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SERVING ENGINE BUILDERS & REBUILDERS SINCE 1964 2012 DECEMBER
d e r e w o P e v i t o m S E Auto N A L
P O R D HY
See how engine builders are staying afloat in this niche market EngineBuilderMag.com
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Contents 12.12
Features
ON THE COVER
Hydroplane Engines
Dynamometer Dreams
There are many reasons to own a dynamometer, but one of the most important reasons is that it makes business sense. Engine builders who back up what they say they can build with real numbers on the dyno can translate that into more profit on the bottom line. Senior Executive Editor Brendan Baker investigates ..................................................18
With the exception of the smallest class, all the inboard hydroplanes are automotive powered. They are classified as either Stock or Modified Classes. Stock Classes use high-test gas and carburetion. Alcohol with fuel injection is used in some of the modified classes. Automotive engines were introduced to this sport in the early 1930s when the advent of the Ford V860 engine would find their way into these boats. Contributor Bill Holder explores this niche market ......................34
18 Performance Rocker Arms
One of the qualities every engine builder wants in a set of performance rocker arms is stability. The more stable the rockers, the more stable the valvetrain and the better the engine performs at high rpm. The rocker arms play a more important role than ever these days in high performance valvetrains. Technical Editor Larry Carley explains..................................28
34 Columns
Diesel Dialogue ............................14 By Robert McDonald, Contributor Coming to Terms with Common Rail Diesel Technology
28
Final Wrap....................................48 By Doug Kaufman, Editor/Associate Publisher Doing the right thing comes easy to this industry
Diesel Crankshaft Update
DEPARTMENTS
Whether your shop handles heavy-duty diesel engine repair, light- or medium-duty diesel service or you build engines designed to produce as much performance as possible, understanding the crankshaft’s importance in the equation – and your ability to alter that – can be a rewarding challenge. Editor Doug Kaufman reports ..............................................39
39 COVER DESIGN BY NICHOLE ANDERSON; PHOTO BY PHIL KUNZ
Industry News......................................................6 Events ..................................................................4 Shop Solutions ....................................................12 NASCAR Performance ..........................................27 2012 Supplier Spotlight//Ad Index ........................43 Cores/Classifieds ................................................46
ENGINE BUILDER founded Oct. 1964 Copyright 2012 Babcox Media Inc.
ENGINE BUILDER (ISSN 1535-041X) (December 2012, Volume 48, Number 12): Published monthly by Babcox Media Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874. Periodical postage 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 services representative 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 ENGINE BUILDER, 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 to his 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 its publisher. Diligent effort is made to ensure the integrity of every statement. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by return postage.
2 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
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Events
Industry Events January 21-23 2013 Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week Las Vegas, NV www.hdaw.org or 708-226-1300
February 2-3 V-Twin Expo Cincinnati, OH www.vtwin-expo.com or 877-889-4697
February 15-17 Dealer Expo Indianapolis, IN www.dealernews.com/dealerexpo
February 22-24 Race and Performance Expo St. Charles, IL www.raceperformanceexpo.com or 630-584-6300
March 14-16 Hot Rod and Restoration Show Indianapolis, IN www.hotrodshow.com or 800-576-8788
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March 22-23 Mid America Trucking Show Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, KY www.truckingshow.com or 502-899-3892
April 14-15 SAE 2013 High Efficiency IC Engine Symposium Detroit, MI www.sae.org or 877-606-7323
April 16-18 2013 SAE World Congress Cobo Center, Detroit, MI www.sae.org or 877-606-7323
May 1-3 AAIA Spring Leadership Days Bonita Springs, FL www.aftermarket.org
For more industry events, visit our website at
www.enginebuildermag.com or subscribe to
www.aftermarketnews.com.
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Industry News Ed Pink Racing Engines Named Performance Engine Builder of the Year Engine Builder magazine, the only monthly trade publication dedicated to serving the business, technical and marketing needs of the professional engine building industry, announced Ed Pink Racing Engines as the winner of its inaugural “Performance Engine Builder of the Year” contest during the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) in Indianapolis. Frank Honsowetz, General Manager of Ed Pink Racing Engines in Van Nuys, CA accepted the award on behalf of company owner Thomas Malloy and company founder and active technical consultant Ed Pink. “We intended The Performance Engine Builder of the Year Award to showcase the best example of creativity and innovation, training and education, merchandising and promotion, professional standards and
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L to R: Doug Kaufman, Associate Publisher of Engine Builder with Frank Honsowetz, General Manager of Ed Pink Racing Engines in Van Nuys, CA, who accepted the award on behalf of company owner Thomas Malloy and company founder and active technical consultant Ed Pink.
conduct, appearance, solid business management, community involvement, business growth, achievement and victories,” explained Doug Kaufman, associate publisher/editor of Engine Builder magazine. “We believe Ed Pink Racing Engines exemplifies all those attributes.” The selection was made by a panel of judges, including the Engine Builder staff and representatives from contest sponsor Driven Racing Oil. “Too many times, the driver and the race day team are the only ones who get to hold the trophy for winning a championship,” says Lake Speed, Jr., from Driven Racing Oil. “The engine builder knows that he was part of that and, while there are some trophies for those guys, frankly, they only win if the whole team wins. This is more of a contest about who runs the best engine shop. Personally, I think the race engine builder needs this. The simple fact of the matter is, nobody is going to cross that finish line without the expertise of a great engine builder.” In addition, prizes and recognition were awarded to second place
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finalist Jeff Taylor, from Jeff Taylor Performance in Sellersburg, IN, and to third place finalist Brad Lagman, from QMP Racing Engines,
Chatsworth, CA. Information about the 2013 Performance Engine Builder of the Year Award competition will be announced soon. For information about the contest or Engine Builder magazine, contact Doug Kaufman at dkaufman@babcox.com.
Mobil 1 Racing Oils Now Available Through Leading Performance Distributors ExxonMobil Lubricants and Petroleum Specialties has expanded availability of its Mobil 1 Racing oils by adding three leading racing product distributors. The new performance racing distributor partners carrying Mobil 1 Racing Oils are: • CV Products – North Carolina; • National Performance Warehouse – Florida; and • Motor State Distributing – Michigan. ExxonMobil said the inclusion of these new distributors into the Mobil 1 Racing network expands the availability of Mobil 1 Racing oils and provides racers, engine builders and performance shops easier access to the ultimate in racing lubricant technology. Previously, Mobil 1 Racing oils
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Industry News
were available exclusively through Mobil1RacingStore.com and select ExxonMobil distributors. The decision to expand the distributor network is in response to the consistent demand for Mobil 1 technology from grassroots racers nationwide, the company said. “At ExxonMobil, we understand that maximum engine performance is as critically important to grassroots and semi-pro racers as it is to our championship racing teams,” said Rebecca Aldred, Mobil 1 global brand manager, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties. “Now, thanks to our new network of distributors, grassroots and semi-pro racers have easier access to the same technology that is used by our championship race teams including Stewart-Haas Racing, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and newly-crowned World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championshipwinning team, Tony Stewart Racing.” Mobil 1 Racing oils are available in 0W-30 and 0W-50 viscosities and
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gFollow us on facebook Corey Perin, Hendrick Automotive Group winner of the 2012 Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. RIGHT: Kevin Moler, Hendrick Motorsports winner of the 2012 Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown.
include fully synthetic, race-proven technology, which is engineered to deliver maximum performance and protection for a variety of race conditions, including circle track, drag, sprint and road racing. This line of engine oils is designed for on-track use only and is not recommended for general automotive street use.
Perin, Moler Win Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown Corey Perin, a BMW master technician from Hendrick Automotive
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Group’s East Bay BMW/East Bay MINI dealership in California, and Kevin Moler, a machinist at Hendrick Motorsports, defeated 11 other teams to win the 11th annual Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. Perin, a first-time participant, and Moler built their final Chevrolet R07.2 engine in 27 minutes and 46 seconds. “I wouldn’t even look at the clock until I hit that start button,” said the 37-year-old Perin. “I saw our time and thought, “As long as this starts running, we’re good. This is bragging rights amongst my Hendrick technician peers. Next year, I’ll be back as a teardown tech, but I’d love to see another tech from East Bay BMW or MINI in it next year and taking home the trophy again.” Moler, 40, has worked at Hendrick Motorsports since 2001 and has competed in the last five Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown competitions. “This is such a great event,” Moler said. “I’ve been coming here for years to watch. I know the guys at Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group look forward to this every year. I’ll come back and participate in this every chance I get. “I never looked at our competitors or the clock, but I knew we were ahead of them. I kept listening for their oil pan. Once we moved to the top side of the engine, we were very deliberate to make sure everything was tight. The one-minute penalties are what can get you. But we knew we were ahead so we were very careful about that.” Perin and Moler bested their championship-round competitors Lee J. Cook of Rick Hendrick Chevrolet in Charleston, SC, and Brian Franklin, an engine tuner at Hendrick Motorsports, by a little more than one minute. Both teams went errorfree throughout the final round.
Started in 2002, the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown pairs 12 Hendrick Automotive Group master technicians, with 12 Hendrick Motorsports technicians, in a two-day competition to construct Chevrolet R07.2 engines. The overall goal of the competition is to have the fewest errors in the shortest amount of time. The teams are set in a bracket-style format, and the two teams with the best times go head-to-head in the final round at Hendrick Motorsports. This was the first year the assembled engines included fuel-injection systems, slowing down the builds slightly from last year’s winning time of 21 minutes and 30 seconds. Twelve Hendrick Automotive Group master technicians and 12 Hendrick Motorsports engine technicians will again be chosen in 2013 to compete in the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown, scheduled for October.
