended the program over concerns aboutbeing repaid in a timely fashion, or possibly
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: August 2009
Gasket Surface Cleaning Caution Cleaning gasket surfaces can be a terrible thing to do! Many of today’s cylinder heads, and various parts are made of aluminum. The use of cleaning discs can damage the surface being cleaned by actually removing some of the surface being cleaned. There are also dangers of getting fibers from the
Herman Trend Alert: The Future of Social Networking
Social Networking is about "building online communities of people whoshare interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploringthe interests and activities of others." (Wikipedia) People use social networking to find jobs, source candidates, find lostloves, source materials, promote and sell products and services, andmuch more … and it’s mostly free! "Social networking is in
Virtual Aftermarket eForum to Highlight Social Media, Product Data Management, eCommerce and Supply Collaboration
Jay Yanko, director, global data synchronization, Edgenet, will kick off the presentations at 10 a.m. with Multi-Enterprise Data Management in the Auto Aftermarket. He will illustrate that in today’s economy, businesses cannot afford to miss opportunities to use product information to drive down costs, strengthen customer relations and sell more. Yanko’s presentation will be followed