Table of contents for Winter 2017 in Engine Masters

MORE BUICK I was pleasantly surprised to see the build feature on the CP-Carrillo Buick engine in the last issue of Engine Masters. It seems like there is very little attention given to these engines, even though they were well respected during the muscle car era. It seems anytime they are featured it is in a restoration magazine, and the engines are virtually stock. These engines respond well to the same modifications as other more popular V-8s and are fairly compact and lightweight, too. I could see that the featured engine was built with the Engine Masters Challenge competition in mind, and therefore it was built according to the rules. I feel like this compromised the full potential of the combination, limiting the cubic inches to 413, requiring a flat-tappet…

The question on every big-block Chevy owner’s mind is a simple one: How do we make more power? In reality, the answer is quite simple, as there are a number of ways to improve the power output of any internal combustion engine, including the stock 454 Chevy used for this dyno session. When you go looking to improve power output, the first thing that comes to mind is forced induction. True enough, adding a turbo or supercharger to even your otherwise stock motor will result in a significant power gain. The same can be said for a small dose of nitrous oxide. Adding a little juice to your motor can transform it from mild to wild, depending on the amount supplied. The final avenue is likely the most popular, often…

What does it take to port a set of cylinder heads? Skill, patience, and know-how pretty much sum it up. We cannot really help you with the skill and patience part, but here we will dig deep into the know-how. Our example piece is a Mopar small-block head, and it is a cylinder head casting that is no longer even available from Mopar. The fact is that most of these principles will apply to just about any cylinder head, whether Mopar, Ford, Chevy, or even Honda. The first step is to analyze the port and access what you are working with. Look at the design and its characteristics and make an assessment of what you see. A real pro can get a good handle on where to start just with…

Few processes in assembling an engine are as tedious as filing piston rings. It requires patience and precision, carefully fitting the top and middle rings to each bore. It’s not something for an assembly line. Considering the new ring packages used in modern pistons often include thin but tough steel or ductile iron rings that make old cast-iron rings seem soft in comparison, the thought of using our old hand-cranked ring filer gets less and less appealing. That’s where Total Seal’s 110V power ring filer came in. The filer uses a stationary motor with an abrasive wheel and a table that moves perpendicular to the wheel with an indicator to track the table’s lateral movement. Dialing in travel of the table allows the user to remove measured sections of the…

CONSIDERING EFI I have a ’79 Corvette with a 350 engine, and it is modified with the usual aftermarket goodies. The engine has none of the factory emissions equipment and runs just great. I want to further upgrade the engine and am now thinking about adding an aftermarket fuel-injection system. I read about the FAST EZ-EFI. It seems like a simple upgrade, with the injectors in the throttle body just replacing the current Holley carb, and the self-learning programming. I’m debating whether to go with this system or just run a full EFI system with the injectors in the manifold. What are the pros and cons of the two types of systems? David Powell David, FAST can provide you with either type of system, and perhaps your best bet would…

When it comes to the traditional roots-style supercharger, there are three schools of thought. Some want the blower strictly for the looks, and who can blame them? Seriously, nothing looks meaner than a blower sticking through the hood, but for some, that message is more about the bark than the bite. For others, the visual appeal takes a back seat to the power gains. Superchargers are capable of some serious power, and what good is looking the part if you can’t back it up, right? The final group wants it all—the bark, the bite, heck, the whole dang dog. They want their blown small-block to look and sound as tough as can be, then serve up a serious can of whoop ass when the dinner bell rings. Luckily, a Weiand…

For some performance fans, overt displays of power-enhancing changes are distinctly frowned upon. This may be for distinctly different reasons. In the realm of numbers-resto purists, readily identifiable performance parts are contrary to the goal of re-creating the historically correct appearance. In these circles, anything giving away a “non-stock” appearance is unacceptable. Others may simply target the “sleeper” vibe of a powerplant that looks stock or mildly modified, but with power in abundance. Does that necessarily count out the potential for performance augmentation? We would have to answer that with an emphatic “no.” Buried deep within the engine’s internals are opportunities for substantial power gains, without giving away a clue. A stock-appearing engine certainly can benefit from the application of modern technology and advancements for very substantial power gains. The…

IMPROVED RACING: LS ADAPTER Improved Racing’s front-sump LS engine oil cooler adapter has been completely redesigned to be more compact, more reliable, and less expensive. The new adapter is now also compatible with rear-sump LS oil pans, providing more convenient bottom exit ports for applications such as the C5-C6 Corvettes and fifthgeneration Camaro. The adapter features a 1⁄8-inch NPT port for an oil pressure or temperature sensor, or for a turbo oil supply line. An optional bracket (PN EGM-107-PS) relocates the power steering line out of the way of the adapter in front-sump applications such as the Pontiac GTO and Holden VT-VZ platforms. For more info on the oil cooler adapter, PN EGM-107, visit the company’s website at improvedracing.com or call the sales department at (407) 705-3054. COMP: ROLLER LIFTERS…

Deciding to compete in an event like the annual AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge’s Big-Block Class with a Pontiac automatically makes you an underdog. Here we have an engine design with its roots going all the way back to 1954. Pontiac’s gained great notoriety through the muscle car days with legendary engines such as the race-inspired 421s of the early 1960s, and later 389s, 400s, and 455s powering iconic machines such as the GTO, Firebird, and Trans-Am right into the late 1970s. Still, these engines relied on the inline-valve architecture and basic dimensions established decades before some of the more contemporary big-block engine designs. Noted for a relatively tall deck height of 10.25 inches and a constrained bore spacing of 4.620 inches, these engines covered a wide range of factory displacements…

Engine building is best learned by experience, but you can short-cut many of the pitfalls and hard knocks by soaking in as much information as you can get. There are many paths to learning the craft. Some of the best builders started as the broom boys in engine building, racing, and machine shops and built know-how there. Then there is the moreformal educational approach, which can quickly build a wide range of technical skills. The key for any beginning engine builder is to get a head start by absorbing the experience and knowledge of those with more experience, whether that is an instructor at a tech school, or that racer down the road building engines in his garage. Here we are building a stout Mopar 440 drag engine and will…