Increasing Stock Performance
Let’s face it: stock engines just don’t wear out – at least not until upwards of 150,000 miles for the average late model engine. Sure, neglect continues to take its toll, but on the whole, while there is still some stock rebuilding work to be had, it’s not what it used to be. Have you
Which Cranksfaft Meets Your Racing Needs Best?
There are a lot of racing crankshafts in the automotive aftermarket today. You’ll find a wide variety of styles, strokes, weights and price ranges from which you can choose. The question you need to be asking is which crank is “right” for the engine you’re building? The answer to that question depends on several things
Shop Line
What’s the story on piston cooling tubes for Navistar diesel engines? The AERA Technical Department says that the piston cooling tube design on Navistar DT 466 and 570 diesel engines has been revised, and this information should be considered anytime the tubes are removed for service on engines with a serial number higher than 2,000,000.
Tech Notes
Engine Builders: A camshaft and lash adjuster design change was made between the 2004 and 2005 Ford 5.4L 3-valve VIN 5 engines. AERA’s Technical Commitee says do not use 2005 model year parts when servicing a 2004 model year or 2004 model year parts for a 2005 model year. If parts are intermixed during a
Shop Financials: Fail To Anticipate Change And You’ll Struggle – Or Worse
The automotive industry and business in general today is changing faster than at any time in recent memory. Failure to understand and react to industry changes may cause a business to fail, or at minimum, no longer allow them to effectively compete in their market area. Successful owners are all about change and they initiate
Machine Maintenance: Don’t Neglect Your Shop’s Other Machines
Over the past couple of years we’ve discussed the various maintenance requirements for your big machines – surface grinders, crank grinders, cleaning machines, etc. Now we’re going to take a look at five other devices that play an important part in building the best possible engines for your customers – the air compressor, hydraulic press,
Heavy Duty Diesel Rebuilding Opportunities
It’s certainly no secret that the engine rebuilding industry has been hurt by better quality, longer-lasting automobile engines. The same thing – but taken to an even greater extreme – can be said about the heavy duty diesel engine market. “The quality of today’s engines – both automotive and diesel – is so much better
Aqueous Cleaning Systems Offer Economical, Ecological Benefits
As concern for the environment and worker safety has increased over the years, attention paid to the cleaning processes used in engine rebuilding facilities has sharpened as well. No matter what size the shop, engine components are dirty and need to be cleaned. There are numerous ways to clean parts, of course, and no method
Cylinder Head Crack Repairs
It seems as if many cylinder heads are doomed to crack from the very start because of their lightweight construction and design. Aluminum overhead cam (OHC) heads, in particular, are often found to be warped as well as cracked. But so too are many pushrod cast iron heads. One of the causes of cracking in
PERA’s Core Corner: Getting A Leg Up On The Ford Duratec Cover-Up
No matter how much the engine remanufacturing and building industry changes, one thing will always remain the same. Identifying what type of engine on which you’re working will be an important – and challenging – part of the process. Today the front cover has become such an integral part of application identification that it has
Rebuilding the Ford 3.0L
This engine came out of the Cleveland Engine Plant #2 (CEP2), originally opened in 1955 to manufacture the 361 cid truck engine. By 1985, this facility was down to 400 employees and on the verge of closing. Then in 1988, plant renovation was begun (with the 3.0L Duratec engine family on the drawing board) at
Today’s Machining Centers Offer More Bang for the Buck
More bang for the buck. That’s what many machine shop owners say they’re looking for when considering a major equipment purchase. Because today’s machine shops are fewer in number and often smaller, it’s important for them to have as much capability as possible in every piece of equipment to maximize the return on investment, utilization
Introducing Mark Spaulding, PERA President
Some of the most recognized names in the engine remanufacturing industry have sat atop the Production Engine Remanufacturers Association (PERA) Executive Committee over the past 59 years. Many of these men have had lifetimes of experience and brought storied family histories in the industry to their terms as president of PERA. Mark Spaulding jokes that
Coretalk: Pentagon 9/11 Survivor To Keynote PERA Convention
After American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, very close to his second floor office, LTC Birdwell was thrown to the ground and engulfed in flames. Of the burns that consumed 60 percent of his body, nearly half were third-degree burns. With more than 30 operations and months of multiple skin grafts and burn
Tech Notes
Engine Builders: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information on an exhaust noise for 2002-2004 GM 4.2L engines. This noise may be coming from under the vehicle or from the engine compartment. The cause of this noise may be from one or two known sources. The first location that may be causing this type
Shop Line
I’ve had difficulty in locating intake manifold kits for GM 3.8L engines. What gives? The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding a revised upper intake manifold for 1995-2004 GM 3.8L VIN K engines. Engines manufactured for the 2005 model year include the revised gasket. With the recent availability of these new kits (Figure
PERA Core Corner: The Latest Update On The Great Ford 4.6L Cover Up
Back in August of 2004 I provided you with information on the front covers on the 4.6L Ford SOHC V8 engines. The data here is an update to that information with an updated chart to rapidly identify the covers. If you are using the older chart it is time to discard it and use the
Fast Lane: Striving For Perfection In Motorsports Isn’t Enough
To be successful in any business, you must strive to be the best at what you do. However, to be successful in motorsports, you must actually BE the best at what you do. Continued success in the racing industry means that you must continually make your customers winners, and if you do that, then you
Valve Guide and Seat Equipment Options
For many engine builders the bread and butter business is in cylinder head work. In fact, according to our 2005 Machine Shop Market Profile (also available at www.engine-builder.com) 41 percent of gas and 54 percent of diesel engine builders’ business comes from servicing cylinder heads. And one of the most important aspects of doing this
Restoration – Yesterday’s Treasures, Tomorrow’s Trophies
There have been tremendous and significant changes in vehicle design since the first gasoline-powered vehicle hit the streets of America back in the early 1890s. Such advancements as fuel injection, radial tires, variable valve train technology, roller cams and front-wheel drive, among many others, have made cars easier to maintain, safer to drive and more