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
Crack Detection
Take a look in the mirror. Smiling back at you, you’ll notice that row of pearly whites. They probably look pretty good. Maybe a bit stained from coffee or smoking, but overall, they seem to be pretty solid, right? If you’re like many people, the fear sets in as soon as you sit down in
Performance Notes: Stud Vs. Shaft Rockers: Why You Should Make the Switch
When the Chevrolet small-block V8 was introduced in 1955, one of its most highly touted features was its lightweight, high-revving ball and stud stamped steel rocker design. Around 1962, several of my buddies proved that claim to be true, time and again, when they twisted their Duntov-cammed 283s to 7,200 rpm. In fact, this same
Grow Your Shop By Getting Away From It
He appreciates the fact his employees feel the same way and, frankly, he feels this industry would be a whole lot better off if more shop owners followed his lead. Okay, so the guy is obviously crazy or from out of this world, right? Take time off from the shop when it’s a struggle to
Custom Rod and Bike Market Reality:Is There a Place in for Custom Engines?
Have you ever dreamed of starring In your own reality television show? Is the human drama and bickering in your shop great enough to hold America’s attention week after week? Well, you may not impress the Nielsen families, but you could guest star as a custom rod or bike engine builder in your own local
The Enthusiast’s Motor Market
Street Rods, customs, muscle cars; even their names are different. When it comes to cars – and we’re including light trucks – from the early 1900s on up into the ’70s, it’s not enough to just call them old cars. How cars from this time span are rebuilt can often make them their own separate
Performance Notes, How To Compete With The Crate Motor Business
If you are a regular reader of the performance automotive consumer magazines you may have spotted a trend – many of the feature cars and tech articles are focused on crate motors. To an engine builder specializing in custom high performance engines, and for engine builders looking to get into the performance arena, this could
Tuning in to the Sport Compact Market
While the American muscle car segment is getting a shot in the arm with the Mustang, Charger, GTO and others, the sport compact market is not going away any time soon. Much has been said about the possible demise of this once fast-growing market but according to some manufacturers there is still plenty of business
Cylinder Head Design and Modification – Getting Started
No one can teach you how to port heads in a single magazine article, not even as great a magazine as Engine Builder. “Blasphemy!” the editors are screaming, but it’s the truth, because every job is unique to itself and its intended use. There are many resources available, but if you are serious about learning
University of NW OH Hosts Engine Builders During Technology Conference
More than 250 engine builders learned about the most recent developments in engine building and toured the University’s soon-to-be completed High Performance Technology Building. Seminar topics included: Cylinder Head Welding; Proper Piston Ring Filing; OHC Cylinder Head Disassembly; CNC Machining; Dynamometer Technology; Performance Engine Technology; Crack Detection; Honing for Performance; Cylinder Head Performance. “This was
Increasing Stock Performance
Let’s face it: stock engines just don’t wear out – at least not until upwards of 150,000 miles for the average late model engine. Sure, neglect continues to take its toll, but on the whole, while there is still some stock rebuilding work to be had, it’s not what it used to be. Have you
Which Cranksfaft Meets Your Racing Needs Best?
There are a lot of racing crankshafts in the automotive aftermarket today. You’ll find a wide variety of styles, strokes, weights and price ranges from which you can choose. The question you need to be asking is which crank is “right” for the engine you’re building? The answer to that question depends on several things
Cylinder Head Crack Repairs
It seems as if many cylinder heads are doomed to crack from the very start because of their lightweight construction and design. Aluminum overhead cam (OHC) heads, in particular, are often found to be warped as well as cracked. But so too are many pushrod cast iron heads. One of the causes of cracking in
Building Your Business With Performance Engine Kits
As hard as it is to believe now, the concept of an “engine kit” hasn’t always been well understood. Thirty years ago or so, an engine builder who said he was buying an engine kit probably meant that he was headed to the hobby store to buy the “Visible V-8 Engine” plastic model for his
Restoration – Yesterday’s Treasures, Tomorrow’s Trophies
There have been tremendous and significant changes in vehicle design since the first gasoline-powered vehicle hit the streets of America back in the early 1890s. Such advancements as fuel injection, radial tires, variable valve train technology, roller cams and front-wheel drive, among many others, have made cars easier to maintain, safer to drive and more
The Lives of Lifters, What You Need to Know
It’s like any other mechanical part in an engine. It has a simple yet specifically designed function, it’s not overly complicated and it’s definitely not the proverbial rocket science, tricked-out part. But there’s more to know about the valve lifter than you may think. First off, there are two distinct styles of lifters used in
The Mid-range Diesel Engine Market
The diesel engine market is a very complex one, but it can be broken down into three basic categories: light-, medium- and heavy-duty. These categories could then be broken down further into on-highway, off-highway and agricultural. In 2004 roughly 1.5 million new diesel engines were produced in North America, a whopping 79.6 percent of which
Coretalk: AERA EXPO 2005 Set For Las Vegas Hilton In April
The EXPO will showcase leading edge technology with live, operating demonstrations of equipment, tools, supplies, parts and services. Exhibits will be open on Thursday, April 28, from 10:30 am-6 pm; Friday, April 29, from 10:30 am- 6:30 pm; and Saturday, April 30, from 10:30 am- 2:30 pm. EXPO will include a keynote address from NASCAR
What’s Hot In Performance – Cams, Lifters & Rockers
The camshaft is really the heart of every performance engine because the cam defines the engine’s breathing potential, its torque curve and peak horsepower. The camshaft controls when the valves open, how quickly they open, how far they open (with some help from the rocker arms), how long the valves are held open, and when
Not So Stock: NASCAR Motors and Their Street Counterparts
The engines in NASCAR’s newly introduced Strictly Stock class of stock car racing in 1949 were literally stock, right off the dealer’s showroom floor. Today, they’re anything but. So what happened? Evolution. Like any sport or industry, evolution has moved NASCAR racing to where it is today, a multi-million dollar business. The engines, called ‘motors’