1-800-551-4754 Tech Tips
An Introduction to Sport Compact Cylinder Heads
By Aaron BonkIf the engine block is the muscle, then it’s safe to say that the cylinder head is the brains behind the operation. This isn’t to speculate that it’s the more important component of the modern-day internal combustion engine, but it’s arguably the more complex and misunderstood of the...
A Primer on Ignition Timing for your Classic Ford
By Bob WilsonThe Basics of Ignition Timing Before we get into the steps involved in setting your timing, we should cover the basics of timing and the internal combustion process. That’ll help us understand what we’re trying to accomplish.The timing we’ll be covering here is your ignition timing, or spark...
Mod Motor Throttle Body & Plenum Swap
By Travis ThompsonThe nice thing about intake upgrades is that they’re easy to do since the whole intake system is right there on top of the engine. Most enthusiasts start with a cold-air intake, or at least a K&N filter in the stock air box. When it’s time to get...
Sport Compact Exhaust Manifolds
By Aaron BonkBy the time the air and fuel mixture combusts and their waste product travels past the exhaust valves, the whole engine cycle is beginning to repeat itself once again. With this in mind, you might suspect the exhaust system is not really all that important, after all, it’s...
Steps for Adjusting Valves with Hydraulic Lifters
By Bob WilsonA. If your engine is not already disassembled, remove the valve covers.B. You will need a breaker bar or a large 1/2 drive ratchet and socket to rotate your engine by hand via the bolt on the front of the crankshaft. This is much easier if the spark...
Sport Compact Valvetrains
By Aaron BonkThe valves are airflow’s last obstacle on its trip into the combustion chamber and of course serve as yet another obstruction on its way out. The air enters the intake system through a filter, travels through the throttle body, into the intake manifold, into the cylinder head’s ports...
Sport Compact Camshafts
By Aaron BonkWebster’s Dictionary defines the word “cam” as a disk or cylinder having an irregular form such that its motion – usually rotary – gives a rocking or reciprocating motion to any contiguous part. In other words, when rotated, a cam will impart its irregular, out-of-round or eccentric shape...
Sport Compact Intake Manifolds and Throttle Bodies
By Aaron BonkWhile it’s the cylinder head itself that puts the introduced air to work within the engine, it’s the job of both the intake manifold and the throttle body to direct said airflow into the head as evenly dispersed as possible and to do so in a controlled fashion....
Muscle Car Handling Upgrades: Rear Suspension System
Since the focus here is on muscle cars, I only address rear suspension systems that use a solid-type rear axle. Even so, there are a lot of different types of systems. Unlike front suspensions, which basically fall into either SLA or MacPherson strut configurations (at least for our purposes), rear...
Camshafts Demystified
By Mike Petralia Camshaft Lobe Separation Angle MattersWhen finding the perfect cam for a street engine, Lobe Separation can help do the trick. Could you take two cams that are ground with EXACTLY the same lift and duration and still get one to make more power than the other? Of...
Perrin Short Ram Intake Subaru Installation
By Jeff Zurschmeide Here's the setup we're installing today. You need the air filter, MAF housing, silicone inlet pipe, mounting bracket and three hose clamps, including the two you're going to take off the stock setup. You can easily install a short ram air filter system in your garage with...
Installing a Subaru STI Top-Mount Intercooler
By Jeff ZurschmeideYou can easily install the upgraded STI top-mount intercooler in your garage using basic tools. This procedure was documented on a stock 2004 WRX. Follow these steps: 1. Disconnect your battery and make sure you have all the necessary tools. You need a flat bladed screwdriver, a 10mm...
Basic Brake Job
By Jeff ZurschmeideWhen it’s time to freshen up your brakes, you can do the job in your own garage with two people in just a couple of hours. This job was done on a 1999 2.5RS. Because this is a competition car, we were limited to a set of good...
Dyno Test: 1996 Talon 3-inch Exhaust
By Travis ThompsonI recently got the itch to start modifying my Talon, but was disappointed with how little dyno-test data was out there. There are plenty of highly modified DSM cars out there, and their owners are happy to tell you what their cars run in the quarter mile and...
Installing an MSD 6AL Ignition Box
By Bob WilsonThe test mule in this case is a 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, affectionately dubbed Ol’ Paint (for lack thereof). Recently installed in the engine bay is a major update to the factory 351 Windsor two-barrel engine. The engine now is a bored and stroked version of the 351...
Tire Tech: Load Index and Speed Rating Charts
Load Index Load Index Pounds Kilograms 71 761 345 72 783 355 73 805 365 74 827 375 75 853 387 76 882 400 77 908 412 78 937 425 79 963 437 80 992 450 81 1019 462 82 1047 475 83 1074 487 84 1102 500 85 1135...
Expert Interview: Buying a Garage
by Jeffrey Zurschmeide Mark Scholz is a realtor specializing in finding “garages with attached homes” for automotive enthusiasts. He runs Portland Homes for Cars (www.portlandhomesforcars.com). He offered a few insights into the business end of automotive workshops. Interview conducted by Jeff Zurschmeide, author of How to Design, Build & Equip...
Automotive Bodywork: Metal Finishing Guide
Metal finishing is the critical step in preparing metal for painting. It occurs between the bumping stage, where metal is hammered, pried, pushed, or pulled into shape, and the filling stage, where very small defects in metal finished surfaces are filled, just before panels are painted. By its nature, metal...
BMW E30 Engine Swaps
by Robert Bowen (Taken from BMW 3-Series (E30) Performance Guide 1982-1994 by Robert Bowen) The M10 and M20 engines are designed around some old technology and the M42 engine is hampered by a small displacement. Turbocharging is not a valid option in some states (such as California). That leaves one option...
