Rebuilding The Ford 3.8L Engine
They needed an economy engine that would fit in their new cars, and they needed it fast. They had a couple of old inline sixes and a small German V6, but none of them were designed for fuel economy or the coming emissions standards, and the 250 cid engine was so tall that it wouldn’t
Vincent Mancini Sees the Future of PERA ; Right Here, Right Now
You might think that a popular rock band would have nothing to contribute to an engine remanufacturer. You might think the best way to make a profit is to slash expenses by all means necessary. Or, you might think things would be better if your customer would just see your side of the story for
Great Scott! Wichlacz Takes Over as AERA Chairman
Wichlacz Takes Over as AERA Chairman Scott Wichlacz’s story begins the way many rebuilders’ stories begin: a young boy tinkering with lawnmower and tractor engines, taking apart the component parts of mechanisms and putting them back together, always knowing that this would be his chosen career. One thing led to another, and Wichlacz moved on
Little Engines, Big Money
For the rebuilding facility familiar with typical automotive or heavy-duty engines, the small displacement, four-cycle, air-cooled engine may seem insignificant. After all, these one-cylinder motors, which may produce just 5 hp, are found in lawn mowers, rototillers and kiddy go karts, for cryin’ out loud! Although the small four-cycle engines from Briggs & Stratton, Tecumseh,
High Performance May Be Your Shop
As an automotive machine shop owner, you’re reading Automotive Rebuilder magazine because you want to stay abreast of all the happenings in your industry. Along with that, you’re also searching for ways to improve your bottom line by adding additional products or services to your operation. High performance machining could be the ticket. The explosive
Heavy Duty Details: Damaged Main And Cam Bearing Saddles Can Be Successfully Repaired By Sleeving
The process is relatively easy to accomplish, and the repair is reliable How many times have you seen a block that is discarded because of damaged main saddles or cam bearing saddles? Numerous individuals try to have the block brazed or welded and then align bored. Because blocks require that they be completely heated to
Engine Cylinder Bore Surface Finishes
What’s the best type of cylinder bore finish for today’s engines? Most would say it’s a finish that allows the rings to seat quickly and completely so the engine doesn’t use oil. For many applications, that may mean a plateau finish. The surface finish must also meet the piston ring manufacturer’s specifications and have the
Heads Up: Rebuilding Aluminum Cylinder Heads
In our last article (Automotive Rebuilder, July, 1999 issue page 54) we discussed how to check valve stem to guide clearances and the methods used to replace valve guides and seats. Camshaft clearances and techniques used to bring clearances to within specification were also covered. In this article we will cover the final assembly of
Rebuilding the Chevrolet LT1 Engine
Although it shared many common dimensions, looked much the same and even had a few common parts, it was totally redesigned to provide more power with lower emissions and better fuel economy. Compared to the 1991 Chevy 350 L98 with TPI, the LT1 made 20% more horsepower, got better fuel mileage, and had a
The Aqueous Alternative: Cleaning Is The Cornerstone Of Every Rebuilding Operation
Cleaning is the cornerstone of every rebuilding operation, be it a small one or two man shop or a large scale production facility. Dirt, oil, grease, carbon and other contaminants must all be removed from components that are being processed so they can be inspected, machined and restored to like-new condition. Additional cleaning may also
1999 Machine Shop Of The Year Award Winner: Metric Automotive Engineering Ltd
Each year, the staff at Automotive Rebuilder magazine recognizes one machine shop that displays business practices that go above and beyond the norm. This year, along with input from the Engine Rebuilders Association (AERA), we have selected Metric Automotive Engineering (Pty) Ltd., from Germiston South, Republic of South Africa. Metric was chosen from numerous entries
High Performance Valve Jobs
Valve jobs are like a number of other automotive machining operations
LPG Conversions: Renewed Interest In The Use Of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) And LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
The recent move to clean up inner city exhaustemissions has resulted in renewed interest in the use of LPG (LiquefiedPetroleum Gas) and LNG (Liquefied Natural gas) as motor fuels.These fuels are almost pure propane with a little butane present. Tax incentives are being offered to encouragefleet operators to convert to gaseous fuels and more vehiclesare
Crankshaft Polishing: Make Sure The Journals On The Crankshaft Are Properly Polished
Today’s high output, close tolerance enginesare more dependent than ever on quality remanufacturing procedures,durable parts and precise machining. One of the best ways to assurelong bearing life in today’s engines is to make sure the journalson the crankshaft are properly polished. The oil film between the journals on the crankshaftand the loaded portion of the
Rebuilding the Buick 3300
The Buick 3300 was introduced in 1989 as areplacement for the 3.0L that had been around since 1982. It hadthe updated block with on-center bores, just like the revisedversion of the 3800 that came out the year before, along withseveral other changes and improvements. This engine was installed in many of the "A"bodied cars including
Machine Shop Market Profile Part II
In Part I of our annual review of the machine shop market, which appeared in our July 1998 issue, we provided average production numbers in 1997 for cylinder heads, engine blocks and crankshafts reported by machine shops. According to our survey respondents, custom engine rebuilders/machine shops averaged 18.29 gas and diesel engines rebuilt monthly during
Machine Shop Market Profile
Interviews conducted with parts and equipmentsuppliers, as well as machine shop owners and custom engine rebuilders,generally point to market demand which has remained flat whenengine production numbers are compared to year earlier figures.Recent survey results of machine shops concerning production year1997 confirm these assumptions. Automotive Rebuilder magazine conducted a surveyof the machine shop membership of
Valve Stem Seals
Valve stem seals play a critical role in controlling valve lubrication as well as oil consumption. If the seals do not fit properly or are not installed correctly, the guides may be either starved for lubrication or flooded with oil. Either way, the engine is going to have problems – and you’re going to have
Cleaning – Do You Know Where Your Dollars Are?
Cleaning parts in the machine shop doesn’tcome cheaply. According to Automotive Rebuilder’s Machine ShopMarket Profile about 15.2% of engine machining and rebuildingproduction work involves disassembly and cleaning. According torebuilders that we surveyed, disassembly and cleaning accountedfor the highest percentage of total rebuilding production timein the shop. So there can be significant benefits to reducingcleaning costs
Ideal Supply – “Farming” For Opportunities
As the winner of our fifth annual "MachineShop of the Year" award contest, Ideal Supply Co., Listowel,Ontario, can claim a number of "firsts." It is the firstCanadian recipient of our award and, to our knowledge, it is alsothe first machine shop which has obtained ISO (International StandardsOrganization) 9002 certification. About two hours due east of