V16 Marine Engine
Are you looking for more power out on the water? Sixteen Power, LLC’s all-new V16 marine engine is the engine the marine market didn’t know it needed. It was recently unveiled at the Miami International Boat Show.
10 Things Your Diesel Customer’s Oil is Trying to Tell You
Not only does oil lubricate as a means of controlling friction but also has to control contamination, temperature, corrosion, shock, wear, and pressure. Oil analysis is the only true way to put a set of “eyes” on the engine’s condition and the condition of the oil as to when it should be changed.
Dodge Viper Gen 3 VS 1500 Twin-Turbo Engine
When a customer wanted a track capable street engine for a 1969 Dodge Charger, Dan Lesser, owner of Viper Specialty Performance, stepped up to the challenge by building a custom Dodge Viper Gen 3 VS 1500 Twin-Turbo engine.
NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet 5.8L V8 Engine
At the NASCAR Cup Series level, teams are trying to get any extra horsepower they can. Earnhardt Childress Racing uses its engine development philosophy to find half, one and two-horsepower gains for its Chevrolet R07.2 5.8L V8 engine.
Camshaft Selection
“What camshaft should I use?” How many times have you been asked or heard that question uttered? Why is it so difficult to choose the “correct” camshaft for an engine build? What separates one camshaft design from the other? After all, isn’t it true that a camshaft opens and closes valves? Simple, right? Well let’s
Old Car Engines Never Die
I have not worked on everyday, common engines for years. Everyone who comes into my shop is a hobby-level special car enthusiast. I build all types of performance American brand engines. A huge part of my business has become building and rebuilding engines for classic cars, which it turns out, there is an adequate market for
Surfing Safari – How Today’s Wake Surfing Craze Can Be Killing Marine Engines
According to some experts, wake surfing has become one of America’s hottest sports. For those of you who are actively involved in building engines for pavement or off-road racing, marine motors may seem to be either an obstacle or an opportunity – and you would be right in both cases. Wake surfing is the practice
Going Faster in 1954
I have a large library in my office consisting of Hot Rod How-to books and annuals from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. During one of my recent review sessions I found a chapter introducing nitromethane and its use for drag racing. Keep in mind this is 1954 technology… The article began by explaining that hot rodders
Understanding How To Tune Carburetors
An engine only runs as well as it is tuned. You can build a killer motor using all the best parts and machine and assemble everything with the utmost care, but if it’s a carbureted engine and the carburetor isn’t setup or tuned right your killer engine may never live up to its full potential.
Your Customer Did WHAT?!
A few weeks ago, I got into a conversation via social media with sprint car engine builder Steven Hogue. He was in Akron, IN and I was in Akron, OH, but thanks to Facebook, it was like we were sitting across from each other at our favorite local watering hole doing some bench racing. Despite what
Engine Parts Cracks – How to Fix
One of the essential elements of engine building is making sure heads, blocks, main bearing caps, crankshafts, connecting rods, pistons, cams, timing gears, rocker arms, and flywheels are free from cracks. If you’re doing a complete engine build, checking the intake and exhaust manifolds for cracks is also a good idea – and that includes
Understanding Engine Treatments – What components can benefit from coatings? You may be surprised at the treatments available.
If you were to place technological advances on a scale, I would say that engine coatings would probably rank near the top. Engine coatings have a lot of merit, but unfortunately are often overlooked. Engine coatings have a reputation that they are only beneficial for racing applications. Yes, coatings are regularly applied and highly appreciated
Pro Touring – Engine Update
Pro Touring is the niche of niches in the performance world today. And why not, as it’s pretty much anything goes with these truly unique machines. The fundamental theory behind them is to take a car that is not historically significant and update the handling and performance with today’s seemingly endless supply of modernized parts
Challenges of Change – 10 Things You’ll Learn From Oil Analysis and How They Affect Engine Condition
For most consumers, a preventive maintenance program for their automobile consists of nothing more than an oil change. While a regular oil change is very important, the most critical part of changing the oil is to know when to change the oil. The interval of the oil change is often dictated by one of two
Racing Spark Plugs
Choosing a set of racing spark plugs for a particular application is not as easy as it sounds because the plugs have to be closely matched to the application. Stock plugs are fine for stock applications and ordinary driving conditions. But when an engine is modified to make more power and is run under racing
Crank Grinding – The Myth of the .010”/.010” Crankshaft
Regrinding the crankshaft is an important part of the engine rebuilding process. It was almost an art in the ‘40s, but it’s pretty routine now. However, there are still plenty of myths and misunderstandings that are left over from the past that we still have to deal with today. One of the most common myths
REBUILDING THE 5.7L HEMI
Back in the early ’90s, when Chrysler realized that it would need a new truck motor to replace its 318/360 Magnum engines to meet the coming emissions standards, the company considered two pushrod engines along with one SOHC design and concluded that a pushrod motor with a pair of Hemi heads that really breathed would
Big Power, Big Products – Search for increased longevity and durability in diesels continues
Modern diesel engine platforms offer a great source of power potential regardless of the manufacturer. I suppose that is why the mid-size diesel truck has become so popular among the younger generation. Take an engine that already makes power and find ways to make more. Turbocharged diesel engines have a huge amount of power gains
Wet & Dry Sump Oiling Systems – Choosing the Right System for the Right Job
If you are building a customer’s “dream engine” what type of oiling system should you use? The answer to that question will depend on the application (street, drag, circle track, road race, off-road or marine), engine RPM and how much your customer is willing to invest in a lubrication system. Your choices may also be
Midget Engines – Perfect Power from Pint-Size Performers
Midget open-wheel racecars and the Stock (S Class) and Modified (A Class) inboard hydroplanes have provided thrills and chills for racing fans since the 1930s. And as the speed and performance of these radically-different racing machines has improved, so have the engines that power them. These engines have varied from stock four and six-cylinder automotive-type