CA Team Wins Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship Team MOTIVE GEAR from Loara High School in Anaheim, CA, bested 12 other high school auto tech teams in the “Showdown at SEMA” for the fourth
Team MOTIVE GEAR (Loara High School from Anaheim, CA) 2012 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Champions
annual National Championship of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge. The event took place at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Oct 29 through Nov. 1, in front of thousands of spectators at the show entrance. Team Motive Gear won its third straight championship with an average time of 21:24 minutes. The top three teams were so competitive that they all ended up less than a minute apart – in fact, all thirteen teams competing this year averaged less than 34 minutes. The thirteen teams competing in the annual “Showdown at SEMA” national championship earned their way into the competition during qualifying rounds. Eight teams won regional events outright and five additional teams with the next best qualifying times in the Nation were invited to compete. During the normal event competitions through the year, all teams compete once. The best time wins the event and that team has the opportunity to compete at SEMA. But during the national championship all of the teams competed a total of 4 times during the SEMA
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Industry News
show. At the end of the fourth day each team’s highest time was thrown out and the remaining three times were averaged. Trophies and scholarships were given out on Friday morning at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow award presentation. Second Place - Team Energy Suspension - Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Ctr., Choctaw, OK - Average Time - 21:54 Third Place - Team Mr. Gasket East Ridge High School from Chattanooga, TN - Average Time - 22:19 Students must properly disassemble the engine down to just crank, cam, and block using hand tools only with proper detorque and disassembly procedure. The team then returns behind their work bench, and when approved by the judges, teams begin working to reassemble once again with correct assembly procedure and torque specs, all while being viewed by judges and spectators. Time-added penalties are
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assessed for dropped components, improper disassembly/assembly, poor sportsmanship, etc. Three Auto Technology Colleges – Ohio Technical College (OTC), University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) and School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) – awarded $1.2 million in scholarship money to the participants. Started at the inaugural Race & Performance Expo in 2008, The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge has quickly grown into a nationwide engine challenge with more schools and sponsors supporting this exciting event each year. For more information and photos of the event, visit www.hotroddersoftomorrow.com.
Through Dec. 31, participants can enter the contest by going to TheSearchforMrGasket.com, uploading a photo that shows their obsession with performance cars and briefly explaining why they should be chosen as Mr. Gasket. Prestolite Performance will select 10 finalists, and the public will be able to vote on a winner from Jan. 1 through Jan. 31, 2013, either on TheSearchForMrGasket.com or The Search for Mr. Gasket Facebook tab. Site visitors can vote for as many finalists as they like, one time per day. Based on the results of the popular vote, Prestolite Performance will declare a winner on Jan. 31. The new Mr. Gasket will be announced publicly on or around Feb. 6.
Prestolite Performance Launches A Search For The New ‘Mr. Gasket’
SEMA Acquires the International Motorsports Industry Show; Merges with PRI; Moves Back To Indy
Prestolite Performance has announced the launch of its “Search for Mr. Gasket,” the company’s firstever contest that will give one lucky fan a one-year contract to become Mr. Gasket’s official spokesperson. “If you spend your weekends working under the hood, we’re looking for you,” said Rob Koller, brand manager for Mr. Gasket. “We’ve found that great ideas often come from weekend racers and everyday performance enthusiasts. We’re looking for that kind of person to become the face of the Mr. Gasket brand. For us, the glitz of Hollywood is no match for the grit that comes from working on an engine.” And this isn’t simply a ceremonial title. The new Mr. Gasket will receive a one-year contract to star in television and print ads, and appear at select Prestolite Performance promotional visits, plus $2,500. A recognized leader in performance auto parts, Mr. Gasket provides a variety of quality racing products including engine components, UltraSeal gaskets, fasteners, fuel accessories, suspension and drive train components, chrome-plated accessories and accessories for cooling systems and more. Now, this legendary name is gearing up for a bold new era, starting with the face of the brand.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has finalized an agreement to purchase the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS), the racing trade show that has been held annually in Indianapolis since 2009. IMIS will be consolidated with the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show, which returns to Indianapolis for 2013 and beyond. The 2013 PRI Trade Show will occupy the entire Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, with Thursday, Friday and Saturday Show days, Dec. 12-14, 2013. SEMA acquired PRI in March of this year. The acquisition unifies the racing industry’s two trade shows into one, creating the opportunity for exhibitors and buyers to do business in a single location, explains industry spokespeople. “The racing industry needed to have just one motorsports trade show in the U.S. I’m proud to say we’ve accomplished that,” said Scooter Brothers, SEMA’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We have all worked toward a common goal, and have succeeded on behalf of the industry. “To have a single home for the racing trade show is clearly the best thing for the industry, and working
THIS ISSUE:
PG 18 >> Dynamometers
together with Chris Paulsen (cofounder of IMIS), we got it done,” Brothers said. “We formed IMIS in 2009 to bring a hardcore racing trade show back to Indianapolis,” Paulsen said. “We grew a lot faster than we ever could have dreamed and we couldn’t be happier that a hardcore racing trade show will remain in Indianapolis for years to come. SEMA will be great stewards of the hardcore racing industry and I couldn’t be more pleased that Indianapolis will remain the center of motorsports both on and off the track.” “Being from Indiana, having a hardcore racing trade show in Indianapolis was very important to me,” said Tony Stewart, three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and co-founder of IMIS. “That’s why I got involved with Chris and Jeff (Stoops, co-founder of IMIS) to help form IMIS and bring back a show to Indianapolis. I know SEMA will do a great job to make sure Indy remains the place for hardcore racing. The State of Indiana and City of Indianapolis, especially Gov. Mitch Daniels and Mayor Greg Ballard, were huge allies of the show and I know the city and state will continue to help grow the motorsports industry in Indiana.” The 2013 PRI Trade Show will be organized and produced by the PRI team based in Laguna Beach, CA, with John Kilroy at the helm as vice president/General Manager. This year’s PRI Trade Show in Orlando was the 25th edition. “We are excited to bring the PRI Trade Show back to Indianapolis, where exhibitors and buyers experienced six very successful racing industry trade shows, from 1998 to 2004,” said Kilroy. “Chris Paulsen, Jeff Stoops, Tony Stewart and the entire IMIS team have done an excellent job starting up a new racing trade show, and we promise to build on their mission to keep Indianapolis the annual epicenter of new racing technology.” “This consolidation is all about helping the racing industry to succeed,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “Unifying the racing industry’s trade shows makes
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PG 34 >> Hydroplanes
it more affordable for all to participate and allows us to focus on providing the greatest value and benefits for the racing segment. Look for the association to be adding resources and services to help participants get maximum value from the PRI Show in Indy.”
National Performance Warehouse Announces its Third Acquisition of 2012 National Performance Warehouse Companies announced its acquisition of its 10th location, CMA Warehouse in Los Angeles. CMA Warehouse services customers in Los Angeles and the West Coast. As is the custom for an NPW acquisition, CMA Warehouse will maintain its current staff and management to continue to service its customers in its historic manner, the company said. Darrin Morgan, who will remain as the CMA Warehouse General Manager, said, “CMA has been a family-run operation for over 20 years and we are excited to become part of the NPW family. This acquisition will give us an opportunity to expand our product offering and enhance our services while still being able to give the quality care to our
Industry News
customers that everyone has come to expect from CMA Warehouse.” Larry Pacey, NPW’s President and CEO, said, “The CMA Warehouse operation continues to broaden and solidify our traditional parts selection and places us close to a base of customers we wanted to reach without affecting our current jobbers. Broadening our product mix, improving service and responding to customers needs keep with our plans to be a major supplier in catering to jobbers in the western region.” Prior to the CMA deal, NPW acquired Karbelt in Canada and Motor Warehouse in Sacramento, CA. Founded in 1969, National Performance Warehouse Companies (NPW) is a leader in marketing traditional, performance and truck accessories in North America. The company stocks a wide range of manufacturers’ products in its 10 locations across the United States and Canada. ■
More Industry News & Info At Our Website enginebuildermag.com or aftermarketnews.com Submit your news and events to: dkaufman@babcox.com
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To celebrate the 5th anniversary of Shop Solutions, we have teamed up with Engine Pro for the “Top 5 of the Past 5” awards. To thank our readers for their generous contributions over the last five years, we’re awarding both the Shop Solution authors and our readers who help us choose the winners with cash prizes. We’ve narrowed the field to the top 20, and now we need your help selecting the Top 5. All you need to do is read the submissions listed below, pick your favorite and visit http://bit.ly/RMZYVE (or send email to shopsolutions@enginebuildermag.com) to vote. It’s that simple! By voting, you get a chance to win one of these cash prizes: First Place Author and Voter: $1,000; Second Place Author and Voter: $250; Third Place Author and Voter: $100; Fourth Place Author and Voter: $100; Fifth Place Author and Voter: $100. Voting is open through Dec. 31, 2012 and voter prizes will be drawn at random.
