As The Industry Changes, It Really Stays The Same
Think back to what you were doing 36 years ago this month. In the February 1968 issue of Automotive Rebuilder magazine, my predecessors were hinting that some of the new 1969 Dodges might be coming from the factory with turbine technology under the hood. Detroit was beginning to get nervous about a growing acceptance of
Getting Aluminum Clean: There’s More Than One Way
Cleaning aluminum creates special challenges for engine builders because of its corrosiveness and soft metal properties. There are several effective ways to clean this non-ferrous metal but there is no magic solution. You will more than likely have to combine several processes to get the kind of clean that you demand. The methods that will
PERA’s Core Corner
During our research of the General Motors Gen III engine family we continued to run up against a stumbling block of exterior identification between the 4.8L and 5.3L engines. It seemed that no matter who we spoke with, be it core suppliers, wrecking yards, engineers or rebuilders, when asked how they differentiated between the 4.8L
Events
November 17-20: Research Development and Design (RD&D) Expo, sponsored by Unicomm LLC and The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Washington, DC; 203-878-2577 or www.rdexpo.com. December 2-4: 41st Annual National RV Trade Show, Louisville, KY; www.rvia.org or 703-620-6003. December 4-6: 16th Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Indianapolis, IN; 949-499-5413 or [email protected]. January 8-11, 2004:
PERA’s Core Corner, Roy
In the September 2003 installment of "PERA Core Corner," I provided both information and a chart to help with Ford casting and part numbering identification. I mentioned that the center portion of every Ford part number includes an identifier number, which indicates what that component part is. I also stated that I was unaware of
PERA Core Corner
The planned demise of all LA Chrysler engine configurations was already in the wind for some time when the Power Tech 4.7L SOHC engine was introduced in the Jeep Grand Cherokee in 1999. Not only was it the first clean sheet design V8 for Chrysler in 41 years, but it was the first full production
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
Rebuilding The Ford 2.0L
The old 1.9L was modified and upgraded in the process of making it into the 2.0L. The new engine was bored and stroked, it had siamesed cylinders that made the block stronger and quieter, the crank had four more counterweights that made it run smoother, and it had domed pistons for more compression. The
YOU can’t afford NOT to buy new equipment, Milt Zall
The big news is the passage of new tax legislation, the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRA). Congressional conferees on May 22 cobbled together a $350 billion economic stimulus package that President Bush signed into law. A major feature of JGTRA for engine builders is an increase in the expensing allowance
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
According to a survey conducted for AutoZone, Americans will pay up to around $2,500 before giving up on a car.
Quick question for you: if the car you drove to work today suddenly needed repairs, how much would be too much for you to spend fixing it? At what point would you slap a "For Sale" sign on it and head to the new car lot? According to a survey conducted for AutoZone, Americans
Just Imports
At my shop, Import Machine Service in Framingham, MA, we do a lot of flow testing and head porting, and are continually working to improve induction systems. Our work, however, is limited to aluminum only. Because I do work for many racers, I get many requests to do “performance” enhancements. Over the years, Mazda Miatas
Thrust Bearing Failure
Thrust bearings are used to control end play in the crankshaft. End play is important because it limits the fore and aft movement of the crankshaft in the block. If an engine is assembled with too much end play in the crank, or if the thrust bearing fails, the forward movement of the crankshaft in
Incoming AERA Chairman Mike Schaefer, Southern Illinois Crankshaft
Ask Mike Schaefer, incoming chairman of the Engine Rebuilders Association (AERA) what the association means to him and he’ll have an immediate and impactful answer: "Without AERA, we wouldn’t have survived." When he opened the doors to Southern Illinois Crankshaft, Red Bud, IL, in November of 1985, and bought his first crank grinder, the salesman
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
Washington Way
Occasionally the rebuilding industry needs to sit back and review what has occurred over the past few years to get some perspective on events that loom on the horizon. This is especially true in the legislative and regulatory arena where past successes or failures often foreshadow future events. The beginning of a new year and
What Cleaning Equipment Do You Prefer?
When it comes to cleaning engines, there seems to be as many processes and machines to get parts clean as there are hair loss treatments. However, finding what works is what really matters to most engine builders. Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began regulating the handling of hazardous waste in ernest, it has added
Mclaren Heads
McLaren, like Cosworth and Ferrari, is a name that for both pro engine builders and race enthusiasts alike is synonymous with high tech performance. Although long a separate entity of McLaren International, one of the most successful teams in the history of Formula One, McLaren Performance Technologies was originally the engine development division of Bruce
PERA’S Core Corner
This month we are going to look at some issues that have certainly been identified in previous issues of Engine Builder. However, based upon the number of recent inquiries at PERA headquarters we thought it might be a good time to bring them to everyone’s attention again as a helpful reminder. First, is the 2.9L
IRS Addresses Phantom Incomes And Ghost Core Values
Sometimes patience and perseverance pays off. Over eight years ago my client, the Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association (APRA), learned that the Internal Revenue Service had issued new internal guidelines directing how rebuilders must value their core inventories for tax purposes. Of particular concern to the industry was the way IRS wanted a rebuilder to value