Takin
Back in the old days, the late ’90s, when the economy was strong and incomes were high, people had a lot more money to put toward their favorite hobby, which for many was a souped up car that could be driven on the street but maybe also a little on the track as well. Today,
Extending Valve Life
Most manufacturers of valvesoperate tech phone lines, and all have received that caller who opens the conversation by saying, "Your valve ruined my engine; when are you going to pay to fix it?"As much as the rebuilder or vehicle owner might like to lay blame it on the manufacturer for providing a bad product, it
Engine Balancing: Old School Experience Meets New Technology
The one fact that has held true from the first engine built till today is you must have balance to hold things together and not vibrate apart. I am a Performance Engine Technology Instructor at Daytona State College, therefore I must give you a short applied physics lesson first. The force of a rotating object
How to Tune Standalone ECUs for Smooth Idle
The idle control settings are not the most important thing to adjust to get a smooth idle. This may seem counter-intuitive, but consider this: If the engine is idling at constant load with the throttle held at a constant opening, shouldn’t you have a constant idle speed? If your idle surges or hunts under these
King Introduces New Application Guide
King manufactures a large selection of bearings engineered for specific applications, including: circle track, drag racing, monster trucks, off-road racing, tractor pulls, sprint cars and off-shore racing. The new application guide includes information on the company’s expanded line of HP and XP main and rod bearings that are available for Chevrolet, Chrysler and Ford
Fiat’s 875 cc Two-Cylinder Named International Engine of the Year
The results of the 2011 International Engine of the Year Awards have been announced at Engine Expo in Stuttgart, Germany. The global jury, consisting of some of the world’s most respected and popular motoring journalists, voted Fiat’s innovative 875 cc two-cylinder TwinAir the greatest automotive engine available today. The tiny turbocharged engine impressed judges with
Gas and Electric Powertrains Battle for 2010
Dean Slavnich, editor of Engine Technology International and co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards, says: “The most interesting aspect of this year’s awards is the degree to which new electric powertrains from manufacturers such as Nissan and Mitsibushi are in a head to head battle with new and increasingly clever small capacity
1999-2001 Frontier and Xterra Right-Hand Exhaust Manifolds Cracked in VGS33E Engines
If a cracked right-hand exhaust manifold on a 1999-2001 Nissan VGS33E engine is discovered when the exhaustheat shield is removed, installers must replace the exhaust manifold. If one of these symptoms should occur, use the following to diagnosethe condition, replacing the right-hand exhaust manifold and relatedparts as described. SERVICE PROCEDURE Diagnosis: 1. Installers should
Getting Into The Niche: Engine Builders Corner Their Markets
In our industry, specialty niche markets can also be the key to steadily growing your business. Motorsports is a very broad market but when you drill down into the various categories of racing, there are many smaller markets that make up the sport. Drag racing and circle track markets may be among the most recognized
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: December 2010
Your Best Salesman “Ring, ring”… Another interruption – Will somebody grab that @%#& phone!? Too often we look at the phone as an interruption to a busy day. Leroy, the owner of a 3 man shop in Missouri, says he “hates the phone.” He says it’s a waste of valuable shop labor to answer the barrage
Ford, Chevy and Toyota Have the Highest Volume of Aftermarket-Ready Cars, Says Experian VIO Data
ExperianAutomotive has released the latest quarterly analysis of itsAutoCount Vehicles in Operation data. The second quarter data showedthat Ford and Chevrolet brands have the greatest number of vehicles outof warranty,* with Ford at nearly 38 million vehicles out of warrantyand Chevrolet with approximately 34 million vehicles out of warranty.This is an increase of 540,000 Ford
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
Cylinder Sleeves and Liners
Iron sleeves provide a wear-resistant surface for the piston rings, and they don’t have to be very thick because they are supported by the surrounding block. Cast iron blocks, by comparison, don’t need cylinder sleeves because the iron is hard enough to resist ring wear. If a cylinder is cracked, damaged or worn to the
Asian Engine Market: Not Lost in Translation
Of course, import interest is nothing new. It has been growing since the fuel crisis of the ’70s, but in 2009, Asian car companies surpassed domestic manufacturers in the percentage of all cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. for the first time ever. While it seems the majority of the performance aftermarket bleeds
A Chip Off The Old Block: Aftermarket Blocks Are More Versatile Than Ever
It’s the same economic principle many body shops use on their rodding customers. You can expend good time, money and effort trying to resurrect an old hulk towards the customer’s ultimate goals or you can cut to the chase by starting with an accurate reproduction. In engine building, the same holds true but with a
Scoping Out the Sport Compact Market
At first it was known as the Import Tuner Market which later morphed into what is currently known as Sport Compact. However, the market could be changing again and may soon be called something else. Last year, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) changed the name of its Sport Compact Council to Street Performance Council
Tiffin Expands Forklift Engine Parts Line
TIFFIN PARTS LLC, a business unit of Pettibone LLC, which is an affiliate of The Heico Companies, has introduced 33 new items for 3 new engine kits supporting the engine rebuilder market. Mark D. Knight, President of TIFFIN PARTS, stated that the expanded product offering was in response to customer requests for supporting newer Nissan
Takin
Law enforcement and advocacy groups have long sought safe alternatives to illegal street racing that plagues South Florida roadways. To combat this dangerous activity, Homestead-Miami Speedway is proud to announce the development of the “Test & Tune” experience, whereby car enthusiasts can test and tune their street-legal vehicles on a 1/8-mile course. The Grand Opening
Federal-Mogul Expands Fel-Pro Gaskets Line
Federal-Mogul’sFel-Pro gaskets product line has been expanded to increase the brand’scoverage of late-model domestic and foreign-nameplate vehicles. TheFel-Pro brand’s focus on providing 100 percent sealing coverage forpopular late-model and older applications helps engine rebuilders andrepair shops capture and service larger shares of the automotive andlight-truck sealing markets. The expanded Fel-Pro product line – which now
Quaker State Challenges Motor Oil Competitors to End the “Wear Wars”
Quaker State is calling for an end of today’s “Wear Wars” by challenging its motor oil competitors to a head-to-head motor oil comparison. Quaker State has issued a challenge to Mobil1, Valvoline and Castrol to prove that that no leading full synthetic SAE 5W-30 motor oil provides better wear protection than Quaker State Q HorsePower