Engine Builder Magazine

16/01/2025

Surface finish, when manipulated, can improve either the performance or the longevity of the engine, not just the surface itself. Conversely, a surface finish can prove wrong for the application and cause problems as well.

The next time you go to hone a cylinder wall or create a surface finish on a component, make sure it meets the needs of your application.

15/01/2025

Matt Miller's and Miller Engines’ latest diesel build boasts compound turbochargers and lots of nitrous, making this LBZ Duramax and its 2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD a drag racing stand out. It's also our Diesel of the Week sponsored by AMSOIL INC.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/01/compound-turbo-lbz-duramax-engine/

14/01/2025

At Drag Week 2024, Chris Lyons’ 1987 Buick Grand National caught our attention because rather than an LS swap or a big block Chevy engine, he stayed true to the car itself with an awesome turbocharged V6 Buick engine. It's our Engine of the Week sponsored by PennGrade 1 High Performance Oil and Elring - Das Original.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/01/turbocharged-v6-buick-engine/

13/01/2025

Shop Solutions: Make it Taller

Frustrated with my dowel pin puller not always working to remove the stubborn deck pins, I will put a few tack welds on an old rocker stud placed on top of the dowel pin. Anything would work, though a length of all thread might be best. Then, I take a socket, or once they are long enough, I’ll use a wrist pin with a washer and a nut and just jack them right out.

Big Don, Big Don’s Racing Engines in Point, TX
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Engine Builder and Engine Pro present Shop Solutions 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 prepaid $100 Visa gift card.

Submit your Shop Solution at [email protected]. You must include your name, shop name, shop address, and shop telephone number. Submitted Shop Solutions not published will be kept on file and reevaluated for each month’s new entries.

10/01/2025

On our way to Louisville, KY last year, we had the opportunity to check out Competition Automotive Machine in Brandenburg. Shop owner Jason Lancaster shows us around... just wait until you see what happened in the dyno room!
Shop Takeovers are sponsored by Driven Racing Oil – No shortcuts. No substitutes. No Compromises. Great Racers and Engine Builders Choose Driven Racing Oil. Visit https://www.drivenracingoil.com/ for more info.

08/01/2025

As emissions continue to be a factor in the world of diesel trucks and engines, Cold Front Diesel decided to do something about it. The Rapid City, MI-based shop set out to build an emissions-intact LML Duramax engine that still delivered the performance everyone craves from a diesel. The result was record-breaking, and its our Diesel of the Week, sponsored by AMSOIL INC.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/01/record-breaking-emissions-intact-lml-duramax-engine/

Cold Front Diesel set out to build an emissions-intact LML Duramax engine that still delivered the performance everyone craves from a diesel.

07/01/2025

We ran into Graham Hayes and his '66 Nova at Drag Week 2024. He wasn't there with a typical 540 turbo combo, but rather a 706 cid big block Chevy nitrous engine built by Gene Fulton. Get the details of this large cubic inch build in our first Engine of the Week of 2025 sponsored by PennGrade 1 High Performance Oil and Elring - Das Original.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/01/706-cid-big-block-chevy-nitrous-engine/

03/01/2025

On a recent trip to Kentucky, we stopped by Naive Racing Engines to see what this shop had going on. In business since the 1990s, Naive Racing Engines is a bit old school, but does a plethora of engine work for being a two-man shop.
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Check it out in this Shop Takeover brought to you by Driven Racing Oil – No shortcuts. No substitutes. No Compromises. Great Racers and Engine Builders Choose Driven Racing Oil. Visit https://www.drivenracingoil.com/ for more info.
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01/01/2025

Ring in the new year with a new Diesel of the Week sponsored by AMSOIL INC. It's this 1,000+ horsepower LML Duramax engine build done by Cranked diesel performance for a farming customer. The LML showcases the shop’s precision engineering and collaborative diesel performance capabilities. Read about it here: https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2024/12/1000-hp-lml-duramax-engine/

This Cranked Diesel Performance LML Duramax diesel engine is built for farming and showcases the shop’s engineering and diesel performance capabilities.

