In Depth Deck Discussion

I’ve found another use for a deck height bridge. When replacing seats on race cylinder heads, especially Big Block Chevys, I use a deck bridge with an indicator extension to first check where the valve was and should be. Then, when machining the seats, it’s an easy way to get all the valves to the same depth from the gasket surface. This can be very important for piston to valve clearance and equalizing chambers.

It worked for me.

Randy Torvinen

Torvinen’s Machine

Menahga, MN

A Business Without A Sign Is A Sign Of No Business

The U.S. Census reports 18% of households relocate every year, meaning new potential customers pass your building every day. A one-time investment in a well-designed sign will pay for itself very quickly. Signs are cheap to produce and if they are mounted on your property or hang on your vehicle there is no monthly advertising cost, and they work 24-7.

Three signs to consider: 1) STREET signs should be large enough to be seen from all directions and include just enough information to let drivers know the nature of the business. Include your company name, type of business and phone number.

2) BUILDING signs can include more information because the reader is generally stationary. These signs should include your company services and other contact information like your web address.

3) VEHICLE are rolling billboards and are a great form of advertising. At the very least your company vehicles should display removable magnetic signs listing your company name and phone number. More aggressive marketers will paint a permanent message, or wrap the entire vehicle in advertising.

Don’t miss out on maximizing your advertising potential by not utilizing this cheap form of marketing. Signs are a great advertising value.

Steve Rich

Sterling Bearing, Inc.

Kansas City, MO

Saving The Old Parts Will Save You Money

Many times a customer sends a head in with spark plugs in it, a temp sender or an exhaust gasket still attached. No matter what is on the head or block when it comes in, save it. From time to time, our customer will come back looking for his old plugs or gasket to re-use. We end up buying him new ones since we threw it out. No matter how bad the part is, let him or her make the decision to throw it out.

Jeffrey Myers

MAR Automotive, INC

Philadelphia, PA

Too Tight Tensioner Torque

We have found that failures on 4.0L Ford SOHC secondary timing tensioners may be due to over torquing the tensioner at the time of installation and failure to replace the volume reduction plug. We compared the revised instructions included with the OEM Ford tensioner (32 lb.-ft.) and the instructions given by other industry sources (49 lb.-ft.).

From now on, we will include the installation instructions from Ford with our parts.

DNJ Engine Components

Chatsworth, CA

Main Bearing Rapture For The Raptor

Here are some bits of info on the new Ford 5.8L modular engine. It seems Clevite, nor any other bearing manufacturer, have a listing for the main bearings for this engine. Here is a helping hand. Order part number MS2202H quantity of 2. From the second set of main bearings, use the lower halves of position 2, 3, or 4 to replace the halves bearings in the first set that do not have a receiver notch provision in the block. This is a quick fix for those who want to build this engine and/or want the aftermarket Clevite bearing for extreme boosted applications. I have contacted Clevite to investigate the findings to confirm, but it worked for my customer.

Roy A. Maloney

Engine & Performance Warehouse

Denver, CO

Spark Plug Plugs

Most popular engines have 14 MM and 18 MM spark plugs. The paper cup type from engine equipment suppliers, or tape, will pop out when the engine is turned over. I discovered an economical way to plug the spark plug holes. 1/4 pipe loosely threads into 14 MM spark plug holes. 3/8 pipe fits about the same way into 18MM spark plug holes.

Our hardware store has plastic NYL 3/8 pipe by 3/8 barb fittings with a 3/4 OD hex and 1/4 pipe with 3/8 barb and a hex, just like brass universal fuel fitting. Only the plastic ones are only 59-69 cents a piece. When snugged down with a thin 6-point socket, the plastic hex locks down against the head, and the plastic fitting will stay put.

To cap the 3/8 flare I use a 1.5 inch piece of 3/8 ID cheap clear vinyl hose. I cut a small piece of new red scotch bright, fold it and stick it flush, or slightly below, in the top 1/2 inch of the cut off hose. Push the open end of the hose over the first barb. Now the spark plug holes are protected, and you can turn the engine over freely and not have the caps pop off.

Another plus is, if storing for long periods, light oil can be applied onto the scotch bright to wick down into the cylinders. Or just remove the hose caps and put a few drops into the barb’s opening.

