In today’s high tech world of computerized everything, it can be a challenge for even some seasoned engine builders and tuners to get the hang of punching buttons on a keyboard in exchange for twisting a screwdriver.

While nothing about actually tuning the engines has changed much in the past 100 years or so, our ability to measure, monitor and implement changes to the engine’s tune up have greatly improved.

Since most engine builders out there have come into contact with electronic fuel injection (EFI) by now and quite a few have already experienced some kind of tuning on these systems for high performance engines, we thought it might be a good time to offer a few helpful hints to make getting to the next level of overall quality just a bit easier. Here are four helpful hints for dealing with scenarios that commonly rear their ugly heads during tuning an EFI system.

1. Tuning For Economy on the Dyno

With the ever increasing fuel prices, and no sign of dropping in sight, more and more people are talking about re-tuning their engines to get better economy.

One of the major benefits to an EFI system is the ability to have good engine running characteristics in a variety of categories, all at the same time. When the engine is at full power, the calibration can be set to give good performance and reliability, and when cruise situations are entered, the “economy” part of the tune can take over, providing great gas mileage.

While tuning on a dynamometer is an invaluable process for gaining maximum power from an engine, many builders think that is the end of its usefulness. In fact, the best way to gain great fuel economy is also done on the dyno!

At EFI University, we frequently get asked questions like “what is the best A/F ratio for my engine?”

The answer to that question is extremely complicated because of all the factors involved, such as: “What exactly are you trying to accomplish?”

This is important because the right A/F ratio depends on whether you are looking for power, economy or emissions. What is correct for one application will not be right for another.

When it comes to economy, it is important to recognize the fact that when the engine is operated in the range of speeds and loads where economy is important, the engine will not produce enough heat to damage any components, so a much leaner mixture can be used than when under full power. In fact, even leaner than Stoichiometric is desirable in this circumstance!

The question becomes then…”How lean is too lean?”

If you can’t do any real damage to the engine from leaning it out, then why not simply go as lean as you possibly can without getting any misfires?

Part of the answer lies in the fact that you need a certain amount of power to keep your vehicle moving. Typically, there is a large range of A/F ratios that will produce reasonably close to the same power output of the engine, so choosing one to make power is pretty easy. Once you go outside this window, (either too lean or too rich) the power drops significantly.

However, when this happens, the engine may no longer make enough power to sustain the vehicle speed in that same cell location on the fuel map.

2. Tuning Ignition Timing Tables

Whether you are tuning an engine on an engine dyno or a chassis dyno, you should always make sure that it gets tuned to the proper amount of ignition timing.

The best way to do this is to use a steady state holding pattern on the dyno and hold the engine to a specific RPM. Then load the engine to whatever site you wish to tune and record the instantaneous power readings.

While tuning on a dynamometer is an invaluable process for gaining maximum power from an engine, many builders think that is the end of its usefulness. In fact, the best way to gain great fuel economy is also done on the dyno!

When you make a change to add or subtract ignition timing, you will normally see a corresponding change in power output.

Using an onboard or aftermarket knock sensor to check for detonation is the easiest way to find the maximum allowable ignition advance. However, if you do not have access to one, here is another way to get pretty close.

Advance the timing until maximum power is reached and begins to fall off when more timing is added. From there, back off the ignition advance one or two degrees and set it there.

Once you have made a few hard pulls on the engine at this setting, shut it off and remove the spark plugs. Inspect them for obvious signs of detonation or erosion. Pay careful attention to the J-shaped ground strap. You will notice that somewhere on the strap it begins to change color.

Ideally, when the proper timing is set, there will be enough heat in the combustion chamber to make the color change at about the center of the strap. If it changes more out towards the end of the strap, then there is not enough heat, and more advance is needed. Conversely, if the color change is near the bottom where the strap joins the plug, then take some ignition advance out in order to start the burn later and transfer more heat out the exhaust!

3. Using Ignition Timing to Stabilize Idle

When tuning a small displacement engine with very large injectors, you may have trouble establishing a good solid idle.