31/12/2024

At Hot Rod Drag Week 2024, Kyle Morris of Steve Morris Engines knew of a competitor and a car we would enjoy seeing, and he didn't disappoint us! Check out David Morahan's 1968 Camaro that boasts a twin-Whipple supercharged big block Chevy engine, which Kyle tunes. It's our Engine of the Week sponsored by Elring - Das Original, PennGrade 1 High Performance Oil and National Performance Warehouse. https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2024/12/twin-whipple-supercharged-572-cid-big-block-chevy-engine/

27/12/2024

EB Takeover: Endurance Engines Are the Name of the Game at HorsePower Research
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We have known Erik Koenig of HorsePower Research for a number of years for his work on LS engines. We had the chance to tour his McKinney, TX-based shop this year, and we were treated to a tour of the engine and machine shop that specializes in LS work for endurance applications.
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This Shop Takeover is brought to you by Driven Racing Oil – No shortcuts. No substitutes. No Compromises. Great Racers and Engine Builders Choose Driven Racing Oil. Visit https://www.drivenracingoil.com/ for more info.
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26/12/2024

The upcoming ILSAC GF-7 engine oil specification represents a significant advancement in meeting modern engine performance demands and stringent EPA fuel economy and emissions standards. This Q&A from the American Petroleum Institute explores the critical objectives of GF-7, the technical improvements it brings, and what consumers and the automotive industry can expect as this new standard approaches its 2025 implementation date.

This Q&A from the American Petroleum Institute explores the critical objectives of GF-7.

25/12/2024

In a pinch, Steve Burton of New Performance Automotive had to get customer Mike Peabody and his Struck by Lightning pulling truck back to the track, so he built this 2.6 Smoothbore mechanical 5.9L Cummins engine using a 6.7L block. Check it out in this Christmas Day Diesel of the Week sponsored by AMSOIL INC.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2024/12/2-6-smoothbore-mechanical-5-9l-cummins-engine/

25/12/2024

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas! What car or engine related gifts did you get this year?

24/12/2024

Viper purists might not approve, but any drag race fans will love Ned Dunphy's 2013 Dodge Viper, which boasts a twin-turbo 572 cid SMX engine built by Steve Morris Engines and tuned and upgraded by Pro Line Racing. With more than 4,000 horsepower, Ned wants to set records in drag-and-drive competition, and its only a matter of time before he achieves those goals. Open an early Christmas gift and check out the latest Engine of the Week brought to you by Elring - Das Original, PennGrade 1 High Performance Oil and National Performance Warehouse!
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2024/12/4000-hp-twin-turbo-572-cid-smx-engine/

23/12/2024

Shop Solutions: Blending Cylinder Sleeves

In order to blend the bottom of a cylinder repair sleeve to the step, I have found it best to indicate the boring bar on the lower portion of the old cylinder that is left from leaving a bottom step. After installing the sleeve, the ID needs to be bored and honed to size. By indicating the machine to the bottom portion, rather than the sleeve ID, this will blend the sleeve to the old cylinder perfectly.

Nick Jones, Automotive Machine in Fraser, MI
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Engine Builder and Engine Pro present Shop Solutions 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 prepaid $100 Visa gift card.

Submit your Shop Solution at [email protected]. You must include your name, shop name, shop address, and shop telephone number. Submitted Shop Solutions not published will be kept on file and reevaluated for each month’s new entries.

20/12/2024

The folks at Fleece Performance Engineering and Freedom Racing Engines have turned humble beginnings into an absolute monster of an operation. The shop does a ton of work on a number of diesel platforms as well as parts production, but we visited Pittsboro, IN to speak with John Benshoof about the shop's new Cummins stock-replacement crate engine program, specifically the 6.7L Street Cummins and the 6.7L Street HD Cummins.
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See what goes into each of these two excellent builds, and what you get for the two different budgets. Mild vs. Wild is sponsored by AMSOIL INC.
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19/12/2024

Engine sleeves have saved many an old cast iron block, and with the popularity of aluminum blocks today, sleeves are used for anything from a factory application to a routine repair or a performance upgrade.

Proper installation may be the most critical factor regarding sleeves, and it’s important to sleeve manufacturers to help engine builders achieve a proper installation.

Proper installation is the most critical factor regarding sleeves, and it’s important to sleeve manufacturers to help engine builders achieve it properly.