The Latest Improvements on Performance Cylinder Heads
Heads are a product line that warrant almost constant research. Both the OEMs and aftermarket are creating new applications that solve problems, save time or money and just generally make life easier for engine builders. But, these improvements are only beneficial if those builders know what is out there waiting to help them. So, we
Turbochargers: Small Engine Performance – Turbo Technology
Turbochargers are making a comeback, big time! Auto makers are under pressure from the government to boost their Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) numbers to over 40 mpg by 2021. One of the ways they are going to accomplish this is to downsize engines and add turbochargers to boost performance so smaller engines can still
Diesel Engine Oil & Filters
Diesel engines have been around since the dawn of the automotive era. Over the years, diesels have become the engine of choice for powering heavy-duty trucks, buses, agricultural vehicles, off-road equipment, hard-working pickup trucks and stationary generators. More recently, diesels are competing against hybrid and plug-in electric powertrains as an alternative to gasoline engines in
Don’t Gamble When Choosing Cylinder Heads
A cylinder head is much more than a casting that tops off the block, holds the valves and forms the combustion chambers. The head works in combination with the camshaft, induction and exhaust systems to determine how the engine breathes, the engine’s power curve and personality. The “right” cylinder head on an engine will deliver
Engine Builder Shop Solutions – January 2014
Replacement Head I.D. for Ford 6.0L Diesel Identifying a Ford 6.0L head by dowel size alone does not necessarily get you the correct replacement cylinder head. Ford/International have two casting numbers for their 6.0L head, the early 1843080C1 through C4 heads which all have 18mm dowel holes and use an 8mm mounting bolt for the rocker
Finalists Selected in Champion Spark Plug’s ‘Search for a Champion’ Contest
A field of nearly 400 talented grassroots racers has been pared down to 15 finalists in the Champion Spark Plug brand’s $125,000 “Search for a Champion” racing sponsorship contest. Each finalist will receive a $5,000 Champion sponsorship for the 2014 racing season and advance to the $50,000 grand-prize round of voting, which begins Friday, February 21,
Diamond Competition Series Pistons
Diamond has announced a line of pistons for the highly popular big-block Chevrolet Sportsman racing engines. Known as their Competition Series, they are suitable for most 24- or 26-degree valve angle big-block cylinder heads. As expected, they cater to race engines in several favored classes, including Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and ET Bracket. The Competition
The Michigan Madman Meets The Widowmaker
There seems to be one in every neighborhood. You know – the kid who takes his experimenting a little too far. Growing up, you probably knew that kid – or may even have been that kid. Here is one of those true stories of “the kid” who’s love of machines and inventing got him into
Creating Lasting Customer Loyalty Before They Even Win a Race
While providing good engine rebuilding work is an essential component of customer satisfaction, perhaps even more important — when it comes to cultivating loyalty — is delivering exceptional customer service. After all, customers expect us to rebuild and engine or get more horsepower out of it. What they don’t expect is a convenient, easy and
The Inner Workings of Variable Valve Timing
Variable Valve Timing (VVT) is a way to advance/retard valve timing, and change duration, overlap and even lift in some applications while the engine is running. VVT is computer-controlled and typically uses oil pressure to change the position of a phaser mechanism on the end of the camshaft to advance or retard cam timing. VVT
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
Maintaining Your Balance: Engine Building Tips to Reduce NVH and Increase Life
A high revving racing engine obviously needs a good balance to minimize these destructive forces, but balancing can be just as beneficial to low revving engines, too. Nobody would argue with the fact that engine balancing is right up there with “blueprinting” an engine. The goal is to equalize the reciprocating and rotating forces inside
Tips For Selecting a Carbureted Intake Manifold
Performance intake manifold manufacturers offer several different options to get air and fuel from carb to heads. The secret is choosing the right intake manifold for your specific application using these three easy steps: Dual-Plane, Single-Plane or Others Carbureted intake manifolds come in a variety of styles: dual-plane, single-plane, air-gap, tunnel ram and others. Choosing
Parts Making With Your CNC
Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machining allows engine builders to achieve almost unbelievable levels of accuracy and consistency. The programmability of a digital computer not only automates the operation of the equipment but also provides a level of repeatability that can’t be matched by manual equipment. That’s why CNC has been the backbone of virtually all
How a Legend Got His Start
Last March, when Ed “Isky” Iskenderian picked up the Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Hot Rod & Restoration Show in Indianapolis, he talked about the automobile engine business in the early years. The Iskenderians were Armenians who fled Turkey and came to America around 1910, settling in Northern California’s wine country.
Performance Gaskets & Surface Finishes
The most critical engine gaskets are the head gaskets since they have to withstand the heat and pressure of combustion. And unless the engine is a drag motor with a solid billet or filled block, the head gaskets also have to keep coolant out of the cylinders. Many performance engines are capable of making
Sixteen-Year-Old Dirt Late Model Driver From Illinois Wins $50,000 ‘Search for a Champion’ Grand Prize
Bobby Pierce, a 16-year-old high school student who also is one of the nation’s top DirtLate Model drivers, is the $50,000 grand prize winner in the “Search for a Champion” racing sponsorship contest from Federal-Mogul’sChampion Spark Plug brand. A sophomore at Oakwood (Ill.) High School, Pierce was one of 15 finalists selected from hundreds of
Custom Crankshafts and Connecting Rods
As an engine builder, you get to decide what parts go into the engines you build. If you’re rebuilding a stock engine to stock specifications, you’re probably going to use a reconditioned stock crankshaft and connecting rods to keep costs down. There’s no reason to upgrade these parts because they should be adequate for the
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: February 2013
5 Tips For a Manual Milling Machine Editor’s Note: A manual milling machine is typically at the heart of every machine shop. In the following, Jim Kovach gives some useful tips on how to get the most from your mill. 1. Always use a high-quality machinist’s square on the mill. You will be surprised how
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2013
Detonation vs. Pre-Ignition (Editors Note: the following is in response to Greg Goss’s entry in the August 2012 issue) A sharp point or edge that can glow in a combustion chamber or on a piston top does not cause detonation. Mr. Goss inadvertently was referring to pre-ignition. Detonation and pre-ignition are two distinctly different terms and