This can also happen with engines using large duration camshafts with considerable overlap period where the inlet manifold signal strength is erratic and hard to pin down an exact reading. When you run into a situation like this, there are a few things that can make life just a little bit easier.

First, always make sure that your ECU is getting full battery voltage, if not more from the alternator. The ECU will have a much harder time staying consistent if the supply voltage is not up to par. The injector battery voltage offset can also be inconsistent and this makes properly supplying fuel to the engine difficult at best.

Second, use a little more ignition advance at idle than normal to help the engine produce slightly more torque and keep itself running a little better. When the timing values are very low or close to TDC at idle the engine can be a little lazy and this causes a kind of “rolling” idle condition, especially when coupled with a lightweight flywheel with low inertia.

Lastly, when tuning for idle quality using either a stepper motor or an Idle Air Control valve a common mistake is for tuners to either forget to check or to set the throttle stop incorrectly.

If the throttle opening is too large the idle quality will suffer because in order to achieve a particular target idle speed the valve will have a lot of range to open up and increase airflow, but not a lot of ability to close off the air supply and slow down the engine because so much air is already getting past the throttle itself. I like to try and maintain a steady idle at my target speed and have the idle control valve working at about 25-30% of its capability when the engine is fully warmed up. You can play around a little and see what works best for your engine, but typically values under about 10% valve capacity won’t leave enough room to solve an idle overshoot problem.

4. Tuning Forced Induction Engines

Tuning a forced induction engine on a dyno can be a daunting task. Trying to tune an engine that will make lots of boost and a ton of power can be even more challenging. These engines tend to make so much power when they come on to the boost that they often will rip right through the RPM ranges you are trying to tune. This can be very frustrating to a novice tuner.

One thing you can do to help out, is to disconnect the tubes that lead from the turbocharger to the intake manifold. This will prevent any boost from reaching the engine, so that you can tune it as you would a naturally aspirated engine. Just operate the dyno so that it will hold you at a constant engine speed while you adjust the load with movement of the throttle and tune all the sites as best you can.

Once you have tuned all the sites for wide-open throttle in a naturally aspirated form, you can connect the boost tubes again and begin tuning the boost sites. If you have an adjustable waste-gate or boost regulator, turn it down as low as it will go and tune the lower boost sites first and gradually work your way up. If your turbocharger has the ability to use a compressor speed sensor you can pay attention to the speeds reached during the run to make sure you are not exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended maximums. This is rare, but it could happen and it’s worth taking a look to avoid premature turbocharger failure.

When done properly, the shape of the fuel curve under boost should closely match that of the engine while naturally aspirated. It will simply use more fuel, or higher numbers in the map. The reason for this is because the engine’s volumetric efficiency for any given engine speed is determined by the combination of cylinder head, camshaft, displacement, etc.

Some ECUs use different values to represent fuel quantities in their base fuel tables, so always be sure to follow the recommended procedure for your particular system but as a general rule of thumb, the more intake pressure you run the more fuel the engine will consume so the larger the numbers in your fuel tables will need to be. ###

As the founder and senior instructor of EFI University, Lake Havasu City, AZ, Ben Strader manages the quality and flow of information that is taught in the EFI-101 and EFI Advanced classes. He is a specialist in the theory and operation of the internal combustion engine and its related systems including electronic engine management. Ben has more than 18 years of experience tuning and troubleshooting EFI systems, and has published a book “How to Build and Tune Custom EFI Systems” for CarTech.

EFI University has various hands-on opportunities to learn the ropes of tuning engines using electronic fuel injection, as well as some advanced level classes for better understanding the engine blueprinting process and turbocharging concepts. For more information, visit the website at www.efi101.com.

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The list of reclaimed bare engine blocks on the Kenmonth Engine Company website (www.danamotorssac.com) is enough to warm the heart of any vintage vehicle collector. There’s an AMC 401-cid big-block for $800, five 1959 thru 1966 Buick “Nailheads” for $450 each, a 390 for a tail-finned ‘59 Caddy for $450, a 216-cid Chevy “Stovebolt 6” with applications as far back as 1942, a 218/230 Chrysler flathead six that would fit right in a Chrysler Town & Country, and a hot rod classic 1948-1953 Ford flathead V8 will set you back $500.