Double Shot Peening Performance Valve Springs A good way to eliminate high rpm valve spring failure is to use a process called “double shot peen.” This is a process used in aircraft and aerospace manufacturing (there is a MIL Spec for this but I’m not sure what it is). I was involved in aircraft blade and vane manufacture in one of my previous jobs where this was used. Anyway, the procedure is to shot peen the valve spring (or any highly stressed part) until the surface is completely peened (visual) and note the amount of time it took to accomplish this “first visual” step. Then repeat the peening process for the same amount of time – you now have a double peened part that will withstand considerably more stress (at least 50 percent). I have used this along with a cryogenic treatment process in all my high performance engines and have never had a valve spring failure. Jim Kovach Kovach & Assoc. Performance Engine Building Parma, OH
Sizing Connecting Rods I have a small shop and don’t have a lot of money for expensive machinery so I do things the old fashioned way. Most of my engines are race or
12 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
vintage stuff so I encounter bushed rods a lot. Even after broaching or burnishing many bushings require substantial honing to size and as a result may not be parallel when checked after honing. A simple trick I do is to machine a “tool,” usually from a round aluminum scrap, to the exact size of the big end bore 3˝ long and install 2 rods on it. Snug the bolts gently to allow the rods to align themselves on the hone and hone them as a pair on a well dressed long arbor. When you are within a couple tenths of finish size, separate and finish individually. When checked after finishing this way the rods are usually perfectly square and parallel. Danny O’Day Windup Pickup Enterprises, Inc. Brookfield, MA
Keeping Your Parts Washer Clean I was having difficulty keeping my parts washer clean, and the fluid/solvent was not lasting long enough. By utilizing an old oil filter housing from a 390 Ford motor, I found a way to keep the parts washer clean and increase the longevity of the washer fluid. I keep my 390 oil filter and housing in the parts washer and every few days I will recirculate the fluid through the filter. The fluid outlet connects very easily to the filter using a short rubber hose plugged into the 390 filter housing. I then change the filter every few months when the flow becomes restricted. The parts washer stays clean, fluid lasts a lot longer, and I suspect that the pump will have a longer lifespan, too. Bob Myer Laniers Speed Shop. Colorado Springs, CO
Blast Them Bolts! Looking for a great time and material saver? To clean nuts, bolts, and screws in a bead blaster I drill holes in a drinking bottle to let the pressure escape while I’m sandblasting them inside the bottle. No more ruined gloves and you don’t have to search for lost screws and bolts. Raymond Hogg American Muffler Big Spring, TX
Aligning Cylinder Hone with Laser Guide A laser guide, such as sold by a broad assortment of tool suppliers as a “Laser Marker” for under $5, saves quite a bit of time when cylinder honing by allowing the hone head to be easily lined up with the cylinder. The line it projects is easily seen in even the brightest shop environments. Battery life is good. So far I haven’t had to replace them. Timm Jurincie Tuf-Enuf Racing Engines Avondale, AZ
Ford FE Engine Oil Restrictor Here’s an easy way to cut the excessive oil flow to the rockers on a Ford FE engine. Take a 5/16˝ dowel pin from a
small block Chevrolet and drill a .080˝ hole down the center. Then remove the rocker shaft and slide the finished pin down in the oil feed hole in the cylinder head. The head bolt and the rocker mount bolt will hold it in place. Jim Polarek Polarek Engines Valparaiso, IN
Teflon Tape to the Rescue Everyone uses liquids and compounds where the screw-on tops tend to get stuck to the containers. To keep this from happening, I wrap the threads with Teflon tape. It seals better and you can unscrew the top off without any special effort. Expensive glues and sealants will not dry out – a big savings. Joseph Champion Champion Engineering Westwood, CA
Another Way to Keep Gaskets in Place For gaskets that won’t stay in place, especially oil pan and intake manifold gaskets, I use a glue stick. An advantage of using a glue stick is that it is neat, so you won’t end up with a mess. Mike Rogers Rogers Performance Automotive Machine Shop Hatboro, PA ■
Shop Solutions – The Power of Knowledge Engine Builder and Engine Pro present Shop Solutions in each issue of Engine Builder Magazine and at enginebuildermag.com. The feature is intended to provide machine shop owners and engine technicians the opportunity to share their knowledge to benefit the entire industry and their own shops. Those who submit Shop Solutions that are published are awarded a free oneyear membership to the Engine Rebuilders Council and a prepaid $100 Visa gift card.
Engine Pro is a nationwide network of distributors that warehouse a full line of internal engine components for domestic and import passenger car, light truck, heavy duty, industrial, marine, agricultural and performance applications. They also produce engine parts under the Engine Pro name that offer premium features at an affordable price.
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Diesel Dialogue
Diesel Injection Components Coming to terms with the common rail diesel injection system is not an easy task
F
or some time now, most of tem will be injected into the comthe development in diesel bustion chamber through the injectechnology has been tor nozzle at pressures as high as aimed towards making 28,000 psi. This is far from the methe engines environmenchanical systems of the past that tally-friendly. But as diesel engines would inject fuel into the combushave become cleaner, the power tion chamber at 2,000 to 3,000 psi. levels have also increased. This is When diesel fuel is injected at somewhat backward to what the high pressure, you can only imagcountry went through in the ’70s ine the difference in the fuel atomwith gasoline engines. ization. Fuel atomization, along The problem back in the ’70s was with port swirl is the biggest conwe were trying to clean the engine’s tributing factor to the efficiency of emissions by adding more devices, today’s diesel engines. The inbut there were no design improvecreased atomization of fuel from the ments to make any efficiency imcommon rail injection also created provements. Back then, the OEs design changes to the piston and were just coming to terms with new combustion chambers along with devices to control emissions; howthe design of the intake ports and ever, technological advances and valve train. different ways of thinking have In order to inject diesel fuel at now enabled manufacturers to have high pressures, you need a very the best of both worlds – In order to inject diesel fuel at high presmore power AND a sures, you need a very unique pump known greener environment. as a high-pressure fuel pump. The pump is To find out how this is usually engine-mounted and driven by the possible, we must go back engine gear train. to the subject of common rail injection, which we have been discussing in detail for the last few columns. Common rail injection has been in existence for a long time but has become more popular in diesel engines over the past decade. In order to have a cleaner running engine, you have to make it more efficient. One thing that has been discovered with diesel fuel injection is the higher the pressure at which it is injected creates more efficiency. The purpose of common rail injection is to deliver high-pressure fuel to the injector. Fuel in a common rail sys-
14 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Robert McDonald rmcdonald@enginebuildermag.com
unique pump known as a highpressure fuel pump. The pump is usually engine-mounted and driven by the engine gear train. A regulator controls the amount of pressure that the pump makes. The regulator, also known as the fuel-metering valve, regulates the amount of fuel that the high-pressure fuel pump will intake. Even though the engine drives the high-pressure pump, the pump will produce the necessary high pressures regardless of the engine speed. After the pump has been pressurized, the fuel is stored in the fuel rails. The fuel rails are accumulators for the high-pressure fuel to be delivered to the injectors through lines that branch off of them. The fuel rails also dampen vibrations from the high-pressure fuel pump and injection cycles from the injectors. Inside the fuel rails is a fuel rail
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Diesel Dialogue
pressure sensor that reads the pressure in the fuel rail for the PCM (Powertrain Control Module). The PCM uses the input from the fuel rail pressure sensor to determine how much to open the fuel regulator. If more pressure is needed, the PCM will command the regulator to open for more fuel to be taken in by the high-pressure pump. A fuel rail pressure control valve also controls highpressure fuel in the fuel rails. The pressure control valve is usually placed in the end of the fuel rail where it will be opened or closed by the PCM for precise pressure control inside the fuel rails. This helps to keep the optimum fuel pressure in the fuel rails to be delivered to the injectors for various demands placed on the engine. Just in case the fuel pressure was to spike abnormally, the fuel rails have a fuel rail pressure limiter inside of them also. If fuel pressure were to get out of hand for some strange reason, the limiter would open allowing
the excess pressure to return to the fuel tank. As highpressure fuel travels through the rails and lines, it arrives at the injector, After the pump has been pressurized, the which is confuel is stored in the fuel rails, which are actrolled by the cumulators for the high-pressure fuel to be PCM. When the type of driver or delivered to the injectors through lines PCM coma Piezo electric that branch off of them. mands the injecdevice. Solenoid tor to open, fuel actuated injecenters the injector and is sent through tors have been around for some time, some intricate passages in the injector but have been replaced with Piezo acthat leads to the injectors tip. tuation. Piezo is a type of crystal that The tip of the injector has microis wafer-thin and generally stacked on scopic holes through which the fuel top of each other. These stacks of will be delivered that create a very Piezo crystals, when energized by the fine mist. The droplet size of the fuel PCM, will expand and open the injecas it is sent through the tip is about 7 tor’s valve, and its actuation is 4 times times smaller than a human hair. Infaster than a solenoid. jectors can be actuated by a solenoid The PCM uses inputs from sensors on the engine to control actuators, which control fuel delivery. Fuel delivery is based upon demands on the engine, such as the amount of boost, the throttle position, engine temperature, etc. With the use of common rail, there can be multiple injections per combustion cycle. This can also be beneficial during cold weather start-ups. The use of common rail has brought about many advantages to the diesel engine. These advantages are higher injection pressures for increased atomization of fuel, multiple injections per combustion cycle, and more reliable pressure regardless of engine speed. The benefits include the reduction of emissions, reduction in diesel particulate matter, reduction in noise, increased fuel efficiency and increased performance. Even though diesel engines are becoming cleaner, more emissionfriendly, the use of electronics along with better engineering keeps propelling power levels and durability. I think that as diesel engines continue to evolve and get even more efficient, they will become more of a competitor for the car buying public’s transportation needs in the near future. â–
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Feature
BY SENIOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR Brendan Baker bbaker@babcox.com
Livin’ Dyno D Setting up your shop for a chassis or engine dynamometer takes planning and patience
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ne of the only ways you can best solution and is more economiprove your worth as a race cal. Either choice will save you some engine builder – besides on headaches in dealing with custhe racetrack, of course – is on a dytomers who don’t set up your monamometer. Being a shop without a tors correctly. But to gain any type dyno may be akin to running blindof advantage in performance, you folded: you can surely build a good need a tool that will measure and engine, even a winning engine, but trace your results. You need a tool you probably won’t know why or that is repeatable and easy to use. it’ll take you much longer to learn Fortunately, there are a number of from the experience you have products on the market that will fit gained. A dyno takes what is the black art and science that you do in terms of engine building and turns it into a tangible asset that you can sell to your customers. If you are a very small shop that just assembles motors to a “recipe” or some proven combination, you may think a dyno is just a luxury, but even then you may still need one to get the most out of your builds and move to the next level. If you can’t afford a dyno yet, then you might make a deal with a shop who has one and rent it. If The control room of a dyno cell is like the cockpit of you just want to a racecar, but with a lot more buttons. There are build engines many systems available that will run your equipment. The easiest setup is to run a packaged dyno and break them and data acquisition setup from a quality manufacin, then a run-test turer. (Images courtesy of Pro Car and Greg Finican) stand may be the
18 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
the bill. There are several kinds of dynamometers on the market but the two most common in the performance industry are water-brake and eddy current. Both types have advantages and disadvantages, say our experts, but what you choose ultimately boils down to what you need to produce the best results for the types of engines you build.
