engine builder, april 2014

EngineBuilderMag.com

SERVING ENGINE BUILDERS & REBUILDERS SINCE 1964

SPECIAL REPORT: GREEN STRATEGIES GUIDE PG 29

2014APRIL

C1 Cover 4/11/14 2:49 PM Page c1

Circle 2 on Reader Service Card for more information

C2 Scat_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:40 PM Page c2


1 DNJ_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:47 PM Page 1

2 April 2014 | EngineBuilder

ENGINE BUILDER founded Oct. 1964Copyright 2014 Babcox Media Inc.

ENGINE BUILDER (ISSN 1535-041X)(April 2014, Volume 50, Number 04): Published monthly by Babcox Media Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874. Periodicalpostage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ENGINE BUILDER, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333.A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to individuals who meet the qualification requirements. Call (330) 670-1234, Ext. 275, to speak to a subscription servicesrepresentative or FAX us at (330) 670-5335. Paid Subscriptions are available for non-qualified subscribers at the following rates: U.S.: $69 for one year. Canada: $89 for one year.Canadian rates include GST. Ohio residents add current county sales tax. Other foreign rates/via air mail: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mail payment to ENGINEBUILDER, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. VISA, MasterCard or American Express accepted. Publisher reserves the right to reject any subscription that does not conform tohis standards or buying power coverage. Advertising which is below standard is refused. Opinions in signed articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of this magazine or itspublisher. Diligent effort is made to ensure the integrity of every statement. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by return postage.

COVER DESIGN BY NICHOLE ANDERSONCOVER PHOTO BY PHIL KUNZ

Con

tent

s 04

.14 Features ON THE COVER

FlatheadsThe V8-60 was the first V8 engine for the Ford line ofcars. Nobody imagined the effects it would have on theracing and hot rod world in the years to come. Even inits stock trim, it was a gutty little powerplant, but itwould serve as a basis for many performance versionsin the years to come. Read why engine builders are stillfascinated with this powerplant.

54

What Can CNC Do For You?According to our most recent Babcox Machine Shop MarketProfile Survey, 12 percent of engine builders said they own aCNC machining center. The use of CNC shop equipment isgrowing because it offers so many advantages. Check outthis feature to find out whether CNC should have a place inyour shop.

Head GamesA cylinder head is much more than a casting that tops off theblock, holds the valves and forms the combustion chambers.Head selection is a key ingredient in building a winningperformance engine. Read what to consider when selectinga cylinder head.

Ford 390 RebuildThe Ford “FE” engine has a rich history that is oftenoverlooked. The term “FE” is heard, but not a lot ofpeople today know what engine family this is associatedwith. We take a closer look inside the powerplant namedafter Edsel Ford, which was produced from 1958 to 1976.

ColumnsPublisher’s Perspective ........................4By Doug Kaufman, PublisherPerformance Engine Builder Contest - New sponsor, same expectations

Mustang Milestone ..............................8By Dave SuttonFord Mustang Turns 50, helps to fund an industry

Profitable Performance ........................66By Dave SuttonOur 392 Magnum engine project gets baked, blasted and bored

DEPARTMENTSIndustry News......................................................6Shop Solutions ....................................................12Supplier Spotlights ..............................................67Cores/Classifieds/Ad Index ..................................70

14

45

60

EFI Tuning TipsSince most engine builders out there have come intocontact with electronic fuel injection (EFI) by now,we’ve highlighted four helpful hints for dealing withscenarios that commonly rear their ugly headsduring EFI tuning.

Green Strategies GuideWaste Removal ..................................30Green Thinking ..................................34The Parts Collector ..............................37Gases on the Rise................................40

22

2 Contents 4/11/14 3:08 PM Page 2


3 PBM_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:47 PM Page 3


Pub

lishe

r’s P

ersp

ecti

ve

In the world of competitiveeating, Joey Chestnutstands recognized as the

champion hot dog consumer -last July, he set the worldrecord by wolfing down 69Nathan’s dogs in 10 minutes.

Eric “Mean” Melin is thereigning World Air Guitarchampion as he out-pretendedall other pretend guitarists lastyear in Oulu, Finland.

Competition drives somepeople to seek recognition insome very strange ways,doesn’t it?

At Engine Builder, we’repleased to announce that thewinner of the third annualPerformance Engine Builderof the Year will be selectedbased on REAL skills andaccomplishments – and thisyear, the award will be biggerand better than ever.

Before we get into awardcriteria and prizes, however,I’d like to welcome our newofficial sponsor, Speed-ProPOWERFORGED Pistons.The Speed-Pro brand, longrecognized as one of the leadingnames in racing and performance,will power this year’s contest to newheights of recognition andexcitement.

One thing that won’t change arethe lofty expectations we put onpotential winners. We will again belooking for the best example ofcreativity and innovation, trainingand education, merchandising andpromotion, professional standardsand conduct, appearance, solidbusiness management, community

involvement, business growth,achievement and victories.

As I said last year, that’s a longlist, and it’s intended to weed out theweak: we’re looking for the best ofthe best of the best.

As you read recently in thismagazine (Engine Builder’s MarchHigh Performance Buyers Guide, page16), Kroyer Racing Engines fromLas Vegas is the 2013 champion.Who will be announced as thewinner at the Advanced EngineTechnology Conference (AETC) thisDecember?

The race is just gettingstarted.

Applications for the awardwill start being accepted at12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2014 andcan be found at the officialaward website,topperformanceshop.com, alongwith complete rules and prizedescriptions.

We’ll announce the winnerat a special presentationduring the 2014 AETC inIndianapolis, Dec. 8-10. Thewinner will receive a heftycash prize, an Apple iPad,three nights’ lodging at theIndianapolis Hyatt duringAETC, admission for two toAETC, the PerformanceEngine Builder of the YearAward Plaque, a feature articleabout the business in a 2015issue of Engine Builder, as wellas numerous other prizes fromEngine Builder and Speed-Pro.

Applications will beaccepted until September 31when a group of semi-finalistswill be selected and asked to

provide additional information forjudging. A panel of judges, includingrepresentatives from Speed-Pro andEngine Builder will select threefinalists and, ultimately, the 2014winner.

The fact that Joey Chestnutholds multiple world records foreating 121 Twinkies in 6 minutesand 141 hardboiled eggs in 8minutes may be impressive insome circles, but if you want to bethe Performance Engine Builder ofthe Year, you’d better bring your A-game. Good luck! ■

PUBLISHERDoug [email protected]

Simply The Best2014 Performance Engine Builder Contest Has New Sponsor,Same Lofty Expectations

4 Pub Perspective 4/11/14 3:07 PM Page 4


5 Liberty_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:46 PM Page 5

AERA AnnouncesResignation of itsPresident Paul HauglieThe Engine Builders Association(AERA) has announced theresignation of president PaulHauglie effective March 31, 2014.The association said that it thankedHauglie for his service to AERAand wished him luck with hisfuture endeavors.

AERA reported that Jim Rickoffwill serve as interim president, andwill handle all duties of thepresident’s position until furthernotice.

“Jim has a long-standingcommitment to our associationdating back to the early ‘90s withhis service on the AERA board ofdirectors, as an AERA employeeand most recently, as marketingconsultant and editor of EngineProfessional magazine. Jim hastaken over day-to-day operations atAERA headquarters and theannouncement of a permanent

replacement will be made in thevery near future,” AERA said in itsstatement April 2.

Rickoff said he expected theboard to move quickly on naming areplacement. As of presstime forthis issue, the position had not yetbeen filled.

SEMA Report Examinesthe PowersportsAccessories MarketA new report focused on theaccessorization of utility taskvehicles (UTVs, also known as side-by-sides) reveals thatapproximately 670,000 UTV modelswere sold in the United States in2010-2012. Released by theSpecialty Equipment MarketAssociation (SEMA), the 62-pagereport provides auto accessorybusinesses with an understandingof the needs and purchase habits ofUTV owners and aids in theirmarketing, sales and productdevelopment efforts.

The “Powersports: UTVAccessorization” report is one ofmany market research reports thatSEMA offers to help members makeinformed and strategic businessdecisions. Members may downloada copy of the report at no cost atwww.sema.org/utvreport.

Goodson Buys Kwik-WayValve Seat Tooling Assets Goodson Tools & Supplies forEngine Builders announced thepurchase of all assets of Kwik-WayValve Seat Tooling division.

According to David Monyhan,Goodson national sales manager,electric seat drivers will be offeredfor both Kwik-Way and Sioux. Inaddition, Goodson will continue tooffer the grinding wheel specsdeveloped by Kwik-Way.

Subscribe to weekly news and techinformation delivered to your emailinbox at EngineBuilderMag.com.


gFollow us on facebookIn

dus

try

New

s

Industry EventsMay 23-24Lane Automotive Car Show & Cruise InWatervliet, MIwww.laneautomotive.com or 800-772-5266

May 23-25Springfield Swap Meet and Car ShowSpringfield, OHwww.ohioswapmeet.com or 937-376-0111

May 17-25Indianapolis 500Indianapolis, INwww.Indy500.com or 317-492-8500

August 28-September 2NHRA Chevy Performance US NationalsIndianapolis, INwww.nhra.com or 317-718-8750

October 28-30Engine ExpoNovi, MIwww.engine-expo.com

For more industry events, visit our website at

www.enginebuildermag.com or subscribe to

www.aftermarketnews.com.Circle 4 for more information Circle 6 for more information

6 Industry News 4/11/14 3:07 PM Page 6


7 Safety_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:46 PM Page 7

We live in some prettyexciting times forperformance

automobiles, especially musclecars. Corvettes are taking on thesuper cars and knocking on the 200mph door. The Camaro and theChallenger are back andFord Motor Company isset to celebrate the 50thanniversary of their verypopular Mustang. Besidesthe Corvette, I can’t thinkof another automotivemodel that has sustained a50-year run. And what arun it has been, and howlucky we have been for it'ssuccess. The good news is,it's not over yet.

Let’s look back over theyears and see how theMustang has impacted theengine rebuilding andparts business. First, Ihave to admit I was aMustang guy. My secondcar, my graduation present frommy parents in 1974 was a 1966Ford Mustang Coupe. It had awarmed over 289 and C4transmission. On the outside itwas decked out with a set ofaluminum wheels and 60 seriestires. My neighbor, whom webought the car from and whosemother had bought it new latein 1965, had already investedquite a bit of money in it. Andthat was only the start. Of

course I couldn't leave it alone.After I scattered the motor acrossthe highway, I learned just howmuch you can spend building ahigh performance 289. I startedlooking around for a machine shopand started reading up on what I'd

need for parts to put it backtogether again. At this time I wasnot a part of the industry, but soonafter I would be.

This was not the only motor Ibuilt for that car while I owned it. Itgot a third, even stronger mill,

went through a transmissionor two and got a betterlooking set of wheels andtires. I've had friends andworkmates who ownedMustangs and one thing weall had in common was aneed to personalize them.These cars just begged to be“hopped-up.” And, most gotengine rebuilds as well.

From the start, these carsappealed to women. They


Mustang MilestoneCONTRIBUTING EDITOR Dave Sutton

Ford Mustang turns 50, helps to fund an industry

Tale

s Fr

om T

he W

D

A custom 2014 Ford Mustang GT(right) starring in the movie, “Need forSpeed,” was auctioned off for charityby Ford Motor Company at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction onApril 12. Above: a Mustang Cobra Jet Twin-Turbo concept from 2012 takes advan-tage of the turbocharging expertiseFord engineers have developed for theEcoboost engine lineup. A pair of lowinertia turbochargers adapted from theFocus ST were added to the 5.0-literV8 in the quest to keep the Cobra Jetthe most successful production-classdrag racer available.

8-10 Tales from WD Column 4/11/14 3:05 PM Page 8

were sporty looking, yet fairlyeconomical. But, they were notknown for their performance. Thatis, until a guy named Carroll Shelbycame along. We all know what hedid for the car, but stop and thinkabout what he did for our industry.He took the Mustang and with alittle re-engineering and a fairamount of bolt-on parts turned itinto a true high-performance racecar. Not everyone could afford to laydown the cash for a Shelby, but likemy '66 you could invest a little at atime and build yourself a niceperforming, good looking little streetrod.

In 1970, Ford introduced the 351Cleveland. By 1974, when I started atmy first parts store and machineshop, the Cleveland heads werecoming into the shop with their woreout valve guides. We did greatbusiness with our local Ford dealerrebuilding heads for the 351C, M and400 engines.

1973 was the last year of theoriginal Falcon based Mustang. In1974, Ford introduced the MustangII. The second generation car wasmuch smaller and had the moreeconomical 2.3L OHC engine underthe hood. Now here's a motor thatbrought us all business! I can'timagine how many new camshaftswe sold for the 2300 Fords in the day.We'd build a box, fit it with a newcam, 8 new lifters, 8 rocker arms anda bottle of lube and we had a cam kit.I was working for an engine kit WDby then. We sold a lot of engine kits

for the 2300 Ford, but wecouldn't keep cam kits on theshelf. Of course that wasn't all.A cam sale was usually good fora valve job sale and customerswould need the gaskets to put itall back together. And if the jobwasn't done right, they'd be back foranother.

Unfortunately, these cars weren'tthe basis for much of a performancevehicle. They were still candidatesfor an engine rebuild. Mustangs havealways been very popular, eventhese glorified Pintos. Unlike carstoday, these emissions burdened andcarbureted engines wore out. Most

owners didn't have theinclination to rescue thesecars like they did and stilldo the first generationMustang. This model isnot doing much to help uskeep our doors opentoday.

1979 brought the nextgeneration, the “Fox”body. Still powered by the2.3L four, the 2.8L V6 andsome pretty lowhorsepower V8's, thesecars would bring thewords performance andMustang back togetherand spawn a revival of theperformance Ford. Andeven though the 1978

Mustang II wore the first 5.0 badge,the 5.0L will always be associatedwith this new model. You'll still findthese cars on the street and on thedrag strip, most powered bysupercharger and turbocharger 302's.These cars and engines helped tokick the aftermarket in gear asowners began to demand not onlyperformance heads, but also cylinderblocks that wouldn't split in halfwhen introduced to 1000+horsepower.

Race cars are one thing, but ifthese older cars are going to stay onthe road, the aftermarket needs torespond with restoration parts. Thismodel ran for 11 years and many ofthese cars are still on the road. I’mglad to report I’ve seen a few catalogcompanies now pushing a book withall the parts to keep the 1979-93 Foxbody Mustangs alive. And theyshould. A lot of great thingshappened for these Pony cars in thisyear span, including the return of theGT model, the return of theconvertible body style, the return ofa Holley four-barrel carb, theintroduction of Ford’s SVO (SpecialVehicles Operations) group, theintroduction of Ford’s Special Vehicle

EngineBuilderMag.com 9

Tales From WD

Mustang Milestone

Canadian airline pilot Capt. StanleyTucker managed to buy a preproductionMustang convertible with serial number1 that was not meant to be sold. Fordlater traded him that car for a new 1966convertible – the 1-millionth Mustangproduced.

“From the racetrack to the silver screen to the airwaves to the toy box,Mustang has become an enduring part of pop culture.” — Ford Motor Co.


Team and the SVT Cobra, as well asthe introduction of factory 16 inchaluminum wheels. In 1985, a 5.0Lhigh-output V8 produced 210hp andwas mated to a manual transmission.These cars were powerful enoughthat Ford had to design a Quadra-shock rear suspension that coulddampen the wheel hop. OK, thesearen’t muscle car horsepowerfigures, but these cars are beggingfor power improvement from addedcubic inches from a 347 strokerand/or power adders like asupercharger. As these cars turn intosomeone’s hobby, they will continueto fuel our rebuilding and highperformance parts industries.

The next or Fourth GenerationMustangs were built from 1994-2004.

The cars brought us a more modernand sophisticated Mustang. 1994 and‘95 are the last years to use the old302 OHV V8.