D.K. Kenmonth says that all blocks listed are cleaned, magnafluxed and inspected. “They are guaranteed to a maximum .040 to .060 bore to available pistons,” he told Engine Builder magazine at the SEMA Show. “It’s our no hassles program: no core charge, no wasting time in wrecking yards, no chargebacks to your customer when his Internet-sourced core junks out.”

Kenmonth’s company has been providing professional automotive machine services for over 50 years. He says that he can even find collectors engines he doesn’t have listed and can sometimes supply “matching-numbers” engines for $200 above regular prices. If you have a car like a Corvette or Mustang where matching numbers increase the vehicle’s value, $200 is a song.

Kenmonth was at the November SEMA Show with a bunch of engine parts in cool-looking old-fashioned boxes. He has been collecting obsolete engine parts for as long as he can remember. He says that it took him decades to accumulate those boxes and the NOS (new old stock) and NORS (new old replacement stock) engine parts inside them. He has parts from the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s and up.

“I spent a long time working as an engine parts specialist and I started keeping the parts that we never sold,” Kenmonth explained. “The parts manufacturers would discontinue an item and I just kept them, rather than throw them away. I moved them off the front line to an obsolete line code. Now, I have a lot of engine parts that collectors and restoration shops need to fix old motors.”

Kenmonth’s grandfather Alton S. “Kenny” Kenmonth worked as a wagon jobber in Los Angeles in the early years of the 20th Century. He sold Vitaloy pistons and Pacific piston rings out of the back of his car. He made face-to-face sales calls on the shop owners there who rebuilt engines. “Alton would pick up the piston/rod assemblies, take them to his garage for cleaning and rebushing, cut the ring grooves for G.I. spacers and return the ready-to-install assemblies.

“In those days the engines were built in the chassis,” D.K. emphasized. “Cylinder boring was done with the engine blocks still sitting in the chassis. The crankshafts were also turned in the chassis.” Alton Kenmonth built his business up during the Great Depression. At the start of World War II, Gen. George S. Patton asked him to be a consultant. He was asked to start up a rebuilding plant for the Army ordinance supply chain to rebuild Willys Jeep engines for the war.

­­­­After WWII, Kenny went back to engine rebuilding with his Piston Supply Co. He and Donald Kenmonth — D.K’s dad — ran things. In the early ‘50s, they linked up with the Dana family. “Dana didn’t want to build engines, so they asked my grandfather and my father to supply engines, crankshafts and cylinder heads for their Sacramento operation. By 1959, Piston Supply owned Dana Motors. “By the early ‘60s, we had nine branch facilities around California and Nevada,” D.K. recalled. “We stocked engines, cylinder heads and engine parts.”

In 1968, following Kenny’s passing, the company split and D.K. and his dad moved to Sacramento to operate as Motor Warehouse. In 1974, D.K got out of college and joined the business. “We continued building engines in Sacramento until 1981,” he recalled. “Then, we focused on machining parts and selling master kits — a kit being a crankshaft, bearings, pistons, rings, cam, lifters, timing, pump, gaskets — everything needed to put a short block together.”

When Donald retired in 1998, D.K. bought the company and ran it until 2012 when he sold distribution at Motor Warehouse and Commercial Warehouse Center (his factory warehouse) to National Performance Warehouse (NPW) of Miami. D.K. was NPW’s VP of Engine Components during the transition. He also kept the Dana Motors corporate. He now runs Kenmonth Engine Co. and California Obsolete Engine Parts (CAOEP). “We supply NPW locations with machine work and discontinued, hard to find internal engine parts,” he said.

D.K. also found another niche selling NOS import parts for vintage Datsuns, Toyotas, Mitsubishis and so on. “I started buying lots of NOS import parts and, with the help of our computer, we were able to catalog them,” he said. “We have designed and built a website to present them to the industry.”

D.K. says he has 165,000 obsolete part numbers in his computer. “We consider maybe 20,000 of those parts active (regular sellers),” he pointed out. “The other stuff is not very active. We may occasionally get a sale every two or three years, but it’s part of our service. With the Internet I’m hoping for exposure overseas. Maybe there are shops in Asia building old Datsun Roadsters?”

