FINE BALANCING When you are balancing a crankshaft and you need to add a small about of metal in a spot where there is no hole, I use what I call “pixie dust”. Pixie dust is tungsten shavings that I’ve saved from machining slugs to size in the past. Drill a hole...
MULTI_PURPOSE STORAGE In our shop we have multiple crank grinder stones, and we were always tripping over them. We had them leaning up against a wall or the crank grinder, which is pretty reckless considering their value. Before we could actually have an accident, we...
PRESSED FOR FAST BLEED DOWN When reassembling late model Chrysler heads with roller follower/hydraulic lash adjuster type lifters, I found that they bleed down much faster when turned upside down. When I used the vise it would take 2 or 3 squeezes and sometimes they...
CAMSHAFT INDENTIFICATION Our shop has had a cam analyzer for over 28 years. Recently I was at an friends shop and had to remember how we did it in the old days. He needed to verify which of the three customer-supplied cams to install because the previous shop had...
PULL THE PLUG Removing press in oil galley plugs from blind holes, like a Ford FE block, is a little more challenging because you cannot just pound them out from the back side. First I center drill them with a 3/16” drill bit. Then I install and tighten a lag screw...
TAPERED ROD PIN BORE MANDREL Our aftermarket pistons for a LS7 Chevrolet came with SBC .927” pins. The standard LS7 pin is .925”. There is meat in the bushing to hone, but the problem is the shape of the small end of the rod and bushing. They are tapered. It looked...