First introduced as a 260 cubicinch motor in 1964-1/2 Mustang, Ican’t even imagine how many 260,289 and 302 Ford motors have beenrebuilt over the 50 years. More GT,SVT and Cobras emblems adornthese cars as well and their powercoming from the new ModularSOHC and DOHC V8’s. Horsepowernumbers begin to rise with theintroduction of these new enginesand hit their max in 2003 when theSVT Mustang Cobra was outfittedwith an Eaton supercharger and

produced 390hp and 390 lb-ft oftorque. These cars are 10 or moreyears old. Their performance leveland sophistication will guarantee along shelf life of interest in thesemodels and these are some of theengines we are seeing rebuild andenhanced today.

In 2005, Ford reintroduced thefirst generation Mustang in the newretro-style Generation-5. This is greatnews for the aftermarket. Byproducing a new car that closelyresembles the old model theyreenergize the demand for theoriginal. As the value goes up, sodoes the spending to bring theseolder models back to life. These newmodels are very stylish and veryexciting on their own. These cars alsocome in a variety of performancemodels with names like Shelby,Cobra Jet, Boss 302 and GT attached.Customers are rebuilding andmodifying to increase theirperformance and this is more goodnews for the industry.

What is truly amazing is howmany of these cars are still around.And whether they were turned into astreet driven race car, or just keptstock, possibly restored, they all havehad, or will need, an engine rebuildor two!

So whether it's a 200 inline 6, a 428CJ or the 662-hp aluminum 5.8Lsupercharged V8 in the 2014 ShelbyGT500, the industry’s most powerfulproduction V8, these engines are inMustangs, and Mustangs have beena large part of our industry and willbe for many years to come. ■


Tales From WD

On March 2, 1966, in Dearborn, MI,the Ford Motor Company celebratedthe production of its 1 millionth Mustang, a white convertible. Thesporty, affordable vehicle was officiallylaunched two years earlier, on April17, 1964, at the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, NY.

Appealing Mustang engines include a 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 (left), a second-generation2012 Boss 302 5.0L V8 enhanced with an upgraded intake system, forged rotatingassembly, CNC ported heads, revised camshafts and a high flow "runners in thebox" intake (center) and a 1996 SVT Cobra 4.6L DOHC “modular” engine (right).



11 QPP_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:45 PM Page 11

Combustion ChamberMoldsWhen making chamber molds for avariety of purposes, includingholding up the valves on theassembly bench, (as opposed to abeanbag or shop rag) common autobody filler (Bondo) works very well.It's fast and very inexpensive.

Just mix the body filler and fillchambers of an assembled head. Themolds release easily if you just spraya little silicone into the chamber for arelease agent before filling. Atpennies per mold, it's a very practicalway to make enough molds of eachchamber for assembling heads or formany other purposes such asdetermining piston domerequirements, valve relief locations,etc.

Keith MorgansteinMax Effort Engines Sutton, MA

Metal Chips in the MediaTo save money on media blasting, Iuse the metal chips generated frommy boring bar and brake lathe as ablasting media. I installed a reducerin the feed line to generate the correctamount of air speed, then use thechips instead of glass bead. I get anicer finish on both iron andaluminum parts.

Gary MusmanChannel City Engineering Santa Barbara, CA

On a More Personal Note...I got a handwritten letter in the mailthis week, and since it’s so unusualthese days, I opened it first.

Inside there was a plain note cardwith these words scrawled in neatblock letters, “Hi Steve, just a quicknote to thank you for your recentorder. We appreciate your business.”

Hand-addressed envelopes alwaysget opened. Handwritten lettersalways get read. A creative machineshop marketer could mail notes tolocal engine installers asking them todrop by the shop for a free cup ofcoffee and a tour, or the note mightoffer a discount on a portion of theirnext job.

The note doesn’t have to be long.In fact, the shorter the better. And forthe price of a $.49 stamp, you justcan’t beat this cost effectivemarketing tool.

Steve RichSterling Bearing Inc.Kansas City, MO

Get the Job Into the ShopWhen I get a call for an enginerebuild, I am not immediately willingto give an exact price over the phone.I like to give a ballpark estimate andtell them that not until after we takeit apart and check out the jobcompletely, will we be able to givethem a better idea on the exact price.I encourage them to bring it to me tocheck out first. Once that job comesthrough the door, I have the potentialto make it a bigger sale instead ofspending time on the phone debatingwith them the cost without everseeing the job.

Jeffrey MyersMAR Automotive, INCPhiladelphia, PA

Roller Timing Set Block ClearanceWhen using a Double Roller timingset on a GM 350 Vortec or a GM Kblock, you must check the clearancebetween the cam gear and the bossesaround the oil galleys in the block.Some blocks may need to have somegrinding done for clearance and onsome this was already done at thefactory.

An easy way to check is to placethe cam gear on a camshaft thencarefully install your cam into theblock.

Now, just spin the gear and if yousee it hitting the block just grind onthe bosses until the gear has plenty ofclearance. If not done, the gear willgrind off metal filings that will becarried throughout the motor by theoil and we all know the damage thiscan cause.

Greg MyallEngine and Performance WarehouseOakland, CA

Cylinder Liner Cavitation ErosionCavitation erosion is often found indiesel engines on the exterior walls ofwet cylinder liners. The amount oferosion and decay will vary fromengine to engine and may also varyfrom cylinder to cylinder. Verticalstrips or patches of decay often formoutside the cylinder correspondingwith the piston thrust face. They alsoform just over the top sealing ring ofthe liner. If not kept in check, coolantmay eventually penetrate thecylinder and contaminate the oil oroil may be introduced to the coolant.

It has been proposed from a groupof engine rebuilders and partsmanufacturers that this cavitationerosion is caused by excessiveharmonic vibrations in the engineand possibly by or in conjunctionwith loose fitting cylinder liners. Bothcause the formation and implosion ofvapor bubbles within the coolantwhich attack and erode the cylinderliner surface. Vibration is caused asthe pistons move up and downwithin the cylinders, especially at thepiston thrust area. The surface of thecylinder sleeve that comes in contactwith the coolant is moving in and outvery quickly. During this processsmall bubbles are produced andstruck. The resulting implosioncauses shock waves against thissurface that have been calculated toreach over 10,000º F and pressuresmore than 10,000 psi.

Cost effective materials tomanufacture parts from that wouldprevent this cavitation erosion havenot yet been found. Some coatingshave been applied to slow the decayand extend engine life before majorrepairs are needed. A reduction inharmonic vibrations will alsoeliminate cavitation. Correct fittingliners cannot be over stressed.Incorrect clearance between liner andcylinder block can be a seriouscontributor to liner vibration. Inmany cases cavitation can be avoidedby making sure the fuel injectioncomplies with the manufacturer’sspecifications, the engine’s speed isgoverned according to the


12-13 Shop Solutions 4/11/14 3:05 PM Page 12

manufacturer’s data and that these controls function.Supplementary Cooling Additives (SCA) are specified by

manufacturers and these additives form a protective coating onsurfaces exposed to the coolant in an effort to reduce cavitationerosion.

Following proper maintenance schedules will help keep theproper level of concentrations of these SCA's aiding cavitationprotection, to maintain proper pH to avoid corrosion and to checkwater hardness to avoid mineral deposit formation. All manufacturer’srecommendations regarding additives, coolants and coolant filters aswell as maintenance schedules should be strictly adhered to andfollowed at all times.

Engine Pro Technical Committee with thanks to Howard Enterprises


Shop Solutions –The Power ofKnowledge

Engine Builder and Engine Pro presentShop Solutions in each issue of EngineBuilder Magazine and at enginebuilder-mag.com.

The feature is intended to provide ma-chine shop owners and engine techni-cians the opportunity to share theirknowledge to benefit the entire industryand their own shops.

Those who submit Shop Solutions thatare published are awarded a free oneyear membership to the Engine Re-builders Council and a prepaid $100Visa gift card.

Engine Pro is a nationwide network ofdistributors that warehouse a full line ofinternal engine components fordomestic and import passenger car,light truck, heavy duty, industrial, ma-rine, agricultural and performance ap-plications. They also produce engine parts underthe Engine Pro name that offer premiumfeatures at an affordable price.

Circle 13 for more information

12-13 Shop Solutions 4/11/14 3:05 PM Page 13

Are you using ComputerNumeric Controlled (CNC)equipment in your shop?

According to our most recent BabcoxMachine Shop Market Profile Survey,12 percent of engine builders said theyown a CNC machining center (a multi-purpose machine that can dosurfacing, boring, milling, drilling,etc.). The survey also asked what othertypes of equipment our readers own(boring & honing machines, surfacers,valve guide & seat machines, etc.), butwe didn’t ask if the equipment wasmanual or CNC. Most shops (88 to 94percent) own these types of machines,as one would expect since they maketheir living doing engine work. Hadwe asked for a breakdown betweenmanual and CNC machines, thepercentage of shops who are usingsome type of CNC equipment wouldlikely be one out of four or maybeeven one out of three. The point is theuse of CNC equipment continues togrow -- and with good reason.

Many of the CNC machines that arein use today are found in high-endperformance shops, shops that workon a lot of late model engines, andshops that are doing specializedmachining for both automotive and

non-automotive customers. The use of CNC shop equipment is

growing because it offers so manyadvantages:

• It reduces the need for skilledlabor. An operator doesn’t have tostand in front of the machine all daymanually controlling its motions andbabysitting processes. The automaticcontrols run the equipment, freeing upthe operator to work on somethingelse. CNC machines also don’t puncha time clock, don’t call in sick, don’ttake vacations and are not interruptedby phone calls, nature calls, coffeebreaks, parts deliveries or shop chatter.Any of these things can interrupt thesteady flow of work in a shop andcreate distractions that reduceproductivity and sometimes lead tomistakes.

Shop owners we’ve interviewed tellus that CNC allows them to do morework with the same number ofemployees, or in some cases to trimstaff. One shop owner said, “We usedto have seven people working in ourshop. Now we do the same amount ofwork with just two people. It’s a hugecost savings in labor for us. Once a jobhas been setup, the automatic controlstake over and do all of the machine

work. If it’s a long job, the machinedoesn’t stop working at 5 o’clock andgo home. We can let it run all night ifnecessary, and start the next job firstthing in the morning.”

• CNC offers a high level ofaccuracy and repeatability. A highlyskilled operator who pays closeattention to details can do the samething, but everybody has a bad daynow and then and makes mistakes.Late model engines have much closertolerances than engines from a fewdecades ago, so you have to be righton when you bore, hone and machinecritical components. There’s less roomfor slop, so once you have a process inplace that delivers the accuracy youwant, you don’t have to worry aboutmistakes messing up a job.

Once you’ve setup the basicmachining perimeters for a job, theprogramming can be stored andreused or easily modified the next timea similar job comes in. For example,say you want to blueprint a smallblock Chevy engine. Once you’veestablished the basic dimensions forlocating and centering the cylinderbores, lifter bores, crank and cambores, deck surfaces, etc., you have adigital map that be used over and over


What Can CNC Do For You?

CN

C F

eatu

re

BY LARRY CARLEY, TECHNICAL EDITOR

14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 14


15 SBI_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:45 PM Page 15

14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 16

again for every engine youdo.

• CNC provides ahigher level of qualitycontrol throughautomation. Assumingthe job is set up correctlythe first time, the CNCmachine can do the samejob over and over with thesame degree of accuracyeach time. This takes thehuman operator our of theequation and deliversconsistent results nomatter who pushes thebuttons on the machine.

• If you are currentlysending out parts for CNCmachining, you can keepthose jobs in-house byinstalling your own CNCmachine. This can giveyou greater control over your workand reduces the time it takes tocomplete a job by eliminatingshipping and delivery delays.

• One of the most popularapplications for CNC machining isfor porting high-performancecylinder heads. This type of workusually requires a 5-axis machinethat can reach all areas of the intakeand exhaust ports for a seamlesstransition. But a CNC machiningcenter can do more than heads. It canbore cylinders, line bore blocks andOHC heads, machine lifter bores,surface decks, lighten blocks andeven fabricate custom billet partsfrom a solid chunk of metal.

• With a CNC machining centerand some CAD/CAM designsoftware, you can even make yourown parts. A growing number ofshops with 4-axis and 5-axis CNCmachines are finding new marketswhere they can offer custommachining services. This includescopying parts, making customautomotive and motorcycle partsand even fabricating custom non-automotive components for a varietyof industrial and agriculturalcustomers.

A digital probe on a CNCmachining center can be used tomap parts, giving you a blueprint ofall the key dimensions and surfaceson that part. If you then want toreplicate a part out of solid billetaluminum (like a cylinder head,engine block, connecting rod, orcrankshaft), you have the three-dimensional map for making it.

“If you can dream it, you canmachine it,” said one CNCequipment supplier. With the propersoftware, you can digitally map andcopy or modify parts, and you candesign new parts from scratch. Itopens up a whole new world ofpossibilities for expanding andgrowing your business.

CNC Fear FactorIn spite of all the advantages CNCoffers, some shop owners arereluctant to embrace new technology— especially anything that involvescomputers. Old school machinistsare used to pulling handles andturning knobs on their equipment,and watching the machine as it doesits work. They enjoy the hands-oncontrol over what’s happening andare reluctant to turn the controls over


CNC Feature

Can't find a performance head forthe engine you want to build?Having a custom-made CNC billetaluminum head is always an option.

14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 17

to a computer. What happens if the computer locks up orcrashes? Can they still operate the machine manually or dothey have to wait for a service technician to come fix it?These are legitimate concerns for anyone who isconsidering a major new equipment purchase.

“Those who don’t see a need for CNC equipment areliving in the past,” said one shop owner. “As time goes onthey’ll find their old school ways of doing things are nolonger competitive with shops who have gone to CNC. It’ssurvival of the fittest.”

The resistance to computers is a generational thing, withyounger shop owners and machinists being much moreopen and receptive to automation.Almost everybody has some type ofsmart phone these days, or own atablet, laptop or desktop PC. Cars arepacked with numerous controlmodules and even simple appliancesnow have computer chips insidethem. So it’s not like its totally alientechnology that’s being added ontoshop equipment to make theequipment easier to operate, moreproductive and efficient.

CNC ProgrammingThe automatic controls on most CNC machines use eitherkeyboard or touch screen inputs. The interface is Windows-

based so anyone who knows how to usea computer should have somefamiliarity with the controls. Thesoftware that actually runs theequipment ranges from easy to learn tovery complex. CNC software designedfor industrial applications is usuallymore difficult to learn than CNCsoftware which has been developedexclusively for automotive machinists.Learning how to navigate numerousdrop down menus, prompts and otherinputs to set up the equipment takessome time.

Industrial CNC machines aretypically programmed using G-code orM-code commands entered on akeyboard or touch screen. These arespecial codes that tell the tooling how tomove in the X, Y and Z planes. To makelife easier for automotive machinistswho are not engineers or who have nottaken a CNC programming trainingcourse, many automotive-oriented CNCmachines use “conversationalprogramming.” The operator entersbasic instructions that tell the machinewhat he wants it to do, how deep hewants to cut, mill or surface, and anyother important information that has tobe input before the machine can startthe job. Some software even has built insafe guards so if the information entered


CNC Feature


Many automotive-oriented CNCmachines use “conversationalprogramming” where the operator enters basic instructions that tell the machine what he wants it to do,how deep he wants to cut, millor surface, and any other important information that hasto be input before the machinecan start the job.Photo Courtesy CENTROID

14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 18

doesn’t make sense or wouldoverextend the tooling, it prevents theoperator from proceeding and savesthe embarrassment of making a costlymistake.

Conversational programming ismuch easier and faster to learn thantraditional G-code and M-codeprogramming. So with minimaltraining, a CNC machine can be upand running and making you money.

In fact, the more training a CNCsupplier offers, the better. And themore specific the training is to the typeof work you do in your shop, thebetter. If you’re making a majorinvestment in something like a CNCmachining center, you want all thetraining you can get. If an equipmentsupplier can’t provide adequatetraining, find another supplier whocan.

If you want to use CAD/CAMsoftware to custom fabricate parts, thelearning curve will be longer. It takestime to learn the nuances ofCAD/CAM software if you’ve had noprevious experience designing partson a computer. This may requiretaking a CAD/CAM training course ata votech school or community college.But once you’ve mastered the basicsand have gained some experience, thesky is the limit as to what you can do.

