Cylinder Sleeve Installation Procedures
Dry sleeves have long been used to repair damaged and worn cast iron and aluminum engine blocks. If a cylinder has excessive taper wear, or is cracked, scored or otherwise damaged, boring out the damaged cylinder and installing a repair sleeve can often save the block. Likewise, if all of the cylinders are heavily worn,
Understanding Today
Metallurgy is one of the oldest sciences in the world – it’s a history that can be traced back to the beginnings of civilization. It’s hard to believe that in the thousands of years since the discovery of gold and silver there have only been 84 new metals discovered. In fact, when the automobile was
Selecting The Right High Performance Rocker Arms
The rocker arms in a pushrod engine serve two purposes. The rockers serve as fulcrums to redirect the upward motion of the lifters and pushrods into downward motion to open the valves. The lift ratio of the rockers also serves to multiply the amount of valve lift generated by the cam lobes. Stock rocker arms
Boring and Honing Tips and Tricks
One of the goals of boring and honing cylinders is to size the bores to a specific dimension. If an engine is being remanufactured to meet specific criteria, that usually means boring and honing to achieve a standard oversize (.010?, .020? or .030?). The oversize will depend on the thickness of the casting, how much
HDRG Names Camerota Truck Parts 2011 Heavy Duty Remanufacturer of the Year
Camerota Truck Parts was awarded theprestigious “Mike Hill Heavy Duty Remanufacturer of the Year Award" during the Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group (HDRG) Summit, a division of the Automotive PartsRemanufacturers Association (APRA), in Las Vegas on January 17, 2011. According to APRA/HDRG President Bill Gager, the panel’s decision to award Camerota Truck Parts of Enfield, CT,
Nailing Down The Buick Nailhead
Likethe Small Block Chevy, the Rocket 88 Olds, the Ford Flathead and the ChryslerHemi, the Buick Nailhead engine is one of those that has the immortal smell ofhistory all over it. Yet,unlike its more familiar brothers, cousins and even competitors, the Nailheadhas an aura of mystery about it as well. TheNailhead had a
Can Diesel Performance Help Boost Your Business?
Most people associate diesel engines with truck and tractor pulling events, not traditional motorsports. There are no diesel-powered NASCAR races or Indy cars. But diesels are making inroads in other types of racing. Diesel-powered race cars and trucks are setting land speed records at Bonneville, winning endurance races at LeMans, and running over 200 mph
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
Timing Chains, Sprockets and Gears
Look back at the events in your life an examine how timing has played a part in the outcome. When you showed up at party and met the girl who would eventually become your wife? When you stayed late at work and missed the 18-car pile up on the interstate? Even without realizing it, your
Competition Is Good, Healthy, Necessary Because It Makes Us Better
While the two tennis greats were friends behind the scenes and theirfriendship is still going strong today, the on-court adversaries playedtough. When asked what effect their rivalry had on their careers, they bothresponded that it made them better competitors. “It made our careerslonger and better,” said Navratilova. “I don’t think either of us wouldhave lasted
eBay Motors To Discuss Retail Internet Trends at Upcoming Big R Show
Rhodes will speak on Monday morning, November 1st, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The title of his presentation is “Retail Internet Trends in Automotive Parts in 2010.” He will explain the latest trends in the automotive industry online for 2010 and will also discuss who is buying parts online, and the things you need
Advantages, Myths and Fables of High Volume Oil Pumps
The oil pump’s most difficult task is to supply oil to the connecting rod bearing that is the farthest from the pump. To reach this bearing, the oil travels from three to four feet, turns numerous square corners through small holes in the crankshaft to the rod bearing. The rod bearing doesn’t help matters. It
Dynos and Test Stands: Profit Center or Business Black Hole?
Dynamometers allow an engine builder to test, tune and tweak his engines before giving customers the opportunity to do something foolish with them. In a recent poll on Engine Builder’s website, we asked our readers how important a dyno is to their business. According to our (admittedly unscientific) results, 44 percent of Engine Builder readers
Your Letters Can Help Us All Realize Our Intrinsic Value
Since that time, I’ve made a number of new contacts via email and good old fashioned telephone calls that will most likely lead to great articles in future issues of this magazine. We’ve also heard positive feedback about the magazine (and, frankly, about the fiber and strength of the people in this industry) as well
Compatibility of Component Design Changes in Cummins ISX/QSX
Listed below are a few of the basic, although major, changes you may encounter when rebuilding an ISX/QSX engine: Head Gaskets: Early versions of these engines were produced with a multiple piece head gaskets to seal the cylinder head to the block. This design could only be used with the early “grooved top” liner
The Lifter/Cam Relationship
They are lifters, and they are critical to proper engine operation. “On the outside they look the same, but the inside is where the big difference is,” says Scott Reynolds of Scorpion Performance. “The mechanical or solid lifter is just what it sounds like: solid with no internal movement. These lifters are designed to be
Intake Manifold Gaskets
Back in the days when most engines had cast iron blocks, heads and manifolds, the intake manifold could be easily sealed with simple and relatively inexpensive die cut fiber faced metal gaskets (solid or perforated core). Sealer was usually required to ensure a leak-free installation. But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, fuel
Exhibit Booths for the 2010 International BIG R Show Almost 50 Percent Sold Out
The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) is reporting thatbooth sales for the upcoming 2010 International BIG R Show, to be heldat the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel Oct. 30 – Nov.1, have been very strong sofar. The 2010 International BIG R Show will be held in Las Vegas justprior to the AAPEX and SEMA Shows. This
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
Respect Between Shops and Stores Strengthens Both
I have been lucky enough to make sales calls on hundreds of machine shops over the past 30-plus years. Some are still here today and sadly, some are not. In that time I have met a few machine shop owners who were hard working and quite successful. They put in their years, formed an exit