The Ups And Downs Of Valves
It’s always good to take a fresh look at some of the many engine components we work with. Rather than being lulled into complacency, the idea is to see what’s new, what trends are in play and to get a current reading from others on the inside. In other words, it’s good to keep it
Understanding High Performance Valvetrain Technology
Parts are getting lighter, stronger and capable of producing more horsepower than ever before. One of the driving forces behind these advances has been the proliferation of aftermarket cylinder heads that require unique valvetrain components. In addition, new computer-aided design, modeling and manufacturing techniques are making it easier and faster for valvetrain component suppliers to
Performance Valves
The power that an engine produces depends to a large extent on how much air it flows. The larger the engine’s displacement in cubic inches, the more air it pumps with every stroke and the more horsepower it makes. Rpms also make power. In theory, doubling the engine’s speed doubles its power output. Rev an
High Performance Rocker Arms, Valve Springs, Retainers and Locks
On a small block Chevy, altering the rocker arm geometry without changing the rocker arm lift ratio can add 15 to 20 horsepower at the rear wheels. The stock lift ratio for a small block (SB) Chevy V8 rocker arm is 1.5:1, and for a big block (BB) Chevy V8, the ratio is 1.7:1. Bolt-on
Valve Selection: Hot Valve Materials for Hot Engines
Are stock valve materials good enough, or do you need to upgrade to valves that are made of a more durable alloy? If so, what kind of alloy? These are questions every engine builder must answer when selecting valves for performance engine applications. To the naked eye, most valves look pretty much the same. Unless
Valve Guide and Seat Equipment Options
For many engine builders the bread and butter business is in cylinder head work. In fact, according to our 2005 Machine Shop Market Profile (also available at www.engine-builder.com) 41 percent of gas and 54 percent of diesel engine builders’ business comes from servicing cylinder heads. And one of the most important aspects of doing this
All About The Alloys – Valve Seat Selection For High Performance Applications
We can’t make any sweeping generalizations about what kind of seats work best in a performance engine application because “performance” covers a lot of territory, everything from hot street engines with stainless steel valves to top fuel drag racing and NASCAR engines with titanium valves. Seat requirements vary depending on the application, what kind of
Valve Refacing Equipment and Procedures
There comes a time in the life of every valve when it must either be replaced or reconditioned. Valve faces become worn and eroded as the seats wear, the stems wear where they contact the guides, and the tips of the stems can become worn or mushroomed from the constant friction with the rocker arms
Researching the Rebuilding Market for Multi-Valve Cylinder Heads
Cylinder head work has provided a good income for many of our readers over the years. All engines eventually need a valve job and guide work if they accumulate enough miles. Head work may also be needed if an engine overheats and blows a head gasket, if the head develops a crack, or an OHC
Valve Guide Reconditioning
A valve loses about 15 to 30 percent of its heat through the stem. On the exhaust side where there is no cooling effect from the incoming air/fuel mixture, the guides are critical, because cooling through the stem is especially important for valve longevity. Worn intake guides or ones with too much clearance can also
Valve Seat Installation Procedures
If a valve seat is damaged, cracked, loose, receded or too badly worn to be recut or reground, it can cause a variety of problems: loss of compression, valve burning, valve failure, valvetrain wear and breakage, even head and valve damage if the seat comes loose. For that reason, replacing valve seats is often necessary
Valve, Guide and Seat Repair Options
Valve, guide and seat repairs are the cornerstones of rebuilding cylinder heads. It makes no difference if the head is a 350 Chevy or one with dual overhead cams and four-valves-per-cylinder. The basics of refinishing the valves, guides and seats are essentially the same. The newer high tech heads will usually have smaller parts, the
Performance Valve Jobs Are Easy With The Right Tools And Specifications
It is easy to do a performance three or four angle valve job, but it is very difficult to find a shop to properly do one for you. Well, I will explain to you the proper way to do a great performance valve job either using stones or pre-shaped three or four angle carbide
Valvetrains: Better Materials & Design
Pushrods would seem to be an endangered species these days, atleast as far as most new engine designs are concerned. The onlybrand new engines built in recent years with a pushrod valvetrainhave been Chrysler’s 8.0L V10 for the Viper and Dodge Ram, andGeneral Motors new "LS1" 5.7L small block V8. All therest have either been
Getting A “Good Seat” : The Growth In The Valve Seat Insert Market
The growth in the valve seat insert market can be traced back to the early 1970s when the switch to unleaded fuel took place. Most of the engines in use or that were in core or inventory storage had to have replacement seats inserted in the exhaust side to prevent valve seat recession that occurred when the engines were run
Valve Guide Repair Options
One thing you can almost always count on when rebuilding a cylinder head is worn valve guides. The guides experience a lot of wear because of the constant friction between the guide and stem. To make matters worse, positive valve seals on late model engines prevent the guides from receiving much lubrication. Side forces on
Hot Shot’s Secret Adrenaline RTL Racing Top Lube Fuel Additive
Hot Shot’s Secret’s Adrenaline Racing Top Lube reduces wear and scuffing, lubricates upper cylinders and the entire fuel system.
Speedmaster Assembled Cylinder Heads
Speedmaster Assembled Cylinder Heads come ready to run with stainless steel valves; valve springs; and valve seals, locks, and retainers. They are sold in pairs.
Screw-Blown 521 cid Hemi Engine
After getting blown backwards off the starting line from Jim Kilpatrick’s alcohol-fueled, screw-blown, 521 cubic inch Hemi engine at the 2022 Builder’s Brawl, we stopped by the Kilpatrick Racing Engines / Bad Judgement Racing pit the next morning to get the full details of this engine build. Don’t miss what’s in this engine!