Kenmonth feels the Internet has broadened the purchasing power of the consumer. “If you go back 30 years somebody looking for a Fiat part had to visit a machine shop or store and go through distribution channels to reach us because only the store knew we had Fiat parts,” D.K. explained. “Now, all a customer has to do is Google Fiat parts. We couldn’t fight the Internet, so we joined it and designed a shopping cart website with 21st century search technology. You can type in ‘1955 331 Cadillac valves and the search engine will find those valves on my website because of the way we organized our parts.”

California Obsolete Engine Parts has valves reaching back into the 1910’s. “I don’t even have catalogs on some of that stuff,” D.K. admitted. “About the earliest catalog I have is a 1939 Federal-Mogul book that goes back to around 1928 or so. So some of it, believe it or not, is knowing what you’re looking at. There are times when I have to open the box, take the part out of the box and try to figure out what it is by the specs, because there’s no catalog that exists.”

D.K. says he tries to specialize in the “sweet range,” that tends to be 1928-1975 in terms of old parts. “That’s the sweet spot,” he says. “We don’t get very many ‘80s engine builds, but occasionally we do and we have parts for those, also. It’s more by accident that we sometimes get parts for earlier or later applications.” If someone has a current motor, D.K.’s relationship with National Performance Warehouse (NPW) allows him to offer newer parts, as well.

“I am best known as a West Coast distributor of engine parts,” said Kenmonth. “The California Obsolete Engine Parts end of it is very recent. Over the years, we’d see demand for obsolete parts and I found there was a big need for them. Suppliers like Egge Machine and Kanter have moved more into manufacturing, rather than buying lots of NOS engine parts. So, we’re in a good position in a not-so-crowded niche called the obsolete engine parts industry.”

SIDEBAR

Green-Lighting Safety in the Shop

Often, addressing green practices in the shop also make for better safety procedures. For example, using an environmental absorbant to address spills in the shop will result in safer floors and protect against accidents.

The following is a list of some shop-related Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Violations for the fiscal year 2013 (Per its Law and Regulation number) and things to look over in your shop to prevent accidents/injuries:

Hazard Communication (1910.1200) — 6,156 violations

Commonly violated requirements included failure to have a written program, inadequate employee education and training, improper or no labels on containers, and no MSDS’s (SDSs) or lack of access them.

Respiratory Protection (1910.134) — 3,879 violations

Frequent violations were no written respiratory protection program, poor fit test procedures, unsuitable respirator selection process, and lack of procedures for voluntary use of respirators.

Electrical-wiring methods (1910.305) — 3,452 violations

Violations included problems with flexible cords and cables, boxes, and temporary wiring, poor use of extension cords, and using temporary wiring as permanent wiring.

Powered Industrial Trucks/Lifts (1910.178) — 3,340 violations

Common violations were inadequate operator training and refresher training, and poor conditions of PITs when returned to service after repair.

Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) — 3,254 violations

Frequent violations were poor or no energy control procedures, inadequate worker training, and inspections not completed.

Electrical-general requirements (1910.303) — 2,745 violations

Common violations were related to electric shock and electrocution exposures.

Machine/Tooling Guarding (1910.212) — 2,701 violations

Violations included point of operation exposures, inadequate or no anchoring of fixed machinery, and exposure to blades/drills.

Source: http://www.osha.gov

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The issue of the automotive and heavy-duty industry moving toward more alternative fuel useage will always be an important topic of discussion for the rebuilding industry. And, no matter which side of the fence you are on regarding a reduction in petroleum in today’s vehicles, alternative fuels may provide more engine-related opportunities to your business.

In issues past, Engine Builder magazine has taken a look at numerous alternative fuels and their impact on engine builders, including natural gas, biodiesel, ethanol, etc. In this year’s Green Strategies Guide, we turn our focus toward propane (known as autogas) as a viable alternative engine fuel that’s opening niche prospects for our industry.

