Custom Crankshafts and Connecting Rods
As an engine builder, you get to decide what parts go into the engines you build. If you’re rebuilding a stock engine to stock specifications, you’re probably going to use a reconditioned stock crankshaft and connecting rods to keep costs down. There’s no reason to upgrade these parts because they should be adequate for the
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
Cylinder Sleeve Installation Procedures for 2002-2006 GM Ecotec Engines
This information is an update to previously published information on cylinder sleeve replacement for 2002-2006 GM Ecotec 2.0L, 2.2L and 2.4L 4-cylinder engines. A Cylinder Sleeve Removal/Installation tool (p/n EN45680-850) is required for this procedure. Tools are available from Kent Moore. Do not chill or heat the cylinder bore sleeve or the cylinder block when
Keeping Your Cool With The Ford 6.0L/7.3L Powerstroke
I often wonder why so many owners aren’t more concerned with the condition of the coolant in their engines. I don’t know if it is the price of the coolant that tends to scare them away or what. Most mid-size truck diesel engines take approximately six gallons of coolant to fill the system. That would
Tight Engine Timing Belts Can Cause Havoc
If one day it sounded like a cat was being tortured under the hood, yougot out your trusty wrenches, loosened the generator mounting bolts,and tore up your knuckles as you used a pry bar, pipe or 2×4 to pryaway until it stoped making noise. You then tightened the bolts againand went on your merry way.
Today
Although extremely important, the job of cleaning engine parts leaves nothing to the imagination. You’re idly standing with a spray gun in your hand or beside a washer tank or cabinet. It’s a basic, time-consuming procedure, but that grime, oil and baked-on sludge won’t come off by itself. This necessary evil is the difference
Heavy-Duty Coolant Options
While the fundamental duty of engine coolants has not changed – they must transfer excess heat and offer freeze and boiling protection, plus corrosion and liner protection – modern coolants must transfer more heat than in the past, largely due to new emissions systems. When considering the energy consumed to power a heavy-duty diesel
E=MC2 and Diesel Injection Equals MM3
When diagnosing and repairing today’s modern diesel engines, you often trust your scan tool to give you answers. But what do you do when it gives you more questions? We decided to investigate a mystery that has always eluded us until now. As diesel engines have become more electronically controlled, I have been baffled
HPBG: The Power of Racing Fuels
An engine’s power potential depends on how much air it breathes and the fuel it burns. Engine modifications such as larger bores and longer strokes add displacement, which increase airflow and power. Bigger valves, CNC ported heads and a hotter camshaft with increased lift and duration also increase airflow for more power as engine rpms
Installing Shaft Mount Rocker Systems on Gen III Engines
For information specific to other shaft rocker systems you should refer to the manufacturer’s instructions. 1) The rocker arm roller tips must be immersed in oil for a minimum of 3 hours to allow full lubricant penetration of the roller tip and axle. A household ice tray works well for this purpose. Please note that it
Ford 7.3L Powerstroke May Experience ‘Cackle’ (Noisy) Injector
Application: • 1998-2003 Ford vehicles with 7.3L engines. Problem: Some vehicles may experience a misfire or “cackle.” Cause: The injectors in the 7.3L diesel run off of the high-pressure engine oil pump. The number 8 injector is the farthest away from the oil pump, causing a filling problem, which may result in a misfire. Ford
Livin
One of the only ways you can prove your worth as a race engine builder – besides on the racetrack, of course – is on a dynamometer. Being a shop without a dyno may be akin to running blindfolded: you can surely build a good engine, even a winning engine, but you probably won’t know
Racing Rocker Arm Technology
The rocker arms play a more important role than ever these days in high performance valvetrains. The rockers are the teeter-totters that translate the upward motion of the lifters and pushrods to the downward motion that opens the valves. It seems like a relatively simple task, but it demands the utmost from the design of
High Octane Educations
In October, you learned about the teachers at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH, involved in the school’s High Performance program. This one-year certification program provides hands-on, certified automotive training for skilled entry-level positions in automotive dealerships, independent garages and motorsports and other auto-related industries. Its auto department is recognized as a leader in training
Building A Top Class 565 Engine
What does it take to put a top-notch Sportsman drag racing engine in the winner’s bracket? Obviously, parts selection, assembly expertise and a talented driver are key. Over the years, Engine Builder has been an advocate of mastering the first two – the last one is always a gamble. But in some cases for that
Variable Valve Timing Can Help Save V8s, Environment
Not that I don’t supportthe environment and being responsible in our efforts to save the planet– I do. But the passion for the thunder of a throbbing,pavement-pounding V8 is, well, similar to that of the how your heartskips a beat when you think of your first love. What if you could stillhave the power, have
Crack Detection and Correction
First off, let’s get one thing perfectly clear – there’s no such thing as “flawless.” Like those shocking tabloid photos of that Hollywood actress who gets blindsided beside a bistro, even the most conscientious engine builder sometimes has to deal with surprising surface imperfections. And just as she has paparazzi to expose the damage and
Performance Piston Rings
When you’re building a performance engine, what kind of piston rings should you use? Rings run the gamut from cast iron to ductile iron to steel, with various dimensions, edge profiles and wear coatings. There are a lot of choices available and a lot of questions to answer. Some piston sets come with rings while
Career Building: Developing Engine Building Experiences in School Starts with Instructors
For some older technicians and mechanics, servicing vehicles and tearing down engines was something learned on the job. For others, automotive skills were developed through an automotive program at a high school or technical college. According to an employment forecast from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), between 2010 and 2020, the nation’s workforce will
Ten Head Bolt Installation Tips
The following are useful tips for technicians andengine specialists who spend any time sealing up engines. 1. Make sure all the head bolts are in perfect condition with clean,undamaged threads. Dirty or damaged threads can give false torquereadings as well as decrease a bolt’s clamping force by as much as 50%!Wire brush all bolt threads,