FEBRUARY 2018 EngineBuilderMag.

com

Total Team Effort

Auto Machine Inc.
2017 Vintage Engine
Builder of the Year
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ov e r
ENGINE &
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February 2018

Features ON THE COVER

(Real) Cryogenics ............. 10

Yes, it works - but what does it do?
By Gregg Hekimian, Hekimian Racing Engines

Rat Rod Engines ............... 14

What are they and is there opportunity?
By John Carrollo, Technical Contributor

Engine Math..................... 25
The calculations you should be using
By Larry Carley, Technical Editor &
Damon Kuskie, GMS Racing Engines

Bearing the Load for

Cams and Cranks.............. 34
Bearing clearances and materials
By Tim Allen, Technical Contributor

Drag Racing the

Pushrod V-Twin................. 40
Building a winning drag strip V-Twin
By Gregg Dahl, Technical Contributor

Injector Designs ............... 50

How EFI and GDI have changed injectors
By Bob McDonald, Technical Contributor

Total Teamwork
Columns John and Jim DeBates and Kim Ramont of Auto Machine Inc.
lead the team at the 2017 Vintage Engine Builder of the Year.

Doug Kaufman By Doug Kaufman, Editor

Customer Parts - Your Problem

Starting Lines ....................... 4
Departments
Dave Sutton
Knowing the Competition Shop Solutions ............. 8 Engine of the Month .. 48
Profitable Performance ........ 6 Tricks of the Trade Steve Morris Engines’
481X Top Sportsman Engine
Kevin Stack Timing Components ... 46
Does the Tax Act Impact You? Product Profiles Commerce Connect ... 56
Shop Financials ................... 54

ENGINE BUILDER ENGINE BUILDER (ISSN 1535-041X)

(February 2018, Volume 55, Number 2): Published monthly by Babcox Media Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A.
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2 February 2018 | EngineBuilder effort is made to ensure the integrity of every statement. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by return postage.
Circle 3 on Reader Service Card for more information
Starting Lines

O, Say, Can You See?

By Doug Kaufman, Editor
dkaufman@babcox.com

R
egardless of which political wind you tend to sway to these the Brave. It can be very easy to dismiss products without a “made in
days, can we agree that’s it’s still pretty good to be living in the the U.S.A.” label, but it’s not always necessary to do so.
U.S.A.? But that’s not what I’m here to argue about. Many years ago,
We have the best pizza and hamburgers, the best movies and when I was editor of Engine Builder’s sister publication Specialty
music and some pretty fine adult beverages. For the most part, the & Custom Dealer
Dealer, I wrote many columns railing against mail order
opportunities to be passionate about something are stronger than and its potential threat to traditional brick-and-mortar speed shops.
ever and people will generally let you design your car or your engine I worried then about what the loss of multi-step distribution would
the way you want (see our article on Rat Rods on page 14 of this issue do to the quality of the product on the roads as well as the traffic to
for proof of that). And despite the challenges facing you as an engine our readers’ businesses...and this was WAY before the information
builder, this is still a business that you’re in because you love it. superhighway bypassed local retailers.
We love this industry too, and at Engine Builder we believe we In our December 2017 issue, I wrote an article recapping our
work best when we work united. I got a phone call from industry recent research study on parts buying behavior. We asked readers
veteran, former race track operator and oil pump manufacturer why they buy particular products, how they buy them and from whom
Verne Schumann the other day. I asked him how business looks for they prefer to buy them (“Who Buys What and How,” December 2017
the foreseeable future and he raved about the money that small Engine Builder
Builder, page 23). We got interesting, though not necessarily
businesses have available to sponsor race teams and do other types surprising, results.
of marketing. Overall, the primary reason (the average across all categories) for
Sponsoring race teams, of course, mean race teams will need choosing a product is Reputation For Quality (51 percent), followed
engines. Some will need to have old powerplants refreshed – others by Experience With The Product (28 percent), Best
will be able to plunk down cash to buy brand new motors. Good Price (8 percent), Technical Support (7 percent)
news for you, right? Relationship With Sales Rep/Counterperson
Well, sure, if you have the opportunity to build what they really (3 percent), Customer Request (2 percent) and
need the right way. New customers also bring the potential headache Fastest Delivery Time (1 percent).
of dealing with people who think the parts inside an engine – any Our study revealed that our readers
engine – are all the same. As are the suppliers of those engines. overwhelmingly prefer a relationship with their
You’ve had the conversation with your customer before, I’m sure – WD suppliers, who can ensure the products you
“Where did you buy these parts and how did you select them? The purchase are right for the application and available
Internet told you what to do?” when you need it.
Unfortunately, even people who do know what they need can I enccourage you to be diligent about
sometimes get burned. Verne shared three examples of cases where from whom you buy, and carefully
engine builders bought engine kits they thought were legitimate inspect any part brought in by your
replacement parts from industry leading suppliers from the Internet. customers. It’s another strong
He said several customers have called him who bought these reason to sell the parts yourself.
discount engine kits and discovered faulty oil pumps in the kits. As I’ve said before, we’re all in
One oil pump had one of its two internal gears missing (the this together and when one of
pump would not develop any oil pressure). us suffers, we all suffer. ■
One pump for a Chevy SB did not have a slot machined into its
drive shaft so it would not mate with the distributor.
One pump did not even have a hole drilled in the casting for the
big bolt to mount the pump in the engine.
Let’s be totally honest here, many great products come from
suppliers all over the world. Engineering and manufacturing
exellence is not only found in the Land of the Free and the Home of