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Dreams Water-Brake Water brake dynos have been manufactured for many years and are relatively common in the performance industry. Depending on the size of the absorber, they can easily handle high horsepower and typically are less expensive compared to other, quickerreacting absorber types. Their drawbacks are that they can take a long time to stabilize their load, and
they require a constant supply of water to the water-brake housing for cooling. And depending on where your shop is located, you may not be able to tap into a municipal water supply and drainage could also be an issue. To get around this, many shops install large water tanks and use pumps to supply the proper flow of water and prevent contaminated water from returning to the environment. Water is added until the engine is held at a steady rpm against the load, with the water then kept at that level and replaced by constant draining and refilling, which is needed to carry away the heat created by absorbing the horsepower. The housing attempts to rotate in response to the torque produced, but is restrained by the scale or torque metering cell that measures the torque. Chris Wright, from Pro Car (a dyno shop and engine building/tuning operation in Akron, OH) says his dyno is one of only two like it that exist. Wright says he has created a hybrid (like many shops have done to fit their needs) – the water-brake has been completely modified to handle directly coupled whereas most dynos
have a gear reduction, says Wright. “It’s a modified Clayton, and directly coupled it’ll handle over 10,000 rpms and 2,500 horsepower steady state,“ he explains.
Eddy Current Eddy current (EC) dynamometers are the most common absorbers used in modern chassis dynos. The EC absorbers provide a quick load change rate for rapid load settling. Most are air cooled, but some are designed to require external water cooling systems. Eddy current dynos require an electrically conductive core, shaft, or disc moving across a magnetic field to produce resistance to movement. Eddy current dynos are more expensive and typically have a much narrower power range but they are also more precise. Wright says he bought a double retarder eddy current chassis dyno because he wanted something that could handle high horsepower and diesels as well. He says his chassis dyno will handle up to 2,500 hp and 9,000 ft.lbs of torque. The chassis dyno is mostly used for his street performance customers to do drivability and performance tuning and Pro Car EngineBuilderMag.com 19
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Depending on which correction factor you use, you could have a significant swing in recorded engine output whether you are using the raw number, SAE number or the outdated Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP) number, say experts. Therefore, besides setting up your dyno and cell correctly, you’ll have to also be sure to plug in the right correction factors. The current SAE standard for correction is SAE J1349, which is used by all the OEMs and major engine development labs. Power is corrected to reference conditions of 29.23 inches Hg (Mercury) of dry air at 77 degrees F. This standard requires a correction for friction torque, which can be measured on the dyno or estimated. When estimates must be used, the SAE standard uses a default Mechanical Efficiency (ME) value of 85%. This is approximately correct at peak torque but not at other engine running speeds. Some dynamometer systems use the SAE correction factor for atmospheric conditions but do not take mechanical efficiency into consideration and assume an ME of 100%. The STP standard is another power correction standard determined by the SAE and has been widely used in the performance industry for years. Power is corrected to reference conditions of 29.92 inches Hg of dry air at 60 degrees F. Because the reference conditions include higher pressure and cooler air than the SAE standard, these corrected power numbers will always be about 4% higher than the SAE power numbers.
To run a water-brake engine dyno you need access to a water supply. If you’re lucky, you may be able to tap into a municipal supply but you may need special permission. You also need big pumps to control flow.
even holds a charity event called “The Ground Pounder” to allow guys to run on the chassis dyno for bragging rights. “It’s easy for customers to come in
and have work done on the chassis dyno because they can just drive up on it,” Wright explains. “When I bought the unit it cost $70,000 – new ones now are about $90,000. Most people can’t believe it cost that much because it’s so small, but it’ll do everything. I priced some other similar dynos but couldn’t get close to doing what we can for the price.”
Correction Factors
Data Acquisition And Testing In many cases it’s impossible to accurately diagnose a fuel, ignition or cooling problem unless the engine is running under load. This can be done with the engine out of the vehicle on an engine dyno, or with the engine in the vehicle on a chassis dyno. All of the major car manufactures use both engine dynos and chassis dynos to validate their engine designs, to develop the ignition and fuel maps for their engine control modules, for Circle 20 for more information 20 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
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Feature Make sure that before you buy, your dyno will fit your needs and budget. This one will run directly coupled at 10,000 rpm and 2,500 horsepower steady state.
durability testing and to verify emissions compliance. The OEMs typically use the biggest, most expensive dynamometers money can buy, and they will collect data from every possible sensor input available and run on multiple channel data acquisition systems. This level of sophistication is probably more than you will need for your racing and performance customers unless you are servicing very highend racing teams. The data acquisition and control package you use doesn’t have to be from the same company as the actual dyno, but doing so does help reduce headaches and compatibility issues.
Dyno Cell Engine Masters participant Greg Finican says he recently bought a used DTS dyno from Arizona after he talked to someone at the manufacturer who told him he knew the history of it and who had bought and sold it. “It’s such a small industry in some ways when you can talk to someone about a piece of Some shops use both a chassis dyno and equipment and they know engine dyno because it allows more flexibilthe whole history. I was told ity and also offers more ways to bring in revenue. You can hold dyno events at your that it was not used very shop with a chassis dyno. much and had low mileage, so I bought it.” Finican says there’s a lot more that goes into setting up a dyno and a test cell than meets the eye. He says he’s had the dyno for over six months and it’s still not fully not up and running yet. “The dyno right now is just sitting here waiting to be upgraded with the new software,” he says. “I’ve not really done a legitimate dyno pull yet. We’ve been able to run it a little just to make sure the cooling system works, but I’m still waiting for some of the final pieces to come.” One thing that Finican had already was the perfect space for the dyno in one of his buildings. “We made some renovations to make it into a proper dyno cell,” he explains. “The dyno itself cost about $21,000 and required about $2,800 in replacement parts, which was okay to get everything up and running. That’s pretty good in my opinion.” But he found that, even having free space for the dyno, to do it right, Circle 22 for more information 22 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
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it’s more expensive than the dyno. “You have to have the exhaust system in there, the water supply system, the fire suppression that you need and the control room. To have a real dyno room it will cost more – and I already had the space.” Go Power’s Azor Phelps agrees that you’re likely to spend more money on the cell than you are on the dynamometer equipment itself. “You have to manage fuel, air, water, sound and protection in case something blows up. And there are levels of protection on top of that. You can skew your results if you don’t have your room set up properly,” he says. “The two biggest potential drawbacks are you don’t move enough air and you starve the engine. The next biggest challenge is you don’t have enough water to the dyno. And without enough water you can’t hold the load or the load is inconsistent. If the water supply is inconsistent then your test results will be, too,” Phelps says. “We strongly recommend that customers use a water tank and a supply pump because it’s very difficult to run a high horsepower engine on city-supplied water, even if a guy has a big tank and it’s going from 100 feet in the air,” says Phelps. “A customer
26 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
tried it once but it didn’t work, so he grade. The dyno room itself cost about had to use a boost pump and a regu$600,000 to do over about 4 years.” lator to get the flow they needed.” If money were no object, every enPro Car’s Wright says his shop had gine builder would probably have to get a mayor's variance to use city his own dyno – if for no other reason water, because they couldn't get than to verify and control his work. enough water to run it. They use a A dyno can certainly give one bragfour-inch water line that comes in diging rights if an engine produces a rectly off the street. “It took special lot of power. But more importantly it consideration to get hooked up but can validate that the machine work we were able to tie into a main line and parts that went into the engine with the fire department just down are doing what they are supposed to the street. Most people don’t have a be doing. ■ water supply that is sustained like we have that can handle as much power as we can. A lot of dynos with little water-brakes are fine for doing a pull but they will cavitate quicker and boil the water, which then turns to steam. Once that happens you lose control.” Pro Car’s dyno has a lot of custom fabricated parts such as an integrated starter and alternator. And everything in the room was made out of stainless steel, says Wright, so it will last basically forever. Wright agrees on the time and money needed to get the room set up the way the team wanted. “The dyno room has been here a long time and has changed over the years. My dad had an old Eaton dyno Setting up a dyno room is not inexpensive years ago but we needed to upif you want to do it right. If you don’t have the cell that allows you to control the air, water and temperature as well as fire suppression, you may skew your results.
