Smoothing Out The Stress
We’ve all heard (and probably used) the term “harmonic balancer.” I always get a chuckle when I hear this term used so freely by educated gear heads. Because you see, there really is no such animal as a harmonic balancer on the internal combustion engine. The correct term is “harmonic damper.” The damper is often
Maxiforce Announces New Line of Engine Parts
Maxiforce says it is the only U.S. brand offering Yanmar aftermarket engine parts, reinforcing the company’s commitment and leadership in the small diesel engine market. Maxiforce’s Yanmar range currently covers engine models 3TNE84 and 4TNE84D/T found in both Yanmar and John Deere (3015D, 4020D/T) OEM applications. “We are very excited to launch this new
Recent Advancements in Racing Oils
The racing oil community has been very busy this past year. This is much more satisfying to an old “oilhead” who has seen years where there were no new racing oil developments. Racers and engine builders traditionally focus more on improvements in hard parts, because that’s what they understand best. However, recent successes in racing
Valve Seat Selection, Finishing & Materials
Over time, erosion and corrosion can eat away at the metal resulting in compression leaks, elevated valve temperatures and sometimes valve failure. If a valve seat insert doesn’t have the correct amount of interference fit in the cylinder head, it’s possible the seat may loosen up and fall out damaging the valve, head and piston.
Competing for Diesel Dollars with OEM?Dealers
About 13 years ago we – like many members of this industry – our business was struggling because our focus was only on machine work – our sales basically imploded and we needed to change. In our internal discussions, we put this dramatic change to two things: First, efficient engine design (including things like electronic
Common Failure Modes
For years, B&G Machine had been a diesel machine shop serving Seattle and the upper Northwest part of the U.S. To address certain market conditions in the mid- to late-’90s, we began building diesel engines. In doing so, we tried to identify the engines that would best serve a captive market – markets that would
Diesel Performance: Camshafts, Lifters and Valvetrain
Diesel performance is nothing new. What is new is the level of interest in diesels for all kinds of racing; everything from traditional truck and tractor pulling to drag racing, even sports car and endurance racing. Diesel engines are a different type of animal when compared to gasoline engines. While both use the same four-stroke
Selecting Valve Seats for Gas and Diesel Engines
Hard working diesel engines, performance engines, and engines that run on dry fuels such as propane or natural gas produce a lot of heat in the combustion chamber and often require valve seats that are harder and more heat-resistant. Stellite, chromium, cobalt, tungsten and nickel alloy valve seats are commonly used for such high heat
JAC and Navistar to Produce and Market Commercial Trucks and Diesel Engines in China
Anaffiliate of Navistar International Corp. and Anhui JianghuaiAutomobile Co. Ltd. (JAC) have signed a joint venture agreement todevelop, build and market advanced diesel commercial engines in China. In addition, an affiliate of NC2, a joint venture between Navistar andCaterpillar Inc., have also signed a joint venture agreement with JACto develop, build and market advanced commercial
MAHLE Clevite Inc. Introduces New John Deere Electronic Catalog to Heavy Duty Offering of Launchpad
Featuring an easy-to-use search option, the new John Deere electronic catalog allows users to locate John Deere engine parts and kits simply by entering the model or OE number. It quickly links users to a results page, which shows the various applications and parts available. Additionally, the results page features a “Details” icon that brings
The Evolution of Diesel Piston Designs
Traditionally, diesel engines are known for their long life, fuel economy and efficiency in getting large loads from place to place. Diesel engines are equal to gasoline engines in horsepower per cubic inch, and they have double the torque of gasoline engines and can achieve up to 40 percent better fuel economy, making them ideal
High Tech Cleaning Options
Yet while machining tolerances and performance expectations have changed dramatically over the past few decades, when it comes to getting parts clean, many of those high-tech shops struggle with the same technology they used 30 years ago. The simple fact is, times have changed for parts cleaning, and so have the methods. Engine builders have
Diesel Crankshaft Basics
The crankshaft turns this linear motion into a rotating motion that provides power to move a vehicle forward, operate generators or otherwise give measurable activity. Whether in a gasoline or diesel-powered engine, the crankshaft is a key component. With diesels, the crank is typically thought of as bigger, heavier and harder to get in the
CAT 3208 Cylinder Block Identification
The turbo block has two vents for the lifter chambers of the block that the non-turbo does not have. Figure 1shows the rear lower extremity of the “V” of both blocks. The non-turboblock is plain and just follows suit with the rest of the casting. Thecounter bored and threaded hole (red circle) is where the
Today’s Niche Market Engine Opportunities
As we reported in our 2009 Machine Shop Market Profile, the total number of engines built is down, however, savvy engine builders know that finding the right niche markets can make the difference between success and failure of their business. With OEMs making engines that last well into the 200,000-mile range it’s no wonder rebuilders
BIG R Show Panel to Explore How Proper Failure Analysis Can Enhance Product Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Everyengine rebuild starts with a problem with the engine’s performance oran obvious component failure. Determining the cause of the problem cango a long way toward building a quality product and solidifying yourrelationship with the customer. APRA’s Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group has assembled a panel ofexperts that have spent many years analyzing engine problems to discusshow
Holley Performance Again Files for Bankruptcy
TheAssociated Press (AP) has reported that high-performance auto partsmaker, Holley Performance, has filed again for Chapter 11 bankruptcyprotection. Holley Performance emerged from a prior prepackagedbankruptcy plan on March 28, 2008. Holley filed for the second time on Monday, after it was unable toreach an agreement with its lenders. The lenders claim thatKentucky-based Holley is near
Rebuilding the CAT 3208 Diesel
Since information from Caterpillar is always held very tight within the family it was very hard to get an accurate history of how the relationship all came about, so if I’m a bit off in my timeline, forgive me. I assure you, it won’t affect the content of this article. The bottom line is, Ford
EngINtel: Recycled Coolant
There isn’t one of us who has not been affected or knows someone who has been affected by the economic crisis, downturn, recession or whatever catch phrase is being used this week in an effort to try and keep us from focusing on one reality that we all are aware of – the cupboards are
CNC Machines for Heavy-Duty or Industrial Engines
On one hand, automating certain commonly performed machining processes means you only have to do the initial setup once and the machine does the rest. It frees up the machine operator to do something else, and it reduces the risk of human error when doing tedious, repetitive tasks. On the other hand, making the transition