While the use of propane as a vehicle fuel is on the rise, many rebuilders and other engine specialists in the auto and truck industry have not serviced engines using autogas. But that is expected to change in the near future, as more fleets begin to operate their vehicles with propane-autogas.

First off, you should know that there are basically two types of propane vehicles: dedicated and bi-fuel. Dedicated propane vehicles are designed to run only on propane, while bi-fuel propane vehicles have two separate fueling systems that enable the vehicle to use either propane or gasoline.

According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), propane vehicle’s power, acceleration and cruising speed are similar to those of conventionally-fueled vehicles. The driving range for dedicated and bi-fuel vehicles is also comparable. Extra storage tanks can increase range, but the tank size and additional weight affect payload capacity.

Low maintenance costs are one reason behind propane’s popularity for use in light-duty vehicles, such as pickup trucks and taxis, and for heavy-duty vehicles, such as school buses (seen here). Propane’s high octane rating (104 to 112 compared with 87 to 92 for gasoline) and low carbon and oil contamination characteristics have resulted in documented engine life of up to two times that of gasoline engines. Because the fuel’s mixture (propane and air) is completely gaseous, cold start problems associated with liquid fuel are reduced.

Compared with vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, propane vehicles can produce lower amounts of harmful emissions, depending on vehicle type and drive cycle.

For more on how autogas can impact engine builders, we turned to Michael Taylor, director of autogas business development at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

Taylor said one of the biggest challenges for today’s engine builder regarding retrofitting an engine to operate on LPG is training. “Retrofitting or converting an engine to operate on propane autogas can be complicated if the engine builder has not received proper training regarding the systems and required installation processes and procedures,” Taylor said. “Today’s liquid propane injection systems are very similar to current automotive technology, but requires technicians to have some applicable knowledge regarding propane autogas as a motor fuel combined with high level expertise in installation, troubleshooting and diagnostics.”

Taylor said if an engine builder is designing and developing a purpose built, gaseous fueled engine designed to operate with propane autogas as the primary fuel from scratch, there may be some modifications which are based solely on the characteristics of the fuel.

“Modifications may include the engine block, heads, pistons and rings, valves and seats, intake manifold, injectors, fuel lines and the fuel delivery system as well as calibration and optimization requirements to ensure the engine operates at peak performance,” he said.

“However, if an engine builder is converting an existing engine with a certified EPA- and/or CARB-compliant propane autogas system, typically the systems are ‘plug and play’ and do not involve major engine modifications outside of the installation of propane autogas injectors, fuel rails, fuel lines, fuel tank and some electrical components designed to ensure the engine performs at the highest level possible. Each manufacturer’s systems may vary slightly in components but major modifications to existing engine components are not required.”

While Taylor said an engine builder shop is not mandated to be EPA certified to perform LPG conversions, PERC does not condone or support the installation of any systems that have not secured the required EPA certification(s).

“We encourage engine builders to seek out and work with certified systems manufacturers only. These reputable manufacturers have invested significant amounts of money and time required to obtain EPA emissions certification requirements and will provide the highest level of training, warranty and support for their products,” he said.

Taylor and others belive that propane autogas and bi-fuel aftermarket conversions will continue to be a significant market niche for a number of reasons.

“The high price of conventional fuels and increased maintenance and repair costs directly linked to the increased emissions equipment required to comply with EPA certification are the major contributing factors when fleets consider the switch to propane autogas conversions,” Taylor said, adding suppliers like ICOM North America, IMPCO, Alliance Autogas, Clean Fuel USA and Bi-Phase now offer hundreds of certified systems and their businesses have experienced significant growth in light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicle conversions.

While sales of dedicated and bi-fuel propane autogas certified systems have increased in all 50 states, significant increases are taking place in regions or states that offer incentives which offset initial conversion and ­operations costs. Taylor said currently, Texas, Florida and California are extremely supportive of alternative fuels expansion and offer very aggressive incentives which highly favor propane autogas conversions. Federal and state grant and incentives information can be found on the Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center at www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/propane.html.

Converting the Converters

Taylor said engine shops looking to perform autogas conversions will discover that system complexity varies by manufacturer and requires engine specialist training to ensure the engine conversion is compliant once the process is completed.

