HDRG Names ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Remanufacturing the 2010 Heavy Duty Remanufacturer of the Year
At the 2010 Reman Summit in Las Vegas on January 18, 2010, the Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group of the Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) awarded ArvinMeritor its prestigious “Mike Hill Heavy Duty Remanufacturer of the Year Award.” The award is given to a company or individual who has demonstrated innovative ways to create and grow
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
Selling Vintage Speed Can Help Business Until Business Gets Better
Due to these hard times, fewer customers are looking for your services, and they’re looking to spend as little money as possible. A small shop can survive on low-margin jobs for only so long before the overhead simply eats you alive. One alternative plan is to add a line of vintage performance engines that command
Diesel Crankshaft Basics
The crankshaft turns this linear motion into a rotating motion that provides power to move a vehicle forward, operate generators or otherwise give measurable activity. Whether in a gasoline or diesel-powered engine, the crankshaft is a key component. With diesels, the crank is typically thought of as bigger, heavier and harder to get in the
Caburetors and Electronic Fuel Injection Systems
These days just about everyone is looking to new technology to solve their problems. In some cases it makes sense: others, not so much. Take the trusty old carburetor for example: it has been around since the beginning of time (automotive time anyway), and many have predicted its demise, but somehow it keeps coming back
Egge To Present Workshop at 2010 Hot Rod & Restoration Show Education and Training Day
Egge Machine Co. has been added to the list of companies presenting workshops during the 2010 Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show’s Education & Training Day, which takes place Thursday, March 11 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Egge was founded by Edward N. Egge in 1915 as a small repair shop. Known as the
The Way You Want It or The Way They Want It
Facebook, Twitter, Instant message, e-mail, e-Newsletter, Website, Print, Phone, Fax. There are many ways to communicate with an audience these days.Depending on the month, day or year, some are more popular than others.But popular does not always mean efficient. Some of these options aremore cost efficient than others, but cost efficient also does notalways equate
Cleaning Injectors on
Affects all 1990-2006 Toyota and Scion models equipped with Port Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI). 1. If the fuel injector nozzles are visibly blocked or if the injectors do NOT pass the fuel injector volume test, complete the fuel injector power flush using the following instructions: A. Before an injector cleaning is performed, it is recommended
Dick Morgan Retires as John Washbish Takes Presidency of Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance
For more than 15 years, Richard (Dick) Morgan has served as presidentand CEO of Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance (Alliance). On hisretirement, effective Dec. 31, 2009, Morgan culminated a 48-year careerof successes in the industry. “I’ve been fortunate to have spent the final years of my career at theAlliance,” said Morgan. “This is the best group
Checking Fuel Pressure
Fuel pressure can be checked by attaching a gauge to the Schrader valvefitting on the fuel injector rail, or by teeing the gauge into the fuelsupply line if the fuel system lacks a test fitting. The operating pressure of the fuel system must be within the rangespecified by the vehicle manufacturer. The numbers will typically
Advanced Machine Tooling
The key to boosting productivity is to remove more metal in less time. However, faster cutting speeds and feeds require tooling inserts that can take the heat and abuse without dulling. To achieve these goals, tooling suppliers have come up with various cutter shapes, edge geometries and surface coatings that significantly improve tool performance and
Getting it Right
Mark Dodge, owner of Midwest Cylinder Head, can pinch a penny thin enough to see through (and maybe that keeps his businesses alive and well in poor economic times), so you can bet his choice was thoroughly researched and thought out. I wanted to see what this unit was all about and so arranged to
It
A bold statement, you may think. Are you thinking that it doesn’t apply to your business? You may think you’re doing okay. Yet my statement applies to everyone – from a one-man shop to a shop with 100 employees or more – because if you don’t do it, your competitor will! The most recent Machine
Street Performance Cylinder Heads
Where I grew up in Connecticut wasn’t the hotbed of street racing like Woodward was in Detroit, but we had the Berlin Turnpike, River Road in Middletown, plus a few local small-town hotspots. It was during this period that I got my first education about the importance of cylinder heads. A local rich kid got
Performance Valve Springs and Retainers
Old school thinking on these matters has usually been to increase spring pressure as much as possible by using the stiffest dual or triple springs that can be installed in the engine. But that kind of thinking is changing, thanks to improvements in spring technology. Stiffer springs are obviously needed if you are building a
Question: What
Someone recently lamented to me that things aren’t really that good in the engine rebuilding business these days. Is this news to you? Of course it isn’t! We all know that there are many pressures on the industry that affect our jobs everyday. Statistics show that people are keeping their cars longer. This was traditionally
Minneapolis, MN Selected As Site of Fall 2010 PERA Convention
Minneapolis has been selected as the site of the 2010 Production Engine Remanufacturers Association Annual Convention. The convention, to be held Sept. 15-18, will include technical seminars, business and marketing presentations and at least two tours of local remanufacturing facilities. The Association’s annual Golf Outing will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 15 with an opening
CAT 3208 Cylinder Block Identification
The turbo block has two vents for the lifter chambers of the block that the non-turbo does not have. Figure 1shows the rear lower extremity of the “V” of both blocks. The non-turboblock is plain and just follows suit with the rest of the casting. Thecounter bored and threaded hole (red circle) is where the
Diesel Enthusiasm Often Tempered By Fear of the Unknown
Most automotive guys understand the principles of an internal combustion engine. Whether it is gasoline or diesel these are fuel, fire, and compression! Without one of these ingredients, the internal combustion engine will not function. So what is it about diesel engine rebuilding that makes automotive guys so nervous? This basically comes down to what
Crankshafts and Bearings for Street Performance and Racing
Most engine builders have strong opinions and brand preferences when it comes to choosing a crankshaft and bearing combination for a performance engine application. Their preferences (and prejudices) are usually based on years of experience, both good and bad. Many subscribe to the philosophy that “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!” Consequently, if they