Big-Inch Cadillac’s
While some engines are relatively rare in machine shops, the big Cadillacs have remained a consistent source of income. These engines are Cadillac’s last big hurrah at traditional big-cube, flagship GM engines. Surprisingly, they are also a scaled-down version of a V-12 engine that made it through early production and road-testing before being scrapped as
Guide and Seat Equipment
Cylinder head work has been and should continue to be a profit center for engine builders. Heads almost always require guide and seat work to restore compression and oil control. This includes drilling, reaming and replacing valve guides, removing worn, loose or damaged valve seats, cutting new seat counterbores, and machining valve seats. For performance
Researching the Rebuilding Market for Multi-Valve Cylinder Heads
Cylinder head work has provided a good income for many of our readers over the years. All engines eventually need a valve job and guide work if they accumulate enough miles. Head work may also be needed if an engine overheats and blows a head gasket, if the head develops a crack, or an OHC
Surfacing Equipment For Today’s Engines
The surfacing needs of today’s engines are as complex as the engines themselves. Multi-valve aluminum cylinder heads on cast iron blocks are a tough combination to seal because of the difference in expansion rates between the two metals. If the surface finishes on the head and block are too rough, lateral shearing forces which occur
Lord(s) Of The (Piston) Rings
“He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.” – Gandalf, Fellowship of the Rings. This is certainly not the case with piston ring technology, although Gandalf from the Lord of The Rings never directed his comments towards engine builders or piston ring manufacturers. Piston ring manufacturers
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
In Search Of New Markets, Mike Jeffries
Looking for new markets is one of the toughest things we do, so every time the phone rings we listen for an opportunity. Most of what we find is suspect, but over the past 12 months we have rebuilt a number of compact diesels and sold a number of rebuild kits. As a result we
Valve Guide Reconditioning
A valve loses about 15 to 30 percent of its heat through the stem. On the exhaust side where there is no cooling effect from the incoming air/fuel mixture, the guides are critical, because cooling through the stem is especially important for valve longevity. Worn intake guides or ones with too much clearance can also
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?
Align Yourself
The crankshaft main bores are the foundation of every engine block. The alignment of the main bores is important because their position establishes the centerline of the crankshaft and how the crank aligns with the cylinders, deck surfaces and camshaft. Misalignment in the main bores can cause binding and premature main bearing wear. Misalignment occurs
Coolant contamination of engine oil for 1996-2003 GM 3.1L or 3.4L VIN J & E engines
Engine Builders: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding coolant contamination of engine oil for 1996-2003 GM 3.1L or 3.4L VIN J & E engines due to failure of the intake manifold gasket. GM has redesigned a new intake manifold gasket (p/n 89017279) to reduce the chance of failure. The material used in
The Constant of Change
Although "change" is a frightening word to many people, reasons Yamato Engine Specialists’ Asiff Dhanani, there’s simply no point in questioning it. Of all the "sure things" in business, the only certainty is that situations definitely change. Dhanani, incoming president of PERA explains that the change in this industry is not new. Things have been
How can the distributor cause damage to a freshly rebuilt engine?
How can the distributor cause damage to a freshly rebuilt engine? According to the AERA technical committee, cracked magnets in distributors on some 1987-2002 GM engines can indeed be a problem. In some instances faulty distributors have been reinstalled after an engine rebuild and caused premature engine failure. Distributors with cracks in this area (see
Increased crankshaft journal dimensions for 1995-2002 Kia 1.8L VIN 5 engines.
Engine Builders: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information on increased crankshaft journal dimensions for 1995-2002 Kia 1.8L VIN 5 engines. The main journal diameter for the crankshaft of this engine was increased beginning with the 1998 model year. Mazda manufactured these engines prior to 1998 while Kia manufactured all subsequent engines. Use caution
Valve Seat Installation Procedures
If a valve seat is damaged, cracked, loose, receded or too badly worn to be recut or reground, it can cause a variety of problems: loss of compression, valve burning, valve failure, valvetrain wear and breakage, even head and valve damage if the seat comes loose. For that reason, replacing valve seats is often necessary
Dodge City’s Finest; Harry’s Machine Works
No history of the American West would be complete without extensive recollections of Dodge City, KS. Formed as a convenient railroad stop to serve the new Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, Dodge City offered something for everyone. That is, if your tastes ran to buffalo hunting, gambling or gunfighting. In its early days, Dodge
The Smooth Science of Cylinder Honing
The basics of honing cylinder blocks hasn’t changed much in recent years, but what has changed are the type of abrasives being used by many engine builders. Silicon carbide and aluminum oxide honing stones of various grits have long been used in power honing machines and portable hones to finish cylinder bores. These types
Special procedures to follow when working with Ford BSD engines
Q: Are there any special procedures to follow when working with Ford BSD engines? A: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding the crankshaft dynamic balancer on Ford BSD four cylinder diesel engines. The engines that are affected are the BSD 442, 442T, 444 and 444T. The 442 series engines are 256 cubic
Heavy Duty Technology: Piston Failure Analysis
The air/fuel, coolant and oil systems and relationships between various engine operations and the cylinder liner temperatures are critical to maintaining proper operation of all cylinder components. A variety of conditions can cause excessive piston growth or melting, and each will cause varying results – including catastrophic engine failure. The correct air/fuel ratio balance of
Just Imports
So, you aren’t willing to work on import engines? To you they just seem too complicated and overwhelming? So you end up making the statement that you don’t do foreign vehicle repairs – or more specifically, import engine repairs. What happens when you get an offer to do a Mazda B2300 motor or work on