Another point to emphasize is thattoday’s CNC machines are not theCNC machines of a decade ago. Thesoftware has evolved over the years,and each new generation of upgradeshas brought with it more features andcapabilities. Inputs are more intuitiveand user friendly, and displays areeasier to read and more informative.

Upgradability is another advantageCNC has over manual machines.Upgrades can be installed by a simpledownload. If you need a new button toperform a new function, there’s nowiring to rewire, no new switches orbuttons or other components that haveto be connected to the machine. It’s alldone through the software and userinterface. Like a smart phone upgrade,new icons or buttons can be added toan existing display screen or touchscreen to provide new functions orinformation.

Can You Afford It?The question is not “Can you affordit?” but “How can you not afford it?”Given all of the advantages that CNC

has to offer, how can you remaincompetitive in today’s market withoutthis type of equipment?

CNC machines are not cheap. Theyrequire a sizable investment: it can costyou up to six figures depending onwhat you buy. With five yearfinancing, the payback can come fairlyquick, according to CNC suppliers.Your return on investment willdepend on what kind of work you aredoing, how many jobs per day, week

or month you are doing, how muchyou are charging for your work, thetime and labor savings you realizefrom automating processes, and anyadditional savings that result frombetter quality control (fewercomebacks and do-overs that cost youmoney).

For CNC custom work, some shopscharge by the piece or the batch.Others charge by the time it takes tocomplete the job. Rates are usually


CNC Feature


14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 19

variable and depend on who thecustomer is and what they want. It’snot the same as charging a flat fee tomill a head or surface a block.Consequently, there’s a lot moreopportunity for profit because you’re

not competing against the shop downthe street.

Manual Or CNC?If you are considering a newequipment purchase and are debating

whether to go with traditional manualcontrols or CNC, your equipmentsupplier may offer the capability toupgrade from manual to CNC at alater date. It’s usually less expensive togo with CNC now rather than laterbecause costs usually go up over time.

If money is an issue, buying amanual machine and delaying a CNCupgrade may seem like your bestoption for now. But why would youwant to postpone the labor savingsthat CNC offers by putting off a CNCupgrade to a later date? You shouldcash in on the savings that CNC offersby going with CNC from the get go.

One equipment supplier said thedifference in cost between a manualmachining center and a CNCmachining center is about $40,000($100,000 versus $140,000). Thatsounds like a lot of money, and it is.But consider this: a skilled machinistearns $50,000 to $60,000 a year (wagesplus benefits). The labor savings canadd up very quickly if a CNC machinemultiplies the work he can do, or it cansave money by reducing the numberof employees needed to do the work.Either way, you come out ahead.

CNC RetrofitsOlder equipment can often beretrofitted with CNC controls toautomate certain processes, but youwon’t get all of the advantages that anew CNC machine can provide. You’llbe limited by the capabilities andaccuracy of the old machine. Mostnew CNC machines use precision ballscrews and have better materials onthe ways to improve machiningaccuracy.

The cost of a retrofit usually startsaround $5,000 and goes up from theredepending on what the retrofitincludes and who installs it. Someretrofits can add features such as the


CNC Feature


Today's engine builders can get the ac-curacy and versatility of CNC machineswithout getting lost learning CNC ma-chine code. Conversational program-ming has been created specifically tomeet the needs of the enginebuilder, whether you need versatilityto handle a wide variety of engine ma-chine work or automatic machines thatare easy to learn and fast to operate.Photo courtesy of Rottler Mfg.

14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 20

ability to digitize the profile of a workpiece, or to automatically control toolzeroing and positioning.

Maintenance & UpgradesLike any type of shop equipment,CNC machines require a certainamount of maintenance. Certaincomponents need to be cleaned andoiled on a regular basis, filters have tobe changed and backlash should bechecked and adjusted as needed oncea year (recommended but notmandatory).

Backlash is the amount of play inthe machine tooling. It needs to beminimized to assure consistency andaccuracy. A laser is used to verifymachine travel in all axis directions,and a correction table is generated so

the control software can compensatetooling travel as needed. This isusually performed by a servicetechnician as part of the servicecontract.

Some equipment suppliers provide

a free service contract for a givenperiod of time after the initialpurchase. Others charge a flat fee fortheir annual service contracts -- whichmay or may not include softwareupgrades. ■


CNC Feature


The use of CNC shop equipment isgrowing because it offers so manyadvantages, including a high level ofaccuracy and repeatability. Photo Courtesy RMC Engine Rebuilding Equipment, Inc.

14-21 CNC 4/11/14 3:04 PM Page 21

In today’s high tech world ofcomputerized everything, it canbe a challenge for even some

seasoned engine builders andtuners to get the hang of punchingbuttons on a keyboard in exchangefor twisting a screwdriver.

While nothing about actuallytuning the engines has changedmuch in the past 100 years or so,our ability to measure, monitorand implement changes to theengine’s tune up have greatlyimproved.

Since most engine builders outthere have come into contact withelectronic fuel injection (EFI) bynow and quite a few have alreadyexperienced some kind of tuningon these systems for highperformance engines, we thoughtit might be a good time to offer afew helpful hints to make gettingto the next level of overall qualityjust a bit easier. Here are fourhelpful hints for dealing withscenarios that commonly reartheir ugly heads during tuning anEFI system.

1. Tuning For Economyon the DynoWith the ever increasing fuelprices, and no sign of dropping insight, more and more people aretalking about re-tuning theirengines to get better economy.

One of the major benefits to anEFI system is the ability to have

good engine runningcharacteristics in a variety ofcategories, all at the same time.When the engine is at full power,the calibration can be set to givegood performance and reliability,and when cruise situations areentered, the "economy" part of thetune can take over, providing greatgas mileage.

While tuning on adynamometer is an invaluableprocess for gaining maximumpower from an engine, many

builders think that is the end of itsusefulness. In fact, the best way togain great fuel economy is alsodone on the dyno!

At EFI University, we frequentlyget asked questions like "what isthe best A/F ratio for my engine?"

The answer to that question isextremely complicated because ofall the factors involved, such as:"What exactly are you trying toaccomplish?"

This is important because theright A/F ratio depends onwhether you are looking forpower, economy or emissions.What is correct for one application


Engine TuningTips for EFIFour Fab Hints for Dealing withCommon EFI Scenarios

EFI F

eatu

re

Electronic Fuel Injection systemsare some of the most complexcomponents in the modern auto-mobile. They are also some ofthe most rewarding to the driverif tuned correctly.

BY BEN STRADER, FOUNDER AND SENIOR INSTRUCTOR OF EFI UNIVERSITY

22-28 EFI Tuning Feature 4/11/14 3:02 PM Page 22


23 EPWI_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:44 PM Page 23


EFI Feature

Let's say we measure our car's power consumption going down the highway at 60 MPH and observethat it takes about 20 HP to maintain steady speed. To get to 20 HP, let's also assume the throttleneeded to be about 20% open and around 45 KPA of manifold pressure.

We might find out the engine runs smoothly at 14.7:1 A/F, and also at 15.5:1 A/F, and even at 17:1 A/F,but begins to slightly misfire at 17.5:1.

The logical thing to do would be to richen the mixture just slightly so that no misfires show up, and thatshould produce maximum fuel economy, right?Not necessarily!

The problem is, that leaning the mixture out too far can reduce the power output of the engine, withoutcausing a misfire, but in order to produce the same 20 HP we needed earlier, we might now need asmuch as 40% throttle opening and 65 KPA of manifold pressure at the same A/F ratio.

This means that even though the actual "ratio" of air to fuel is the same, the actual quantity of air andfuel required to get back to 20 HP is greater, resulting in poor economy.

Dyno and road tests have shown consistently that leaning the engine to approximately 5% less thanpeak torque for any given cell in the fuel map results in the best fuel economy. While often times theabsolute best economy might not be realized until 8% or 10% power has been sacrificed, there is anvery small difference in the fuel savings between the 5% value and the 8-10% values, but there is a verylarge difference is the fuel savings from max power to 95%.

Power Problem:

will not be right for another.When it comes to economy, it is

important to recognize the fact thatwhen the engine is operated in therange of speeds and loads whereeconomy is important, the enginewill not produce enough heat todamage any components, so a muchleaner mixture can be used thanwhen under full power. In fact, evenleaner than Stoichiometric isdesirable in this circumstance!

The question becomesthen..."How lean is too lean?"

If you can't do any real damageto the engine from leaning it out,then why not simply go as lean asyou possibly can without gettingany misfires?

Part of the answer lies in the factthat you need a certain amount ofpower to keep your vehicle moving.Typically, there is a large range ofA/F ratios that will producereasonably close to the same poweroutput of the engine, so choosingone to make power is pretty easy.Once you go outside this window,(either too lean or too rich) thepower drops significantly.

However, when this happens, theengine may no longer make enough



power to sustain the vehicle speedin that same cell location on the fuelmap.

2. Tuning Ignition Timing TablesWhether you are tuning an engineon an engine dyno or a chassisdyno, you should always make surethat it gets tuned to the properamount of ignition timing.

The best way to do this is to use asteady state holding pattern on thedyno and hold the engine to aspecific RPM. Then load the engineto whatever site you wish to tuneand record the instantaneous powerreadings.

When you make a change to addor subtract ignition timing, you willnormally see a correspondingchange in power output.

Using an onboard or aftermarketknock sensor to check fordetonation is the easiest way to findthe maximum allowable ignitionadvance. However, if you do not

have access to one, here is anotherway to get pretty close.

Advance the timing untilmaximum power is reached andbegins to fall off when more timingis added. From there, back off theignition advance one or two degreesand set it there.

Once you have made a few hardpulls on the engine at this setting,shut it off and remove the sparkplugs. Inspect them for obvioussigns of detonation or erosion. Paycareful attention to the J-shapedground strap. You will notice thatsomewhere on the strap it begins tochange color.

Ideally, when the proper timingis set, there will be enough heat inthe combustion chamber to makethe color change at about the centerof the strap. If it changes more outtowards the end of the strap, thenthere is not enough heat, and moreadvance is needed. Conversely, ifthe color change is near the bottomwhere the strap joins the plug, then

take some ignition advance out inorder to start the burn later andtransfer more heat out the exhaust!

3. Using Ignition Timing toStabilize IdleWhen tuning a small displacementengine with very large injectors, youmay have trouble establishing agood solid idle.

This can also happen with enginesusing large duration camshafts withconsiderable overlap period wherethe inlet manifold signal strength iserratic and hard to pin down anexact reading. When you run into asituation like this, there are a fewthings that can make life just a littlebit easier.

First, always make sure that yourECU is getting full battery voltage,if not more from the alternator. TheECU will have a much harder timestaying consistent if the supplyvoltage is not up to par. The injectorbattery voltage offset can also beinconsistent and this makes


EFI Feature



properly supplying fuel to theengine difficult at best.

Second, use a little more ignition

advance at idle than normal to helpthe engine produce slightly moretorque and keep itself running alittle better. When the timing valuesare very low or close to TDC at idle

the engine can be a little lazy andthis causes a kind of “rolling” idlecondition, especially when coupledwith a lightweight flywheel withlow inertia.

Lastly, when tuning for idlequality using either a stepper motoror an Idle Air Control valve acommon mistake is for tuners toeither forget to check or to set thethrottle stop incorrectly.

If the throttle opening is too largethe idle quality will suffer becausein order to achieve a particulartarget idle speed the valve will havea lot of range to open up andincrease airflow, but not a lot ofability to close off the air supply andslow down the engine because somuch air is already getting past thethrottle itself. I like to try andmaintain a steady idle at my targetspeed and have the idle controlvalve working at about 25-30% of itscapability when the engine is fullywarmed up. You can play around alittle and see what works best foryour engine, but typically valuesunder about 10% valve capacitywon’t leave enough room to solvean idle overshoot problem.

4. Tuning Forced Induction EnginesTuning a forced induction engine ona dyno can be a daunting task.Trying to tune an engine that willmake lots of boost and a ton of


EFI Feature


While tuning on a dynamometer is aninvaluable process for gaining maxi-mum power from an engine, manybuilders think that is the end of its use-fulness. In fact, the best way to gaingreat fuel economy is also done on thedyno!


power can be even morechallenging. These engines tend tomake so much power when theycome on to the boost that they oftenwill rip right through the RPMranges you are trying to tune. Thiscan be very frustrating to a novicetuner.

One thing you can do to help out,is to disconnect the tubes that leadfrom the turbocharger to the intakemanifold. This will prevent anyboost from reaching the engine, sothat you can tune it as you would anaturally aspirated engine. Justoperate the dyno so that it will holdyou at a constant engine speedwhile you adjust the load withmovement of the throttle and tuneall the sites as best you can.

Once you have tuned all the sitesfor wide-open throttle in a naturallyaspirated form, you can connect theboost tubes again and begin tuningthe boost sites. If you have anadjustable waste-gate or boostregulator, turn it down as low as itwill go and tune the lower boostsites first and gradually work yourway up. If your turbocharger hasthe ability to use a compressorspeed sensor you can pay attentionto the speeds reached during therun to make sure you are notexceeding the manufacturer’srecommended maximums. This israre, but it could happen and it’sworth taking a look to avoidpremature turbocharger failure.

When done properly, the shape ofthe fuel curve under boost shouldclosely match that of the enginewhile naturally aspirated. It willsimply use more fuel, or highernumbers in the map. The reason forthis is because the engine's

volumetric efficiency for any givenengine speed is determined by thecombination of cylinder head,camshaft, displacement, etc.

Some ECUs use different valuesto represent fuel quantities in theirbase fuel tables, so always be sure tofollow the recommended procedurefor your particular system but as ageneral rule of thumb, the moreintake pressure you run the morefuel the engine will consume so the

larger the numbers in your fueltables will need to be. ■

As the founder and senior instructor ofEFI University, Lake Havasu City, AZ,Ben Strader manages the quality andflow of information that is taught in theEFI-101 and EFI Advanced classes. Heis a specialist in the theory and operationof the internal combustion engine and itsrelated systems including electronic en-gine management. Ben has more than 18years of experience tuning and trou-bleshooting EFI systems, and has pub-lished a book "How to Build and TuneCustom EFI Systems" for CarTech.

EFI University has various hands-on opportunities to learn the ropes oftuning engines using electronic fuelinjection, as well as some advancedlevel classes for better understandingthe engine blueprinting process andturbocharging concepts. For moreinformation, visit the website atwww.efi101.com.


EFI Feature



28 Web_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:43 PM Page 28

WASTE REMOVAL PG.30GREEN THINKING PG.34

RECYCLED ENGINE PARTS PG.37GASES ON THE RISE PG.40

Sponsored by:

29 Green Cover_Layout 1 4/11/14 3:01 PM Page 29

Recycle or dispose. What’s thedifference? It’s just trash, right?

Not really. The old adage of “oneman’s trash is another man’s treasure”profoundly rings true in automotiveaftermarket’s own recycling niché:engine building. We know you setaside your metals from a wide range ofvehicle repairs and modifications, butwhen it comes to your recycling, doyou have a separate bin (as you do —hopefully — in your home) for “paper,”“plastic” and box just for “metals?” Orlike some shops, do you have “a guy”that comes by and takes it off yourhands for a “reasonable” fee?Overlooking your precious metals cancause you to leave some extra moneyon the revenue table.

Engine-building shops have takennotice. For Matthew Dickmeyer, whoowns Dickmeyer AutomotiveEngineering in South Whitley, IN,recycling makes garbage collectionsan easier process.

“We recycle everything,” he said.“Especially the cardboard for the sizeof our shop.”

After his recycling efforts,Dickmeyer’s 5,000-square foot buildingnormally puts out less non-recyclabletrash than most average U.S. families.Finding recycling materials through theshop’s waste, he said, is just a part ofrunning an efficient shop. Corerecycling and auto wrecking service,A&A Midwest CEO Scott Stolbergnoted that many shops should mirrorDickmeyer’s efforts, particularly withprecious metals.