Animal Jim Feurer

Animal Jim Racing

Lacon, IL.

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Filters/Airflow AIRAID Filter Company offers a complete line of premium performance filters, cold air intake systems, modular intake tubes computer designed for maximum air flow producing additional horsepower, torque and improved performance.

The complete AIRAID product line is available at Motor State Distributing for immediate shipment. www.motorstate.com.

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The all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 is the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of a few production cars available in the United States that delivers more than 600 horsepower.

The Z06’s LT4 supercharged 6.2L V8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm.

“The LT4 Small Block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM,” said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. “The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving.”

Compared with other supercar engines, the LT4 is a veritable fountain of low-end torque, producing 457 lb-ft (619 Nm) just off idle and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) by only 2,800 rpm.

The V-12-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, for example, produces about 28% less torque than the Z06, despite offering about 12% more horsepower – and its peak torque isn’t achieved until 6,000 rpm. The LT4 maintains 90 percent of its peak torque, or 592 lb-ft (802 Nm), from 2,500 to 5,400 rpm.

The new LT4 engine eclipses the Porsche 911 Turbo S engine’s peak power levels by 90 horsepower (67 kW) and 134 lb-ft of torque (182 Nm).

“Torque is the pulling power of an engine and the LT4’s abundance of it at every rpm in the engine’s speed range helps the 2015 Corvette Z06 accelerate quicker and respond nearly instantaneously,” said Jordan Lee, chief engineer for Small Block engines. “It’s the very definition of power on demand.”

The new Z06 engine produces 40 percent more peak torque (180 lb-ft / 244 Nm) than the previous-generation’s 7.0L LS7 engine – and 7.5 percent more than the supercharged 2013 Corvette ZR1’s 604 lb-ft (819 Nm). At 3,200 rpm, the new LT4 surpasses the LS7 by 208 lb-ft of torque (252 Nm). On the horsepower side of the graph, the LT4’s 650-hp rating is 29 percent greater than the LS7’s 505 horsepower (376 kW), and 12 horses more than the ZR1’s LS9 engine.

“The new LT4 engine builds on the design strengths of our previous supercharged engine and leverages the technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray – direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing – to take Corvette performance to an all-new plateau,” said Lee. “Our new, very compact supercharger also helps the engine make power more quickly, and perhaps more importantly, it helps produce more torque earlier in the rpm band.”

“It’s also worth mentioning that the LT4’s supercar performance numbers are achieved with an engine that is nearly the same size as the very compact LT1 engine introduced in the 2014 Corvette Stingray,” Lee said. “The power density of the LT4 makes it one of the smallest and lightest 650-hp engines in the industry.”

LT4 details
The new LT4 engine is based on the same Gen 5 small block foundation as the Corvette Stingray’s LT1 6.2L naturally aspirated engine, incorporating several unique features designed to support its higher output and the greater cylinder pressures created by forced induction, including:

Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads that are stronger and handle heat better than conventional aluminum heads
Lightweight titanium intake valves
Machined, forged powder metal steel connecting rods for reduced reciprocating mass
High 10.0:1 compression ratio – for a forced-induction engine – enhances performance and efficiency and is enabled by direct injection
Forged aluminum pistons with unique, stronger structure to ensure strength under high cylinder pressures
Stainless steel exhaust manifolds and an aluminum balancer that are lighter than their LT1 counterparts
Standard dry-sump oiling system with a dual-pressure-control oil pump.
A new 1.7L supercharger spins at up to 20,000 rpm – 5,000 rpm more than the supercharger on the Corvette ZR1’s engine. The rotors are smaller in diameter, which contributes to their higher-rpm capability – and enables them to produce power-enhancing boost earlier in the rpm band. That boost is achieved more efficiently via a more direct discharge port that creates less turbulence, reducing heat and speeding airflow into the engine.

“The Small Block’s cam-in-block design heritage has always enabled very high performance and responsiveness in a small, compact package – an attribute amplified by the performance of our new supercharger’s design,” said Lee.

The LT4 is assembled at the new Performance Build Center at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly Plant and at GM’s Tonawanda engine plant in New York. It is matched with a standard seven-speed manual transmission or an all-new, paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission built in Toledo, Ohio.

