Common Failure Modes
For years, B&G Machine had been a diesel machine shop serving Seattle and the upper Northwest part of the U.S. To address certain market conditions in the mid- to late-’90s, we began building diesel engines. In doing so, we tried to identify the engines that would best serve a captive market – markets that would
Sprint Car Engines: The Current State-of-the-Art
Sprint Cars are just about the fastest machines in racing, often running two or three seconds faster per lap than late model stock cars. There’s no time to just tool around in this form of racing, no pit stops, and it’s over before you know it. Everything is to the limit with engines pushing between
Restoration Engine Builds: Finding The Niche That’s Right For You
If you’re trying to determine if you can make money raising engines from the ashes, take the following test to see if you’re likely to, not just survive but, flourish as an engine restorer: • Are you an information sponge capable of soaking up the last 100 or so years of automotive technology? • Do
Boring and Honing Tips and Tricks
One of the goals of boring and honing cylinders is to size the bores to a specific dimension. If an engine is being remanufactured to meet specific criteria, that usually means boring and honing to achieve a standard oversize (.010?, .020? or .030?). The oversize will depend on the thickness of the casting, how much
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
Karting Engine Market and Technology
Experts say that the situation isn’t getting any easier for flathead lovers because many parts and pieces, such as flywheels and sump covers, are not manufactured anymore. There are, however, some replacement parts on the market that are manufactured in China such as sheet metal and valves. Burris now makes most of the pistons for
Selecting Valve Seats for Gas and Diesel Engines
Hard working diesel engines, performance engines, and engines that run on dry fuels such as propane or natural gas produce a lot of heat in the combustion chamber and often require valve seats that are harder and more heat-resistant. Stellite, chromium, cobalt, tungsten and nickel alloy valve seats are commonly used for such high heat
Shelby American Opens New Motorsports Speed Shop
Shelby American Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll ShelbyInternational Inc., has announced the opening of its new Speed Shop inLas Vegas. Named the Shelby American Motorsports Speed Shop, the facility on thegrounds of Shelby American headquarters and Las Vegas Motor Speedway,was designed to enhance the performance and styling of a street ortrack car by
2010 PRI Trade Show Offers Variety of Business Profit Opportunities
“It has the latest racing components from 1,100 racing industry suppliers on display in 3,200 booths in Orlando,” said PRI producer Steve Lewis. “In short, the PRI Trade Show is massive. All of the great brand names in race engine components are there, plus over 100 manufacturers of precision machining equipment with their shop machinery
Not every shop is closing and, in fact, there are even new, state-of-the-art shops opening, as evidenced by GJM’s grand opening last month. Earlier this year, Gregg Jacobson and Mark Garrett launched a new machine shop in Southern California about 40 minutes outside of L.A., in the San Fernando Valley. Both Jacobson and Garrett saw
New Markets Can Ensure Survival For Your Shop
Although some automotive machine shop owners believe that – with enginelife measured in six figures – the good days are over, the shops thatcontinuously seek out new markets that parallel their talents andabilities will continue to survive. Those shops willing to invest thetime and effort to find those markets will find that the opportunitiestoday are
Intake Manifold Gaskets
Back in the days when most engines had cast iron blocks, heads and manifolds, the intake manifold could be easily sealed with simple and relatively inexpensive die cut fiber faced metal gaskets (solid or perforated core). Sealer was usually required to ensure a leak-free installation. But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, fuel
Rally and Off-Road Racing Engines
Early automobile races were held on horse tracks or dirt covered roads, but then came pavement and over the decades, many racers forgot about dirt. Today, racers who like to kick dirt will tell you there’s a whole other world of racing in the off-road market. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but getting dirty
Race vs. Street Oil and Lubricants: The Great Zinc Debate Continues
In racing applications, it’s not usually so serene. Engines live on the edge. Engine builders and racers are always fighting and scratching for more power, more torque, just that little something extra, even 100 rpm off the corner more than the next guy – but it comes with a price. About the only protection these
APRA to Host MEGA Clinic
The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) will be bringing four divisions together during the upcoming “MEGA Clinic” on June 3-5, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel in Springfield, MS. The program will contain seminars for remanufacturers and suppliers involved in HD Transmissions, Volume Transmissions, HD Brakes and Electrical. Along with cutting edge seminars, the group will
MAHLE Clevite Inc. Introduces a New eLearning Course on Victor Reinz Gaskets
MAHLE Clevite Inc. recently added a new course on Victor Reinz gaskets to its eLearning™ curriculum. The new course covers the features and benefits of Victor Reinz gaskets and offers automotive and engine-rebuilding professionals the necessary tools to master sealing solutions. The course also will be available in French and Spanish in the near future.
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
Spring, Sprang, Sprung: Why Valve Springs Matter So Much
Keep in mind the cam, pushrods, lifters, and rocker arms do all the work in opening the valves, but it is the spring that keeps that valve closed during the operation of the engine. Valve springs can be compressed and expanded throughout their life cycle, sometimes at more than 1,150 times per minute for most
Pre-War Engines: Vintage Technology, Modern Products
How have the changes in the market and the changes in vehicles affected shops specializing in vintage engines as well as those shops thinking about adding vintage to their list of services? The automotive enthusiast and collector market is a funny creature. While the actual mechanical evolution may sometimes run in opposite directions, the eras