AFTERMARKET DIESEL INNOVATIONS – Evolutionary, Revolutionary or Illegal?
Diesel technology has come a long way, evolving from smelly, dirty, slow, workhorse engines to clean-burning, high-torque, high-horsepower engines that can give many gasoline engines a run for the money on a drag strip or race track. Diesels aren’t just for towing or pulling anymore, they’re finding a niche in all kinds of performance applications
Building A Ford 460 Stroker
Any automotive enthusiast would agree that the quest for more power is the true addiction. From simple bolt-ons to hardcore internals such as different bore and stroke combinations tend to fuel our burning desire. Every enthusiast seems to have a passion for a particular brand of manufacturer. Take for instance the Flathead Ford V8 engine.
Pro Stock Quandary
One of my first writing heroes was Robert Benchley and his first book I read was when I was a freshman at LaSalle Peru (IL) High School in 1954. While researching materials to use as an exordium for an English assignment, the humor literature section caught my eye. I found Robert Benchley’s 1936 collection of
Brighton, MI High School Engine Building Program Includes Dyno Instruction
Stop me if you’ve heard this story before: a couple of guys get ahold of a tired late model Chevy 350 V8 and decide to rebuild it into something with a bit more teeth. With the help of a more experienced engine builder they spend about a year working on the block and heads and
NTPA Tractor Pulling Powerplants – Big Size, Big Horses, Big Torque
Tractor pulling in America means a lot of things to different people. Many in the general public regard the sport as nothing more than stock trucks and tractors coming in off the farm and doing their thing at the county fair. That was then, this is now. The sport has grown from those humble roots
Turbochargers: Boost Your Turbo IQ
In the past decade, turbochargers have found their way onto more engines in cars and light trucks than ever before. By 2021, predictions by some experts cite turbocharged vehicles will reach up to 38 percent of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. Once thought of as only a means to increase performance on exotic
The Lost Art and Business of Head Porting
If I had my current shop rate paid to me in a lump sum for every hour I spent porting and flowing heads and intakes in the ’70s and ’80s, I could build a new race car. In ’76 when I started running Pro Stock, my wife Linda got me a SuperFlow 110 for Christmas
History in the Printed Word and on the Shelves
As most of you are hopefully aware – and many of you may actually remember – the magazine you’re reading today began life 52 years ago this month as Automotive Rebuilder. Through the decades, we have tried to do things right – supporting the efforts and extoling the virtues of the independent rebuilder and remanufacturer.
A Diesel Blend – How T&A Performance Integrates Both Service Work and Aftermarket Upgrades into a 6.0L Power Stroke
It’s a given that engine builders often combine components in innovative and unusual ways. That goes for their shop operations in general. Tim Anderson of T&A Performance LLC in Sparks, NV, is a prime case in point. Shown here is the buildup of a 6.0L Power Stroke, modified not only to improve performance by more
Secrets Engine Builders Can Use to Make a Beast of a Factory Crate Motor Even More Impressive
Any bozo can slap a supercharger on a stock 505 horsepower LS7 small-block and pick up another 200 hp. Yawn. Increasing output that same 200 hp through natural aspiration should be harder, but all it takes is some head work, long-tubes, and a big hydraulic roller cam. Thanks to the incredible untapped potential of GM’s
Making New and Improved Vintage Motorcycle Engines
Bruce G. Argetsinger of Branford, CT, is a tool and die maker who found a niche manufacturing racing engine parts for vintage Harley and Indian motorcycles. His motivation for manufacturing such items grew out of his own motorcycle-racing career and explains the trade name that Bruce uses – EnfieldRacing.com. He operates Enfield as a division
The Science Behind Wet Sump Oil Pumps & Oiling System Upgrades
All automotive internal combustion engines are equipped with some type of pressurized oiling system. Oil lubrication is essential for reducing friction, preventing wear and cooling vital engine components. Pumping oil to the main and rod bearings creates a friction-reducing hydrodynamic film between the bearings and crank that allows the crank to spin with minimal friction.
Hidden Horsepower – How Simple Machining Steps Can Provide a Win-Win Power Upgrade
In the automotive industry, power and reliability have always been the quest of all engine builders and racers. There are many time-honored methods of increasing horsepower and the same with making engines more reliable. But modifications can sometimes have residual effects and overtax another area of the engine, even compromising reliability. For example, raising compression
The BIG chill – Cryogenic Metal Treatment Benefits May Not Be Visible But Are Real
What is the purpose behind deep freezing engine parts (and other components)? Though its roots go back to the 1800s, the cryogenic craze started about 20-plus years ago when news was that some Pro Stock teams were “freezing” engine parts. The only answer given when asked “why” was that the cold temperatures somehow moved the
V-Twin Validation – How a Harley Discussion Changed an Engine Builder’s Fortunes
What we will be covering here is a general overview of the most common practices and procedures we use in servicing and rebuilding Harley-Davidson engines and things that are unique to V-twin.
Add-On Parts Sales Can Boost Your Business Profits
POP, or point of purchase. At the movies, buying popcorn? How about something to drink? At the supermarket buying detergent? What about bleach? The connection is fast and direct. Not completing it is missing a huge opportunity for any business.
A Review of the History and Technology in 2.5L Hydroplane Racing Engines
Modern marine engines are as varied as their road- and track-going counterparts. Whether they’re powering working habor tugs, ocean-crossing container ships, leisure and fishing boats or hardcore racing boats, marine engine builders are dedicated to improving their performance and reliability through innovation. 2.5L engines have been used in both midget racing and hydroplane applications for
Profitable Performance – Sell Value Before Price
Selling value is all about selling you. Yes, this is the time to roll it all out. Your years in business represent security. Your vast resources and a belief in using quality products is important as well. Everyone knows quality costs a little more, and the implication is that it is worth it.
Kistler Engines Inc. Sprint Car Engine
Do you think once you’ve seen a Sprint Car engine you’ve seen them all? According to Paul Kistler you’d be wrong. Each one he works on at Kistler Engines Inc. is unique.
Clarkrange Racing Champ Turned Performance Engine Builder of the Year
The winner of the 2016 Performance Engine Builder of the Year was Larry Pritchett, of Mid-South Racing Engines in Clarkrange, TN. Pritchett was presented the award by Engine Builder magazine at PRI in Indianapolis.
