Building Blocks: The Foundation of Any Engine Build
Every engine project starts with the block because the block is the foundation for everything else that follows. The block determines bore and stroke, camshaft and lifter location, oil pump location and oil galley configuration, what kind of main bearing caps can be used to support the crankshaft, and what kind of cylinder heads, oil
Blast From the Past: Learning to Race Pro Stock
My transition in 1975 from bracket racing a 122˝ wheelbase mid-eleven second, two-ton ’57 Mercury to racing in a low nine-second 99˝ wheelbase, Pinto Pro Stock car, was quite a jump. I was jaded with bracket racing and wanted to run heads up – all out with a door car. So, Pro Stock was it.
PML Offers Deep Transmission Pan for the C5 Corvette
PML has added a great looking, solid construction, transmission pan to its line of products especially for automobile enthusiasts. PML designed this transmission pan specifically for C5 Corvette owners who push their Corvettes to the limit and for owners who just want to take care of their Corvettes. This pan would also be useful for
Manifold Matchmaker – Tips for Selecting the Right Manifold for Your Engine Build
Every engine needs some type of intake manifold to route air into the engine’s cylinders. With carbureted engines, the intake manifold has a wet plenum and runners because the manifold has to flow air and atomized fuel at the same time. Consequently, the manifold runners can’t turn or twist too sharply otherwise the heavier fuel
A Look Into Jon Kaase’s Shaft-Mounted Rockers for Big-Block Fords
At first glance, Jon Kaase’s new shaft-mounted rocker arrangement for his P-51 big-block Ford cylinder heads conveys stability. To the competition valve train, it contributes both strength and accuracy. However, the new arrangement possesses many more appealing prospects, some of which are concealed. For example, the 0.900in wide aluminum rocker bodies are characterized partly by
Dyno-Might: Utilizing a Dynamometer to ‘Boost’ Engine Builds
Some would say that one of the criteria for being a “real” performance engine builder is having your own engine dyno. A dynamometer is not just a tool for measuring horsepower and torque (though some people think that’s all a dyno is used for). It’s a quality control tool that allows you to make sure
Hydrocarbon Heartburn? — Effects of Sulfur Reduction in Motor Oils
Let’s face it, things change. Not only have the prices of gasoline, diesel and motor oils changed in the last decade or so, the chemical makeup of these products have all changed, too. The reduction of sulfur in diesel fuel, gasoline and motor oil has had measurable effects on fuel injectors and other vital engine
November Issue Engine Builder Shop Solutions
Jeep 3.8L Oil Pressure Problem Many late model 3.8L Jeep engines are losing oil pressure at the oil pump due to failure of the bypass valve. This results in destruction of not only the crankshaft, but the connecting rods. To fix the problem, you need to find the bypass valve inside the plastic timing cover.
Handling Stress Fractures
Salvaging Cracked or Flawed Engine Parts through Detection and Repairs Cracks are often blamed as the cause of a head failure. In many instances, the cracks are not the cause of the failure, but a symptom of another underlying problem such as overheating, detonation or incorrect installation (wrong torque on head bolts, dirty bolt threads,
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2002 Daytona ‘500’ NASCAR Parade Car – Up for Auction at Russo and Steele
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2002 Daytona ‘500’ NASCAR Parade Car to Set the Pace at Russo and Steele’s Signature Scottsdale Collector Automobile Auction Celebrating the end of 35 years of continuous Pontiac Firebird production in 2002, the fully-equipped, limited-production Trans Am Collector’s Edition (including just 1,041 convertibles) was selected to pace that year’s edition of NASCAR’s
Scratching the Surface: Coatings and Treatments for Engine Components
When it comes to preserving performance parts, it’s the ‘Icing on the Cake’ Various kinds of coatings and surface treatments can be applied to engine parts like icing on the cake to improve durability, enhance scuff resistance and lubrication, control heat, boost thermal efficiency and reduce friction. No single coating or surface treatment can
Fuel Feature: Eliminating Poor Throttle Response
Impact of Today’s Gasoline on Carbureted Engines The pump gasoline sold at gas stations around the country has changed quite a bit over the last several decades. The first major change was the removal of lead from the gasoline. The next major change was to reformulate the gasoline to reduce both the evaporative and exhaust
Toyota Oversize Valve Lifter Modification
A Video from John Edwards of Cost Mesa R&D Automotive Machine Shop, Costa Mesa, CA that shows How to Resize OHC Oversize Lifters According to Edwards, occasionally, you will need to buy lifters to make valve adjustments because the one piece tappet is of a specific height and must be changed. This is the case
Shop Solutions: October 2013 Issue
Balloons Belong at Birthday Parties Not in Transmissions I rebuilt a 454 GM engine that went into a motorhome application. It ran well, and no problems immediately appeared. But later on, it was towed in with a main bearing failure in the thrust area. I gave the customer another engine, and a month later it
The SKYs the Limit: Looking into Mazda’s SKYACTIV Engine Technology
Mazda’s ultra high-compression, direct injection gasoline engines are achieving fuel economy numbers that rival many hybrids. Mazda isn’t one of the high-volume automakers. With only 1.9% of the automotive market, they are smaller than Subaru, BMW and Mercedes-Benz (each of which has about a 2% market share). But lately, Mazda has been making big waves
ATI Introduces Vasco Gear Sets
ATI has introduced 1.64 and 1.66 ratio, straight cut, Vasco gear sets for Powerglide Transmissions. These new gear sets accept OEM Powerglide 19-spline input shafts and have an OEM sized Powerglide output shaft. No case machining needed, accepts up to 5 OEM sized reverse clutches, and no other special parts needed for installation. A
VW Showcases ‘Design Vision GTI’ Concept with Turbocharged V6 TSI Engine
The V6 TSI engine develops 369 pound-feet of torque from as low as 2000 rpm, with a maximum figure of 413 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. Volkswagen of America, Inc. showed off its “Design Vision GTI” at the Los Angeles Auto Show. First debuted at Germany’s Wörthersee festival, the brand’s premier enthusiast gathering, the stunning
Harry A. Miller’s Masterpiece Motors
Miller’s engines and cars were – and still are – works of art Each year, in early July, some five-dozen racing relics come thundering out of the pages of history books to circle the famous one-mile long track at Milwaukee’s Wisconsin State Fairgrounds. There are Lozier, Mercer, Hupmobile, Ford, Chrysler and Kurtis creations with
SEMA Scholarship Committee Details 2013/2014 SEMA Engine Project
The SEMA Scholarship Committee has announced that its 2013/2014 SEMA Engine project will feature a 700+ horsepower package based on a Dart LS Next cast iron block. The engine will be offered on eBay beginning December 12, 2013 and the proceeds will benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which aids young men and women seeking
Dodge and Mopar Join Forces with New Scat Package Performance Kits
Good things are coming in many packages for Dodge owners who love performance and delving into Dodge’s rich history. In honor of the 45th anniversary of the legendary “Scat Pack Club” that played a prominent role in Dodge heritage, Dodge and Mopar announced the introduction of new Scat Package performance stage kits for the 2014