“Highly trained, experienced certified technicians typically can install a complete propane autogas conversion within eight hours,” he said.

“Additional fuel tanks or vehicle modifications required to accommodate the equipment can lengthen or shorten the installation time period.”

One of the biggest misconceptions regarding efficiency of LPG in automotive and heavy-duty truck engines is that propane doesn’t have the power of a comparable diesel engine.

“While this is an appealing argument, propane autogas engines have proven they can actually outperform their diesel counterparts in most applications while providing a quieter, safer passenger compartment and eliminate all contamination and carcinogen concerns,” Taylor said. “Propane has an octane rating of 104 and power is not a challenge for our fuel.”

Taylor explained for the most part, aftermarket engines which are converted to propane autogas do not require a turbocharger or supercharger.

“If the engine builder is developing a purpose built gaseous fueled engine, a turbocharger or supercharger may be used to increase engine performance, improve air flow and fuel combustion while reducing engine emission.” he said.

While increased engine longevity is reported in customer’s claims and feedback, PERC cannot validate longer engine life associated strictly to deployment of propane autogas fuel. “It is well documented that propane autogas is inherently a cleaner burning fuel during the combustion phase than gasoline or diesel and many fleets do report less engine wear and tear with propane compared to conventional fuels.

One fact that we can cite and validate is that propane autogas does not require the complicated, extensive emissions equipment required by conventional fuels; therefore, fleets are reporting reduced operations costs which translates into less maintenance and less downtime, which should support the claims for a longer lasting engine.”

Conversion Details

Taylor explained that a gasoline engine conversion to a propane autogas systems vary in complexity. The average price range is $6,000-$12,000 and will depend on a number of factors which include the choice of OEM dedicated or aftermarket bi-fuel systems, engine family and class and the number of fuel tanks required.

For now, diesel engine conversions to propane autogas is a new and developing field. There are no EPA- and/or CARB-certified systems available for diesel engine conversions; however, PERC continues to pursue the development of this technology through the investment of research and testing funds with reputable companies who are pursuing this highly coveted product.

For more information on propane ­autogas and other alternative fuels, check out the following sites.

• The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) promotes the safe and efficient use of odorized propane gas. It accomplishes this through wide-ranging programs that support safety, training and the development and commercialization of promising propane technologies. www.propanecouncil.org

• The Alternative Fuels Data­ ­Center (AFDC) is a comprehensive clearinghouse of information about advanced transportation technologies. The AFDC offers unbiased info, data and tools related to the deployment of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/propane.html

• A visionary company founded in 1993, CleanFUEL was the first in the U.S. industry to develop liquid propane fuel injection systems. For 20 years, the firm has maintained a reputation for providing safe, reliable and cost-effective vehicles, stations and dispensers that comply with environmental regulations. www.cleanfuelusa.com

• American Alternative Fuels is a leader in bringing practical alternative fuel technology to the fleet vehicles of America. The organization researches and tests the latest fuel technologies to determine the most cost-effective and practical approach for various applications. Current options include LPG (Propane), CNG (Natural Gas) and electric high- and low-speed vehicles. www.aafuel.com

• National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) is a pioneer in developing, managing, and promoting programs that focusses on improving energy independence and encouraging the use of cleaner transportation. The NAFTC provides alternative fuel vehicle and advanced technology vehicle training to mechanics and technicians. http://naftc.wvu.edu

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It was special in so many ways. First of all, it was the first V8 engine for the Ford line of cars. Nobody could imagine the effects it would have on the racing and hot rod world in the years to come. Even in its stock trim, it was a gutty little powerplant, but it would serve as a basis for many performance versions in the years to come.

There was so much that could be done to these engines, and since there were no professional engine builders at the time, the drawing board was a blank sheet of paper for thousands of creative minds to address. Just about everything was tried, including carburetors of varying numbers, fuel injection, supercharging, boring and stroking, relieving, and on and on.

And as surprising as it may seem, the engine still lives today and can be found in modern land speed, hot rods and other types of performance vehicles. A large number of aftermarket parts are available for the flathead. The magnetism is still in place, maybe it’s all those stud bolts peering out from the heads that gets the attention of modern engine builders.