“One of the things we see in manybusinesses is they fail to segregate

their commodities. If they are mixed,the values drop automatically. It’s thatsimple,” Stolberg said. “It is amazinghow some managers and ownersrealize that they can send that scrap tothe recycling place themselves.”

Every year, nearly 27 million carsend up on the recycling block.According to the United States Councilon Automotive Research, 80 percentof recyclable materials are found ineach vehicle. Even at that point, the 20percent that consists of auto shredderresidue (rubber, plastic, wood, paper,glass, etc.) are disposed in landfillseach year to the tune of 5 million tons.Stolberg said A&A Midwestcommunicates the virtues of corerecycling and so far, the engine guysare listening.

“The PERs do a good job becausethey recycle in such a high volume.They know you should separate yourcast iron from your steel, because castiron is worth a premium,” heexplained. “Pistons are a differentaluminum than manifolds and timingcovers. They are worth a premium

because they are a high-nickel contentaluminum. A piston manufacturerwould pay a premium for that scrap ifhe could get just pistons. But if it ismixed, it is a different issue.”

For small shops like Dickmeyer’s,the savings from recycling is noticedand offers an immediate impact. Butbigger shops, Stolberg noted,sometimes miss the bigger picture.

“There is a truck dealer I’ve visitednot too long ago,” he explained.“They spent $2,000 per April on theirgarbage service. Their garbage. Ilooked at their cardboard. Before itcost them $4800 to buy a bailer totake away the cardboard.

“By recycling, they cut their bill by$1,000 and started getting $200 inrevenue. So now, they are $1,200ahead. Before that, the owner justassumed it was the cost of doingbusiness. He never realized how muchhe actually spent to get rid of just thecardboard.”

Another problem that is common inrecycling is metal theft. With thedemand of nonferrous metals like


Waste RemovalRecycling and Green Options for the Engine Shop

Gre

en S

trat

egie

s

BY MICHAEL [email protected]

Ways To Protect Your Precious Shop Metal

• Lock up property or take it off job site• Add lights to area and protect in locked fence area• Establish a relationship and become a member of

the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)• If you are a victim of metal theft, file a report

30,32 Green Guide Feat 1 4/11/14 3:01 PM Page 30


31 EQ_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:43 PM Page 31

copper and aluminum on the rise, anengine repair shop is a prime source ofrevenue for thieves looking for bigmoney returns.

Stolberg says a quick way to curbthis problem is for owners andmanagers to simply realize the worthof their unwanted material.

“You have to treat the stuff like ithas value,” he warned. “For example, Igot a call from a company that is goingout of business. They were going toscrap all the fixtures. We told them thatwe’d give them the (recycle) box thatTuesday night. But don’t load it untilWednesday morning, so we can pick itup Wednesday afternoon.

“Because if you leave it outovernight, you’re going to come in themorning to find your scrap gone. Withtheft, I lose out because I’m coming toget a box full of scrap that’s empty.And the business loses out becausesomeone stole their stuff. The moral:you’ve got to take care of your scrap.”

A&A Midwest and other similarorganizations have stressed that tominimize metal theft, three groupsmust work collectively: recyclers, thetheft victims and law enforcement.

“Recyclers need to know who arethe people selling the scrap and howthey got the material in the first place,”Stolberg said. “Law enforcementneeds to take the crime seriously toprosecute the perpetrators when theycatch them. Plus, the victims need tosecure their property.”

While metals can reveal aconsiderable amount of savings,they’re not the only resources that canhelp shop owners increase efficiency.Parts washers found in shops today arebecoming increasingly innovative withnew lines of self-contained recycling.

Companies such as Safety-Kleen,Garymills Corp. and Eastern Precisionprovide such types of aqueous partswashers from manual and automatic tosolvent-based and ultrasonic.

“Shop owners are very much awareof this equipment for years,” said DaveWeaver, SystemOne sales and servicemanager for Eastern Precision.SystemOne is Eastern Precision’s brandof recycling cleaning machines forlight-to-medium duty parts cleaning.

By using such a parts washer systemin general, Weaver said, owners ridthemselves of major headaches by

recycling the cleaning solvent andeliminating waste as well as the chanceof liability after it has left their business.

“The old industry standard was thatthe service would come out of thetruck and give you 12 gallons ofsolvent in a 30-gallon container. Thentook your stuff away,” he said. “Yousigned a manifest to say that you’reliable if they roll their truck and spill it.”

Other companies have taken uponthe responsibilities of handling waste.For instance, Safety-Kleen provides a“certificate of assurance” guaranteewhen handling waste by coveringcleanup costs in case of a spill oraccident.

Having to deal with handling andrecycling waste around the engineshop is not a secret, but finding the

right procedures and methods onrecycling doesn’t have to be, Stolbergsaid. With the right amount ofeducation and cognizance, shopowners can use recycling as a way tomaximize their revenue and cutexpenses.

“There is a much better awarenessof recycling today across allbusinesses,” Stolberg said. “One ofthe things people want to do is beefficient. When it comes to recycling,people will listen. People need to getvalue from the effort. And once theydo, they should let the world know it.From a business perspective, take alook at your garbage. You’ve got to beable to learn what has value and whatdoesn’t. Know what is recyclable.” ■


Waste Feature

COMMON SOURCES OFRECYCLED METALSFERROUSFerrous metals are magnetic and are often collected in scrap yardsby a large electromagnet attached to a crane, sweeping across pilesof scrap to grab magnetic objects.Ferrous scrap comes from sources such as:• Mill scrap (from primary processing)• Used construction beams, plates, pipes, tubes, wiring, and shot• Old automobiles and other automotive scraps• Boat scrap, railroad scrap, and railcar scrap• Miscellaneous scrap metal

NONFERROUSNonferrous metals can also be recycled from captured particle emis-sions from metal primary or secondary production facilities. Alu-minum is the most widely recycled nonferrous metal. The majorsources of nonferrous scrap are industrial or new scrap, and obsoletescrap. Industrial or new scrap may include:• Aluminum left over when can lids are punched out of sheets• Brass from lock manufacturing• Copper from tubing manufacturing

Obsolete scrap, the other major source, may include:• Copper cables• Copper household products• Copper and zinc pipes and radiators• Zinc from die-cast alloys in cars• Aluminum from used beverage cans• Aluminum from building siding• Platinum from automobile catalytic converters• Gold from electronic applications• Silver from used photographic film• Nickel from stainless steel• Lead from battery plates

Source: Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries

30,32 Green Guide Feat 1 4/11/14 3:01 PM Page 32


33 Eastern P_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:42 PM Page 33

Green Thinking

Gre

en S

trat

egie

s

There are several memes asso-ciated with “going green.” Forsome, an image of a person

donning a tide-dye shirt while hold-ing up a peace sign may come tomind. For shop owner Stan White,that person’s in clean business attire.

“A nicely dressed woman comesto my shop with a smile on her face,”said White who owns RLD Perform-ance in Temecula, CA. “I’ll ask her‘How may I help you?’ She replies,‘I’m here for an audit.’”

Those are the words that giveshop managers and owners likeWhite pause. Located in California,engine shops like White’s go through

an intensive inspection by the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency (EPA)and California Air Resource Board(CARB) gauging the businesses’ en-ergy efficiency.

The compliance tests cover awide array of issues for regulation in-cluding battery storage, floor drains,parts cleaners and wastewater. Restassured, White sees that his shop isin full compliance with U.S. and statecode, although it’s not exactly a fa-vorite part of his ownership.

“Regulation is not fun. We aregetting so overregulated,” Whitesaid about his shop that deals in re-search and development for various

racing teams. “We have been prac-ticing green forever. We use Califor-nia-legal fluids and dispose of ourwaste in a legal, green manner. As amatter of routine and habit becausewe have to do it.”

While having the seal of green ap-proval provides many benefits for theenvironment, it also brings a set ofproblems for some engine shops,White noted.

“It’s not the same as it was 20, 30years ago. You have to maneuveraround regulations and it’s hard todo it efficiently,” he said. “Now,you’re tied up with audits and visitsfrom people hounding you. Then,

BY MICHAEL [email protected]

Discovering Ways for Using Less to Do More

34-36 Thinking Green Feat 2 4/11/14 3:00 PM Page 34

Green Thinking

you have to search for new products because the ones yougot will be illegal by January 1. You take away time frommanufacturing to deal with regulation stuff. Taking time fromthe actual ability to produce and putting it in areas that Idon’t believe in.”

While adhering to government compliance adds an un-wanted stress to shop owners and managers, some use it asan opportunity to realize improvement for their business.More than 10 years ago, Matthew Dickmeyer, owner ofDickmeyer Automotive Engineering in South Whitley, IN,reached an energy epiphany.

“Owning less is the same as making more and in an in-dustry that has its up and downs, it’s either feast or famine,”Dickmeyer said. “For a shop, it can be up or down, but youstill have to know how to make your $40,000 every month.That’s a scary thing to think about.”

For starters, Dickmeyer’s 5,000 square-foot engine shop,which he shares with his wife Jennifer, was built in 1947. Itproved difficult to provide heat while energy costs wereburning a hole through the shop’s pockets. So, Dickmeyertook his hobby of chopping wood and decided to add hispastime to benefit the shop.

“We put a wood furnace in the shop rather than an oilburner. An average shop of my size uses a 55-gallon drumof oil per week. I use that in a month,” he said. “It’s a lot ofwork, you have to gather and cut the wood during the sum-mer months but it saves us $10,000 a year. It’s like getting a$10,000 raise.”

Dickmeyer said the wood burner is similar to building anengine; instead of torque, the heat is the output. Once thewood fuels the burner, a squirrel-cage fan blows the hot air

into the garage space. Dickmeyer said the process workedso efficiently, that it helped his parts washer tank.

“It’s a safe distance away from the tank, but it heats it up,and that helps clean the parts much better,” he said. “Andit’s helpful in the winter time when cleaning a set of heads.When you wash them off, they need to dry thoroughly, es-pecially iron heads or they start to rust immediately.

“I know, it sounds crazy, but you can blow the heads offthen set them on top of the wood stove and they dry offwithin 45 seconds. It sounds funny, but I take advantage ofthose types of conditions.”

From the green perspective, Dickmeyer also realized hewas on to something. Studies show distressed trees are pro-ducing methane gases more than 80,000 times that of am-bient levels. For reference, the methane found in a 60-tree

Green Thinking



forest can burn the equivalent of 40gallons of gasoline.

Dickmeyer has also taken his phi-losophy with energy and applied it tothe shop’s finances. Instead of relyingon bank notes and lines of credit,Dickmeyer insists on buying all of hisequipment with cash. It’s just a part ofhow he’s using less to do more, hesaid.

“A lot of times, it’s making some-thing out of nothing. As time goes by,it becomes something that is a part ofthe process,” Dickmeyer said. “Webuild efficient engines in an efficientshop and it worked well. We saved aton. We have been able to work andhave a business that is well within ourmeans.”

For Dickmeyer, wood burningserved as an alternative source for hisshop. In a larger scale, White hasworked toward an alternative sourcefor our automobiles. He may have afew bones to pick with governmentregulators, but one subject has themat least on the same page: natural gas.

According to the California NaturalGas Vehicle Coalition, renewable natu-ral gas curbs pollution by using landfillmethane that, in most cases, wouldburn off into the open air and de-creases pollutants and greenhousegas emissions as transportation fuel.

In addition to its automotive engi-neering services, RLD Performancealso manufactures compressed naturalgas refueling station compressor sys-tems. White said he decided to ven-ture into this business while workingwith a German racing team a fewyears ago. Surprisingly, he found thatEurope didn’t recognized most alter-native fuel categories.

“E85 is not natu-ral. Propane is manmade. There is onlyone green fuel. Andthat’s natural gas,”he recalled.

White was work-ing with the com-pany while somemembers of the Eu-ropean Union wereundergoing a phase

of financial uncertainty. As a result, thepartnering racing team was losingsponsors and unable to continue theirrelationship.

“I realized at that point that (theU.S.) did not supply a compressor in-frastructure,” White said. “That’s why Igot into the compressor game.”

The California Natural Gas VehicleCoalition, as well as many groupsacross the country, has an initiative toequip government and fleet vehiclesto run on natural gas. It fits perfectlywith the goal of White’s company thatoffers 33, 55 and 94 SCFM German-engineered Sauer-based systems.

“What’s better than 130 octanefuel?” White said. “Natural gas isproven to be safe. We have an abun-dance of supply. Talk about green andclean. How clean is natural gas? Gaso-line has eight times more carbon anddiesel is 16 times dirtier thanmethane.”

White said having natural gas is awin-win due to the return on his com-pany’s investment coupled with theneed to cut greenhouse gases fromthe environment and with the backingof the people and government, natu-ral gas could be a regular part of ourmobile society.

“If Congress got together and said,‘Let’s get behind natural gas,’ thatwould put money in our pockets,” hesaid. “For the first time in my life inthis country, I have seen a maturetechnology that is emerging, which israre. Natural gas will save consumers alot of money and time by spendingless on fuel to go to work, go on vaca-tion, do whatever they need to do.The money saved on fuel will makethe quality of life go up. That’s what Iwant to see.” ■


Green ThinkingTaking advantage of the heat generatedfrom a wood burner in the shop to drycleaned heads and other components is oneway to get more out of your resources.

SAVINGS INTHE SHOPThe Alliance to Save Energy(ASE.org) promotes energyefficiency worldwide to achieve ahealthier economy, a cleanerenvironment and energy securityfor businesses.

The ASE began in response to avery critical period in our nation’senergy history – the OPEC OilEmbargo crisis of 1977 – andcontinues its mission today: tocreate an energy-efficient world.

Three and a half decades later,the Alliance is still advocating forthe efficient and clean use ofenergy worldwide to benefit theenvironment, businesses, theeconomy and national security.

Some energy-saving tips forshops from the ASE include:

Wrap it Up: To save energy andmoney on heating water for yourshop’s parts washers, wrap thewater storage tank in a specially-designed “blanket” to retain theheat.

Invest in Strippers: Use powerstrips in offices, shop lobby, etc.,and turn off devices and lightsthat are not in use to cut standbypower.

Filtration: A dirty shop furnace orA/C filter will slow down air flowand make the system workharder to keep you warm or cool.

Bright Idea: Reduce energy usefrom about a third to as much as80% with today’s increasingnumber of energy-efficienthalogen incandescents, CFLs andLEDs.

The Alliance will host the seventhEnergy Efficiency Global Forumfrom May 20-21 at the Walter E.Washington Convention Center,Washington, D.C.

This gathering includes more than60 thought leaders who are someof the industry’s most powerfulvoices and energy efficiencyheads from three major worldeconomies.

For more information, visit:http://eeglobalforum.org


The Parts CollectorRecycled Engine Parts are Saving Builders’ Profit Margin

Gre

en S

trat

egie

s

BY CONTRIBUTING WRITERJOHN GUNNELL

The list of reclaimed bare engine blocks on theKenmonth Engine Company website(www.danamotorssac.com) is enough to warm the

heart of any vintage vehicle collector. There’s an AMC401-cid big-block for $800, five 1959 thru 1966 Buick“Nailheads” for $450 each, a 390 for a tail-finned ‘59Caddy for $450, a 216-cid Chevy “Stovebolt 6” withapplications as far back as 1942, a 218/230 Chryslerflathead six that would fit right in a Chrysler Town &Country, and a hot rod classic 1948-1953 Ford flatheadV8 will set you back $500.

D.K. Kenmonth says that all blocks listed arecleaned, magnafluxed and inspected. “They areguaranteed to a maximum .040 to .060 bore toavailable pistons,” he told Engine Builder magazine atthe SEMA Show. “It’s our no hassles program: no corecharge, no wasting time in wrecking yards, nochargebacks to your customer when his Internet-sourced core junks out.”

Kenmonth’s company has been providingprofessional automotive machine services for over 50years. He says that he can even find collectors engineshe doesn’t have listed and can sometimes supply“matching-numbers” engines for $200 above regularprices. If you have a car like a Corvette or Mustangwhere matching numbers increase the vehicle’s value,$200 is a song.

