Cleaning Aluminum
"Ten years ago, when there wasn’t that much aluminum, people were scared," said Mike Wigert, sales manager of spraywasher manufacturer LS Industries. "They didn’t know how to regulate their ovens, they didn’t know which chemicals to use, and they were tarnishing their aluminum parts, and probably ended up hand cleaning a lot of them," he
Rebuilding Toyota 3.0L V6 Engine
In 1988 Toyota introduced its first V6. Most of the information that follows applies to the 3.0L version used in Toyota’s truck applications. The 3.4L is still fairly new to the aftermarket at this point. 3VZ-E – 3.0L SOHC V6 – ’88-’95 The 3VZ-E was also introduced for the 1988 model year on Toyota 4×4
Toyota 20R Engine
Toyota has built numerous four cylinder engine families over the years, but one that has been in use for quite a long time is the R-series. The R-series has been the main motor used in almost all Toyota pick-up trucks, as well as the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Celica and Coronas. The 20R was introduced in 1975
Cleaning Equipment Maintenance
The saying, "An ounce of preventionis worth a pound of cure," definitely holds true when itcomes to the operation of cleaning equipment in rebuilding shops. According to David Zehren, product manager,stationary equipment for Georg Fischer Disa Goff, Inc., Seminole,OK, routine maintenance of cleaning equipment impacts all rebuilders,no matter how large or small. "The issue of
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
1998 Market Update – CV Shafts
One of the biggest issues still facing rebuilders is the controversyover the pros and cons of grinding CV joints. Though many CV unitrebuilders will tell you it’s getting harder to remain competitiveunless you grind, nobody grinds unnecessarily in this tight marketbecause of the costs of machine work and labor. Craig Russell of Drive Plus, Inc.,
“Heading” In The Right Direction: Heads Are A Hot Commodity These Days
Heads are a hot commodity these days, but itdepends on the application. Some heads like those for Chevy 350and Chrysler 2.2L/2.5L engines are always in demand, but pricesare low because of the glut of cores that are available for theseengines. Even so, anybody who’s selling heads these days has tohave them. The hot heads are
Ensuring The Job’s Done Right, Steve Rinaldo
"Don’t blame me. It’s not my fault." How many timeshave you either heard or spoken those sentences when undertakingwork as either a service facility or automotive shop owner. Inmy more than 20 years associated with automobile manufacturerservice training, the question of how to ensure a job is donecorrectly, and whose responsibility it is to see
Mopar Engine Platforms – 318, 360
Chrysler Corp. hasn’t built a rear wheel drive, V8-powered car (with the exception of the Viper) since the turn of the decade. And the cars that harbored V8s beneath their hoods during the late 1980s were about as appealing to performance enthusiasts as the front-wheel driven vehicles that replaced them. In spite of that fact,
Performance Marine Engines – Meeting Customer Expectations
Life is a series of compromises. Human relations almost alwaysinvolves compromises of some sort. You want Chinese for dinner,she wants Italian; something has to give. Even if you go yourseparate ways, it’s a compromise and a decision to not dine together. Believe it or not, it’s the same with machinery. Any exercisein design is a
Why Parts Get Coated
I never would have believed you could get those kind of resultsfrom a glorified paint job. With those words, another skeptic(in this case, a NASCAR Winston Cup engine builder) had come toaccept the value of special coatings applied to engine components. At the time, such skepticism was not totally unwarranted. Likeany emerging technology, the coating
1997 Shop Kinks
Machine shops and custom engine rebuilders are, and always havebeen, a resourceful group. Our industry was founded on the principalof bringing component parts from a condition of disrepair to onethat offers equivalent performance to that of a new part. Rebuilt engines offer cost savings and performance benefits thatcan not be found with any other products,
Valvetrains: Better Materials & Design
Pushrods would seem to be an endangered species these days, atleast as far as most new engine designs are concerned. The onlybrand new engines built in recent years with a pushrod valvetrainhave been Chrysler’s 8.0L V10 for the Viper and Dodge Ram, andGeneral Motors new "LS1" 5.7L small block V8. All therest have either been
Ford’s 4G Alternator: IAR Series & The New 4G
When one considers the Ford IAR series of alternators,then examines the new 4G alternator, it seems that Ford went overboardto correct all the problems with the IAR series. The IAR series was designed for rapid assemblyand disassembly with plenty of snap-on connectors and mountinghardware. With this design approach came problems, particularlywith the burnt out B-S-S
Rebuilding The Chrysler Engine Family
Much of the information used to write thisarticle was provided by Bruce Chapman, president, and the employeesof Ontario Reman, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. Ontario Reman isan authorized Chrysler engine rebuilder selling remanufacturedengines and small parts to Canadian Chrysler dealers. We thankthem! Chrysler introduced a whole new family of 60degree V6 engines beginning with the 3.3L OHV
Power Steering Pumps and Gearboxes
In today’s increasingly competitive marketplacethe quest for additional profits is of paramount importance notonly for continued growth and success, but for the survival ofthe company itself. This is particularly true for undercarriagespecialists such as CV axle and rack-and-pinion rebuilders. Niche market diversification can accomplisheconomic and strategic objectives that will not only improve the"profitable" cash flow
Blasting Technology: This Cost-Effective Cleaning Procedure Has Improved
When it comes to parts cleaning by blasting,the idea of propelling abrasives at parts to clean them of rust,carbon, paint or other difficult contaminants is a simple one.But the technology involved with this cost-effective cleaningprocedure has improved, and rebuilders can take advantage of manyoptions to eliminate out-dated, labor-intensive cleaning practicesin the shop. Scott Christiansen of
Cv Shafts Market: Cv Axle Rebuilding Business: There’s Definitely More Competition
When Dan Levine, president of Southland Clutch, Inc., in National City, CA, started his rebuilt axle operation three years ago, it seemed like a win/win situation. The projected growth of front-wheel-drive vehicles and the number of vehicles nearing service age were good reasons to pursue this market. Plus, his initial start-up costs were minimal since
Clutch Market: Passenger Car And Light Truck Clutches
Optimism isn’t exactly running high these daysamong clutch rebuilders and their component parts suppliers, particularlywith respect to passenger car and light truck clutches. The marketis being squeezed on one side by an influx of new clutches fromoffshore suppliers, and on the other side by price pressures andtoo much competition. You might say it’s a gripping