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’
Different engine-to-transmission dowels on Chrysler SOHC V6 engines?
Are there different engine-to-transmission dowels on Chrysler SOHC V6 engines? The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding engine-to-transmission dowels on 1998 and 1999 Chrysler 3.2L and 3.5L SOHC V6 engines. A change was made in March of 1998 to the engine-to-transmission locating dowel length and block counter bore. The new dowel (p/n 06505643AA)
The Angle On Valve Seats
Valve seats seem to be a fairly simple engine component but they play a critical role in sealing compression and cooling the valves. When a seat becomes worn, it may leak compression and allow the valve to run hotter than normal. The same thing can happen if the seat is out-of-round or has lost its
New Clean Diesel Technology
With gasoline prices in the U.S. bouncing around the two dollars per gallon mark, record high oil prices and growing uncertainty over the price and availability of future oil supplies, any new technology that can give consumers more bang for their buck should be welcomed. Domestic vehicle manufacturers have virtually abandoned further development of electric
Ford Timing Chains and Belts
So if a customer is driving a vehicle that is more than 5 or 6 years old, he may be driving on borrowed time if the timing belt has not been replaced. The risk of belt failure goes up sharply once a belt surpasses its recommended replacement interval, which for most Ford applications (except the
Rebuilding The Ford 3.0L V6
The 3.0L Ford pushrod motor has been around for nearly 20 years. It was originally introduced back in 1986 and millions of them have been installed in a wide variety of front and rear wheel drive cars and trucks since then. It’s been used in several FWD applications including the Taurus/Sable, the Tempo/Topaz and the
Big-Inch Cadillac’s
While some engines are relatively rare in machine shops, the big Cadillacs have remained a consistent source of income. These engines are Cadillac’s last big hurrah at traditional big-cube, flagship GM engines. Surprisingly, they are also a scaled-down version of a V-12 engine that made it through early production and road-testing before being scrapped as
Guide and Seat Equipment
Cylinder head work has been and should continue to be a profit center for engine builders. Heads almost always require guide and seat work to restore compression and oil control. This includes drilling, reaming and replacing valve guides, removing worn, loose or damaged valve seats, cutting new seat counterbores, and machining valve seats. For performance
Sprint Car Motors
While the World of Outlaws, the All Stars, and USAC are the most well known of the sprint car racing organizations in this country, there are nearly fifty organizations that sanction sprint car racing. In addition, that doesn’t take into account the racetracks throughout the country that have their own division of sprint cars. Although
Cylinder Bore Refinishing with Honing Tools
By ring friendly, we mean a finish that provides good support for the rings, retains oil and does not require a lengthy break-in period. For most engines today, a ring-friendly finish means a plateau finish. A plateau bore finish is what all types of rings eventually produce when they are fully seated, so the closer
Pera’s Core Corner
In the quest to find the latest and greatest information about different casting identification, oddities and interchangeability to assist those within the engine remanufacturing or rebuilding industry, it is easy to lose sight of valuable information from the past. No, I am not talking about the ’50s and ’60s, although that may be an idea,
Lord(s) Of The (Piston) Rings
“He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.” – Gandalf, Fellowship of the Rings. This is certainly not the case with piston ring technology, although Gandalf from the Lord of The Rings never directed his comments towards engine builders or piston ring manufacturers. Piston ring manufacturers
Pushrods – Key To Performance
Pushrods are the weakest link in the upper valvetrain. Pushrods transfer and redirect the upward motion of the lifters, which goes in one direction, to the rocker arms which move in another direction. Consequently, they are subjected to bending forces as the load and engine speed increases. For stock engines, mild steel stock pushrods are
The New Sport Compact Market
The most popular nameplates are imports such as Honda, Acura and Mitsubishi, but coming on fast are Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and Volkswagen – plus domestic models such as Ford Focus, Dodge Neon and even Chevy Cavalier. Nobody is abandoning the small block Chevy or any of the other V8s that have traditionally been the
High Performance Piston Options
Ask the kid on the street what performance is and he’ll raise the hood of his Honda. Ask the Funny Car drag racer about performance and he’ll take you to the starting line to breathe the nitromethane. Ask the mother on vacation and she’ll tell you about driving to California from Indiana pulling a car
Detonation in a few Ford 4.6L engines. Is this an octane issue?
We have had detonation in a few Ford 4.6L engines. Is this an octane issue? The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information on replacement pistons for 1991-2002 Ford 4.6L VIN W, X & 6 engines. This family of Ford engines is very sensitive to an increase in compression ratio whether the increase in compression
Align Yourself
The crankshaft main bores are the foundation of every engine block. The alignment of the main bores is important because their position establishes the centerline of the crankshaft and how the crank aligns with the cylinders, deck surfaces and camshaft. Misalignment in the main bores can cause binding and premature main bearing wear. Misalignment occurs
Rebuilding The Ford 2.0L
The old 1.9L was modified and upgraded in the process of making it into the 2.0L. The new engine was bored and stroked, it had siamesed cylinders that made the block stronger and quieter, the crank had four more counterweights that made it run smoother, and it had domed pistons for more compression. The
Preserving Performance – Helping Engines Keep Their Edge
Preserving performance should be a factor foremost in the mind of any performance engine shop. Taking steps to preserve performance not only preserves or enhances your reputation but it also has the same effect on your bank balance. When a high performance engine starts to lose its edge it can almost always be traced back
Is there a new oil filter for BMWs with extended mile oil change interval engines?
Is there a new oil filter for BMWs with extended mile oil change interval engines? According to the AERA technical committee, BMW has revised oil filters for its extended oil change interval engines. M52TU, M54, M62 and M73. BMW has approved a 15,000-mile service interval for certain high performance vehicles when service is performed by