Track Talk New Look Ready For ‘Sixth Generation’ 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Car NASCAR recently unveiled a new look for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car, an integral and exciting step in the rollout process of the sixth generation race car. “These changes are an extension of the unprecedented collaboration with the auto manufacturers on the 2013 car, great industry feedback and our focus on increasing fan affinity as part of NASCAR’s Industry Action Plan,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. The sixth-generation car look will debut with the opening of the 2013 Speedweeks, highlighted by the 55th running of the Daytona 500 on February 24 at Daytona International Speedway. The development and design of the latest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car continues a robust tradition of styling that dates back to the earliest days of the sport. Among the updates: • The driver’s last name featured on the windshield; • Sponsor decals will not be permitted on the headlights and taillights, two key distinguishing characteristics of the auto manufacturers’ brand; • Car numbers will be moved from the lights to the front and rear bumpers; • A single sponsor logo will be permitted on the roof under the number; • Team sponsor decals will be permitted to extend past the front edge of the b-post; • “Step and repeat” / background patterns will be permitted on the sides of the car; • Due to the slightly smaller car, the car number will be reduced by 10%
and the contingency decals will be reduced to 26 square inches. Preparations for the rollout of the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car continue with a great deal of excitement. NASCAR has secured two additional test dates at Charlotte Motor Speedway – Dec. 11-12 and Jan. 17-18 – as an option for those teams that want to supplement their new car testing schedule. Daytona Preseason Thunder, the annual threeday NASCAR Sprint Cup test session at Daytona International Speedway, will be held Jan. 10-12. “We’ve put together an aggressive and extensive testing schedule for the new car and we are pleased with how
things are progressing,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “We have the opportunity to provide teams with a couple of more optional test dates at a mile-and-a-half race track as we look to provide the most exciting and competitive racing that we possibly can. The Daytona Preseason Thunder testing will give teams the chance to prepare their cars for Speedweeks and the running of the Daytona 500.” The ultimate goal for the 2013 season is, of course, to have readily brand-identifiable cars for manufacturers Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota that are just as racy as they look. “The new car has generated a lot of excitement and anticipation,” continued Pemberton. “We’re looking forward to seeing it in competition next year.”
The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars will have several changes, including having the driver's last name on the windshield.
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Racing Rocker Arm Technology Rocker arms are more important than ever in today’s high performance valvetrains
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he rocker arms play a more important role than ever these days in high performance valvetrains. The rockers are the teetertotters that translate the upward motion of the lifters and pushrods to the downward motion that opens the valves. It seems like a relatively simple task, but it demands the utmost from the design of the rockers and the materials from which they are made. Aluminum roller rockers with roller needle bearing fulcrums and roller tips have been around for decades. The main advantage with the roller rockers is that they reduce friction compared to a standard stamped steel or cast iron rocker arm. The basic technology has not changed that much over the years. What has changed are the lift ratios that some of today’s rockers are capable of delivering, the high valve spring loads rocker arms in some high revving engines have to handle, and the strength and durability requirements that end users have come to expect from a set of high end performance rocker arms.
28 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
One of the qualities every engine builder wants in a set of performance rocker arms is stability. The more stable the rockers, the more stable the valvetrain and the better the engine performs at high rpm. Shaft-mounted rockers typically offer better stability than stud-mounted rockers. Studs can flex and wobble at high rpms, causing deflection or even misalignment between the pushrods, rockers and valves. Pushrod deflection can be minimized by using thicker wall, larger diameter stiffer pushrods. Valve harmonics and float can be addressed by running heavier, stiffer springs, double or triple springs or conical springs. But rocker arm deflection can only be addressed by beefing up or modifying the rocker arms and mounting system. For all-out racing applications, this often means replacing the stock rocker arms with roller rockers and installing a stud girdle to reduce stud movement, or converting stud-mounted rockers to a shaftmounted rocker system.
The Advantages of ShaftMounted Rocker Arms Shaft-mounted rocker systems are available for a wide variety of engine applications. They are the “in” setup these days for many forms of professional racing. The cost of a good shaft-mounted rocker system can range from $600 to $1,800 or more depending on the supplier, what you need and where you buy it. Advantages for shaft-mounted rockers include: • Increased rigidity and reliability. Supporting the rockers on a rigid steel or aluminum shaft means the rockers can’t deviate from their fixed location due to stud flex or vertical motion on the rocker stud. The stiffness provided by the shaft holds all the rockers in perfect alignment and allows them to safely handle higher loads and rpms. For extra durability, some suppliers offer steel rocker arms with their shaft-mounted systems. Steel provides extra strength and durability with minimal weight penalty to eliminate concerns over rocker arm breakage. Shaft-mounted
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rockers also don’t require a slot cutout on the underside of the rocker body to clear a stud, so shaft rockers are inherently stronger. • More horsepower. Reduced valvetrain friction combined with improved valvetrain control means the engine can handle higher camshaft lift ratios and seat pressures while still maintaining accurate valve timing and control. For engines that are running high valve spring pressures (say 800 to 1,000 lbs. of open spring pressure or more), a shaft-mounted rocker system can provide the extra degree of insurance to reduce the risk of something breaking. • Easier installation. Most suppliers of shaft-mounted rockers work closely with aftermarket cylinder head companies to create bolt-on systems that are designed for specific cylinder heads. This eliminates or minimizes the amount of machine work that’s required to adapt a shaft-mounted rocker arm system to a particular head. Most suppliers can custom make a shaftmounted rocker system for almost any motor with any offset or lift ratio you require.
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• Easier valve lash adjustments. Shaft-mounted rockers typically hold valve lash adjustments longer and are easier to adjust than stud-mounted rockers with a girdle overhead. The adjusters on the rockers or the shaft are easy to get at and adjust. For a weekend racer, this can be a real time-saver between rounds.
PRW introduced its LS Series of pedestal/shaft-mount aluminum rocker arm systems in 2011 as an upgrade over the stock GM rockers. Shaft-mounted rockers typically offer better stability than studmounted rockers.
Higher Lift Ratios The lift ratio of the rocker arms multiplies the amount of valve lift generated by the cam lobes. The maximum amount of lift that can be achieved with a given camshaft is often limited by the size of the lobes that will fit through the engine’s cam bores. A cam grinder can achieve more valve lift by reducing the diameter of the base circle on the cam. But there’s a limit as to how much the base circle can be reduced before it creates lifter problems. Increasing the lift ratio of the rocker arms is the easiest way to get more effective valve lift out of a given cam lobe profile. Increasing total valve lift and the velocity at which the valves open and close increases volumetric ef-
ficiency for more power, and typically boosts top end horsepower without sacrificing too much low rpm torque. Aftermarket rocker arms are available in a wide range of lift ratios, some as high as 2.25 to 1 or more! But the higher the lift ratio of the rocker arms, the more additional modifications you may have to make to prevent coil bind in the valve springs or interference problems between the tops of the valve guides and the valve spring retainers. Durability can also be a concern when running extremely high valve spring pressures and lift ratios. Lightweight rocker arms are obviously a plus for high rpm applications, but strength is also essential to prevent breakage. So for high lift, high rpm, high valve spring pressure applications, steel roller tip rockers have become popular for serious racers. Steel has better fatigue strength and stiffness than aluminum and it can absorb more abuse than aluminum over time. Aluminum rockers that used to last a season of hard racing before they need to be rebuilt or replaced can be swapped EngineBuilderMag.com 29
Feature Stainless steel roller rocker arms like these from Elgin Pro-Stock bring superior strength, durability and performance to high-output engines, says the company.
for steel rockers that can often last several racing seasons. Friction reduction is also essential with high performance rocker arms. The needle bearing fulcrums and roller tips do a good job of providing the required friction reduction but do require a steady supply of lubrication. Roller tip rockers are a must with high lift ratios because of the increased arc of travel the tip of the rocker follows as it opens and closes the valve. The roller tip reduces the sideways thrust and scrubbing on the tip of the valve stem.
steel rockers would cost and put it toward other engine upgrades. Others disagree and say the extra reliability and durability provided by steel rockers is well worth the extra cost, and that steel rockers will pay for themselves by outlasting aluminum rockers.
