Up-Selling in a Down Market
Do you ever wonder what’s next? First gas prices climb to more than $4.50 per gallon and everyone is dumping their gas-guzzlers. A couple of months later gas free-falls to $1.50 a gallon, but no one cares because people are being laid off in record numbers. Our major investment banks go bust, the credit system
Fueling the Future – Can You Fill Up with Alternative Fuels?
Currently gas prices have stabilized at around $1.83 a gallon, a price at which most Americans feel comfortable driving their SUVs, trucks, race cars, tow vehicles and other motorized toys. But when gas hits $4 and $5 a gallon, driving guzzlers becomes a challenge for many. It was only a few months ago that a
What’s Rockin’ In Performance Rocker Arms and Valve Springs
Horsepower is in the heads. But for a cylinder head to breathe efficiently, the valvetrain must be rigid and strong to minimize flex, but also lightweight. For most performance applications, that means replacing the stock rocker arms, valve springs and pushrods with some type of aftermarket roller rocker arms, stiffer valve springs and stronger pushrods.
Honeywell to Turbocharge First Ford EcoBoost Engine
Honeywell has been selectedby Ford to develop turbochargers for its first introduction of the FordEcoBoost engine on next year’s 2010 Lincoln MKS. The new turbocharged3.5L V6 engine will perform like a large V8, but will deliver thefuel economy of a V6, according to Ford. Ford’s EcoBoost engine range is creating a new dynamic in theequation
Coolant Loss on 2002-2006 Toyota 2.4L, 2AZFE engines
The following information concerns the loss of coolant on some 2002-2006 Toyota 2.4L, 2AZFE engines. The location of this condition has been noted at the rear of the engine where the cylinder head bolts to the cylinder block. It has been reported that stripped head bolt threads have been found on some of these engines
CNC Machining: Making Dollars and Sense
"For the first time, we saw people who weren’t overwhelmed by the concept of CNC machines,” Matt Meyer said about the recent PRI trade show. “This was the first year that most people really seemed to know what they were looking at and understood that CNC machines are a viable part of the automotive machine
Intake Manifolds, Fuel Injected Engines, Carburetors
An intake manifold is more than the plumbing that connects the carburetor or throttle body to the ports in the cylinder head. It is an integral part of the induction system that has to match the airflow characteristics of the cylinder head and camshaft, as well as the displacement and rpm range of the engine.
Ford Engine Rebuilding Technical Guide
November 2006 Ford Engine Rebuilding Technical Guide FORD 4.6L sponsored by FORD 7.3L sponsored by FORD FE sponsored by
Engine Builder Shop Solutions, October 2007
Intake Manifold Cleaning Caution – Ford 4.6L VIN ‘W’ Engines (1991-’98) If piston failure occurs in this engine, it is possible for broken pieces of piston to end up in the intake plenum. This is due to the design of the engine, which has tuned runners with the plenum located below the runners. The piston
Timing Chains & Gears
As a rule, most pushrod engines use a timing chain to drive the camshaft, though some older four and six cylinder engines use a gear set. A short chain or gear set works well in this kind of application because the camshaft is located in the block just above the crankshaft. In overhead cam (OHC)
Engintel: Learning Not To Feel Like A Sucker
I recently encountered an interesting situation that initially had me wondering if all hope for installation and general repair technicians was gone; and that perhaps some of the bum rap that they seem to get may be justified. Instead, I got a healthy meal of "crow" wrapped in a tortilla of humility. Imagine getting a
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
Core Corner: Finding Your Direction With The Northstar
I’ll be honest, it’s had me baffled. Even I’ve struggled to understand why I would put much research effort into the casting proliferation of this engine. My perception was, "Who in his right mind would spend the money to put a reman engine into a car that is so old?" Yet, jump up onto AutoTrader.com
Tech Notes
Engine Builders: Everyone who works with cars or trucks is familiar with the terms Torque and Horsepower. But do you understand the difference between the two and can you explain it to your customer? It’s important to have a sound understanding of both and the ability to comprehend what defines each measurement of output. By
Engine Builders: Pistons and Rings – Hypereutectic, Valve, Installation
Though pistons can often be salvaged when remanufacturing an engine, sometimes they have to be replaced. The original pistons may have worn or damaged ring grooves, wrist pins or skirts, or they may have cracks. New pistons may also be necessary if the cylinders have too much taper wear and the block has to be
Coretalk
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) did not vote late last year on a proposal that would have extended emissions warranties to 15 years/150,000 miles on defective emissions-related components. The determination came during a CARB hearing on changes to the Emissions Warranty Information Reporting (EWIR) requirement that would have required car companies that experience more
Coretalk: Nashville Sheraton Site For PERA’s Spring Tech
The meeting, a combination of technical sessions and hands-on demonstrations, presentations and a facility tour, will begin on Thursday, March 22 at a special reception in the hotel’s Pinnacle Room. NHRA Top Fuel drag racer Hillary Will is scheduled as the reception’s special guest. The technical program will begin on Friday morning following breakfast hosted
Fast Talk: Ward’s Announces ‘Top 10 Best Engines’
The winners of “Ward’s Auto 10 Best Engines” each reflect a changing environment within the automotive industry, according to the publication. Where past lists have been dominated by large-displacement engines, half of this year’s list is made up of 3.0L or smaller displacement engines. Only two of the winners are larger than 3.5L, and four
Engine Sealing: High Performance Head Gaskets
One thing no engine builder wants to worry about is a head gasket failure, whether it is a NASCAR cup engine, a Pro Stock drag racing engine, a dirt track engine, a hot street engine or even a stock engine. Stock head gaskets hold up well enough under normal loads. But as compression ratios and
PERA’S Core Corner: Sometimes Engineering Changes Actually Make Sense
As much fun as it is to play detective, research obscure facts and unravel engineering messes myself, sometimes I totally enjoy running across things that just plain make sense. Often, many of these things are after-the-fact thoughts, but that is why hindsight is always 20/20. For those in the engineering world, these would be running