4 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Circle 5 on Reader Service Card for more information
Profitable Performance

Knowing the Competition

They Are All Around You - But Do You Really Know Them?

I
f you pull out an old phone book, or bring positioned yourself for the fatter wallets, machine, the cell phone. Today, people
up Google and check your area, you can again eliminating more names. interested in cars and racing, seem much
probably spot the other shops in your Using these criteria and more, you might more comfortable racing cars on their video
vicinity.. Whether or not you know them and narrow the field down a little further. What monitor. And if you listen to the banter, you’d
whether or not you feel any kind of business you have now is your marketplace and a think they believed what they’re seeing on
threat or not, I think you’d agree that, by representation of direct competitors. Feeling that screen. It’s obviously not the same as the
definition, they are your competition. better with this much smaller list? Don’t get adrenaline charge from fast driving or the
They, like yourself, have a boring carried away just yet. pride of building your own car, or even fixing
bar, valve and seat equipment, cleaning Today, even with the number of full your car yourself. But this, too, is what we
equipment and so on. They are bidding service machine shops way down, there compete with.
engine jobs. They surely have a customer seems to be more competition then ever. Over the years, I’ve coached this
base and you’ve probably shared some of They’re just coming in new forms, and many audience and every shop owner I know that
that base in the past. Your place may look won’t be found, directly, in that phone book. they need to take a deposit before starting a
a little nicer, cleaner and more inviting, We’ve all seen the ads for crate motors job. You need to get that customer invested
but they too look like an automotive shop. from OEMs. Today’s hot rod builder seems and there is no better way, because during
Obviously your competition, right? plenty happy writing a check for a cookie- that job they might discover that little Jenny
A deeper investigation may shed cutter engine, or engine and transmission needs braces and that money is going to
some light on the threat of competition combo. Thankfully, I also see some shops come from your job. Life is hard and full of
they acturally pose. You should know the marketing their own versions of crate motors. emergencies that are far more important
capabilities, strengths and weaknesses of Some market through swap meets and car than an engine rebuild. And if you only build
each of these businesses. At minimum, you shows. Others more familiar with modern performance or restoration engines, you’re
hear things and form opinions. You may technology are marketing engines or engine competing for discretionary funds. Maybe
specialize in just head work, or you may have combinations on their websites. Either the family would rather have a vacation than
a high-end performance shop, or maybe you way, they are competing for a share of your a hot rod.
specialize in diesel engines and this makes market and have an advantage, if you’re not A lot has changed in just the last 10
you stand out from the rest in your field. This doing the same. years due to these reasons and many
knowledge automatically eliminates names You’re also competing with a used others. I haven’t even approached what has
from the potential list of competitors. engine market. Airbags are costing you happened to your parts business, but who
Next, let’s look at the socioeconomic business. Many vehicles are totaled today would’ve ever thought you’d be competing
level of the shops. There are price levels for that would have been repaired 20 years with Amazon and Wal-Mart for gasket sales?
every buyer in most markets, and the engine ago. These vehicles often have low mileage The point is your competitors are all
building market is no different. If you have engines that are very attractive to someone around. Be aware and protective of your
a newer shop and are still making payments who needs one and to installers who would customers. Be proactive in helping them
on your equipment, your prices are higher rather “unplug” an engine and all of its solve their problems before they know they
than the guy who hasn’t bought or paid for systems and just plug it into the customer’s have problems. If you’re not, someone else
equipment since the last century. Of course, chassis. The hours to disassemble an engine will be. Heaven only knows who or what
for some reason, he’s still using a price sheet to the point that you, the machine shop, you’ll be competing against tomorrow. ■
from the same era. So you position yourself want it, and then to reassemble all of those
to work on newer, more sophisticated components after you’ve done your part can
engines that require the closer tolerances really add up, making the used engine an DAVE SUTTON
your newer equipment can hold. If you attractive alternative to a rebuild. COLUMNIST
DSUTTON@
have a high-end clientele and build winning With today’s younger crowd, it seems
ENGINEBUILDERMAG.COM
or record-breaking horsepower, you’ve we’re competing with another sophisticated