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Materials Inexpensive die cast aluminum rockers are a good upgrade for street performance use or racing applications where high pressure springs are not required. Extruded aluminum rockers are a step up from die cast aluminum rockers and provide increased strength and durability for more demanding applications. Extruded rockers are made from 6061 T6 billet aluminum so there is no porosity in the metal as can be the case with die cast rockers. Extruded rockers are usually CNC machined and often hand finished to specifications. Extruded aluminum rockers are typically recommended for higher lift ratios. As mentioned earlier, steel rockers may be the best choice for severe duty applications that require extra strength and durability (engines with very stiff valve springs, high lift ratios and/or heavy valvetrain components). The steel is usually a high grade stainless alloy with a micropolished finish and
can handle spring pressures up to 950 pounds or higher (versus maybe 750 to 800 pounds for many extruded aluminum rockers, though some aluminum rockers can handle up to 1,000 pounds in a BB Chevy engine). However, expect to pay more for a set of steel rockers because they are more expensive to manufacture and more difficult to machine. Some rocker arm suppliers say most racers probably don’t really need steel rockers as long as they are using a high quality aluminum rocker arm system. They can save the money that a set of
Circle 30 for more information 30 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
Comp Cams will be adding LS1, LS2, LS3 and LS6 rocker applications to its Ultra-Gold Arc Series of rocker arms in early 2013. Like the other rockers in this series, they are made in the USA and were designed using modern CAD and FEA software to improve the strength while minimizing weight. Comp Cams says these new rockers are much stronger than any of the competing extruded aluminum rockers and can be installed on a stock unmodified head. They come with their own steel pedestals and have upgraded trunions and bearings compared to the stock rockers. Available lift ratios are 1.7 and 1.8 with either bolt down or bolt down adjustable configurations. Also new from Comp Cams are stronger half inch diameter studs for screw-in stud mounted rockers. The thicker studs reduce stud flex to reduce the risk of stud breakage in high revving engines. Crane Cams recently unveiled its new Chevy LS V8 family of rocker arms for endurance racing applications. Testing is still in progress but the new rocker arms should be available in early 2013. These will be bolt-on rockers that require no modifications. Crane has also been upgrading its entire product line of performance rockers with stronger high temperature materials, and tightening its manufacturing tolerances with new CNC machining equipment. Crower has a variety of new billet rockers that include oil ports for lubricating the valve springs. Getting oil to the springs quickly following a cold start is critical for maintaining spring longevity. Crower also has more new steel rockers applications including custom shaft rockers for BB Chevy. Elgin Industries has recently rolled out its “Rolling Thunder� Pro-Stock
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Stainless Steel Rockers. These rockers feature all stainless-steel construction with extra large, full needle trunions and larger roller tips to help eliminate wear. Applications include 1.5 and 1.6 rocker ratios for SB Chevy (with long slots), 1.72 rockers for BB Chevy, and 1.6 rockers for 3/8˝ and 7/16˝ stud diameter Ford applications. Rick Simko of Elgin says that all-
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Harland Sharp’s “D-Force” line of 2024 billet aluminum roller rockers provides an upgrade for 12V and 24V Cummins diesel engines, 6.0L and 7.3L Ford Powerstroke diesel engines, 6.5L and 6.6L General Motors Duramax diesel engines and International Harvester and Yanmar 3 cylinder diesel engines. The diesel rockers are designed for off-road applications and sled pulling but are NOT recommended for daily street use. Increased lift ratios are available. Howards Cams has T&D Machine has a line of alua line of billet aluminum and steel LS rockers, minum rockers that can which include LS1, LS2, LS3, handle up to 800 psi LS6, LS7 and L92 engines. stainless rocker open valve spring presarms like these sure and up to .800 inch eliminate deflection of valve lift for SB/BB Chevy and LS at maximum RPMs and construction engines. The rockers also come with a designs offer increased power and unique limited lifetime warranty, durability. something which nobody else offers, “The extra-large, full-needle according to company spokespeople. trunions provide increased horseRandy Becker Jr. of Harland Sharp power and faster response, and the said his company is currently developlarge roller tip design helps eliminate ing some new bolt-on pedestal rockers wear,” says Simko.
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for GM 3.1, 3.4 and 4.3L V6 engines. The new rockers should be available sometime in 2013. Jesel continues to add new rockers for recently released cylinder heads including some new steel rockers applications. Bob McDonald of Jesel says engine builders today want steel rockers for more and more applications, and especially for the exhaust valves where high cylinder pressures create greater resistance to the valve opening. Heat can also be an issue on the ex-
rockers also feature oversized roller bearings and pins, and New from Comp Cams are oiling is provided to the stronger half inch diameter rocker adjuster screw. studs for screw-in stud mounted PRW introduced its LS Serockers. The thicker studs reries of pedestal/shaft mount duce stud flex to reduce the risk aluminum rocker arm sysof stud breakage in high revving engines. tems in 2011 as an upgrade over the stock GM rockers. The number of LS applicahaust side. tions since then has grown as have the Higher lift rarocker applications available from tios and stiffer springs are also PRW. These rockers are not a simple “drop-in” replacement for the stock LS requiring a parts, but the PRW rocker systems do change to steel include all the specialty tools and parts rockers. that are needed for an easy installation. Manton makes a variety of steel The rockers do require extra clearance rockers for Chrysler Hemi Top Alcohol under the rocker arms, which can be and Pro Fuel engine applications. The easily solved with valve cover risers latest offering is a new Roller Tip Ifrom PRW or by replacing the stock Beam rocker arm for exhaust valves. The rocker can handle engine speeds in valve covers with PRW’s valve covers. The LS Series rockers are made of excess of 10,500 rpm and withstand the 6061 T6 billet aluminum with full comhigh loading created by extreme explement needle bearings and nose haust pressures in these engines. The roller. The rockers are fully adjustable rockers are made from billet 4340 steel for use with solid or hydraulic lifters and heat treated to 305,000 psi. The
Circle 32 for more information 32 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
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Manton makes a variety of steel rockers for Chrysler Hemi Top Alcohol and Pro Fuel engine applications. The latest offering is a new Roller Tip I-Beam rocker arm for exhaust valves.
and up to 750 pounds of open valve spring pressure. The CNC machined steel pedestal replaces the OEM die cast aluminum design. All mounting bolts and adjusters are SCM-4135 custom alloy with rolled threads. Pushrod length checkers are included to determine the exact pushrod length required. Scorpion has been a long time supplier of stud mounted aluminum rockers, but will now be offering their first shaft mounted aluminum rocker arm
system for 23 degree SB Chevy heads. Next will come shaft rockers for 18 degree SB Chevy heads, followed by shaft rockers for BB Chevy, SB Ford and Chevy LS applications. The new shaft mounted rockers will be called “Endurance Series” and will be competitively priced with other shaft rocker systems. T&D Machine is currently working on developing some new
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LS rockers to add to their existing line of aluminum and steel LS rockers, which include LS1, LS2, LS3, LS6, LS7 and L92 engines. Standard rocker ratios include 1.7 and 1.8 with other lift ratios available on request. “If an engine has pushrods, we make rockers to fit it,” said Phil Elliott. “We currently are not doing any overhead cam applications except for the OHC followers on 4.6L V8 Fords (2, 3 and 4-valve versions) and the older 427 OHC engines.” ■
Howards Cams has a line of billet aluminum rockers that can handle up to 800 psi open valve spring pressure and up to .800 inch of valve lift for SB/BB Chevy and LS engines.
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Automotive-Poweredd They’re fast and exciting, and also offer traditional
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hey're fast, have power aplenty, can turn on a dime, and throw a huge column of water behind them. They're called Inboard Hydroplanes and are one of the most exciting motorsports shows on water with their automotive powerplants.
The Inboard Hydroplane The looks of these boats spell speed with fighter aircraft aerodynamics on both the center hull and the sponsons. The design allows the boats to ride on a tunnel of air and use the propeller for forward propulsion. Most of the time at speed, only the rudder, fixed skid fin and the propeller are in the water. The boats compete on closed courses with a flying start. The races are always five miles in length. Straightaway speeds are as high as 160+mph with the more-powerful boats. Starting in 1995, safety cockpits were required by insurance companies. The faster classes use closedcanopies. Also, many inboard hydroplanes have engine rev limiters to prohibit over-reving when the prop leaves the water due to rough racecourse conditions.
Hydroplanes World-Wide The hot spots in the world of inboard hydroplane racing are North America (US and Canada), and down under (New Zealand and Australia). There is also some activity in Europe, mainly Germany. And there is considerable rule commonality between Canada and the US. Australia and NZ use both American and Asian en34 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
gines, but mostly from Japan. In the US, the hotbeds are in the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, and upper east coast. The US rules are governed by the American Power Boat Association (APBA). Most of the activity in Canada is within 400 miles of Montreal, with US and Canadian drivers often participating against each other in the same events.
US Hydroplane Engine Rules and Regulations With the exception of the smallest class, all the inboard hydroplanes are automotive powered. They are classified as either Stock or Modified classes. Stock classes use high-test gas and carburetion. Alcohol with fuel injection is used in some of the modified classes. Automotive engines were introduced to this sport in the early 1930s
with the advent of the Ford V8-60 engine. Later, larger flatheads, including the 239 and 255 V8 versions along with some inline flatheads, would find their way into the boats. But in 1955, motorsports was infatuated with the light and powerful 265cid Chevy V8. It was used in two hydro classes, the Stock 280 cid class (blueprinted, two-barrel carb, no gearbox) and the 266 cid Modified class, which could use alcohol and fuel injection. No nitro or supercharging, but internal engine parts could be replaced with aftermarket pieces. In 1970, the 280 class became the 5.0L Stock class with mostly Chevy 305 cid engines, along with more limited use of Ford 302 engines. It remains that way today with a two-barrel carb still required. A very common Grand Prix Class engine is this 468 cubic inch supercharged alcohol-burning Chevy.
