Sprint & Midget Racing Engine Market
While the World of Outlaws, the All-Stars and USAC are the most well-known of the sprint car racing organizations in this country, and USAC is probably the best known of the midget racing organizations, there have been many new groups surfacing in the past several years. According to Allan Brown, publisher of The National Sprint
CNC Machines for Heavy-Duty or Industrial Engines
On one hand, automating certain commonly performed machining processes means you only have to do the initial setup once and the machine does the rest. It frees up the machine operator to do something else, and it reduces the risk of human error when doing tedious, repetitive tasks. On the other hand, making the transition
Valve Seats & Machining Guide
Engine cooling doesn’t only happen at at the radiator. The valves (particularly the exhaust valves) take a lot of heat from the combustion chamber and the valve seats have the responsibility of helping to cool them off. The seats draw heat away from the valves and conduct it into the cylinder head, providing most of
Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 Resumes Production; First Site to Build EcoBoost Engines
FordMotor Co. is resuming production at its storied Cleveland Engine PlantNo. 1, which becomes the first manufacturing site to build Ford’s newfuel-efficient EcoBoost engines. The plant, idled since 2007, is ramping up pre-production of 3.5-literEcoBoost V-6 engines that will be optional on the 2010 Lincoln MKS,Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and come standard on the
Servicing 1995 GM Quad IV Balance Shafts
The balance shaft procedure has been revised. Figure 4 has been added and the tightening specification in Figure 5 has been revised. Balance Shaft Assembly Tools Required: • J 41 088 Balance Shaft Holder • J 36660 Torque Angle Meter 1. Balance shaft assembly to block. Use Loctite® 242 on the housing assembly to block
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: February 2009
Top 10 Machine Shop Business Tips Engine Pro recently held a series of 8 focus-group meetings in the Midwest. Each meeting consisted of 8 to 10 machine shop owners and a moderator. Three questions were asked during the meeting. “What’s working? What’s not working? What do you need most to help you ‘make it’
Management: 10 Areas of Your Business to Examine for the New Year
After a crazy 2008 with gas prices ranging from more than $4 per gallon to below $1.50, a presidential election, a financial meltdown, a drop in miles driven and a federal loan to the Detroit Three, we are now into 2009 with great hopes of good days ahead. These tough times make every owner take
Inaugural Motorsports Industry Trade Show to Debut in Indianapolis in December 2009
Theperformance and racing industry will converge upon Indianapolis inDecember 2009 for the first ever International Motorsports IndustryShow (IMIS). Scheduled to be held Dec. 2-3, 2009 at the IndianapolisConvention Center, the show is owned and promoted by Performance EventsPromotions (PEP) and assisted in presentation by the IndianaMotorsports Association. According to show organizers, IMIS will bringtogether the
Proper Torque Wrench Use and Maintenance
A torque wrench is a precision instrument designed to apply a specific amount of force to a fastener. Whether tightening head bolts on an automobile engine, lugs for tire and rim installation or inspecting fastener tolerances on high-performance equipment, it is extremely important that proper care is used. Guidelines are typically provided noting acceptable torque
Engine Remanufacturing Featured at HDRG Summit and Engine Alley
The Heavy Duty Remanufacturers Group (HDRG) is bringing a new focus to HDAW 2009 in Orlando, FL during the week of February 16, 2009. New diagnostic and engine related technologies will be featured at the HDRG Summit and “Engine Alley” on the Exposition show floor. Electronics on engines has been utilized by the OEM manufacturers
Hot Topics: In-House Head Welding Repairs Increase Profitability, Productivity
Do you outsource cylinder head repairs that require welding? If so, you might be missing an opportunity to generate additional income for your shop and reduce turnaround time for customers. Here’s a look at how you can potentially increase profitability and productivity by bringing it in house. Doing these kinds of welds successfully requires
K-Line Signs Service Tool Agreement with Caterpillar
K-Line Industries Inc, located in Holland, MI, says it has signed a multi-year agreement with Caterpillar, Inc. of Peoria, IL. K-Line will provide engineering and manufacturing services for the design and manufacture of special service tools used by Caterpillar Dealers to service Caterpillar equipment. K-Line has been a supplier to Caterpillar for over 30 years.
Economic Downturn Fuels Theft in Aftermarket
Unfortunately, bad economic times often translate into an increase in theft, robbery and fraud. When dishonest and desperate people need money, your customers’ vehicles are attractive targets. Thieves cruise automotive business lots looking for vehicle with aftermarket stereo systems, wheels and other add-ons that can be removed quickly and sold on the street for a
Diesel Cylinder Head Rebuilding
If you have ever tried to start most diesel engines in cold weather, you know that you have to have an engine heater, or you have to have a starting aid like starting fluid. These engines most commonly did not have a computer, and the fuel pressure would be in the range of around 3,000
2009 Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week Education Program Announced
The Heavy Duty AftermarketWeek (HDAW) ’09 Education Committee has defined six education programsbased upon the event theme, "Maximizing Opportunities in ChallengingTimes." HDAW will be held Monday, Feb. 16 through Thursday, Feb. 19, atthe Rosen Centre Hotel and Orange County Convention Center in Orlando,Fla. Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week is an all-industry, independentdistributor focused, all-inclusive, business to
Machine Maintenance: Sustaining Your Crew Includes Your Best Friend
Over the past few years, I’ve been writing about proper maintenance of the machines in your shop. This month, I plan to talk about maintaining something that’s not necessarily essential to your shop but if you have one, its value can’t be underestimated. You guessed it; this article will be about the maintenance of your
Carburetor Tuning: A/F Mixture, Air/Fuel Equation
Now that the ignition spark timing advance curves are optimized for the blend of reformulated and/or oxygenated gasoline your customers are using we will now show you how we use tools such as a 5-gas exhaust analyzer and wideband Lambda air/fuel (A/F) meter to tune the mixture. The Air/Fuel Mixture A lean fuel mixture can
Still The Same Old Grind?
The market for crankshaft grinding has changed a great deal in recent years. With many passenger car and light truck engines now lasting upward of 200,000 miles, there’s much less demand for grinding crankshafts than there used to be. By the time the engine needs major work, the vehicle has often depreciated to the point