EXHAUST MANIFOLD SURFACING I grind exhaust manifolds on a dry belt surface grinder. Before I grind them, I bead blast the manifold surfaces to clean off the hard rust and carbon build up first. By doing this the manifolds grind easier and the belts last longer. Wes...
BALANCER HUB SEAL TOOL Here's a trick to help center the timing cover crankshaft seal, when the timing cover or block has no dowel pins, or the dowel holes do not fit snug on the pins. Take an old damper and hone the center so that it is now a slip fit onto the crank...
MORE ON BALANCER HUBS I have several balancer hubs that I’ve honed for slip fit tools. If you have an engine where there is a timing cover index issue from either poor dowel pin alignment or a crank centerline issue, you can still locate it properly. Remove the dowel...
INSTALLATION TOOL TOOL When installing a reluctor wheel on an LS crankshaft, using the brand name alignment tool, use a piece of 4.5" pipe, notched and with a bar welded on the back to take the hammer blows. I can avoid banging on the tool and this provides a better...
CARBIDE GROOVE CLEANER I needed a narrow grooving tool to quickly clean carbon from piston ring grooves, for an engine restoration project. All the usual grooving tools were too wide, however a carbide tipped circular saw blade was a perfect fit. Using an angle...
FILL IT TO THE TOP If you have a piston with a dome volume, you're unsure of, here's an easy way to check. Wrap a single layer of thick packing tape around the head land, taller than the dome. It will maintain the full round shape if you're careful. Fill it to the tip...