Kenmonth was at the November SEMA Show with abunch of engine parts in cool-looking old-fashionedboxes. He has been collecting obsolete engine partsfor as long as he can remember. He says that it tookhim decades to accumulate those boxes and the NOS(new old stock) and NORS (new old replacement stock)engine parts inside them. He has parts from the ‘30s,‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s and up.

“I spent a long time working as an engine partsspecialist and I started keeping the parts that we neversold,” Kenmonth explained. “The parts manufacturerswould discontinue an item and I just kept them, ratherthan throw them away. I moved them off the front lineto an obsolete line code. Now, I have a lot of engineparts that collectors and restoration shops need to fixold motors.”

Kenmonth’s grandfather Alton S. “Kenny”Kenmonth worked as a wagon jobber in Los Angeles in

the early years of the 20th Century. He sold Vitaloypistons and Pacific piston rings out of the back of hiscar. He made face-to-face sales calls on the shopowners there who rebuilt engines. “Alton would pick upthe piston/rod assemblies, take them to his garage forcleaning and rebushing, cut the ring grooves for G.I.spacers and return the ready-to-install assemblies.

“In those days the engines were built in the chassis,”D.K. emphasized. “Cylinder boring was done with theengine blocks still sitting in the chassis. The crankshafts



37-38 Green feature 3 collector 4/11/14 2:59 PM Page 37

were also turned in the chassis.”Alton Kenmonth built his businessup during the Great Depression. Atthe start of World War II, Gen.George S. Patton asked him to bea consultant. He was asked to startup a rebuilding plant for the Armyordinance supply chain to rebuildWillys Jeep engines for the war.

After WWII, Kenny went back toengine rebuilding with his PistonSupply Co. He and DonaldKenmonth — D.K’s dad — ranthings. In the early ‘50s, they linkedup with the Dana family. “Danadidn’t want to build engines, sothey asked my grandfather and myfather to supply engines,crankshafts and cylinder heads fortheir Sacramento operation. By1959, Piston Supply owned DanaMotors. “By the early ‘60s, we hadnine branch facilities aroundCalifornia and Nevada,” D.K.recalled. “We stocked engines,cylinder heads and engine parts.”

In 1968, following Kenny’spassing, the company split and D.K.and his dad moved to Sacramentoto operate as Motor Warehouse. In1974, D.K got out of college andjoined the business. “We continued

building engines in Sacramentountil 1981,” he recalled. “Then, wefocused on machining parts andselling master kits — a kit being acrankshaft, bearings, pistons, rings,cam, lifters, timing, pump, gaskets— everything needed to put a shortblock together.”

When Donald retired in 1998,D.K. bought the company and ran ituntil 2012 when he sold distributionat Motor Warehouse andCommercial Warehouse Center (hisfactory warehouse) to NationalPerformance Warehouse (NPW) of

Miami. D.K. was NPW’s VP ofEngine Components duringthe transition. He also keptthe Dana Motors corporate.He now runs Kenmonth

Engine Co. and California ObsoleteEngine Parts (CAOEP). “We supplyNPW locations with machine workand discontinued, hard to findinternal engine parts,” he said.


Green Feature

APPLICATIONS

USE ON: Engine parts, aluminum components, composite materials, and chrome

For further case studies and more information go to

ARMEX.com or call 800-332-5424

ARMEX® and ARM & HAMMER® are registered trademarks of Church & Dwight Company. ISO9002

ARMEX® Baking Soda Blast Media — Discover the Difference

BENEFITS

– Safe on most surfaces even glass– Rinse residues from surfaces and passageways– Safer for workers and the environment

REMOVE: Paint, greaseoil, burned in carbon,and corrosion.

Application Overview: Clean aluminum cylinder heads without leaving particles behind in critical passageways risking engine failure and increasing warranty issues.

Process: ARMEX Maintenance Formula XL at 50-60 psi in contained cabinet system. ARMEX Turbine Formula at 45 psi for heavily burned in carbon. Followed by a water rinse. Results: Achieved a higher level of clean, lowered process time and energy consumption. Reduced labor, no post process detailing required. Eliminated warranty issues due to media lodging.

“We’re saving money, time and cutting hazardous waste.”

Case Study: Engine Parts Cleaning


D.K. Kenmonth’s family has been in the enginebusiness since 1933 and now he is selling theparts they saved and collected all those years.

Continued on page 43



39 Safety kleen_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:42 PM Page 39

The issue of the automotive andheavy-duty industry movingtoward more alternative fuel

useage will always be an importanttopic of discussion for the rebuildingindustry. And, no matter which sideof the fence you are on regarding areduction in petroleum in today’svehicles, alternative fuels mayprovide more engine-relatedopportunities to your business.

In issues past, Engine Buildermagazine has taken a look atnumerous alternative fuels and theirimpact on engine builders, includingnatural gas, biodiesel, ethanol, etc. Inthis year’s Green Strategies Guide,we turn our focus toward propane(known as autogas) as a viablealternative engine fuel that’s openingniche prospects for our industry.

While the use of propane as avehicle fuel is on the rise, manyrebuilders and other enginespecialists in the auto and truckindustry have not serviced enginesusing autogas. But that is expectedto change in the near future, as morefleets begin to operate their vehicleswith propane-autogas.

First off, you should know thatthere are basically two types ofpropane vehicles: dedicated and bi-fuel. Dedicated propane vehicles aredesigned to run only on propane,while bi-fuel propane vehicles havetwo separate fueling systems thatenable the vehicle to use eitherpropane or gasoline.

According to the AlternativeFuels Data Center (AFDC), propanevehicle's power, acceleration andcruising speed are similar to those ofconventionally-fueled vehicles. Thedriving range for dedicated and bi-fuel vehicles is also comparable.Extra storage tanks can increaserange, but the tank size andadditional weight affect payloadcapacity.

Low maintenance costs are onereason behind propane's popularityfor use in light-duty vehicles, such aspickup trucks and taxis, and forheavy-duty vehicles, such as schoolbuses (seen here). Propane's highoctane rating (104 to 112 comparedwith 87 to 92 for gasoline) and lowcarbon and oilcontaminationcharacteristics have resultedin documented engine lifeof up to two times that ofgasoline engines. Becausethe fuel's mixture (propaneand air) is completelygaseous, cold startproblems associated withliquid fuel are reduced.

Compared with vehiclesfueled with conventionaldiesel and gasoline,propane vehicles canproduce lower amounts ofharmful emissions,depending on vehicle typeand drive cycle.

For more on how autogas canimpact engine builders, we turned toMichael Taylor, director of autogasbusiness development at thePropane Education & ResearchCouncil (PERC).

Taylor said one of the biggestchallenges for today’s engine builderregarding retrofitting an engine tooperate on LPG is training.“Retrofitting or converting an engineto operate on propane autogas canbe complicated if the engine builderhas not received proper trainingregarding the systems and requiredinstallation processes andprocedures,” Taylor said. “Today’sliquid propane injection systems arevery similar to current automotivetechnology, but requires techniciansto have some applicable knowledgeregarding propane autogas as amotor fuel combined with high levelexpertise in installation,troubleshooting and diagnostics.”

Taylor said if an engine builder isdesigning and developing a purposebuilt, gaseous fueled engine


Propane: A Gas on the Rise

Alt

erna

tive

Fue

ls

BY ED SUNKINEDITOR

Propane is a by-product of natural

gas and petroleum, occurring natu-

rally during domestic oil refining

and natural gas processing. It is

270 times more compact as a liq-

uid than as a gas, making it highly

economical to store and transport.

Propane is also known as liquefied

petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas).

When used as an on-road engine

fuel, it is called propane autogas.

Source: www.roushcleantech.com

40-42 Green Guide Feat 4z 4/11/14 2:57 PM Page 40

designed to operate with propaneautogas as the primary fuel fromscratch, there may be somemodifications which are based solelyon the characteristics of the fuel.

“Modifications may include theengine block, heads, pistons and rings,valves and seats, intake manifold,injectors, fuel lines and the fueldelivery system as well as calibrationand optimization requirements toensure the engine operates at peakperformance,” he said.

“However, if an engine builder isconverting an existing engine with acertified EPA- and/or CARB-compliantpropane autogas system, typically thesystems are ‘plug and play’ and do notinvolve major engine modificationsoutside of the installation of propaneautogas injectors, fuel rails, fuel lines,fuel tank and some electricalcomponents designed to ensure theengine performs at the highest levelpossible. Each manufacturer’s systemsmay vary slightly in components butmajor modifications to existing enginecomponents are not required.”

While Taylor said an engine builder

shop is not mandated to be EPAcertified to perform LPG conversions,PERC does not condone or supportthe installation of any systems thathave not secured the required EPAcertification(s).

“We encourage engine builders toseek out and work with certifiedsystems manufacturers only. Thesereputable manufacturers have investedsignificant amounts of money and timerequired to obtain EPA emissionscertification requirements and willprovide the highest level of training,warranty and support for theirproducts,” he said.

Taylor and others belive thatpropane autogas and bi-fuelaftermarket conversions will continueto be a significant market niche for anumber of reasons.

“The high price of conventionalfuels and increased maintenance andrepair costs directly linked to theincreased emissions equipmentrequired to comply with EPAcertification are the major contributingfactors when fleets consider the switchto propane autogas conversions,”

Taylor said, adding suppliers like ICOMNorth America, IMPCO, AllianceAutogas, Clean Fuel USA and Bi-Phasenow offer hundreds of certifiedsystems and their businesses haveexperienced significant growth in light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-dutyvehicle conversions.

While sales of dedicated and bi-fuelpropane autogas certified systemshave increased in all 50 states,significant increases are taking place inregions or states that offer incentiveswhich offset initial conversion and operations costs. Taylor said currently,Texas, Florida and California areextremely supportive of alternativefuels expansion and offer veryaggressive incentives which highlyfavor propane autogas conversions.Federal and state grant and incentivesinformation can be found on theDepartment of Energy AlternativeFuels Data Center atwww.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/propane.html.

Converting the ConvertersTaylor said engine shops looking toperform autogas conversions will


Alternative FuelsPropane: A Gas on the Rise



discover that system complexity variesby manufacturer and requires enginespecialist training to ensure the engineconversion is compliant once theprocess is completed.

“Highly trained, experiencedcertified technicians typically can installa complete propane autogasconversion within eight hours,” hesaid.

“Additional fuel tanks or vehiclemodifications required toaccommodate the equipment canlengthen or shorten the installationtime period.”

One of the biggest misconceptionsregarding efficiency of LPG inautomotive and heavy-duty truckengines is that propane doesn’t havethe power of a comparable dieselengine.

“While this is an appealingargument, propane autogas engineshave proven they can actuallyoutperform their diesel counterparts inmost applications while providing aquieter, safer passenger compartmentand eliminate all contamination andcarcinogen concerns,” Taylor said.“Propane has an octane rating of 104and power is not a challenge for ourfuel.”

Taylor explained for the most part,aftermarket engines which areconverted to propane autogas do notrequire a turbocharger orsupercharger.

“If the engine builder is developinga purpose built gaseous fueled engine,a turbocharger or supercharger maybe used to increase engineperformance, improve air flow and fuelcombustion while reducing engineemission.” he said.

While increased engine longevity isreported in customer’s claims andfeedback, PERC cannot validate longerengine life associated strictly todeployment of propane autogas fuel.“It is well documented that propaneautogas is inherently a cleaner burningfuel during the combustion phase thangasoline or diesel and many fleets doreport less engine wear and tear withpropane compared to conventionalfuels.

One fact that we can cite andvalidate is that propane autogas doesnot require the complicated, extensiveemissions equipment required byconventional fuels; therefore, fleets arereporting reduced operations costs

which translates into less maintenanceand less downtime, which shouldsupport the claims for a longer lastingengine.”

Conversion DetailsTaylor explained that a gasoline engineconversion to a propane autogassystems vary in complexity. Theaverage price range is $6,000-$12,000and will depend on a number offactors which include the choice ofOEM dedicated or aftermarket bi-fuelsystems, engine family and class andthe number of fuel tanks required.

For now, diesel engine conversionsto propane autogas is a new anddeveloping field. There are no EPA-and/or CARB-certified systemsavailable for diesel engine conversions;however, PERC continues to pursuethe development of this technologythrough the investment of researchand testing funds with reputablecompanies who are pursuing thishighly coveted product.

For more information on propane autogas and other alternative fuels,check out the following sites.

• The Propane Education &Research Council (PERC) promotesthe safe and efficient use of odorizedpropane gas. It accomplishes thisthrough wide-ranging programs thatsupport safety, training and thedevelopment and commercialization ofpromising propane technologies.www.propanecouncil.org

• The Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) is a comprehensiveclearinghouse of information aboutadvanced transportation technologies.The AFDC offers unbiased info, dataand tools related to the deployment ofalternative fuels and advancedvehicles.www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/propane.html

• A visionary company founded in1993, CleanFUEL was the first in theU.S. industry to develop liquidpropane fuel injection systems. For 20years, the firm has maintained areputation for providing safe, reliableand cost-effective vehicles, stationsand dispensers that comply withenvironmental regulations.

www.cleanfuelusa.com

• American Alternative Fuels is aleader in bringing practical alternativefuel technology to the fleet vehicles ofAmerica. The organization researchesand tests the latest fuel technologiesto determine the most cost-effectiveand practical approach for variousapplications. Current options includeLPG (Propane), CNG (Natural Gas) andelectric high- and low-speed vehicles.www.aafuel.com

• National Alternative FuelsTraining Consortium (NAFTC) is apioneer in developing, managing, andpromoting programs that focusses onimproving energy independence andencouraging the use of cleanertransportation. The NAFTC providesalternative fuel vehicle and advancedtechnology vehicle training tomechanics and technicians.

http://naftc.wvu.edu ■


Alternative Fuels

ACT Expo Set to Address AlternativeFuel UsageNext month in Southern Cali-fornia — the epicenter ofNorth America’s alternativefuel vehicle development mar-ket for the past 20 years — willplay host to the AlternativeClean Transportation “ACT”Expo 2014.

Now in its fourth year, theACT Expo is one of the indus-try’s largest annual gathering,bringing together more than3,000 attendees — fleets,technology companies, OEMs,fuel providers, infrastructuredevelopers, and policymakers— for an in-depth discussionon the rapidly evolving cleantransportation industry at theLong Beach Convention Cen-ter in Long Beach, CA, May 5-8.

For information on register-ing, seminars and exhibitors,visit: http://actexpo.com


D.K. also found another nicheselling NOS import parts for vintageDatsuns, Toyotas, Mitsubishis andso on. “I started buying lots of NOSimport parts and, with the help ofour computer, we were able tocatalog them,” he said. “We havedesigned and built a website topresent them to the industry.”

D.K. says he has 165,000obsolete part numbers in hiscomputer. “We consider maybe20,000 of those parts active (regularsellers),” he pointed out. “The otherstuff is not very active. We mayoccasionally get a sale every two orthree years, but it’s part of ourservice. With the Internet I’mhoping for exposure overseas.Maybe there are shops in Asiabuilding old Datsun Roadsters?”

Kenmonth feels the Internet hasbroadened the purchasing power ofthe consumer. “If you go back 30years somebody looking for a Fiatpart had to visit a machine shop orstore and go through distributionchannels to reach us because only

the store knew we had Fiat parts,”D.K. explained. “Now, all acustomer has to do is Google Fiatparts. We couldn’t fight theInternet, so we joined it anddesigned a shopping cart websitewith 21st century search technology.You can type in ‘1955 331 Cadillacvalves and the search engine willfind those valves on my websitebecause of the way we organizedour parts.”

California Obsolete Engine Partshas valves reaching back into the1910’s. “I don’t even have catalogson some of that stuff,” D.K.admitted. “About the earliestcatalog I have is a 1939 Federal-Mogul book that goes back toaround 1928 or so. So some of it,believe it or not, is knowing whatyou’re looking at. There are timeswhen I have to open the box, takethe part out of the box and try tofigure out what it is by the specs,because there’s no catalog thatexists.”

