Engine Tuning & Chassis Upgrades
When car manufacturers come out with a new engine design, some car enthusiasts eye the new technology from a perspective of how to squeeze more performance out of it. The smaller displacement engines that are turbocharged or supercharged tend to be the most likely chosen because of their power-to-weight ratio. When Saab introduced a turbocharged
Getting a Fix on Piston Diagnosis and Inspection
Piston failures in late-model engines are relatively uncommon thanks to computerized engine controls that keep a close watch on the air/fuel mixture, and knock sensors that back off spark timing advance if detonation is detected. Pistons are also lasting longer because many engines now come factory-equipped with stronger hypereutectic alloy pistons that can withstand higher
Hot Tips From Hot Rod Builders
Sometimes the best opportunities are cleverly hidden in plain view. As one example, when Chris Lafferty of Lafferty Engine Creations was asked why he opted to expand beyond race engines into the hot rod and muscle car arenas, he snorted, “Just look outside.” His North Carolina facility sits squarely in the middle of both NASCAR
BMW Engine Repairs
Though six-cylinder, inline engines are not as popular today as they were just 25 years ago, their sound and layout still translates well into high performance, durability and smoothness. The six-cylinder M50 series was originally used in 5 series cars in the early 1990s, and is now the basis for the 3 and 5 series
Tech Talk: Get Your Bearings
Have you ever heard the phrase “old wives’ tales”? My father used it all the time whenever something didn’t seem to make sense to him for the moment. For instance, most everyone knows these: “Don’t cross your eyes or they’ll stay that way” and “feed a cold, starve a fever.” Like I said, they’re “old
Servicing Solutions: In the Clutch…Servicing Dual-Mass Flywheels
A dual-mass flywheel is essentially two flywheels in one that provides some spring cushioning to dampen torsional crankshaft vibrations and shock loading when the clutch is engaged. Think of it as a flywheel with some “give.” The two-piece assembly has a front “primary” flywheel and a rear “secondary” flywheel. The primary flywheel bolts to the
Advances in Piston Ring Technology
Piston rings have one of the toughest jobs inside an engine. They’re slammed up and down between the ring lands thousands of times a minute, they’re subjected to searing temperatures and extreme pressures, and they’re constantly scraping back and forth against the cylinder walls. In spite of all of this, the rings are expected to
Vehicle Mileage Maintenance
A mere 0.7 of a mile does not sound like much, it is about 3,700 feet, or less than one-third the distance around Daytona International Speedway. On average, the U.S. population of vehicles will get 20 miles per gallon (including light trucks and passenger vehicles). A 0.7 of a mile improvement represents only a 3.5
Internal Engine Repairs: Begin with Diagnosing Engine Failure Culprits
Saab engine technology has evolved through the years, but the same basic design of the original B202 engine is still used in today’s Saabs. When the 16-valve 2.0L engine (B202) was developed in 1984, I was one of 10 people chosen from the East Coast area by Saab in the United States to attend a