Cracked Cylinder Head Repair
It seems as if many cylinder heads are doomed to crack from the very start because of their lightweight construction and design. Aluminum overhead cam (OHC) heads, in particular, are often found to be warped as well as cracked. But so too are many pushrod cast iron heads. Cracks are often blamed as the cause
Jasper, Sunnen Give Away Street Performance Engine For Charity
Sunnen Products and Jasper Engines and Transmissions have teamed up to produce a high performance engine that features a full complement of aftermarket parts. According to Ron Williams, SMTSE, Southeastern Regional Mgr. for Sunnen, the proceeds from the raffle all go to charity. One hundred percent of the money raised from the Rev It Up
Heavy-Duty Diesel: Big Opportunity, Big Challenges
One of the most sought-after status symbols in America is a pickup truck with a Cummins, Duramax or Powerstroke engine. The expectation continues that diesel automotive engines will soon find their way in larger numbers to our shores. A rebounding economy should help get trucks moving again and recapture some lost maintenance dollars. First, what
The More Things Change…
One of the things we editorial-types like best is hearing from you, our readers. Obviously, we can’t talk with each one of you in person during the week, so it’s always a treat when someone comes up to me at a trade show or business convention and lets me know they appreciate receiving Engine Builder
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
Where Will Your Next Generation Of Customers Be Coming From?
In the tough economy we are facing today, many of us are concerned with generating sufficient business to keep the doors open, often at the expense of anything else. Are you so busy worrying about today that you’re not thinking about the future? Let me try to give you an idea about having the best
Mid-Range Diesels: Going the Distance
While it may seem that we’re constantly asking you, the reader, to give us detailed information about your business, the truth is, details are what make this business interesting. In that respect, following the February issue of Engine Builder, a cross-section of readers were asked for their opinions on a number of topics, ranging from
V-Twin Update: What’s Up For Harleys
Last year’s Machine Shop Market Profile revealed that about 44 percent of machine shops build motorcycle engines. Accounting for just over 3 percent of the total number of engines rebuilt, it may seem that motorcycle engines are of little interest.
Scratching The Niche
If you have been a reader of this magazine for any length of time, you’ll know that one thing is certain: this isn’t the same industry it was even just a few years ago. Not so long ago, a car or truck that was more than six years old would have been considered a junker,
Fast Lane: Boosting Your Business With A Web Presence – Part II
In part one of this series (“A Web Site Can Add To Your Business Bottom Line,” August 2006 Engine Builder, page 38) we talked about the need for every business to have a Web site, regardless of what type of business you are in. Sadly, in the recent Machine Shop Market Profile in this very
Salaries & Benefits
The subject of money tends to be one of the most sensitive topics in our society. In most situations, it’s the most impolite question ever. Most decent Americans are embarrassed to ask it. And yet, like rubbernecking at an accident on the highway, we’re drawn to know: How much do you make? At trade shows,
Fast Lane: A Web Site Can Add To Your Business Bottom Line
Hopefully everyone out there is familiar with the Internet. While there are some things about the Internet that most of us would rather not deal with, the value it has provided far outweighs any bad. A Web site is also the most cost-effective advertising you can do. As a journalist, the Internet is the first
Advances in Cleaning Equipment
You could argue that the dishwasher is one of the greatest inventions of the twentieth century. Up until its introduction in households, people had to wash each dish individually, by hand, and dishpan hands were common among women and children. But the dishwasher changed all of that for families, and on its arrival, children everywhere
Heavy Duty Diesel Rebuilding Opportunities
It’s certainly no secret that the engine rebuilding industry has been hurt by better quality, longer-lasting automobile engines. The same thing – but taken to an even greater extreme – can be said about the heavy duty diesel engine market. “The quality of today’s engines – both automotive and diesel – is so much better
Aqueous Cleaning Systems Offer Economical, Ecological Benefits
As concern for the environment and worker safety has increased over the years, attention paid to the cleaning processes used in engine rebuilding facilities has sharpened as well. No matter what size the shop, engine components are dirty and need to be cleaned. There are numerous ways to clean parts, of course, and no method
Valve Guide and Seat Equipment Options
For many engine builders the bread and butter business is in cylinder head work. In fact, according to our 2005 Machine Shop Market Profile (also available at www.engine-builder.com) 41 percent of gas and 54 percent of diesel engine builders’ business comes from servicing cylinder heads. And one of the most important aspects of doing this
Bad For The Auto Industry, Good For Rebuilding
The headline in the Dallas Morning News caught my eye: “New Car Customers With Negative Equity Are Growing Problem For Auto Industry.” The words “negative” and “problem” are well-recognized around this segment of the “auto industry” so, of course, I read on to see how this story would impact the Engine Builder reader. To my
Spray Washer Maintenance Tips
In the 2003 Engine Builder Machine Shop Market Profile (Engine Builder, June 2003), shop owners said cleaning/disassembly were their most time consuming parts of the rebuild process. Survey respondents said that 13.8 percent of an average rebuild is spent in this area, down 2 percent from the previous year. In the same survey, 80 percent
Making A Good Profit Margin In The Engine Building Business
As results from our recent Machine Shop Market Profile show (see page 21), making a good profit margin in the engine building business demands that you not only have your parts and labor pricing in order, but also your operating expenses fully under control. However, there are also several proposed bills working their way through
7CleanCsts.doc
So it’s important to remember when deciding on a specific approach to cleaning to strive for cleaning effectiveness, while at the same time, staying in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. In order for a machine shop to have a positive return on investment, cleaning systems and