Shop Solutions January 2017
You want to seal that flange with an OE MLS gasket? Good luck! The same conditions now exist in exhaust flange technology as when the first MLS head gaskets were being replaced under repair conditions.
Give Us Your Secrets, We’ll Give You Cash
Each month, the Engine Pro selection committee chooses the most creative ideas to be included in this Engine Builder magazine column – and if your Solution is selected for publication, you’ll receive a prepaid $100 Visa gift card from Engine Pro.
Shop Solutions September 2016
I make my own large threaded repair bushing from tapered pipe thread oil galley plugs, with an internal hex. The material of these plugs is hard enough to tap clean threads into, and very similar to your cast iron block or head.
Global Shop Solutions Launches Websites PLUS to Serve Manufacturers
In order to compete effectively, manufacturing companies must have websites that are smart, clean and drive people to engage with their business. Global Shop Solutions, a global provider of fully-integrated ERP software for manufacturers, is helping its customers look their best with the release of high-performance Websites PLUS for manufacturers.
Shop Solutions August 2016
The old adage, “Time is money” has never been more true than it is today. With the high costs of labor, doing a job quickly and efficiently can be the difference in making money or losing it.
Shop Solutions July 2016
Sometimes machine shops are called on to solve more than engine issues. Toyota rear axles are difficult to disassemble and usually require replacing the reluctor gear when replacing the bearings. I made a jig to drive the axle out of the housing using my press.
Shop Solutions June 2016
We live in a time where aluminum blocks with cast-in sleeves are common and we still need to remember to account for how different metals behave. We build several dozen Gen III and Gen IV GM LS type motors per year. We finish our cylinders .001” tighter on the aluminum block engines to compensate for the additional growth when the block gets up to operating temperature.
Shop Solutions May 2016
One of the most difficult heads to pressure test is the BMW DOHC 6 cylinder. It is nearly impossible to plug the water outlet on the side of the head, until now. A “T handle drain plug” from a boat is the perfect size, and easy to install and remove.
Shop Solutions – April 2016
To make the glass in our glass-beading machine last longer, we cover the inside with duct tape, leaving a small open port to view the work. When this gets cloudy, we remove another small piece of the tape. Our glass lasts much longer now before it needs replacing.
Shop Solutions March 2016
When vacuum checking 4-valve-per-cylinder heads, it’s hard to tell if it’s both or just one valve that’s leaking. Use your vacuum tester and one of those long inexpensive BBQ or candlestick lighters. Hold the lighter close to the valves and the leaking vacuum will pull the flame in, making it easy to tell which one is leaking.
Shop Solutions February 2016
Most bolts broken off flush or slightly below the surface can be easily removed using a MIG welder. Place a flat washer the same size as the broken bolt over the bolt and weld through the center. Then, place a ½” nut on top of the washer and completely weld in the hole and tack weld the outer edge of the nut to the washer.
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.