6 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Circle 7 on Reader Service Card for more information
 TAPERED ROD PIN touching. They were easy to hone to size now, in
BORE MANDREL pairs.
Our aftermarket pistons for an LS7 Chevrolet
came with SBC .927˝ pins. The standard LS7 pin Mike Schmelzer
is .925˝. There is meat in the bushing to hone, but Bay Speed Center
the problem is the shape of the small end of the rod De Pere, WI
and bushing: they are tapered.
It looked like you couldn't just hone like a PULL THE PLUG
regular bushing, and we had no special mandrel Removing press-in oil galley plugs from blind
to hold the rods. It seemed like too much might holes, like a Ford FE block, can be a little bit of a
challenge because you cannot just pound them out
from the backside. First I center drill them with
ROD TO CAM a 3/16˝ drill bit. Then I install and tighten a lag
CLEARANCE GAUGE screw into the plug. Next, I pull it out using a claw
Using a plastic banding strap as a feeler gauge hammer or crow bar. Quick and easy.
works great to check for clearance. The straps are
generally .035˝-.045˝ thick, so you might want to Dave Matton
double them up to check for the minimal .050˝- D and D Machine
.060˝ clearance recommended. These work great as Bloomington, MN
they easily bend to any curvature you need.
If you can't find these straps around, you can
always cut any discarded plastic jug or bucket into
strips to use. come off the thin top part of the bushing or the
Tip: I have found that on Chevy V8s, rods #2, bushing would get bell-mouthed. So we made a
#5 and #6 are the ones that get closest to the sleeve to the fit big end of the rods by turning a
cam lobes. tube down to the rod housing bore diameter.
We shimmed with differential shims so two
Mike Segar rods would stay straight and stable. The small
Segar Auto Machine end is wider than the big end, so they needed to
Bloomington, MN be shimmed apart. We kept the small ends just

