IT’S HIP TO BE SQUARE It's tough to end gap rings in a canted deck engine such as a 409 Chevy. Turn a scrap piece of cylinder sleeve to about .003’ smaller than the bore. Make sure it’s long enough. Use that and it will allow you to push the rings down the bore...
CLEAN CUT When surfacing blocks or heads, it’s a good idea to deburr all the water jacket and bolt holes before making cuts. Many heads have scale and residue on those areas that can cause “drag” marks when the tool bit passes over. Marine heads, or any head that’s...
STRAIGHTENING WITH STUDS Smaller crankshafts and camshafts are so “springy” they can resist straightening and can be hard to straighten by peening. I prefer to use a peening technique on all the crankshafts and camshafts that come through the shop. When on the...
FALSE SEAT I.D. When trying to determine if an iron head has a false seat ring in, we have found the fastest method is to mag-check the head. If it has a false seat in it, you will know instantly. Adney Brown Performance Crankshaft Ferndale, MI MAY,2022
CLEARLY CURTAINS Due to a recent addition of shop equipment, all our machines were moved to make room. To help keep close or neighboring machines from getting each other dirty from flying debris, I used an inexpensive shower liner as a wall between them. Hung with a...
MOCKUP When I mockup to check for piston to valve clearance or pushrod length, I use cardboard strips to simulate the compressed gasket thickness. I lightly snug down a couple of bolts and save the gaskets for the final assembly. Another handy mockup tip is to wrap...