But it must be noted that the flathead term does not just signify one single engine. There were actually initially several versions of the Flathead, but only three that attracted period engine builders who would modify them for motorsports endeavors. The smallest was the so-called V8-60 with the 60 indicating the stock horsepower it acquired from its 136 cubic inches of displacement. There were two later versions displacing 239.4 and 255.4 cubic inches, with 85 and 100

horse ratings. There was also a little-used flathead, a 221cid V8. It was forgotten in racing, but in 1935 it would be on display at the world’s biggest race.

Note: This article will be divided into two parts, the V8-60 and 221 addressed in this issue, followed by the 239.4 and 255 versions in our next issue.

Part One-The Ford V8-60 and 221 Flathead Engines

The V8-60 Engine

The V8-60 engine holds a special position in the history of midget racing. It was known as the “Poor Man’s Offy” referring to the pure-race Offenhouser four-cylinder powerhouse. It was originally planned to be a car engine, but it was just too small for that mission. But it was perfect for the small open wheel midgets, and was still a competitive machine on the racetrack into the 1960s. And also, It was a perfect fit for the A Modified and S Stock hydroplane classes.

The engine builders were often the guys that bought the engines. There were many available aftermarket parts while some

In post-war midget racing, a dual-carb, aftermarket heads V8-60 set-up like this was a common sight.

of the more skilled fabricated their own parts. The most common pieces that were added to the V8-60 included heads, cams, intakes, carbs, and exhausts.

Each of those engines had its individual touch of its engine builder.

The little V8-60 flathead engine had three main bearings, along with a 3.2 inch stroke and a 2.6 inch bore. Its compression ratio was only 5.61 with its twin water pumps placed in front of the block. It was introduced in the United States in 1937, and would continue to be improved through its years of production. Included were a new combustion chamber shape, aluminum heads, substitution of a Stromberg two-barrel carburetor, and the use of steel pistons instead of aluminum.

Longtime engine builder Rich Willim is one the masters on the modification of this smallest of the flatheads. He has been involved with the V8-60 for more than six decades, both as a builder, a competitor using a self-modified V8-60 in hydroplace racing, and the author of one of the V8-60 bibles with his book, “The V8-60 Ford’s Little Powerhouse.”

He explained that the actual horsepower of the V8-60 was not well known, but the word was out that an Edelbrock-

This vintage pavement midget uses a stock V8-60 powerplant.

designed V8-60 with a .030 overbore, an Isky Cam, and on methanol produced about a 129 horses. Willim upgraded that engine with .100 overbore and two Stromberg carbs and made 142hp at 7600rpm.

Engine builders often investigated different crankshafts for use on the engine. Willim explained, “There were some racing modifications made to cranks. Edelbrock, Claysmith and Eddie Meyer were the prime crank modifiers. The work involved providing extra clearance on bearing surfaces and reducing the weight of the counter weight which resulted in better rotating-assembly balance. In addition, custom 180 degree cranks were produced by Norden which produced huge torque.”

Cams were abundant for the V8-60 engine builder, the most popular being the Winfield, Claysmith, Herman & Collins, Weber, and Isky. Willim explained that the Winfield had a pair of cams to be used with stock valve springs with performance gained in the valve timing. Claysmith had a pair of cams, one for midgets and one for race boats. The Isky cams appeared in great numbers with high torque, short track applications. The hottest of the Isky cams was the so-called 620BS, which could only be acquired as a part of a complete Edelbrock engine.

This V8-60 is garbed in Eddie Meyer aftermarket parts with both heads and intake, in addition to twin carbs.

Since drag racing was mostly restricted to the streets in the post-war period, the V8-60 was used in that application. But during the early 1950s, the best place to demonstrate speed was in high-speed racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats and other long, clean, desert surfaces. One of the smallest of those racers was formed by a WWII bomber belly tank. Inside, there was room for the driver and an upgraded V8-60 engine. With its clean aerodynamics and V8-60 power, these mini machines were rockets.

