EASY CAM CHANGE I had need to change out the cam in a new build 351W. I used sixteen 1/2” longer 5/16” rocker arm bolts and left the lifters and pushrods in place. I rolled the engine upside down and turned the cam around once. I pulled the cam out with the engine...

NOT JUST FOR SHAVING Many cylinder heads have corrosion in the water jackets that can’t all be blasted or blown out. Marine engines can be the worst. When assembling an engine, to make sure you don’t accidentally drop any loose scale in the bores, simply pump shaving...

"CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS" You would not think of warrantying a newly rebuilt engine if the customer bolted on a dirty oil pan, crusty pick up screen, old sludge filled valve covers or even a Chevy intake manifold the was losing carbon out of the heat shield,...

FUEL LINE CRACKS When rebuilding large diesel engines like Caterpillars with high pressure fuel lines running along the blocks or heads, make sure to install all of the factory line clamps and hold downs back in the factory location. They are designed to hold these...

VACUUM UP OVERSPRAY Sometimes I end up having to paint an engine and don’t really have a dedicated place to do so. I put down a plastic painters drop sheet and paint the parts while guiding a shop vac hose in close proximity to where I’m spraying. A foot or so away is...

DETAILS Sometimes it is just the little details that add up. Taking the time to use a little ATF to wipe your new piston rings down before assembly, can help keep dirt and debris out of your new engine. Multiply this by the number of parts that go into an engine and...