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8 February 2018 | EngineBuilder
BETTER ALUMINUM FINISH indicator on the lathe's cross
For a nice finish on aluminum, I save my chips from slide and set it up against a
boring ductile sleeved blocks and add them at a 20% lobe. We zeroed the pointer and
mix to coarse glass bead in the blaster. I find that it the dial indicator. We rotated the
gives the aluminum a brighter finish that doesn’t stain cam until the indicator read .050˝ – at
as easy. It removes carbon real well too. that time we set the degree wheel to zero
It takes a minute to "break them in" but they without moving the cam. We then rotated
seem to last quite a while. Keep mixing by back the cam over the lobe until the indicator Shop Solutions
blowing the nozzle. again read .050˝ and took that number and
multiplied by two. This number is the duration
– The Power of
Ron Flood at .050˝ for that lobe. Knowledge
Cedar Machine Do each lobe a few times until you get
North Branch, MN repeatable results, then move on to that cylinder's Engine Builder and Engine
other lobe and do the same thing. Then move Pro present Shop Solutions
CAMSHAFT IDENTIFICATION to the lobe's top and zero the indicator. Go .050˝ in each issue of Engine
Our shop has had a cam analyzer for over 28 years so down one side of the lobe and zero the degree
Builder magazine and at
enginebuildermag.com.
I recently had to remember how we did it back in the wheel, then go up over the top of the lobe to .050˝
old days when I was out-of-town at a friend's shop. down the other side of the same lobe. Read the The feature is intended to
He needed to verify which of the three customer- degree difference, divide by two and set the degree provide machine shop owners
supplied cams to install because the previous shop wheel to zero. and engine technicians the
that had built his engines had ground the name and Move the indicator to that cylinder's other lobe, opportunity to share their
ID numbers off all three! and zero the indicator again at the lobes top. Go knowledge to benefit the entire
I told him to install the cam in his lathe on down one side .050˝ and record the number, then industry and their own shops.
centers, with a degree wheel on the tailstock end, and go down the other side of the lobe .050˝ and record
to put a pointer on the degree wheel as well. A small that number. Again divide by two, subtract the one Those who submit Shop
number from the other number again, and that is your Solutions that are published
lobe center in degrees. Play with a known cam until
are awarded a prepaid $100
Visa gift card.
you get the hang of things and can get good results.
You may be off a few degrees one way or another, but
with care you will get close enough to identify an
unknown cam.
For lobe lift numbers, just zero the indicator on
the base circle, then rotate the cam to the highest
number, and that will be the lobe lift. Multiply that
by the rocker ratio and you have the lift at the valve. Engine Pro is a nationwide
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EngineBuilderMag.com 9
Cryogenics

(Real)
Cryogenics
The Frozen Benefits of this
Proven Scientific Process
By Gregg Hekimian, Hekimian Racing Engines
gregg@hekimianracing.com

V
acuum Insulated Cryogenics sound like science fiction, but to mention, liquid nitrogen (LN2) and the
they’re facts of life at my shop, Hekimian Racing Engines. means to handle it were in short supply back
then.
Enter cryogenics, a process in which
As a physicist and scientist in my former development. I won’t spill any top secret info, material such as steel and aluminum are
life, I’ve translated certain practices into ways but I’ll explain how cryogenics work and why exposed to severe cold, down to -320 degrees
to improve upon an engine’s performance. you should consider using it more often. F to make them more durable and stabilize
I’m here to help you understand how vacuum the metal or aluminum. The closer you get
insulated cryogenics can benefit engine parts Turn Down the Heat to absolute zero (-459.67 F) the better, but
and overall performance. Heat-treating material to make it stronger once you cross that line of -460 F – a point
I opened Hekimian Racing Engines has been around for a long time, but what the of severely diminishing returns – everything
in Watertown, MA in 1987. I also have a early pioneers didn’t know was that exposing explodes into a powder-like substance.
laboratory in Burlington, MA that is closed materials to extreme cold temperatures could However, correctly applying Vacuum
to the public where I do research for engine have the same and even far greater effect. Not Insulated Cryogenics technology to engine

On the molecular level, cryogenics make metal stronger as evidenced by the above before cryogenics (a) and after cryogenics (b).

10 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Circle 11 on Reader Service Card for more information
Cryogenics

components and machine tools can allow

those materials to last three to five times
longer, and in some cases, longer than that.
At my shop, engines are built with the
option to have the blocks, crankshafts,
cylinder heads, pistons, and anything that has
a wear process, treated in a vacuum-insulated
cryogenic chamber.

