Managing Charges In Times of Great Change
What do you do when nothing seems familiar anymore? When everychallenge appears different and somehow inconsistent with anythingyou’ve ever seen before? It’s easy to say “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.” But, this isn’t theMarine Corps. And, if that’s all you are doing, if everything you faceis an exception to the rule because none of the rules seem
Machine Shop Market Profile – Part 1
When life starts handing out lemons, say the feel-good self-help gurus, the smart money is on the person who not only makes lemonade but figures out a way to sell it for a profit. While the readers of Engine Builder might be hard-pressed to find time to manage a lemonade stand, the analogy still applies:
Engine Sealing Technology
Since the days of sealing engines with asbestos, cork, rope and paper are, for the most part, ancient history, new-age materials and designs have elevated the critical role gaskets and seals play in the longevity of an engine. Finding the optimum sealing material and design remain a challenge many gasket manufacturers face as engines are
Race Engine Pistons and Rings
Cubic inches is the name of the game today. The performance piston market is being driven by bigger bore blocks and stroker crankshafts. A few years ago, a 540 cubic inch motor was a monster motor. Nowadays, some professional drag racers are running engines as large as 850 cubic inches, and 600-plus cubic inch big
Bringing A GenIII LS1 Stroker Back to Life
Performance engine builing is as old as the first Model T rebuild, but thanks to today’s new engine platforms and a plethora of aftermarket equipment, many engine builders can be intimidated by the scope of the possibilities. But, as we highlight in this article, there are basic engine practices and philosophies that work whether it
Coretalk: Key Industry Speakers Slated For PERA’s Chicago Convention
Yastrow and Som will discuss “Current Issues in Employment-Related U.S. Immigration Law: I-9 Compliance, Visa Updates.” In addition to addressing hot topics and compliance tips, they will provide answers to your specific questions.Bob McKenna, President/CEO of Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) and Past President of NAPA, will be speaking on “Motor Vehicle Parts Suppliers
Tech Notes
Engine Builders: It is generally known by automotive technicians that motor oil is a necessity; but how many of those techs know what it actually is? Differences in formulations, even within the same brand, can be as broad as the motor oil type, or as specific as the additive package used. In order to help
Understanding High Performance Valvetrain Technology
Parts are getting lighter, stronger and capable of producing more horsepower than ever before. One of the driving forces behind these advances has been the proliferation of aftermarket cylinder heads that require unique valvetrain components. In addition, new computer-aided design, modeling and manufacturing techniques are making it easier and faster for valvetrain component suppliers to
Coretalk: R&R Engine & Machine Named 2006 ‘Machine Shop Of The Year’
“The Machine Shop of the Year Award is always presented to a shop that represents this industry with integrity and professionalism,” explained Kaufman. “For its innovation, its attention to customer satisfaction and nearly 40 years of businees in Akron, we’re pleased to present this award to Bryan and all the employees at R&R.” This is
Pistons and Pins: What’s New
Asking piston manufacturers “what’s new” reveals a number of trends that are reshaping the piston business today. One is that there’s no longer a time lag of three or four years for aftermarket piston suppliers to tool up for the latest piston applications. Production engine remanufacturers (PERs) and custom engine rebuilders (CERs) are asking for
Ward’s Auto World Names 12th Annual ‘Top 10 Best Engines’
Ward’s Auto World Names Twelfth Annual ‘Top 10 Best Engines’ The winners of “Ward’s 10 Best Engines” awards for 2006 demonstrate U.S. auto consumers still can have it all: many of the winning engines highlight sophisticated new technology that generates exhilarating performance – but also improves fuel economy. The 2006 list marks the 12th year
Valve Selection: Hot Valve Materials for Hot Engines
Are stock valve materials good enough, or do you need to upgrade to valves that are made of a more durable alloy? If so, what kind of alloy? These are questions every engine builder must answer when selecting valves for performance engine applications. To the naked eye, most valves look pretty much the same. Unless
Coretalk: IMCA Engine Claims Top 400 Through Late Season
A total of 402 claims were made through late September, including 149 in the Modified division, 113 in the Stock Car class and 136 in the Hobby Stocks. There were also two claims in the Sprint Car division and one each in the Northern SportMod and Jeff’s Performance Southern SportMod classes. Claims so far in
Performance Pistons
Piston manufacturers are introducing new performance pistons for all of these applications as well as refining existing piston designs to reduce weight, and improve strength, durability and ring sealing. Piston design and manufacturing used to be a relatively low-tech process. Now, with the aid of finite element analysis and other computer modeling techniques, many aftermarket
Coretalk: Female Engine Builders, Hear Them Roar
Clevite Engine Parts has sponsored the Clevite Engine Builder Challenge Series since 1990 and has hosted the event at industry trade shows, conferences, race tracks and open house events for customers – but this was the first build to feature women only. Sandi Holder, of Holder Automotive Machine, and Becky Tardif, of Accurate Cylinderhead Service,
Making Horsepower and Horse Sense From Your Dyno
A dyno can give an engine builder an enormous wealth of information and even separate the truth from lies. It’s one thing for a builder to have an idea of what the engine he or she is building is capable of and quite another to know exactly what’s been created. That’s because a dyno, more
Preacher, Teacher, Fighter, Friend
Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that reading this article may be hazardous to a negative attitude, and acting on the recommendations contained herein may result in increased job satisfaction and a more productive business atmosphere. If enthusiasm for his job were a virus, Dave Deegan would have one of the most serious infections the
What’s Wrong With Our Industry
What’s wrong with the engine building industry today? It’s a simple question that has no simple answer. Like many other – if not every – industry facing difficult times, the factors impacting this market are varied, complex and frustratingly hard to pin down. Are the woes of the industry the fault of customers or suppliers?
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
Understanding Alternator Current Output
The amount of electronic and electrical equipment in today’s cars has increased exponentially over the past decade and we can look forward to even more in the near future. The demands for electrical power are increasing and, consequently, greater output currents are needed from the alternator. In this article, we will examine what determines the