Designed to deliver shift responses on par with the world’s best dual-clutch transmissions, it is the first automatic offered in a Z06. It also makes the Z06 one of the few cars this powerful to offer the choice of a conventional manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.

The 2015 Corvette Z06 goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2014.

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The much-anticipated HEMI Hellcat engine is Dodge and SRT’s first application of V8 supercharger technology, delivering an amazing 600-plus horsepower.

This supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 Hellcat engine is the most powerful V8 engine ever produced by the Chrysler Group.

According to Chrysler, its breakthrough supercharged engine features a forged-steel crankshaft with induction-hardened bearing surfaces. The result is a crank so well-engineered it can withstand firing pressures of 110 bar (1,595 psi) – the equivalent of five family sedans standing on each piston, every two revolutions. And its unique, specially tuned crank damper has been tested to 13,000 rpm.

High-strength, forged-alloy pistons – developed using advanced telemetry measurement – are coupled to powder-forged connecting rods with high-load-capacity bushings and diamond-like-carbon-coated piston pins.

The supercharged 6.2L HEMI has premium-grade, heat-treated aluminum-alloy cylinder heads that are optimized for superior thermal conductivity. And its die-cast aluminum rocker covers are painted HEMI Orange.

In May, the newly consolidated Dodge and SRT brands announced that they planned to launch a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT with the Hellcat engine under the hood. Production is set for third quarter of this year.

“The new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is the ultimate performance muscle car,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO – Dodge Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “Dodge is the Mainstream Performance brand, and now combined with SRT, we are able to unleash a true GT car with an all-new driver-focused interior and the TorqueFlite eight-speed transmission combined with the most powerful V-8 Chrysler has ever produced. The Challenger Hellcat has been released!”

The new Hellcat engine has already been extensively tested by the Dodge engineering team, logging over two million hours on the dyno and a series of 24 hour track endurance tests. While the Chrysler Group contends the engine will deliver 600-plus hp, many industry analysts are predicting an output in excess of 650 hp.

According to its engine designers, the blower used on the Hellcat is rated at 2,380 cc per rev, and spins at 14,600 rpm. The twin screw rotors have a special coating to reduce corrosion and to be conducive to higher tolerances and temperatures. Air enters through a port near the driver’s side marker light and is redirected through an 8-liter air box before reaching the blower. Two air to water intercoolers, mounted on the supercharger housing, offer supplemental cooling.

An integrated electronic bypass valve regulates air boost, and a massive 92-mm throttle body controls the power. Fuel delivery is managed by half-inch fuel lines and 600 cc/min fuel injectors.

The Hellcat engine also uses a high-tech lubrication system employing a high-flow gerotor pump, oil-to-air heat exchanger and piston cooling jets.

In addition to the supercharged HEMI V8 in the Challenger SRT Hellcat, the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT model also will get a power boost with upgrades to the 392 HEMI V8 engine. Horsepower on the updated 392 HEMI climbs to 485 from 470, while peak torque jumps to 475 lb.-ft. from 470 lb.-ft.

Driven by the five SRT performance hallmarks, the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT and Challenger SRT with the Hellcat engine are re-designed and totally re-engineered to be the most true-to-form muscle coupes on the market with performance-enhancing technologies inside and out.

Unlocking the Power
For the first time in Chrysler Group history, the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT with a Hellcat engine will come standard with two key fobs – red and black. The red key fob is the only key that can unlock the full horsepower and torque potential of the Challenger SRT Hellcat engine; while the black key fob limits the driver to a reduced engine output.

When Valet Mode is activated, the following vehicle configurations are enabled:
• Engine is remapped to significantly reduce horsepower and torque; limited to 4,000 rpm
• Transmission locks out access to first gear and upshifts earlier than normal
• Transmission will treat the manual shifter position the same as the drive position
• Traction, steering and suspension are set to their “Street” settings
• Steering-wheel paddle shifters are disabled
• Drive Mode functions are disabled
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is enabled to Full-on
• Launch Control is disabled

The driver can activate and deactivate Valet Mode with a four-digit PIN code they create.

Source: Chrysler Group

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