The Keys to Freeze

There are two primary keys to the success
of this process. The first is the design of the
cryogenic chamber, also called the cryogenic
processor. Our machines hold a U.S. patent.
The chamber’s proprietary shape
(cylindrical) optimizes LN2 to evenly disperse
the -320-degree F temperature, but never
hit the components. It only cools down
the chamber. If the liquid nitrogen were to
touch the components this would be a latent
disaster.
The second key to success is the rate at
which the components are cooled, brought
back to room temperature and then tempered This big block Chevy built by Gregg Hekimian got the cryogenic treatment. On the outside,
to +300-degrees F, then back down to room you’d never know, but the truth is in its performance.
temperature. This process occurs over a four-
day period. microscopic peaks and valleys on the surface micro peaks going away.
The process brings down the temperature of the metal resulting in the ability to make In crankshafts, flex goes down to near zero
slowly, so many degrees per minute, and then more horsepower, torque and long-term depending on material and oil is not aerated.
holds it at -320-degrees F for 10-12 hours to reliability. Connecting rod tolerances are held, distortion
be sure the atomic microstructure can get very One small example is seen with the is eliminated and durability is increased.
close together and eliminate any internal voids rotating assembly. When oil travels around the For pistons, ring seal is enhanced and ring
and stress risers in the component. rod and main journals it actually aerates the clearances are held. Tighter tolerances can be
Then we start heating up slowly, all the oil and heats it up causing a loss of lubrication. achieved to increase dynamic compression.
way to +300-degrees F for tempering. This After cryogenics, these peaks and valleys on If you put camshafts through a cryogenic
relaxes the metals that just went through the polished journals are gone so oil can do its treatment the core flex becomes less and you
a chaotic math state. From there, the authorized job of lubricating. see more valve train stability. Journals also take
temperature is brought slowly back down to How many times have you seen valve seats longer to wear.
room temps. distort in the aluminum head? Too many With valves, valve jobs last longer, stems
This entire process is computer controlled times I’m afraid. wear less and you find cooler valve guides
to the exponential degree and changes the Aluminum (and in fact all metals, even the where the bores stay round longer and oil is
metal completely. I compare this treatment to strongest ones out there), moves around due properly lubricating.
going from steel to Kryptonite. to the fact that there are still voids in the core Valve springs hold spring rates longer and
of the metal. After cryogenics, the metal is rocker arms/shafts become more durable
Mistakes Matter now stable and proper tolerances are in place during high stress and thermal loads.
If not properly applied, cryogenics can do to stay. Again, the results are longevity, more Cylinder heads become very stable and
more harm than good. The process can horsepower and more torque. exhibit zero walking and tighter tolerances
produce latent damages and structural can be achieved. Cryogenics can slow down
problems in treating metal that, though not The Frozen Benefits breakage and slows down any voids.
immediately apparent, will become apparent Every part of the engine has measurable Many other parts will have similar benefits
in an engine’s life cycle. However, using benefits after a cryogenic treatment. With – transmissions, differentials, clutches, wheel
Vacuum Insulated Cryogenics, flaws and voids engine blocks, bores stay straight, ring seal bearings, axles, brakes – the list is almost
internally are taken out. It also removes the is enhanced and bore wear is less due to the endless. ■

12 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Circle 13 on Reader Service Card for more information
Rat Rods

Rat Rod Engines

Anything Goes?

By John Carollo, Technical Contributor

jcarollo@enginebuildermag.com

T
he hot rod scene has seen the consistent growth of one distinct
style for the last 20 years. Rat rods, also known as traditional hot There’s a seemingly ever-growing number
of car shows specializing in rat rods. So, finding
rods, are still growing as an alternative to more high dollar rides one to attend isn’t difficult. More than just the
that use more custom and modern parts. Think of them as “period” hot cars and trucks, this genre includes the lifestyle
rods. Generally, most of these cars are built to look like they did just before elements of music, art, tattoos and clothing in
how these shows differ from mainstream car
the Muscle Car era of the mid-1960s changed the face of performance cars shows. The followers there are very dedicated
and engines. In fact, many of the car shows catering to the rat rod crowd and usually ‘buy in’ completely. And while its
put “pre-1964” on their flyers and websites. Bottom line, rat rods are still a many fans include some of the same folks that
were into cars back in 1964, a growing number
very strong force in hot rodding today, and growing by the year. of younger fans are picking up on rat rods to