D.K. says he tries to specialize inthe “sweet range,” that tends to be1928-1975 in terms of old parts.“That’s the sweet spot,” he says.“We don’t get very many ‘80sengine builds, but occasionally wedo and we have parts for those,also. It’s more by accident that wesometimes get parts for earlier orlater applications.” If someone hasa current motor, D.K.’s relationshipwith National PerformanceWarehouse (NPW) allows him tooffer newer parts, as well.

“I am best known as a WestCoast distributor of engine parts,”said Kenmonth. “The CaliforniaObsolete Engine Parts end of it isvery recent. Over the years, we’dsee demand for obsolete parts and Ifound there was a big need forthem. Suppliers like Egge Machineand Kanter have moved more intomanufacturing, rather than buyinglots of NOS engine parts. So, we’rein a good position in a not-so-crowded niche called the obsoleteengine parts industry.” ■


Green Feature


Continued from page 38



44 AutoCare_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:41 PM Page 44

Acylinder head is much morethan a casting that tops offthe block, holds the valves

and forms the combustionchambers. The head works incombination with the camshaft,induction and exhaust systems todetermine how the engine breathes,the engine's power curve andpersonality. The "right" cylinderhead on an engine will deliver peakpower in the RPM range where youwant it. The engine will have goodthrottle response and produce thekind of torque and horsepowernumbers you want. Head selection,therefore, is a key ingredient inbuilding a winning performanceengine.

Let's start with the basics.Assuming you are going to choosean aftermarket cylinder head, youhave to find out what's availablefor the engine you want to build.For popular engines like smallblock and big block Chevy, Fordand Chrysler engines, there aredozens of head configurations,brands and product lines fromwhich you can choose. Theselection can be so overwhelming

that sometimes it comes down toeenie, meenie, minee, moe to pick ahead.

Some people pick a set ofcylinder heads based on namebrand, previous experience orword-of-mouth recommendations.Some will shop around for the leastexpensive set of heads that promise

to meet their expectations. Otherswill make their selection basedstrictly on which set of headsclaims the highest air flow


Bolt-on horsepower for street performance engines (such asthis Edelbrock head) take theguesswork out of choosing a performance head.

Feature

Head Games:Don’t Gamble When ChoosingCylinder Heads

BY LARRY CARLEY, TECHNICAL EDITOR

48-52 Cylinder heads 4/11/14 2:56 PM Page 45

numbers. But there's a lot more thatshould be considered whenchoosing a set of cylinder heads.

Determine The VenuePrice, performance and availabilityare all important considerations inthe head selection process. Butequally important is choosing a setof cylinder heads that are right forthe engine and the application.Building a street performanceengine is different than building acircle track engine, a drag engine, amarine engine, or a truck pullengine.

Each type of application has itsown unique requirements, so theheads have to have the right flowcharacteristics for that application.

Basic considerations include suchvariables as engine displacement,compression ratio, camshaft lift andduration specifications, RPM range(where the engine should make themost horsepower and torque), andtarget horsepower (be realistic!).


Heads Feature


Heat reflecting thermal coatings applied to combustion chambers in aluminumheads improve thermal efficiency and horsepower.



47 EQ Cylinder Head_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:41 PM Page 47

You also need to consider vehicle weight, type of trans-mission (manual or automatic), torque converter stallspeed (if automatic), gearing (transmission and differen-tial), and most importantly the application itself (street,street/strip, drag, circle track, road race, off-road, etc.).

Street engines spend most of their time between idleand part throttle so they must have good low and mid-range torque and throttle response to be drivable —especially in heavier cars with automatictransmissions. For this type of application, you want aset of heads with stock to moderately larger intakerunner volumes to keep air velocity high. Peak valvelift is probably going to be no more than about half aninch with a typical street cam, so a set of heads thatclaims huge airflow numbers at extreme valve liftswould not be your best choice. Too much head can becounter productive in this type of application.

A drag engine runs at full throttle for a quarter mile.For this kind of application, you want lots of valve lift,duration and airflow at high RPM. Bigger is better interms of intake runner volumes, valve size and peakairflow numbers provided the engine has the cam,induction system and cubic inches (or boost pressure)to handle it.

Circle track engines are usually rule constrained.Some tracks only allow cast iron heads depending on

the class. If we're talking small block Chevys, somerules only allow heads with stock port locations andstock 23 degree valve angles. Others may allow anyhead configuration with raised ports and shallowervalve angles. A shallower valve angle helps unshroudthe valve for more airflow and power. For circle trackengines, heads that deliver good mid to high RPMthrottle response and torque out of the corners willusually win more races than heads that deliver morepeak RPM horsepower.

Every cylinder head manufacturer offers a varietyof different cylinder heads for this reason. They offerheads with various intake runner volumes, stock andraised port locations, various intake and exhaust portconfigurations, valve sizes, valve angles, combustionchamber volumes and spring pad sizes toaccommodate a wide variety of possible applications.Some manufacturers concentrate on a narrow segmentof the market (high end race only, street/strip, circletrack, etc.) while others offer a broader range ofproducts.

The people who make aftermarket performancecylinder heads know their product lines and canprovide the kind of guidance that's often needed tochoose the right head combination. “The mostcommon mistake people make is wanting the biggesthead that will fit their engine,” said one headmanufacturer we interviewed for this article. Othermanufacturers agreed. “Bigger isn't always better. Justbecause a head makes a lot of power on Bubba'sengine doesn't mean it's the right head for yourengine.”

The Numbers GameAll too often, the only thing people look at are flownumbers. Yes, flow numbers make horsepower, butyou have to keep in mind how the flow numbers weredetermined on a flow bench. If you hog out the intakeports and shove the valve open far enough, manyheads can deliver impressive flow numbers. But ifthose numbers are rated at .700 inches of valve lift andthe engine you are building only has half an inch ofvalve lift, you are better off choosing a head that flowsbest at .400 to .500 inches of valve lift.

According to one head manufacturer, good airflownumbers measured at .200, .400 and .500 inches ofvalve lift are the most important for a streetperformance engine.

As for intake runner volume, generally speaking,smaller intake port volumes produce more low-endtorque and throttle response while larger intake portvolumes allow more flow at higher RPMs for peakhorsepower numbers.

But airflow also depends on runner height (raisedports typically flow better), the contour of the port(especially the profile of the short side radius wherethe runner flows into the bowl area above the valve),the cross-sectional area of the intake runner and itsrelationship to the size of the valve opening, the angleof the valve stem (shallower usually flows better), and


Heads Feature



the angles on the valve seat andvalve face. The shape of thecombustion chamber can alsoinfluence airflow.

Every head manufacturer andhead porter has their own recipefor combining these factors tosqueeze the best performance outof a given cylinder head. You cantake two cylinder heads fromdifferent suppliers that haveidentical intake runner portvolumes and valves and end upwith very different airflow andhorsepower numbers. Why?Because the profile of the intakerunners in one head flow betterthan the other. Consequently, oneset of heads may deliver 15 to 20more horsepower on the sameengine than a competitor's heads.

When choosing a cylinder head

for a particular engine application,one of the first variables that has tobe considered is enginedisplacement. Are you building a350 with stock bore and stroke, or a383 stroker or something bigger?The more cubic inches the enginehas, the more airflow the headshave to deliver.

A head with 180 or 185cc intakerunners will work well on a typical350 Chevy street engine that makes400 to 450 horsepower. If it's a 383stroker, you can probably go with200cc intake runners.

Putting a higher flow head with220cc runners on a relatively stock350 would be going in the wrongdirection.

On the other hand, if you'rebuilding a high revving raceengine, or a big displacement



Last year, Mike Androwick’s big-block head designs won the Northeast Dirt Modi-fied championship. According to Androwick, one of the two chief advantages ofusing a low, 10-degree valve angle is that it yields a shallow combustion chamber.Source: www.mooregoodink.com


stroker (over 400 inches), you could probably go withlarger runners for increased airflow. Some aftermarketSB Chevy racing heads have intake runner volumesfrom 240 to 270cc or more!

If you're building a big block Chevy streetperformance engine, heads with 300 to 320cc intakerunners will probably work best. Again, the larger thedisplacement, the more intake volume and airflow theengine needs.

On the other hand, if you're building a 565 cubicinch big block stroker motor, you'll probably wantheads with 330 to 340cc intake runner volumes. If it's adrag motor, you can go even bigger, maybe 350 to360cc with a CNC-ported head. It all depends on thecam, RPM range and where you want the engine tomake the most power and torque.

Aluminum vs. Cast IronAluminum heads are lighter than cast iron, savingmaybe 25 to 30 lbs. per head depending on theapplication. In a 3500 to 4500 lb. street car, that's not alot of weight savings, but in a 2,500 lbs. race car it is.Even so, lighter is usually considered better forperformance.

Aluminum heads are easier to machine than castiron because the metal is softer, and the heads areeasier to repair because aluminum can be TIG welded

to fix cracks and other damage. Cracks in cast iron can be drilled and pinned, or

even furnace welded, but the latter is more difficultand requires a high level of skill and experience toprevent repeat cracking.

Aluminum may be your only choice if you want acustom billet head. Billet aluminum heads can bemade for almost anything, but are very expensivebecause of all the machine work that is required todesign and fabricate the head.

This is what the big boys use on many top fueldragsters and some Pro Stock mountain motorsbecause nothing else will work. We've also seen somevery slick billet aluminum heads for diesel enginesused in Super Stock Pulling Tractors.

Aluminum conducts heat faster than cast iron. Thishelps cool the engine and allows a higher compressionratio with less risk of preignition or detonation — butit also sucks heat out of the combustion chamber andactually reduces combustion efficiency somewhat. Athigh RPM, there's less time per combustion event forheat to escape through the cylinder head so the loss inthermal efficiency is not as great.

Applying a metallic-ceramic thermal coating to thecombustion chambers can improve heat retention andthermal efficiency. Some who use these type ofthermal barrier coatings say they have gained 30 to 40horsepower on the dyno over uncoated heads on thesame engine.

On a street engine, cast iron heads help an enginereach operating temperature more quickly after a coldstart (good for emissions and cold drivability), whileretaining more heat for improved fuel economy andthermal efficiency. Most cast iron heads are also lessexpensive than aluminum heads because the metal isless expensive.

Go with the FlowA common question that's often asked is whether CNCported heads outperform as-cast heads? It depends onthe head.If the intake runner profiles of an as-cast head are

identical to those of a fully CNC-ported head, bothheads should flow exactly the same.

There may be subtle differences in airflow based onthe surface finish in the ports, but basically the numbersshould not differ significantly.

That said, most CNC-ported heads are marketed asoffering a significant advantage over the typical as-cast head. CNC heads can start out as rough castingswhich are then machined to final dimensions, or ascast heads (stock or performance) which are thenreworked by CNC machining to increase intake andexhaust runner volumes and/or reshape the runnerprofile for more airflow.

You usually pay more for CNC heads because of theextra machine work that's done to them. But if you canget the same performance from an as-cast head withsimilar port configurations, the latter can save youmoney.

50 April 2014 | EngineBuilderCircle 50 for more information

Heads Feature


SpeakingVolumesHeads are availablewith variouscombustion chambervolumes. Largerchambers canaccommodate domedpistons and are oftencompatible with awider range ofaftermarket pistons,while smallercombustion chambersallow you to achieve ahigher compressionratio using flat toppistons or smallerdomed pistons.

Many headsuppliers can also milla set of heads toreduce the combustion chambervolumes to your specifications ifthat's what you want.

An important point to rememberhere is to always check valve-to-

piston clearance with the headinstalled on the block to make surethere are no interference problemsat peak valve lift. Milled heads,larger diameter valves, reduced


Heads Feature


CNC porting can open up the intakeand exhaust ports for better airflow.The same port profile can be replicated with a new casting.


deck height, a higher lift camand/or rocker arm ratio can all addup to create interference problems ifyou fail to take everything intoaccount.

Port PointsRaised ports or relocated portsgenerally provide better airflow andmore power. But changing the portsalso means you have to change theintake manifold and/or exhaustmanifold/headers. On big blockChevy, you also have the option ofgoing with rectangular ports or ovalports. Some say oval ports flowbetter, but again compatibility withexisting manifolds may be thedeciding factor as to which port configuration youchoose.

What’s Your Angle?The angle of the spark plug doesn't matter as much asits location with respect to the valves. On many heads,relocating the spark plug closer to the exhaust valveadds some horsepower. But relocated plugs ordifferent plug angles may interfere with some exhaust

manifolds or headers. Consequently, you may have tochoose a set of heads that will work with an existingset of manifolds or headers over a set of heads thatwon't.

Final ThoughtsOther items to consider when choosing a set of headsincludes valve sizes (intake and exhaust), the qualityof the valve seat material, the type of valve guides(integral, bronze, powder metal or cast iron), and thediameter and location of the spring pads (larger padscan accommodate larger, stiffer springs).

Do you want assembled heads ready to install, fullymachined and unassembled heads you can assembleyourself, semi-finished heads so you can do the finalvalve work and assembly, or raw castings that you canCNC machine yourself in-house?

Some head suppliers have mass-produced fullyassembled heads that are typically sold through onlineretailers and performance parts distributors. These area good value for the DIY engine builder or somebodywith a limited budget, but are probably not the bestchoice for most professional engine builders. Manyengine builders want full control over the final valvework and assembly to make sure the heads arefinished to their specifications.

Get AdviceIf you're confused by the bewildering array of cylinderhead configurations that are available in theaftermarket today and need help choosing the righthead for your engine, use the expertise of the peoplewho make the heads to help you in the selectionprocess. As we said earlier, they know their productlines and can steer you towards the best head for whatyou want to accomplish. ■


Heads Feature


The "right" cylinder head on an engine will deliver peakpower in the RPM range where you want it.

Looking for suppliers of stock, diesel or performance heads? Check out the 2014Engine Builder Buyers Guides online at www.EngineBuilderMag.com.



53 Edelbrock_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:41 PM Page 53

It was special in so many ways.First of all, it was the first V8engine for the Ford line ofcars. Nobody could imagine the

effects it would have on the racingand hot rod world in the years tocome. Even in its stock trim, it wasa gutty little powerplant, but itwould serve as a basis for manyperformance versions in the yearsto come.

There was so much that could bedone to these engines, and sincethere were no professional enginebuilders at the time, the drawingboard was a blank sheet of paperfor thousands of creative minds toaddress. Just about everything wastried, including carburetors ofvarying numbers, fuel injection,supercharging, boring and stroking,relieving, and on and on.

And as surprising as it mayseem, the engine still lives todayand can be found in modern landspeed, hot rods and other types ofperformance vehicles. A largenumber of aftermarket parts areavailable forthe flathead.Themagnetism isstill in place,maybe it’s allthose studbolts peering

out from the heads that gets theattention of modern enginebuilders.

But it must be noted that theflathead term does not just signifyone single engine. There wereactually initially several versions ofthe Flathead, but only three that

attracted period engine builderswho would modify them formotorsports endeavors. Thesmallest was the so-called V8-60with the 60 indicating the stockhorsepower it acquired from its 136cubic inches of displacement. Therewere two later versions displacing


FascinationFlatheadsFord’s Famous V8 Remains a Staplefor Engine Builders

Flat

head

Fea

ture

This V8-60 shows its upgradesin the form of aftermarketheads and intake manifold and apair of Stromberg two-barrelcarbs.

BY BILL HOLDERPHOTOS BY PHIL KUNZ

for

Aftermarket additions to this V8-60, which is mounted at a slight angle in arace hydroplane, include Edelbrock heads and intake and the ever-popularStromberg carbs.

54-59 Flathead Feature 4/11/14 2:54 PM Page 54

239.4 and 255.4 cubic inches, with 85and 100 horse ratings. There was alsoa little-used flathead, a 221cid V8. Itwas forgotten in racing, but in 1935 itwould be on display at the world’sbiggest race.

Note: This article will be dividedinto two parts, the V8-60 and 221addressed in this issue, followed bythe 239.4 and 255 versions in ournext issue.

