Matching Pistons And Rings
Whether you are rebuilding a high-mileage engine or building a fresh engine from scratch, matching the pistons and rings to each other and the application is essential for a successful outcome. Rings are a wear component that are usually replaced during a rebuild. The pistons may be reused if they are not damaged, cracked or
Honing Different Coatings, Materials Webinar Set for Oct. 10
The PERA moderated event will be presented by Bob Dolder of Sunnen Products and cover a wide range of honing applications from NASCAR engines to street engines and everything in between. Other topics include – secrets for honing Nickasil, high nickel cast iron, compacted graphite blocks, the new aluminum Corvette block, Sulzer Metco coatings, bore
Sunnen Receives Global Pioneer Award for International Trade Initiative
Sunnen Products Company has received the 2012 Global Pioneer Award from the St. Louis Regional International Partnership (SLRIP). The award is given annually to a St. Louis-based company that demonstrates an exemplary understanding of, and commitment to, innovation for global expansion. Matthew Sunnen Kreider, president of Sunnen Products, accepted the award at the 4th annual
The Nitty Gritty of Abrasive Safety
Conventional abrasives have kind of taken a back seat to PCD and CBN cutters in the automotive world in the last few years. Since most engines being rebuilt these days are made from multi-alloy components they are more easily machined with PCD or CBN. But PCD and CBN can’t do everything, so abrasives are still
AERA President John Goodman Announces Retirement
After 9years at the helm, Engine Builders Association (AERA) President John Goodmanhas announced his retirement, effective July 1, 2012. “John became president of AERA in October of2003 rejoining an industry that he had briefly left to finish his Ph.D. inEngineering Management,” explained Jim Rickoff, associate editor of EngineProfessional and AERA’s marketing consultant. “At AERA, John
Well there is a “rat poison” for engines that is used regularly and daily in nearly any installation shop and by DIYers. SURFACE CONDITIONING DISCS, often referred to as cookies within the shop environment, were originally designed for use in the auto body shop, I believe. Here is where the problem lies when using them
Toyota V8 UZ Engine Timing Belt Issues
When I first started researching this article, I called and stopped by several shops that do work on Toyota vehicles. I asked if any of them had any V8 models coming in for timing belts so I could get some pictures of the process. Either a blank stare, or a question like: “What Toyota V8?”
Toyota V8?UZ Engine Timing Belt Issues
I asked if any of them had any V8 models coming in for timing belts so I could get some pictures of the process. Either a blank stare, or a question like: “What Toyota V8?” was the general response. The idea that there was a Toyota V8 needing a timing belt replacement seems to be
Sunnen, MAHLE Clevite to Host Tech & Skills Conference Feb. 25 in Glendora, CA
AERA says engine builders can gain industry knowledge and network with other people with the traveling expense of going to a national trade show. AERA has teamed up with a regional host to offer opportunities in different regions of the country that is closer to a number of shops. Along with the outlined technical programs,
Making Dollars and Sense Cleaning Blocks, Heads
Unless you’re starting with all new parts, cleaning is as important to your engine build as disassembly, inspection, machining and reassembly. Without taking the cylinder heads and engine blocks down to bare metal, you can’t properly inspect the castings for cracks, wear and other defects. For something so important, proper cleaning technique is often misunderstood, overlooked
Cylinder Bores-Machining To Sleeving
The function of a cylinder bore is fairly simple yet quite demanding. The bore is nothing more than a cylindrical void which contains the engine’s air/fuel mixture as it undergoes compression and combustion. The walls of the cylinder have to be strong enough and rigid enough to withstand high combustion pressures and temperatures
Smooth Moves: Today’s Surfaces Often Demand Different Finishes
When multi-layer steel (MLS) head gaskets became commonplace a number of years ago, there was a lot of concern that aftermarket surfacing procedures might not be able to reproduce the mirror-like finish that the vehicle manufacturers said was absolutely necessary to seal MLS head gaskets. The challenge was to duplicate the factory finish using out-dated
Cleaning Cylinder Heads and Blocks
The cleaning process should remove all of the dirt, grease, oil, rust, scale and carbon deposits that have accumulated over the years. With painted castings, the old paint also has to be stripped away so the surface can be repainted. Even if you’re working with brand new castings, a final cleaning is still necessary after
Media and Solutions For Cleaning Engine Parts
One essential aspect of engine building and rebuilding that cannot be avoided is the need for cleaning. Used engine parts have to be cleaned before they can be inspected. Parts that will be reused also have to be cleaned to remove dirt, grease, oil, carbon, rust, scale and other gunk that could contaminate a newly
Boring and Honing Tips and Tricks
One of the goals of boring and honing cylinders is to size the bores to a specific dimension. If an engine is being remanufactured to meet specific criteria, that usually means boring and honing to achieve a standard oversize (.010?, .020? or .030?). The oversize will depend on the thickness of the casting, how much
Sizing Up The Valve Guide
Worn guides will draw oil down the valve stem and will coat or coke on the port side of the valve. This will hinder air flow and cause engine performance to be compromised. Too much oil getting down that valve stem and may cause mechanical failure due to the increased possibility of pre-ignition. Worn valve
Cleaning Up In The Shop
In fact, it can be very difficult to make an accurate diagnosis of what’s wrong with an engine until it’s clean. You may be able to recognize some failed parts, you can often see large cracks or obvious damage, but you’re really only assuming you know what caused a failure if you can’t see for
Sunnen to Stop Production of its Valve Guide and Seat Machines
Sunnen Products Company recently announced that it will focus on its precision bore sizing market (i.e., honing), and stop production of its VGS20 series of valve guide seat machines. "For several years we have been reviewing our product line and making often difficult decisions as to what products fit into this category and which do
Sunnen Products honored for export achievement at IMTS by U.S. Department of Commerce
Sunnen Products, headquartered in St. Louis, MO, recently received an Export Achievement Award from the United States Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service. The award is presented to companies that have benefited from Commercial Service assistance to make their first export sale or expand into new markets. Mary Joyce, Midwest Network Director for the U.S. Commercial