An inline with a huge turbo? Sure, why not. Hot rods (and their owners are open to pretty much anything.
14 February 2018 | EngineBuilder
help grow and expand the style.
“Rat rods are us - American males,” counsels
Bob Rovegno, Commercial Accounts Manager
with Rebuilders Choice. “Tell a guy he can’t do
something with a car and he’s going to try to do
it. Let’s be honest - sometimes you look at these
vehicles and wonder ‘why did they do THAT?’
but truthfully, if a customer has a hole or a gap
in his engine, we will try like hell to provide the
necessary part to fill it.”
Part of the success of these cars and trucks
is due to the changing face of hot rodding.
Rat rods have circled around from the first
days of hot rodding where cars were built by
piecing together parts of other, same-era cars
– sometimes many other cars. These days, an
increasing number of the early car fans that
have started their builds have unfortunately
passed on before finishing them either as
restorations or early rods. Their estates sell the
cars, mostly as a collection of parts and pieces
and today’s hot rodders are there to buy them.
From those restoration pieces, rat rods Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Another example of different is a Dodge cabover with a
are built using more modern components for Cummins diesel.
power, safety and reliability to put them back
on the road and have some fun with. It’s not more modern components; even if they weren’t can take away from a period look. And that’s
about the looks. These rodders want to have around at the time the car reflects. That covers why some vendors have made alternators that
fun driving their creations. the fringe area of making it better with modern look like generators. Very little chrome and
When it comes to engines for rat rods, tech – but within rat/traditional rod looks, even dirt and rust are a big part of period styles
they return to the old sources, but as more style and reasoning. while something like a polished supercharger is
and more individualism is added to the car, a little more modern but can pass as a show car
being “different” applies to choices in engines Engines as Jewelry of the era look. Yet, both styles are completely
as well as other components. Today, it’s pretty Once the application the engine will be acceptable as that same philosophy is used on
much anything goes for rat rod powerplants. built for is defined, performance is determined. the rest of the car and its theme. Sometimes, the
From original four cylinders to turbocharged The look of it – especially if it will end up in a ‘rules’ cross paths.
diesels, engines are another statement made by car with no hood – needs to be incorporated So, how do you make a modern engine fit
the owner and no different in that way as the into the build. Much like the body, a theme is these loose rules? Having a small block Chevy
wheels chosen. We’ve even seen T-bucket rods usually the deciding factor in what parts, both can be old school. Putting a period intake
with full hoods hiding a modern aluminum, functional and not, are selected. One example is manifold with oil spout and three, two-barrel
turbo four cylinder for more than enough the aviation look with plenty of solid rivets. An carbs on it makes it even more so. Electronic
power and a mind-numbing power-to-weight air cleaner for that kind of car will most likely fuel injection? No way. But if those EFI parts
ratio. With that in mind, engine builders have the same look. And as seen on other types are hidden, then yes. If this sounds confusing,
serving this market better have access to all the of enthusiast cars, themes are usually carried out just focus on how the finished product will
parts and specs on everything from an inline in great detail. look and fit the era. One of the best things to
Hudson to the most obscure motors made. Engines also face a crossroad in their own remember when dressing a rat rod engine is
What makes those engines interesting is basic style. Will the engine look like it was very simple, nothing polished or nicely painted.
what happens when they are being built and right from 1962 with only period-correct When building and dressing a period
rebuilt. Like most other projects, the owner components and dress-up parts? Or will it engine, Zach Raddatz, technical team
must decide if it will be built to original specs or be done up with modern day components? supervisor at Speedway Motors, says there’s
will it be improved. And by improved, we mean One example is the battle between alternators a surprising trend. “To most traditional
hot rodded. Unlike a restoration, there are no and generators. We all know alternators work hot rodders, the details matter more than
limits and that is one easy way to describe the better than generators, but on a Chevy, the performance. You wouldn’t find a set of
rat rod market. No limits can also mean using alternator crosses the year of 1963 and that aluminum cylinder heads on a small block

EngineBuilderMag.com 15
Rat Rods

Chevy in 1958, so don’t bolt a set on one today

if you want it to look period correct. On a small
block that you want to look the part, early
power pack heads would be the ticket. You
can certainly update the engines with roller
camshafts, hardened valve seats, moly piston
rings and electronic ignition without anyone
knowing it if you dress it in the right stuff.”