Part One-The Ford V8-60and 221 Flathead Engines

The V8-60 EngineThe V8-60 engine holds a specialposition in the history of midgetracing. It was known as the “PoorMan’s Offy” referring to the pure-race Offenhouser four-cylinderpowerhouse. It was originallyplanned to be a car engine, but it wasjust too small for that mission. But itwas perfect for the small open wheelmidgets, and was still a competitivemachine on the racetrack into the


Flathead Feature

Flatheads


In post-war midget racing, a dual-carb, aftermarket heads V8-60 set-up like thiswas a common sight.


1960s. And also, It was a perfect fitfor the A Modified and S Stockhydroplane classes.

The engine builders were oftenthe guys that bought the engines.There were many availableaftermarket parts while some of themore skilled fabricated their ownparts. The most common pieces thatwere added to the V8-60 includedheads, cams, intakes, carbs, andexhausts.

Each of those engines had itsindividual touch of its enginebuilder.

The little V8-60 flathead enginehad three main bearings, along witha 3.2 inch stroke and a 2.6 inch bore.Its compression ratio was only 5.61with its twin water pumps placed infront of the block. It was introducedin the United States in 1937, andwould continue to be improvedthrough its years of production.Included were a new combustionchamber shape, aluminum heads,substitution of a Stromberg two-barrel carburetor, and the use of steelpistons instead of aluminum.

Longtime engine builder RichWillim is one the masters on themodification of this smallest of theflatheads. He has been involved withthe V8-60 for more than six decades,both as a builder, a competitor usinga self-modified V8-60 in hydroplaceracing, and the author of one of theV8-60 bibles with his book, “The V8-60 Ford’s Little Powerhouse.”

He explained that the actualhorsepower of the V8-60 was notwell known, but the word was outthat an Edelbrock-designed V8-60with a .030 overbore, an Isky Cam,and on methanol produced about a129 horses. Willim upgraded thatengine with .100 overbore and twoStromberg carbs and made 142hp at7600rpm.

Engine builders often investigateddifferent crankshafts for use on theengine. Willim explained, “Therewere some racing modificationsmade to cranks. Edelbrock,Claysmith and Eddie Meyer were theprime crank modifiers. The workinvolved providing extra clearanceon bearing surfaces and reducing theweight of the counter weight whichresulted in better rotating-assembly


Flathead Feature

This vintage pavement midget uses astock V8-60 powerplant.

This V8-60 powered dirt midget getsit on in a corner.

The V8-60 powerplant was a popular choice in 136 cubic inch Class A hydroplanecompetition in the late 1950s.


balance. In addition, custom 180degree cranks were produced byNorden which produced hugetorque.”

Cams were abundant for theV8-60 engine builder, the most

popular being the Winfield,Claysmith, Herman & Collins,Weber, and Isky. Willim explainedthat the Winfield had a pair of camsto be used with stock valve springswith performance gained in thevalve timing. Claysmith had a pair ofcams, one for midgets and one forrace boats. The Isky cams appearedin great numbers with high torque,short track applications. The hottestof the Isky cams was the so-called620BS, which could only be acquiredas a part of a complete Edelbrockengine.

Since drag racing was mostlyrestricted to the streets in the post-war period, the V8-60 was used inthat application. But during the early1950s, the best place to demonstratespeed was in high-speed racing onthe Bonneville Salt Flats and otherlong, clean, desert surfaces. One ofthe smallest of those racers wasformed by a WWII bomber bellytank. Inside, there was room for thedriver and an upgraded V8-60engine. With its clean aerodynamicsand V8-60 power, these minimachines were rockets.

Willim indicated that, like thecams, there were also a number ofaftermarket performance pistonswhich found their way into V8-60race engines. “The most popularpiston builder was by far the Jahnsbrand, and few engine builderslooked any further. Pistons came insizes varying from stock to a 170-inch overbore, Also, MickeyThompson produced aftermarketrods for the V8-60,” he said.

The aftermarket cylinder headsfrom Edelbrock, Offenhauser,Weiand Sharp and Eddie Meyerwere the leaders of the pack. It waspossible to considerably increase theV8-60 compression ratio with all ofthem, up to 10-1 in some cases.

The most visible indication of anupgraded 60 was the appearance ofmulti-carburetor intake manifolds.The key to this modification were theintake manifolds. The two-carbEdelbrock intake had an excellent


Flathead Feature

This V8-60 is garbed inEddie Meyer aftermarketparts with both headsand intake, in addition totwin carbs.

This midget-mounted V8-60 is inrace trim with its Eddie MeyerHeads, Edelbrock intake andtwin carburetors.

This nifty midget is fitted withaftermarket heads and andtwin carbs.



Flathead Feature

reputation. There was also a two-carb version built by Smith andJones. But some other enginebuilders felt the more the merrier


It’s rare that you see stock heads and a single carb on a competition V8-60 enginein a hydroplane race boat. But that’s the case with this set-up which competed inthe PDOH stock class earlier in California.

The Willim book is the bible for theV8-60 engine.willimvintageengines.com


and built both three- and four-carbversions.

Without a doubt, the mostpopular carbs used with the V8-60were the Stromberg two-barrel carbswhich could easily convert to runmethanol.

The 221 Flathead EngineThere was one other member of theflathead family, the 221 V8, whichwas the first of the flatheads to beproduced. It appeared to have all thequalities to be modified for high performance and racing. It was firstproduced from 1935 to 1941.

With stock iron heads, it produced94 horsepower and had 155 pound-feet of torque. But there was no placefor it with stock cars or open wheelmachines, which were monopolizedby the 136 and the larger 239/255family.

It was then that Henry Forddecided that it was time to go racing.He selected Indianapolis where hefielded a small number of cars tocompete in the Indy 500. The enginethat was selected was the 221, whichwas equipped with an aftermarketblock and four carburetors. Theengine developed 150 horsepower,but the experiment failed miserably.Of the 10 cars that were entered, onlyfour qualified and none of themfinished the race. Granted, it was alate decision, but some of Fordsfinest engineers and engine builderstried to make it work. ■


Flathead Feature


Surprisingly, the 221 flathead engine was selected to power 10 Indy Cars at the 1935Indy 500. Each carried four carburetors, butthe results were pitiful.


It seems as though the carrestoration market is in fullswing. Anybody that has an

appreciation for an automobile cantell you that it’s all about AmericanIron. The phrase American Ironcame about because we asAmericans loved big automobileswith big engines to fit our big egosand we were proud of it. Theproblem with American Iron is thatit is becoming hard to find. A lot ofthe automobiles from the 1940’s,1950’s and 1960’s arebeing placed on theextinction list. I wasvisiting a friend at hisbody shop a couple yearsago and noticed that hewas working on a 1966Chevrolet Chevelle thatlooked to be a total rust

bucket. The rear quarters, trunk,floors, and fenders were extremelyeaten up with rust and of course hewas doing the arduous task ofreplacing all those panels with newpieces. After seeing the project, myfirst reaction was, “Take that thingto the scrap yard and find anotherone.” His reply was, “Where areyou going to get it?” That sayingever since has spoke volumes tome because that era of automobilewas the glory years and now those

cars are becoming scarce. Keep inmind that a lot of these have beenrestored and maybe sold at someof the more popular auctions whileother owners have opted to keeptheir restorations under lock andkey.


“Out with the Old and in with the New,”

“Or keep the Old”

“FE”

Fea

ture

All Ford “FE” blocks have either “352” or “501” at the top rightcorner of the engine. If the engine was equipped for hydrauliclifters, the two bosses on each side above the rear cam plug willhave oil passages that havebeen drilled and tapped.Above the oil pan rail at thebase of the oil filter adaptor iswhere the date code has beencast. This block, which endedup as a 390, has a code of 8F27meaning May 27, 1968. On theside of the “FE” you will oftenfind the three letters DIF witha number to the left. This blockwas cast at the Dearborn IronFoundry using mold #30.

BY BOB MCDONALD, CONTRIBUTING WRITER 1967 Ford Shelby GT 500 Super Snakefastback. Powered by a 427 from theLeMann’s winning GT40 race car.Having a price tag of $8,000, theproduction of 50 cars was cancelledleaving this unique prototype Mustangto ever be sold at auction. The car soldfor $1.3 million.

60-65 Ford 390 4/11/14 2:52 PM Page 60

But, if you do find a piece ofAmericana, which direction of arestoration will you choose. Now ifyou found an automobile that wascomplete and all numbers matching,I would more than likely put thevehicle back to its originalcondition. If you found one that hadsome missing pieces or components,you might think about a modernday resto-mod which has becomequite popular. It’s a way of mixingthe old with the new. Enjoy theexterior and the bold look of theautomobile while enjoying thebenefits of modern day technologysuch as electronic fuel injection,distributor less ignition, airconditioning, variable valve timing,electronic overdrive, a lot ofhorsepower and torque with 20-plus

miles to the gallon.Modern day powerplants and accessoriesare finding their wayinto classic restorationsand making them quiteenjoyable and valuable.

There is however,one power plant thathas taken a back seatover the years thatseems to be gaining alot of attention. If yourclassic or project carhas one of these

engines, you may elect to rectify itinstead of replacing it with amodern day engine. The engine inquestion here is the Ford “FE”engine. The Ford “FE” has a richhistory that is often overlooked.Often the term “FE” is heard, butnot a lot of people today know whatengine family this is associatedwith.

First of all, the “FE” stands forFord Edsel and was produced from1958 to 1976. Mainly, the “FE”engine was the powerplantintended for the release in Ford’snew car the “Edsel.” But, the mainpurpose was that Ford needed amedium-sized engine to get morepower than a small block and lessweight than a big block formedium-sized cars. The “FE” wasconsidered a Y-block design becausethe block casting extended 3.625”below the centerline of thecrankshaft which was about a 1”below the journals of the crankshaft.The Y-block design offered greatsupport for the crankshaft. All of the“FE” blocks share the same borespacing of 4.63” and a deck heightof 10.17”. The crankshaft mainjournals are 2.749” and theconnecting rod journals are 2.438”.Their engines also used twodifferent connecting rod lengths6.488” and 6.540”.


“FE” Feature

CU.IN. LITER USAGE BORE STROKE330 5.4 truck 3.875" 3.50"332 5.4 car 4.00" 3.30"352 5.8 car 4.002" 3.50"360 5.9 truck 4.052" 3.50"361 5.9 car 4.047" 3.50"390 6.4 car 4.052" 3.784"391 6.4 truck 4.052" 3.784"406 6.7 car 4.130" 3.784"410 6.7 car 4.054" 3.980"427 7 car 4.232" 3.784"428 7 car 4.132" 3.980"

Shorter strokes belong to the 330,332,352,360,361Longer strokes belong to the 390,406,410,427,428

These cylinder heads have casting number C8AE-Hwith a date code of 9C27, which means this headcould have been used in two different applications.The first unusual difference for this particular headwas the 14 bolt holes on the exhaust ports. This headwould have been used on a 1968-1969 390 Ford Mus-tang or 1968 GT500. If the exhaust ports would havebeen 8 bolt holes instead of 14, the applicationwould have been general purpose for 390-428 cubicinches. The C8AE-H is considered to have medium rise intakeports which are smaller than the ports found on thelow rise intake. This cylinder head’s valve sizes andchamber along with the 14 bolt exhaust would matchperformance use found in the 390 Mustang or GT500.

60-65 Ford 390 4/11/14 2:52 PM Page 61

Now the “FE” engine has 10different bores and four differentstrokes. They can be classified intotwo generations. Generation I wasfrom 1958 until 1966 and includedthe 330, 332, 352, 360, 361, and 390cubic inch displacements. From 1966until 1976, Generation II appearedwith larger bores and strokes whichincluded the 406, 410, 427, and 428cubic inch displacements. Theseengines were produced under twoversions, the “FE” which wasintended for cars and “FT” whichwas intended for use in buses andlight trucks. The best way todifferentiate between the “FE” and“FT” is to look for the motor mountbosses. If the motor mount bossesare on the side of the block, then thepurpose was for a car. If the motormount bosses are on the front of theblock, then the purpose was fortruck or bus. Most truck and busapplications were produced with asteel crankshaft instead of a nodulariron.

330Smallest bore of the “FE” enginesUsed in truck applications.

332Used in Ford cars in 1958 and 1959.Used in Edsel in 1958 and 1959.

352Introduced in 1958 as a replacementfor the Lincoln car engine alsoknown as the Interceptor V8.Basically, the engine was a stroked332 that produced 208 hp with a 2barrel carburetor. The InterceptorSpecial V8 was a 4 barrel versionthat produced 300 hp. Used in FordThunderbirds and MercuryMarauders between 1958 and 1960.

361First “FE” engine offered in 1958Edsel Ranger, Pacer, Villager,Roundup, and Bermuda.

360Produced in Ford “F” series trucksfrom 1968 until 1976.

390Produced in 1961 and is the mostcommonly known engine among the“FE” family. This engine was used inmany of Ford’s cars and trucks. The

2 barrel version produced 265 hpand the 4 barrel version produced320 hp. For 1967 and 1968, the 4barrel version produced 335 hp andwas installed in the Mustang,Fairlane GT, and “S” code MercuryCougars. Another high performanceversion was available with 3x2 barrelcarburetors that produced 401 hp.

406Start of the Generation II engines.Had the same stroke of the 390 buthad the bore of 4.13”. With biggercylinder bores required thickercylinder wall design block. The mainbearing caps were cross-boltedwhich kept the caps from walkingunder harsh racing conditions. The406 was only available for less thantwo years until the 427 wasintroduced.

410Used in 1966 and 1967 Mercury cars.Utilized the same bore of the 390 buthad a bigger stroke of 3.98” which isthe same as the 428.

427Produced in 1963 with the samestroke as the 390, but with a bore of4.23”. There were two differentversions known as top-oiler and side-oiler. The top-oiler, same as other“FE” engines, delivered oil to thecam and valvetrain and then to thecrankshaft. The side-oiler, had a passage fromthe oil pump down the side of theblock to deliver oil to the crankshaftfirst then to the camshaft andvalvetrain.

427 SOHCAlso known as the “Cammer.” Itwas produced in 1964 to compete inNascar against the Chrysler 426Hemi. The SOHC 427 engine washemispherical combustion chamberdesign with a single 4 barrelcarburetor that produced 616 hp and515 ft.lbs of torque. Even though theengine meet homologationrequirements of NASCAR (meaningthat NASCAR required so many ofthese engines to be sold to the publicso that the engine was not intendedfor race use only), the engine wasstill banned from racing. This is the only engine thatNASCAR ever banned in history.

62 April 2014 | EngineBuilderCircle 62 for more information

60-65 Ford 390 4/11/14 2:52 PM Page 62


63 Fed Mog_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:40 PM Page 63

428With the big bore of the 427(4.235”),manufacturing became expensive.Ford utilized the biggest stroke of3.985” and a bore of 4.135” to make428 cubic inches. The engine wasused in 1966 and 1967 FordThunderbird, Mustang, Galaxie, andCougar.

428 Cobra JetThe engine was built in 1968 withheavier connecting rods andnodular iron crankshaft that had arated horsepower of 335 butactually was 410 hp. The 428CJ hadlarger intake ports and valves thanany other production “FE” cylinderhead with 2.06” intake valves and1.66” exhaust valves. All other “FE”cylinder heads shared the same

valve sizes of 2.02” intake and 1.55”exhaust.

428 Super Cobra JetBuilt for more abuse and raceapplications with heavier rodswhich used cap screws instead ofbolts. Also utilized an engine oilcooler. All 428 and 410 crankshaftswere externally balanced becauseremoval of the center counterweightrequired an external counterweight.

