Category Archives: Engines

Project Ultimate Stroker: Squeezing 427 Inches into a Small Block Chevy

Part Four in the series is now up! Big inch small blocks used to be a pain–but no more. We’re building a 427 inch small block using only off-the-shelf parts that will make big power, run all day on pump gas and be a great fit in practically any street car.

New Ring Squaring Tool Makes Engine Assembly with Low Tension Rings More Accurate

Unlike other ring squaring tools (left), RTS Tooling’s invention (right) actually goes below the ring and helps support it while you measure end gap. It can also save you money because it can cover a wide-range of cylinder bores so you normally need to purchase only one tool instead of an entire set. If you…

How to Measure the Chamber Volume of Your Cylinder Heads

Being able to check volumes is critical for anyone building engines. You can calculate your engine’s compression ratio based on what you think the combustion chamber volume in your cylinder heads might be, and what the catalog says the volume of the valve pockets in your pistons should be–but you are really just hoping unless…

Secrets to Dialing in a Mopar Valvetrain

Like most Mopar engines, this 340 LA-series small block utilizes a shaft-mounted rocker system that provides superior stability but requires a few extra precautions during installation to make sure the geometry is correct. There is no doubt that the stud-mounted rocker systems that are commonplace in small block Fords and Chevys are simpler and…

Fixing an Exhaust Leak in Our Project Camaro

Say hello to the Horsepower Monster’s new project Camaro. The car was an Ebay victory for a mere $2,200, and there’s a reason why it came so cheap. We’ve got a pretty cool engine for this Camaro in the works, but the exhaust leak was just too annoying to ignore until then.

An Up-Close Look at Holley’s New Throttle Body for NASCAR Sprint Cup Engines

Two of the top engine builders in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series pull back the curtain on their new fuel injected race engines and how Holley helps make them possible.

Part Three in the series is now up! We’re building a classic 426 Hemi, an engine that was so revered it was nicknamed “The Elephant.” The results: 516 lb/ft of torque and 550 horsepower–all on pump gas. Updated with the final video including dyno testing!

Cam designers exert a lot of research and brainpower developing the absolute best cam lobes that open and close the valves at the perfect time to maximize power. Unfortunately, for a traditional cam-in-block engine, like most American V8’s, the camshaft doesn’t directly activate the valves. There are plenty of other components involved and several ways…

New Invention is a Better Way to Assemble Pistons and Rods

I don’t know about you, but one of the tasks I dislike most about engine building (just behind filing rings) is installing spiral locks. The Lock-In-Tool is a new invention created by a longtime engine building friend that makes the chore of assembling pistons on rods a lot easier. Here’s how to use it so…

Install a Sprint Cup Timing System on Your Ford

When the Ford FR9 engine developed for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing by Roush Yates Engines came on line, it instantly made a whole lot of very guarded engine technology for the Windsor engine out of date–at least for the Cup guys. But the rest of us normal folks still building and working with the…

Category Archives: Engines

Project Ultimate Stroker: Squeezing 427 Inches into a Small Block Chevy

New Ring Squaring Tool Makes Engine Assembly with Low Tension Rings More Accurate

How to Measure the Chamber Volume of Your Cylinder Heads

Secrets to Dialing in a Mopar Valvetrain

Fixing an Exhaust Leak in Our Project Camaro

An Up-Close Look at Holley’s New Throttle Body for NASCAR Sprint Cup Engines

Reviving the Elephant

How to Degree Your Camshaft

New Invention is a Better Way to Assemble Pistons and Rods

Install a Sprint Cup Timing System on Your Ford

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