Willim indicated that, like the cams, there were also a number of aftermarket performance pistons which found their way into V8-60 race engines. “The most popular piston builder was by far the Jahns brand, and few engine builders looked any further. Pistons came in sizes varying from stock to a 170-inch overbore, Also, Mickey Thompson produced aftermarket rods for the V8-60,” he said.

The aftermarket cylinder heads from Edelbrock, Offenhauser, Weiand Sharp and Eddie Meyer were the leaders of the pack. It was possible to considerably increase the V8-60 compression ratio with all of them, up to 10-1 in some cases.

The most visible indication of an upgraded 60 was the appearance of multi-carburetor intake manifolds. The key to this

This nifty midget is fitted with aftermarket heads and and twin carbs.

modification were the intake manifolds. The two-carb Edelbrock intake had an excellent reputation. There was also a two-carb version built by Smith and Jones. But some other engine builders felt the more the merrier and built both three- and four-carb versions.

Without a doubt, the most popular carbs used with the V8-60 were the Stromberg two-barrel carbs which could easily convert to run methanol.

The 221 Flathead Engine

There was one other member of the flathead family, the 221 V8, which was the first of the flatheads to be produced. It appeared to have all the qualities to be modified for high ­performance and racing. It was first produced from 1935 to 1941.

With stock iron heads, it produced 94 horsepower and had 155 pound-feet of torque. But there was no place for it with stock cars or open wheel machines, which were monopolized by the 136 and the larger 239/255 family.

It was then that Henry Ford decided that it was time to go racing. He selected Indianapolis where he fielded a small

Surprisingly, the 221 flathead engine was ­selected to power 10 Indy Cars at the 1935 Indy 500. Each carried four carburetors, but the results were pitiful.

number of cars to compete in the Indy 500. The engine that was selected was the 221, which was equipped with an aftermarket block and four carburetors. The engine developed 150 horsepower, but the experiment failed miserably. Of the 10 cars that were entered, only four qualified and none of them finished the race. Granted, it was a late decision, but some of Fords finest engineers and engine builders tried to make it work.

The post Ford’s Famous Flathead V8 appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

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Holley Performance Products has announced that Jason Bruce has rejoined Holley as Vice President of Business Development. Jason is an industry veteran holding sales and marketing management positions with aFe Power, Street Scene Equipment, Holley, and Hooker Headers. In this new role, Jason will be responsible for developing and coordinating new business projects across the Holley family of brands including; Holley, Hooker Headers, Flowtech Exhaust, NOS Nitrous Oxide Systems, Earl’s Plumbing, Demon Fuel Systems and Weiand intakes and superchargers.

“We are excited to have Jason return to Holley. He brings broad industry and product knowledge to Holley and will help us attain our strategic growth plans by launching compelling new products and expanding our current marketplaces,” said Holley President and CEO, Tom Tomlinson. “Jason is a proven team player, a guy who moves projects forward and a great addition to our leadership team here at Holley. Jason’s initial focus will be the revitalization of our Hooker and Flowtech brands.”

“I grew up in Southern California around all of the Holley brands and in fact started my career at Hooker Headers. I am very excited to be back at Holley and to be part of the revitalization that is taking place. Holley has the best brands and great team members. I am honored to be a part of it,” Bruce said.

The post Jason Bruce Rejoins Holley as VP of Business Development appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

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After revealing the best ways to spot a shady mechanic or dealer and the top 10 things your car dealer won’t tell you, it seems only fitting we look at some of the easiest ways you can save big and avoid over paying for some of the most common replacement parts from the dealership. Whether you bought your car new or used, remember it’s important to maintain it properly and use high-quality OEM or aftermarket replacement parts for any repairs.

While we’ll admit certain replacement parts makes sense to buy new from a dealership for reliability and warranty reasons, it’s the more common stuff that can often represent the biggest value and savings if you shop around. Our friends at AOL Autos have put together this list of top 5 items you shouldn’t buy from your car dealer, as they can often be found much cheaper at your local big box shop or auto parts store instead.

Click here to find out the stuff you don’t need to buy from your car dealer.

Top 5 things you should never buy from your car dealer originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Tue, 13 May 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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