One interesting point is wherethe Edsel name came from. Yes, itwas the name given to the car thatwas noted as the biggest marketingdisaster from Ford, but where didthe name come from? The nameEdsel was from Henry and ClaraFord’s only son. He was born onNovember 6, 1893 and died from

cancer on May 26, 1943. Henry Fordnamed his son from one of hisclosest childhood friends EdselRuddimen. Edsel Ford enjoyedworking with automobiles just likehis dad, but his primary focus wason styling. Destined to take over thefamily business, he became thesecretary of Ford in 1915. Edselbought the first MG motorcar thatwas imported to the U.S. Having apassion for styling, in 1932, Edselalong with Ford’s chief designer E.T.Gregorie built a speedster. It was analuminum, boat-tailed, V8-poweredautomobile that incorporatedfeatures that no other automobilehad. Some of these features

appeared on Fordvehicles throughouthistory. In 1934, Gregoriebuilt another speedsternamed the Model 40 withmore styling and lowerground clearance. TheModel 40 has since beenrestored and is ondisplay in the museum atthe Edsel and EleanorFord House.

After becoming thepresident of Ford, Edselpushed to replace themodel T, but Henrywould not hear of it.With declining car sales,Henry agreed to let Edsel

introduce the Model A. Edselhelped design the body andintroduced such features as fourwheel mechanical brakes and theslide-gear transmission. The ModelA was a huge success with over 4million in sales in four years ofproduction. Edsel went on to foundthe name Mercury and wasresponsible for the production of theLincoln Zephyr and LincolnContinental. After his battle withstomach cancer, Edsel died in 1943leaving a legacy to his four children.Henry Ford was reinstated aspresident of Ford Motor Companyfollowing Edsel’s death.


“FE” Feature


Edsel Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Speed-ster built by Edsel Ford and designerE.T. Gregorie.

60-65 Ford 390 4/11/14 2:52 PM Page 64

Edsel as we all are familiar withwas a car built by Ford from 1958 to1960. In the early 1950’s, Fordbecame publicly traded and was nolonger owned by family members ofFord. So, by being publicly traded,the consumer market wasdemanding more innovations.

Ford Motor Company set up aresearch team and found that thepurpose of the Lincoln was tocompete with the Cadillac.

But, research showed that theLincoln was competing withOldsmobile and Buick instead. So

Ford decided to upscale the LincolnContinental to compete with theCadillac and introduced anautomobile to compete in themedium car market withOldsmobile and Buick.

Ford began developing anautomobile code named “E” car forexperimental. The car that wasintroduced became known as the“Edsel” in honor of Edsel Ford.

The new vehicle would employsuch innovations as “rolling dome”speedometer, warning lights forlow-oil level, parking brake

engaged, and engine overheat. Italso incorporated Push-ButtonTeletouch transmission in the centerof the steering wheel. Other featuresincluded self-adjusting brakes, seatbelts and child proof rear doorlocks.

The Edsel car production wentdown in history as the biggestmarketing disaster. Along withpricing and styling concepts that thepublic just could not understand,Edsel came to an end on November19, 1959.

Total car sales were 116,000 lessthan expected with a company lossof $350 million.

If you want to get an idea of thetragedy of the loss, that amount ofmoney in today’s market would bemore than $2.83 billion. ■


“FE” Feature

A 1958 Edsel Pacer convertible.

60-65 Ford 390 4/11/14 2:53 PM Page 65

Dare to be different. That wasthe idea. And right out of thegate I was hit with skepti-

cism. “Why are you doing that?”“What if you did this?” But my an-swer was always no, you’re going toread about that anywhere. Not thatthis is a bad thing, it just wasn’t whatI wanted to write about or what Iwas looking to accomplish. I waslooking for something that would

stimulate discussion, create morebusiness by broadening our aware-ness of what could be done and nowI guess I have something to prove.

So our first article hits the streets.The February issue is out about threedays and my phone starts to ring. Ifyou read the article and scanned theaccompanying photos, then youprobably caught it as well. Yep, we

ran the wrong picture. We had aFord block with a caption about howfamiliar our friends at Grawmond-becks Competition Engines are withMopars. Yikes! I grabbed the wrongpicture and no one else caught it. Sofor those who called to point out mymistake, I want to thank you.

But all is good. Besides a lesson indouble and triple checking what Isubmit for print, I received some

great compliments for what we aredoing. I’ve had multiple offers for al-ternate machine shops if it were everneeded and I learned that not one,not two, but three customers had in-terest in doing similar 392 projects.Two for the shop owners themselves.

The compliments and positive re-inforcement did not stop there. Abuild like this needs not only a planand a shop donating their time and

energy, but a lot of parts. We’ve beenworking to acquire our rotating as-sembly and the balance of parts tobuild the shortblock. It has been veryrewarding to see how enthusiasticand supportive our parts suppliershave been. And not just for the expo-sure, but for the cause. Our plan toraffle off the finished product andthen donate the money we raise tothe Independence Fund

(www.independencefund.org)seemed to have touched the hearts ofmany. And I’d like to thank them fortheir support and encouragement.

We do have a machine though,and not just any shop. Grawmond-becks Competition Engines, MasonCity, IA are known for their race win-ning performance engines. Joe De-graw and Stacy Redmond started outin 1993 and though things got off to a


Charity BuildEngine TakingShape DAVE SUTTON

Our Project Engine Gets Baked, Blasted and Bored

Prof

itab

le P

erfo

rman

ce

Steve Tosel donated our 1977 318core. Tired and worn, but all in onepiece. It’s a sound candidate for our392 project.

After tear down, the block was ovenbaked and shot blasted.

The block was magnafluxed and foundfree of any cracks. A light deburringwas also done to the inside of the block.

Continued on page 72

66,72 Profitable Performance 4/11/14 2:51 PM Page 66


Prod

uct

Spot

light

s

Ergonomic Blast Cabinets

ZERO blast cabinets are now available in anergonomic body style, which allows the op-erator to sit while working. The cabinet con-figuration provides comfortable knee-roomfor the operator without interfering withthe free flow of media for reclamation andre-use. Standard cabinet features include:large, quick-change window, reverse-pulsecartridge-style dust collector, suction-blastor pressure-blast models. HEPA filtration asan option. Cabinets can work with glassbead, aluminum oxide and other recyclablemedia. Applications: cleaning, de-burring,peening, and finishing.

Clemco Industries Corp.Phone: 800-788-0599www.clemcoindustries.com

Circle 101

Circle 104

Engine Pro High PerformanceConnecting Rods

Engine Pro H-Beam Connecting Rods areforged from 4340 steel and produced onCNC machinery. They are finished in theU.S. to ensure precise big-end and pin-endbore sizes. Rods are magnafluxed, heattreated, stress relieved, shot peened andsonic tested to ensure they provide thestrength required for high horsepower ap-plications. Engine Pro connecting rodsequipped with standard 8740 bolts are ratedfor up to 700 horsepower in small blocks,and 850 horsepower in big block applica-tions. Visit, www.goenginepro.com.

Engine ProPhone: 800-ENGINE-1www.goenginepro.com

Circle 102

Web-Based Valvetrain Parts Catalog

SBI has released a Web-based version ofits acclaimed catalog in order to provideusers with real-time updates on additionsto the company’s line of replacement valvetrain parts for close to 3,000 applications divided among late-modeldomestic and import passenger car, lighttruck, performance, marine, agricultural,heavy-duty and forklift/industrial. Thecatalog also features listings of K-LineBronze Bullet-brand valve guide linersand miscellaneous K-Line tooling stockedby SBI, Exclusive Master Distributor forK-Line. Based on SBI’s CD-ROM catalog,the SBI Web-based catalog allows theuser to search the database by parttype/part number, vehicle type, enginemanufacturer, or specific engine andmake codes.

S.B. InternationalPhone:1-800-THE-SEATwww.sbintl.com

Circle 105

Circle 103

Circle 106

67-69 Spotlights 4/11/14 2:50 PM Page 67


Product Sp

otlights

Circle 110

Circle 108

Circle 109Circle 111

Circle 107

Valve Spring TesterPerformance Trends has released amajor High Force upgrade to is auto-matic spring tester, letting you test to2500 lbs or more. Drag racers likeJohnny Gray and Shane Gray of GrayMotorsports say “we saw an improvedconsistency in our engine performanceand greater reliability of our valvesprings. We even had a situation whenwe caught a valve spring that wouldhave failed before it got put into serv-ice. This tool has proven to Gray Mo-torsports it is the best way for us to testvalve springs for our race teams."

Performance Trends248-473-9230www.performancetrends.com

Circle 117



Prod

uct

Spot

light

s

Circle 115

Have You Been ToEngineBuilderMag.com?The redesigned Engine Builder website –

www.enginebuildermag.com – provides

weekly updated news, products and

technical information along with the same

in-depth editorial content as the magazine.

Technical, product and equipment, market

research, business management and finan-

cial information is all searchable by key-

words making it easy for engine builders

to find the information they need from

current and past issues. Currently the site

receives more than 120,000+ page

views/impressions per month and

growing!

Engine BuilderPhone:330-670-1234www.enginebuildermag.com

Circle 114

Circle 113

Circle 116

Circle 112



Cla

ssifi

ed/C

ores

Visit EngineBuilderMag.com

The Engine Builder website - www.enginebuilder-mag.com - provides weekly updated news, prod-

ucts and technical information along with thesame in-depth editorial content as the magazine.

Technical, product and equipment, market re-search, business management and financial infor-

mation is all searchable by keywords making iteasy for engine builders to find the information

they need from current and past issues. Currentlythe site receives more than 100,000+ page views/

impressions per month and growing!

Engine BuilderPhone: 330-670-1234

www.enginebuildermag.com

enginebuildermag.com

Need Reprints?Call Tina Purnellat 330-670-1234,

ext. 243

PublisherDoug Kaufman, ext. [email protected]

EditorEd Sunkin, ext. [email protected]

Senior Executive EditorBrendan Baker, ext. [email protected]

Managing EditorGreg Jones ext. [email protected]

Graphic DesignerNichole Anderson, ext. 232 [email protected]

Tech EditorLarry [email protected]

Advertising ServicesTina Purnell, ext. 243 [email protected]

Director of DistributionRich Zisk, ext. 287 [email protected]

Circulation ManagerPat Robinson, ext. 276 [email protected]

Sr. Circulation SpecialistEllen Mays, ext. 275 [email protected]

Sales RepresentativesBobbie [email protected], ext. 238

Roberto [email protected], ext. 233

David [email protected] ext. 210

Don [email protected] 330-670-1234, ext. 286

Jamie [email protected], ext. 266

Dean [email protected], ext. 225

Jim [email protected], ext. 280

Tom [email protected], ext 224

Glenn [email protected], ext. 212

John Zick [email protected] 949-756-8835

enginebuildermag.com3550 Embassy ParkwayAkron, OH 44333-8318

FAX 330-670-0874

330-670-1234

Babcox Media Inc.Bill Babcox, President

Greg Cira, Vice President, CFOJeff Stankard, Vice President

Beth Scheetz, Controller

In Memorium:Edward S. Babcox (1885-1970)

Founder of Babcox Publications Inc.

Tom B. Babcox (1919-1995)Chairman

70-71 Class-Cores 4/11/14 2:49 PM Page 70


Classified

/Cores

Call now to order or to receive a free 2014 catalog 1-800-434-5141www.autobodysupplies.com

USED AND REBUILT EQUIPMENTCBN TOOLING:WE RESHARPEN

CBN’S!

MACHINEREBUILDING

JAMISON EQUIPMENT1908 11th St., Emmetsburg IA 50536

800-841-5405Check out our used equip. list atwww.jamisonequipment.com

To Advertise in CLASSIFIEDS!

Call Roberto Almenar at 330-670-1234, ext. 233

[email protected]

Advertiser IndexCOMPANY NAME PAGE #ArmaKleen Company 38ARP/Automotive Racing Products Inc 26Atech Motorsports 27Auto Care Association 44Avon Automotive Products 18Brad Penn Lubricants 37Canton Racing Products 6Centroid Corp. 19Clemco Industries 34/35Dakota Parts Warehouse 64Darton International 48Dipaco Inc. 43DNJ Engine Components 1Driven Racing Oil, LLC 41Eagle Specialty Products c3Eastern Precision/Systemone Parts Washers 33Edelbrock Corp 53Engine & Performance Warehouse 23Engine Parts Group 13Engine Parts Warehouse 3EngineQuest 31EngineQuest 47

ESCO Industries 24Federal Mogul/Fel Pro 62Federal Mogul/Fel Pro 63GRP Connecting Rods 58Injector Experts 6Liberty Engine Parts 5Motor State Distributing 59Packard Industries 55Pro-Filer Performance Products 52ProMaxx Performance 46Quality Power Products 11RHS- Racing Head Service 51Rottler Manufacturing c4Safety Auto Parts Corp 7Safety Kleen- Armakleen Joint Venture 39SB International 15Scat Enterprises c2Scorpion Racing Products 49Topline 21Topline 25Topline 50Trac-Pro 20

Simply the Best Lists:Automotive Aftermarket

Truck Fleet & Powersports Markets

What Type of Direct Marketing

Initiatives Do You Have in Store

for 2014?

Don Hemming, List Sales ManagerBabcox Media, Inc.

Phone: 330-670-1234 x286 Fax: [email protected]

Direct MailE-Mail MarketingTelemarketingNew Business• ProspectingDrive Web Site

TrafficDatabase

EnhancementCatalog MailingPromote Upcoming

Tradeshows

FLOW BENCHES

70-71 Class-Cores 4/11/14 2:49 PM Page 71


Profitable Performance

This block had seen some miles. Thealign-bore was out and the caps fell outof their registers. Stacy Redmond has avery unique method of peening themain caps to relief stress. After peening,the caps fit snug as the day they left theChrysler plant. The caps were clippedand the block was then line-bored.

A couple bearings were installed, thecrank laid and a rod and piston installedto check for clearance. There is very little that has to be removed from thebottom of the cylinders to clear the connecting rods. There is plenty ofclearance around the cam, the pan railsand the bottom of the cylinders for our4” stroke crank. Small block Chevy own-ers, eat your heart out.

Next, our block was bored .035” overon the Rottler. It had one rusty hole wewere a little worried about, but everycylinder cleaned up nice.

Before we put the block in the hone, wesetup the BHJ block fixture and thenthe decks were milled. It didn’t takemuch to cleanup the surface and zerodeck our block.

The hone finished the cylinders the last.005” to give us our 3.950” bore size.

While in the hone cabinet, Joe takes thetime to lightly hone the lifter bores toremove any burrs left from the shotblaster, and to make sure the lifters rotate freely.

Small Block Mopars are known to be difficult to install cam bearings on occasion. 360’s are notorious for this,but it’s usually not a big problem on the318. It will save you a lot of grief lateron if you use your dial-bore gauge andan inside micrometer to check the cambores. Our block checked out alright.Right on factory spec. The block wasthen cleaned one more time andbagged, awaiting assembly.

Continued from page 66

slow start, it has been full speedahead since. Joe and Stacy made anational presence for themselvesback in 2006 when they won the firstAERA E85 engine buildoff. Thenthey came back to prove it was nofluke when they also pulled off a sec-ond win in 2008. Steve Tosel, theonly other employee and avidMopar racer, was kind enough to do-nate our core 318.

So our core motor arrives on ahook, looks and checks out prettygood. The machine work on theblock is proceeding without a hitchand like I said, the parts for the ma-jority of the shortblock have arrived.We’d like to thank ICON for theirbeautiful set of forged pistons,

Engine Pro for the performance ringset and the street performance har-monic balancer, Mahle Clevite forthe H-series rod and main bearings,Durabond for the cam bearings andfinish kit, Melling for the brass plugkit, the oil pump, screen and driveshaft and Scat for our 4340 steel stro-ker crank and the 5140 I-beam con-necting rod set.

It was starting to look a lot likeChristmas as we opened boxes andinspected our cache of new performance parts.

So follow along as we strip, cleanand blueprint the 1977 318 block.We’re turning an old 5.2L truckmotor into our 6.4L Magnum 392 —our first Charity engine build! ■

66,72 Profitable Performance 4/11/14 2:51 PM Page 72


C3 Eagle_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:39 PM Page c3


C4 Rottler_Layout 1 4/11/14 2:39 PM Page c4

engine builder, april 2014

Documents

v8 engine

engine family

winningperformance engine

engine builder issn

percent of engine builders

rebuildthe ford fe engine

head gamesa cylinder

head selection