A View From The Summit
Though they have no moving parts, weigh virtually nothingand rarely, if ever, are seen by the motoring public, the enginebearing may be one of the most important yet least understood partsunder the hood. Inthis spirit, we invited participants from the leading bearingmanufacturers to participate in a roundtable discussion onpre-determined topics. To answer questions and allow
Caterpillar 3508, 3512 and 3516 Engine Updates
This series of engines fall into various models that each include their own updates, those models are: 3500A / 3500B / 3500C One of the most significant changes in the diesel applications was in the method of fuel delivery systems from: Mechanical Unit Injection (MUI) To Electronic Unit Injection (EUI)
Rebuilding The 6.6L Duramax Diesel
It was really no surprise, since GM had single-handedly alienated the American buying public against the diesel engine beginning back in the late ’70s and early ’80s with the 5.7L V8 and 4.3L V6 diesel engines that were, let’s just say, “less than stellar.” While there’s no point now in rehashing mistakes of the past,
Diesel Turbocharging 101
The turbo was used on road tractors for years but I guess it was never really appreciated until it was introduced on mid-size trucks in the late ’80s. Up until that point, most of us knew only diesel engines without the use of a turbo. I recall the diesel engines used in small cars and
John Washbish to Speak at ASPA Luncheon at AAPEX
Theannual Automotive Specialty Products Alliance (ASPA) luncheon heldduring the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) will feature “AMonolog with John Washbish.” Washbish, president and CEO, AftermarketAuto Parts Alliance, will discuss the present state of the aftermarket,as well as his outlook for the future at the luncheon, which takesplace Nov. 3 in the Venetian Hotel. Washbish has
Advantages, Myths and Fables of High Volume Oil Pumps
The oil pump’s most difficult task is to supply oil to the connecting rod bearing that is the farthest from the pump. To reach this bearing, the oil travels from three to four feet, turns numerous square corners through small holes in the crankshaft to the rod bearing. The rod bearing doesn’t help matters. It
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: August 2010
Head and Block Surface Prep Most cast iron V8 heads and/or blocks usually don’t require anything more than a good cleaning. They are not as likely to warp as straight-six or aluminum heads or blocks. But it is unusual to have all the old gasket material wash away in your hot tank. Minimal surface prep
Compatibility of Component Design Changes in Cummins ISX/QSX
Listed below are a few of the basic, although major, changes you may encounter when rebuilding an ISX/QSX engine: Head Gaskets: Early versions of these engines were produced with a multiple piece head gaskets to seal the cylinder head to the block. This design could only be used with the early “grooved top” liner
ACL Distribution Bought By Tim Vehlewald; To Be Independent Company
In a joint statement, Automotive Components Ltd, Tasmania, Australia, and ACL Distribution, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI, announced the purchase of ACL Distribution, Inc. by Tim Vehlewald. The agreement provides Vehlewald, who becomes president, CEO and chairman of the new company, with ownership of the company which includes its name, company assets and exclusive marketing and
The Lifter/Cam Relationship
They are lifters, and they are critical to proper engine operation. “On the outside they look the same, but the inside is where the big difference is,” says Scott Reynolds of Scorpion Performance. “The mechanical or solid lifter is just what it sounds like: solid with no internal movement. These lifters are designed to be
Motorcycle Road Racing and Sportbike Engine Market
MotoGP today is a highly evolved and scientific competition where electronics play a vital role in delivering power to the road and adjusting the balance of the motorcycle to maximize the engine’s performance. This year there are three American MotoGP riders – Nicky Hayden, Ben Spies and Colin Edwards – who all started their careers
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: June 2010
Cover the Deck When honing cylinders in an engine block use duct tape to cover the deck. Then take a sharp razor knife and carefully trim out the cylinder bores. Doing this as a pre-honing procedure helps keep honing oil out of the coolant passages and thread holes, which reduces loss of honing oil, and
Hydraulic Lifter Summer School Session
Based upon some ofthe questions that I have been getting lately – particularly in theareas of valve train lifter noise and bearing clearances – I thought itwas time to go back to engine school. Let’s take a quick run through Hydraulic Lifter 101 and at the end I’llleave you with a valuable PBT (Practical Builder
GM Northstar 4.6L V8 Engine
Initially rated at 295 horsepower, the Northstar V8 has grown over the years to an incredible 469 hp at 6,400 rpm (STS-V Supercharged Northstar engine). In 1995, the engine was ranked as one of the “10 Best Engines in North America” by Ward’s Auto World. It repeated the honor in 1996 and 1997, but it
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
A View From The Summit
Though they have no moving parts, weigh virtually nothing and rarely, if ever, are seen by the motoring public, the engine bearing may be one of the most important yet least understood parts under the hood. In this spirit, we invited participants from the leading bearing manufacturers to participate in a roundtable discussion on pre-determined
Federal-Mogul Launches Next-Generation Electronic Catalog
Federal-Mogul Corporation has launched a dynamic, next-generation electronic catalog – available at www.fme-cat.com– to help aftermarket distributors, auto parts stores, professionalautomotive repair technicians and consumers find high quality parts forany of millions of passenger and commercial vehicles as well asperformance, marine, agricultural/industrial and small-engineapplications. Available 24/7, the interactive new eCatalog features a user-friendlyinterface, expanded functionality
Mahle Engine Builder Showdown To Be Held During All-Star Race Week
The 11th Annual MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown – hosted by NASCAR personalities Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds – will be held in uptown Charlotte, NC on Thursday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. The competition will take place during "NASCAR Rev’d Up," an event during NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week, on the side stage between 3rd and
Respect Between Shops and Stores Strengthens Both
I have been lucky enough to make sales calls on hundreds of machine shops over the past 30-plus years. Some are still here today and sadly, some are not. In that time I have met a few machine shop owners who were hard working and quite successful. They put in their years, formed an exit
Combustion Chamber Mold Making Process For Custom Pistons
The following molds are examples of chamber molds NOT accepted by JE Pistons. Different resin based materials are available, but be careful as they may readily bond with metal surfaces and can be difficult to separate once cured. There are two common