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BY CONTRIBUTOR BILL HOLDER PHOTOS BY PHIL KUNZ
Inboard Hydroplanes
automotive engine builders opportunities to get wet The National Modified class of today allows two equal-power engine variations: (1) a 305 with fuel injection and alcohol or (2) a 360 on gasoline with a two-barrel carburetor. The biggest auto-powered classes are the Grand Prix (GP) and GNH classes. The GPs use a 468 cid supercharged big block Chevy on alcohol, while the GNH class uses a 511 cid engine with gasoline and a single fourbarrel carb.
Hydroplane Engine Tech There are no generators or air cleaners on these engines due to the short running time of the races. Water pumps are unnecessary since cooling water is provided to the engine by an underwater pick-up. Also, modern high-performance starters are the choice with these engines. Many times, a custommade velocity stack is used with the carbureted stock classes. For the more-powerful modified engines, modification is required for the fuel injection and alcohol fuel. In building a modified engine, it is sometimes necessary to purchase aftermarket camshafts, springs, valves, lifters, pistons, rings or rods for performance and reliability. Engine builders find there are actually fewer rules in the modified classes as are only the displacement and fuel are checked during technical inspections. There are several nationally known engine builders working with automotive hydroplanes (discussed next), but across the nation there are also a number of one-man operations that build hydro engines on their own. Some of
these engines have proved very successful and are proof that independents can compete with the big boys.
Gaerte Engines (gaerteengines.com) For the smaller hydros, Gaerte concentrates on the 165 cid powerplant which is compatible with the 2.5L class. Gaerte 305 racing engines are also a product with US interest. One of those engines is used by many-time national champion Larry Lauterbach. The shop also builds 350 hydro engines, many of which are provided to Aussie racers.
But with the company’s competence with 400+cid sprint car engines, it’s not surprising that the big block Gaerte technology has found hydro applications. One example is the 468cid big block for the GP class. Gaerte’s Shawn Hoff explained that the hydro application is harder on the engines than on dirt or paved tracks.
Esslinger Engineering (Esslingerracing.com) A long time provider of engines for open wheel midget racecars, this company provides basically the same en-
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Feature
Left - The other National Modified setup is typified by this Roush 360 Ford on gas and a single four-barrel carburetor. Right - This Hemi 468 cid engine type is seldom used in the GP Class.
gine to the hydroplane racing community. Brian Exup of Esslinger explained that there are three displacement engines for the hydro application. “They are 155, 161 and 166 cid engines. They all have the same bore with changes to
the stroke.” Exup explained that there are differences in the way this allaluminum engine is employed in midgets and boats. “With the midgets, the engine is laid over 45 degrees while it’s normally straight up in the hydro. In the boats, the engines don’t run as hot as they do in the midget because of better cooling.”
Wolfe Engines (Wolfeengines.com) Owner Marty Wolf explained that he has been in the boat racing engine building for 15 years. His concentration is on the 2.5L, 302 and 350 engines, but he also builds the 468 engine. “With the 468 engine, I like to use Holley Carbs, which I modify to accept fuel curves. The cam can also be changed, putting more gear into it for torque in the mid-range,” he explained. Wolfe indicated that a customer could purchase either a complete engine, or a long or short block.
Roush Industries
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(Roush.com) Roush spokesman Kyle Carrothers explained that in the 1990s, the company got into the hydroplane game with its Trans Am small block Ford engines in the National Modified class. Their use continues today. “Within the past three-four years, we reconfigured our GM Ecotec drag racing engine package for the 2.5L Modified class with good results. We have also prepared both Ford and Chrysler four-cylinder engines for the
2.5L Modified class,” Carrothers said.
Keen’s Performance Engines (757-365-4481) This Smithfield, VA, hydro engine builder has been in business since the 1960 and has built over a 100+ engines through the years. During the first two decades, according to JR Keen, the company concentrated on the 1.5, 2.5 and 5.0L Stock classes, along with engines for the National Modified and GNH classes. In recent years, JR has slowed down, but still produces engines that have powered hydroplanes to two world championships along with a 5.0L High Point Champion.
Blue Collar Performance (Bluecollarperformance.com) This Westland, MI, engine operation reaches back through three generations and has long been recognized as the racing expert on the Ford Flathead engine. Father and son Rich and Ron Willim are still involved in vintage racecars/hydroplanes that use this powerplant. But they are also involved in engines for modern hydros, namely the 2.5L Stock and Modified classes and the 5.0L class. In that latter class, one of their engines provided the power for the World Championship hydroplane. Rich explained that many in the industry don’t realize the shock an engine receives when the prop jumps out of the water. “It’s not like a racecar where the load is pretty equal all the time. As that’s the case, we try to use stronger internal components to keep
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Feature the engine together,” the elder Willim indicated. Ron indicated that the operation does much more than just build hydro engines, “We also repair them from the wear and tear of competition, and more often than not we try to right the mistakes made by the customer in his attempts to repair it himself!”
Paul Pfaff Racing Engines (Pfaffengines.com) Gordon Jennings of Pfaff Engines explained that the 7.0L engines are the company's prime product for both the GP and GNH classes. The tracks are different here on the west coast being only a mile in length with very sharp turns. He indicated that the big hydro engines are a lot different than their land drag racing counterparts. “Our drag engines run at higher rpms, about 9,000 rpm, while the hydro engines are about a thousand less. With the boat engines jumping out
The old reliable 2000/2300cc Pinto engines have been the mainstay of the 2.5 Liter Stock Class for many years.
of the water, we install 8,500 rpm rev limiters to prevent internal engine damage.”
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Jennings continued, “But we have also built a number of the smaller class engines. We will build any of the hydroplane engines, just give us the specs and will build it,” he said. ■
Feature
BY ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/EDITOR Doug Kaufman dkaufman@babcox.com
Crank It Up
What To Know About Diesel Rotating Assemblies
W
hether you think trucks on the road at the time) may diesel crankshafts be partially responsible for the deare the same as or cline in production, but we expect different from their the number to jump back again and smaller gasoline continue to climb as the economy counterparts, you’re right. Diesel continues to recover. crankshafts and rotating assemblies Despite their similar appear– like their cousins in the gas engine ances, diesel crankshafts have some – turn a linear motion from combusprimary differences from their gasotion into a rotating motion that can line counterparts. A gasoline engine move a vehicle, supply power uses a spark to ignite the fuel. A through a generator, pump oil from diesel engine, operating at a much an underground or otherwise give higher compression ratio, uses the measurable activity. heat produced by compression to igThey require balancing and atten- nite the fuel. Diesel engines typically tion to selection of appropriate comhave a longer stroke than the bore ponents. But doing so requires a lot diameter, so to handle this load more of everything. They’re big, diesel crankshafts are much larger they’re heavy and they’re expensive. physically. They may be harder to find in cerDiesel crankshafts can be found tain applications. But whether your in a variety of materials. From shop handles heavy-duty diesel enstrongest to (relatively speaking) gine repair, light or medium duty weakest, you’ll find billet steel, steel diesel service or you build Diesel engines typically have a engines designed to prolonger stroke than the bore duce as much performdiameter, so to handle this load ance as possible, diesel crankshafts are much understanding the cranklarger physically. shaft’s importance in the equation – and your ability to affect that – can be a rewarding challenge. According to the 2011 Machine Shop Market Survey conducted by Engine Builder magazine (reported in these pages in June of this year), diesel crank production decreased in 2011 relative to 2010, falling from 6.4 to 4.8 total units per month. Gasoline crankshaft regrinding fell less, percentage-wise, going from just over 21 total units produced monthly during 2010 to just over 20 total units produced in 2011. A downturn in the economy (fewer
forgings, cast steel, nodular iron, malleable steel and (in some cases) cast iron. Heavy-duty diesel cranks have hardened bearing surfaces (case hardened) with the most common form of hardening being the induction process, according to industry experts. Induction surface hardening is a well-known and widely used process in the global diesel engine manufacturing industry. It was originally used primarily to harden bearing journals, improving their wear resistance but it is recognized also as a viable technology for improving the fatigue resistance of highly-stressed diesel crankshafts. Induction hardening and induction tempering are rapidly becoming the processes of choice for manufacturing crankshafts for diesel engines of all sizes.
EngineBuilderMag.com 39
Feature
In addition to the physical requirements of dealing with diesel crankshafts, industry experts caution that availability of replacement bearings will have a direct impact on whether you should – or can – service these behemoths. Unlike bearings in the automotive aftermarket, diesel bearings may not be available in convenient
According to the 2011 Machine Shop Market Survey conducted by Engine Builder magazine,
diesel crank production decreased in 2011 relative to 2010, falling from 6.4 to 4.8 total units per month.
Matched components are as important in a diesel engine as they are in a small high performance gas engine, say experts.
oversizes so it’s a good idea with out-of-the ordinary shafts not to grind them until you have the bearings in hand. But whether you repair or replace a crank ultimately comes down to how badly it was damaged. If it was broken, more than likely replacement is your only option (but remember that in most cases, a broken crankshaft is the result of some other issue). Additional common causes of damage to diesel crankshafts include spun bearings, resulting in a loss of journal hardness; viscous dampeners wearing out, resulting in a broken crank; failure of the balance box assembly, resulting in a broken crank;
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and cracks in the journals. In most instances, cracks in the journal of a diesel crankshaft will prevent its repair. While some diesel cranks can be welded or chromed back to standard, it often becomes an issue of economics. The higher the value of a crank the more work you can put into it. What you would do to fix a $30,000 crank may not make much sense on a $1,000 crank.
Feature Balancing helps improve the performance of the engine when the bottom end and the main running components are balanced together.
