Honing Aluminum Blocks
Manufacturers who produce “linerless” hypereutectic aluminum blocks today include Audi, BMW, Honda, Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Yamaha. Most late-model engines have aluminum blocks to save weight, including most of the familiar domestic V8s such as Chevy LS, Ford 4.6L modular and 5.0L Coyote, and Chrysler 5.7L and 6.1L Hemi. Yet these have iron sleeves.
How to Find and Fix Cracks
Cracks are bad news because they never heal themselves. Once a crack starts, it always gets worse. Checking critical engine parts and castings is time well spent if it heads off a major problem that might result in a major engine issue or a warranty claim.
Going Faster in 1954
I have a large library in my office consisting of Hot Rod How-to books and annuals from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. During one of my recent review sessions I found a chapter introducing nitromethane and its use for drag racing. Keep in mind this is 1954 technology…
How Today’s Wake Surfing Craze Can Be Killing Marine Engines
According to some experts, wake surfing has become one of America’s hottest sports. For those of you who are actively involved in building engines for pavement or off-road racing, marine motors may seem to be either an obstacle or an opportunity – and you would be right in both cases.
Understanding How to Tune Carburetors
An engine only runs as well as it is tuned. You can build a killer motor using all the best parts and machine and assemble everything with the utmost care, but if it’s a carbureted engine and the carburetor isn’t set up or tuned right your killer engine may never live up to its full potential.
There’s No Simple Formula to Choosing the Perfect Camshaft
The camshaft design affects valve timing, compression and the engine’s ability to breathe. From pistons to manifolds, valve grind, piston pin offset, rod length, etc. Once the camshaft has been tabbed correctly for the application, the rest of the build can focus off that selection.
Shop Solutions January 2016
Sometimes the front of Oldsmobile blocks get warn and chewed up by the camshaft flange. This is often caused by additional load from a high pressure or high volume oil pump, which makes the distributor work harder and pulls the cam back towards the block.
BMW’s New V12 Engine
The 6,592cc M Performance TwinPower Turbo 12-cylinder engine develops an output of 600hp at 5,500rpm and generates its peak torque of 590 lb. ft. from as low down as 1,500rpm. This enables the car to accelerate from zero to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds and on to a governed top speed of 155mph.
Old Cars Never Die – Not If I Can Help It
I have not worked on everyday, common engines for years. Everyone who comes into my shop is a hobby-level special car enthusiast. I build all types of performance American brand engines. A huge part of my business has become building and rebuilding engines for classic cars, which it turns out, there is an adequate market for engine builders.
Hot Engines for Hot Wheels – the Reality of Building Engines for TV
If one of the most recognizable hosts of one of the most popular automotive-based reality TV shows came calling and asked you to build a blown big block to squeeze into a vintage collector car to help celebrate the history of an iconic toy, would you blink? For Jammie Wells, it’s just another day in the shop.
Hot Engines for Hot Wheels
If one of the most recognizable hosts of one of the most popular automotive-based reality TV shows came calling and asked you to build a blown big block to squeeze into a vintage collector car to help celebrate the history of an iconic toy, would you blink? For Jammie Wells, it’s just another day in
Off-Season or On-Season?
The phrase “off-season” implies that another year of excitement is over, whether that be football, baseball, basketball, or in this case, auto racing. It’s true, the racing season has come to an end for 2015, and the off-season is underway. However, while many drivers might have more free time now than they did during the race season, this time of the year is a very different beast for engine builders.
Infiniti Creates its Most Advanced V6 Engine Yet
The new compact and lightweight 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine is the most advanced V6 gasoline engine that Infiniti has ever offered, striking an ideal balance between drivability, efficiency, and performance.
Engine Bearings Under Pressure
Today’s hi-flow, aftermarket, CNC-ported cylinder heads, high lift killer cams and induction system power adders (blowers, turbos and nitrous) are making more power than ever before, and really hammering the bottom end of the engine. If the bearings can’t take it, the engine won’t last.
Eight Racers Took to the Track, Only One Got a New Engine
Eight racers took to the track at US 131 Motorsports Park and fiercely competed to win a new racing engine during the Engine Pro Engine Giveaway at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI. Andy Wrobleski of South Bend, Ind. bested the other racers who were chosen from a field of 20 Top Ten points finishers in the Top ET and Modified divisions at the popular Michigan track. Wrobleski won the engine, which was provided by Pro-filer Performance Products of New Carlisle, Ohio.
Shop Solutions November 2015
When assembling an engine, one of the most overlooked items is the timing chain sprocket alignment. The upper and lower gears should be installed and alignment checked with a straight edge. I have seen them as far as .020˝ off.
Shop Solutions October 2015
Managing your scrap is an everyday chore. We all know aluminum pistons are worth more than aluminum mill waste, but by removing pins and rings they’re worth even more.
My Cheating Heart
Like most racers, I was not keen on tech officials and some of the rules they enforced during my drag racing career. But in 2004, as my racing career was winding down, a friend named Chris McMahan, Operations Manager of RT. 66 Drag Strip in Joliet, IL, talked about having me come work for him on his tech official staff. That bizarre idea intrigued me – so I did it.
Sourcing Engine Blocks
Production engine builders today want engine cores that match a very specific vehicle application. In many cases, they also want the tinware that goes with the engine because the oil pan, valve covers and timing cover are also year, make and model specific. That has changed the way core suppliers have to inventory their stock.
Ford Boss 429 Versus Today’s FR-9
NASCAR’s longtime Labor Day event, the Southern 500, is back home at Darlington (SC) Raceway this year, complete with throwback ‘70s and ‘80s paint jobs to celebrate its rich history. The entire race weekend has become the retro event of the year for NASCAR and Ford Performance talked about race engines with none other than Robert Yates.