Balancing the Equation Top diesel engine builders have told us for years that diesel design improvements that have resulted in smoother running engines mean attention to engine balancing is more important than ever. Far from being just a “comfort” issue, a balanced engine can reduce vibrational fatigue. Balancing the rotating assembly of a diesel engine has been more impor-
tant since the update from aluminum pistons to a one-piece steel slug. The piston design went from an articulated piston to a heavy one-piece piston body, variations in the weights of the components were realized. Many problems engine builders find in other areas may be due to vibrational fatigue as well. Balancing helps improve the performance of the engine when the bottom end and the main running components are balanced together. From a technical point of view, every engine regardless of the application or its selling price can benefit from balancing. A smoother-running
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engine is also a more powerful engine. Less energy is wasted by the crank as it thrashes about in its bearings, which translates into a little more usable power at the flywheel. Reducing engine vibration also reduces stress on motor mounts and external accessories, and in big over-the-road trucks, the noise and vibration the driver has to endure mile after mile. Though all engines are balanced from the factory (some to a better degree than others), the original balance is lost when the pistons, connecting rods or crankshaft are replaced or interchanged with those from other engines. The factory balance job is based on the reciprocating weight of the OE pistons and rods. If any replacements or substitutions are made, there’s no guarantee the new or reconditioned parts will match the weights of the original parts closely enough to retain the original balance. One well-known diesel engine facility tells us that every crankshaft is carefully cleaned and thoroughly visually and magnetically inspected. If they’re doing a crank with counterweight bolts the old bolts are discarded and new counterweight bolts are put in. The counterweight mounting areas are inspected for any fretting as well. Look very carefully at the radiuses of the crankshaft. Make sure they’re properly sized and there are no stress risers or areas of concern there. Some shops are straightening the cranks as well, and while this may be out of the skill set of many shops, when they match all these things up – the straightness of the crankshaft, the straightness of the main line, the bearing clearances – one expert says he is then confident there is good bearing clearance and no fatigue spots on the crank. It’s a real good riding surface for that crank to lie in the block. It may take more time and cost more money, he says, but customers with these engines rely on him to provide maximum performance for the life of the engine. They trust that he will provide the very best that he can produce. Downtime is lost money, and your careful attention to each step of the reconditioning process is an investment in their business. ■
Product Spotlights
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Stock Replacement Gaskets from Engine Pro Engine Pro has added to its line of stock replacement gaskets, with full sets and head sets now available. All gasket components are produced to OE standards and are ISO 9001:2000 certified. Cylinder head gaskets have an exclusive perforated steel core to resist scrubbing, special aluminum sealing compound for better load spread, and Teflon-graphite coatings for better heat resistance and more effective sealing. Go to goenginepro.com for your local Engine Pro Distributor.
Engine Pro Circle 124
Phone: 1-800-ENGINE-1
www.goenginepro.com Circle 123
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Product Spotlights
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Visit EngineBuilderMag.com The 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 financial information is all searchable by keywords 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 Builder Phone:330-670-1234
www.enginebuildermag.com Circle 129 44 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
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Product Spotlights
HP7A Cylinder Hone The new Rottler HP7A Cylinder Honing Machine's bright, user friendly, full color 10Ë? Windows Touch Screen Control makes honing faster, easier and more accurate than ever before. Rottler Manufacturing continues a lasting tradition of introducing state of the art machine shop equipment for the engine builder. Quality, service, and technical support is built into every Rottler machine.
Rottler Manufacturing Phone: 800-452-0534
www.rottlermfg.com Circle 133 Circle 134
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Advertiser Index COMPANY NAME
PAGE #
CIRCLE #
Access Industries
10
10
Engine Performance Warehouse
23
23
PowerBore Cylinder Sleeves
38
38
American Cylinder Head, Inc.
21
21
ESCO Industries
16
16
PRW Industries
32
32
Apex Automobile Parts
37
37
Evans Cooling Systems
17
17
Quality Power Products
15
15
Atech Motorsports
36
36
Go Power Dynamometer Systems
20
20
Ross Racing Pistons
9
9
Bill Mitchell Products
35
35
GRP Connecting Rods
33
33
Rottler Manufacturing
Brad Penn Lubricants
4
4
Injector Experts
8
48
Dakota Parts Warehouse
30
30
Interstate-Mcbee
42
Darton International
4
12
King Electronics
DNJ Engine Components
1
1
Cover 2
Driven Racing Oil, LLC Engine Parts Group Engine Parts Warehouse
Cover 4
50
SB International
3
3
42
Scat Enterprises
7
7
11
11
T & D Machine Products
31
31
Liberty Engine Parts
5
5
Vibratech TVD
6
6
2
Los Angeles Sleeve
8
8
13
13
Mahle Motorsports
40
40
Cover 3
49
Mr Gasket Performance Group
22
22
EngineBuilderMag.com 45
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To Advertise in CLASSIFIEDS! Call Roberto Almenar at 330-670-1234, ext. 233 • ralmenar@babcox.com 46 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
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to run PER shop that builds 50 engines a day. Reports to President. Opportunity to become VP of Manufacturing with stock options. Pay based on qualifications and experience. References required. Send resume to: jlacroix@groomsengines.com EngineBuilderMag.com 47
Final Wrap
This Industry Gives Back
Special Recognition Given For Industry Leaders’ Generosity
S
ometimes this is a very easy column to write. This is one of those times. But just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it can’t also be tough. Let me explain. Better yet, let me let someone else explain. Just as this issue was going to the printer, I got an email from Paul Nelson, instructor and head cheerleader for the High Performance Engine Machinist Program at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji, MN. Frankly, I always wanted to yell “Stop The Presses!” and this was my chance. Nelson regularly arranges for a number of his students to attend various trade shows to talk to industry representatives, learn the latest techniques and see the newest products, which all supplement the shop environment education he gives at the college. He considers these real-life experiences to be very valuable to his students’ growth. “I wanted to let you know that I was at the Engine Builder Roundtable Seminar at the recent IMIS in Indianapolis and was excited to talk about education but had to leave
early because life issues got in the way,” said Paul. One of his students received a devastating call during the show that his younger brother, who had stopped to fix a tire on his way to high school that morning, had been hit by a truck and killed. “My student was in shock and I looked into getting him an airline ticket back so he wouldn’t have to drive home 18 hours thinking of nothing but his brother.” Delta offered a bereavement ticket for $320 but Nelson needed to find a quick way to pay for the ticket. He says he did the first thing he thought of – turn to the industry he loves. Soon, he says, it was hard to detemine whether he was breaking down about his student’s loss or his apprecation for the generosity in the industry. “I first talked to Bill McKnight from MAHLE Clevite and he said to count on him for a sizeable sum. I then mentioned the situation to Judy Neal from CWT and she immediately said ‘Here is my credit card – do what you have to do.’ Wow...talk about an amazing life lesson.”
Publisher Dave Wooldridge, ext. 214 dwooldridge@babcox.com
enginebuildermag.com 3550 Embassy Parkway Akron, OH 44333-8318 FAX 330-670-0874
330-670-1234
Associate Publisher/Editor Doug Kaufman, ext. 262 dkaufman@babcox.com Senior Executive Editor Brendan Baker, ext. 228 bbaker@babcox.com Graphic Designer Nichole Anderson, ext. 232 nanderson@babcox.com Tech Editor Larry Carley lcarley@babcox.com
48 December 2012 | EngineBuilder
Advertising Services Tina Purnell, ext. 243 tpurnell@babcox.com Director of Distribution Rich Zisk, ext. 287 rzisk@babcox.co Circulation Manager Pat Robinson, ext. 276 probinson@babcox.com Sr. Circulation Specialist Ellen Mays, ext. 275 emays@babcox.com
Sales Representatives Roberto Almenar ralmenar@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 233 David Benson dbenson@babcox.com 330-670-1234 ext. 210 Bobbie Adams badams@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 238 Sean Donohue sdonhue@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 206 Don Hemming dhemming@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 286
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/EDITOR ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/EDITOR Doug Kaufman Doug Kaufman dkaufman@babcox.com dkaufman@babcox.com
Paul says he was able to get his student the return ticket to leave with him and he heaps praise on Bill and Judy and Randy Neal for their kindness. And he realizes that others would have come to his student’s aid just as quickly. And from the low to the high, Paul says he was then able to get all of his students into AERA’s 90th Anniversary dinner where they had a chance to meet and talk with Robert Yates. “What a honor for them, this is a life changing event,” he says. “My student who just lost a brother got a call from his dad right then. His dad, who comes from a long line of motorheads, asked how he was doing. He was able to say he was doing okay and that he was having dinner an industry icon.” To go from the lowest point in a person’s life to the highest point in the same day is a life lesson in so many ways. Paul Nelson credits this industry for making it possible. As we wrap up 2012 and look forward to 2013, remember to celebrate those life events with the people – or the industry – you love. ■
Karen Kaim kkaim@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 295 Dean Martin dmartin@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 225 Jim Merle jmerle@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 280 Tom Staab tstaab@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext 224 Glenn Warner gwarner@babcox.com 330-670-1234, ext. 212 John Zick jzick@babcox.com 949-756-8835
Babcox Media Inc. Bill Babcox, President Greg Cira, Vice President, CFO Jeff Stankard, Vice President Beth Scheetz, Controller In Memorium: Edward S. Babcox (1885-1970) Founder of Babcox Publications Inc. Tom B. Babcox (1919-1995) Chairman
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