The Rat Rod Engine Market

Getting parts for rat rod engines has never
been easier. In fact, many of the original speed
parts manufacturers and shops have been
resurrected and are offering the same parts, in Rat rod engines can be updated with modern components, but it may be best to keep those
some cases made better by today’s technology. parts hidden for the full rat rod effect. A turbo in a Shoebox (‘50s) Buick? You bet.
Rovegno says he answers calls for engine parts
for cars from the mid ’30s to the early ’80s. it old school. Quickly, the first overhead valve, Cadillac and its big-inch motors are often
And, just as with rat rods in general, what is Oldsmobile Rocket V8 joined in. Then, the seen, as are Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles of the
being asked for isn’t necessarily what you might first Gen Chrysler Firepower Hemi started later-‘50s.
expect. showing up. Buick Nailheads were also seen. As time moved on, and builders wanted
When these cars first came on the scene, Ford and Chevy were represented with Y more “new old” engines, lesser-known engines
the Ford Flathead was the one that really took blocks and 265 small blocks, respectively. such as the Chrysler Poly, Chevy W and

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16 February 2018 | EngineBuilder
Circle 17 on Reader Service Card for more information
Circle 18 on Reader Service Card for more information
Rat Rods

even orphaned engines from the ’30s and

’40s showed up in the form of straight fours,
sixes, eights, and even V6s. Diesels are not
uncommon, with or without a turbo. And
“vintage” may not be what you think.
“In fact,” says Rovegno, “we just reproduced
our first ’80-’84 383 Cadillac V8 pistons. We’re
getting a ton of calls for them because Caddy is
still the king of American iron.”
Most rat rod engines do not need to be
high-horsepower, race-style engines, industry
experts say. Owners like the engines to look
used with patina on them. Another factor is the Flatheads are the original hot rod engine and still offer numerous building styles.
age of the owner of the ride. That is true with
the era of the car, so why not the engine, too?
Enthusiasts typically reflect to the time when (preferably ’53-up versions with insert bearings) assembly over the counter. The biggest issue
they got into cars. are still around and can be had for great deals at I see all the time is clearance and that’s what
Jim Ketchum, customer service lead at swap meets or even on Craigslist.” they need a builder for. It also comes down
Egge Machine Co. explained, “Your traditional Another tip is to take advantage of the to small quantity engine builders versus mass
engine could be different depending on the ever-growing supply of parts. Even if you’re production builders. Production builders can
age of the client. If you grew up in the ’50s and not 100% sure about a build, Ketchum says, often get sloppy on those clearances. You can
’60s, your Ford Flatheads, Olds Rocket, Buick “Never turn down a job based on what engine make quite a bit more money rebuilding the
Nailhead, and Chrysler Hemi would be the your customer wants to use. Parts for the older older engines. Not everyone does them so, the
popular choice. In the ’70s your small block engines, from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s are still mark-up would be greater.”
Chevy became more popular, but everyone has available.” Raddatz points out the bottom line of
one of those. Keep an open mind and let your Billy Giammo owns Blazin Bill’s rat/traditional engines. “You can still buy
client make his choice of engine.” Performance in Raleigh, NC. He’s built over 75 parts for most of these engines! There is great
If a shop was interested in getting into rat rod engines along with his main specialty, aftermarket support for the rebuilder for most
this market, there are a number of things that drag engines. He stresses one-on-one contact of these engines. Pistons, rings, bearings, gaskets
can help. Raddatz says to stock up. “Buy up with the customer and pushing in-person and most other parts the rebuilder needs are
these old engines while you still can! With the service. And, like other engine customers, he generally still available.”
current LS engine swap craze there are lots of says, “Owners want the biggest bang for the Rovegno encourages engine builders ro
engines being set to the side that would fit the buck.” As far as what is popular for the rat rod check out Hollander Interchange manuals,
bill for traditional hot rods, customs and rat market, he says, “It’s a pretty wide range – 75% which can identify what parts were orginally
rods. Flathead Fords from ’39-up, early Hemi small block versus the higher costs of a big on a car, provide casting numbers, cam
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Nailhead Buicks and even the Chevy inline 6 the box. But you can’t get port matching and “These are especially useful for cars in the
’20s to the mid-’60s,” Rovegno says. “They can
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can transplant.”

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20 February 2018 | EngineBuilder
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Circle 21 on Reader Service Card for more information

Engine Builder of the Year

Total Teamwork
How Auto Machine Inc. Became the 2017
Vintage Engine Builder of the Year
By Doug Kaufman, Editor
dkaufman@babcox.com

A
uto Machine Inc. is probably a familiar
name to long-time readers of Engine
Builder. John DeBates served as AERA
Chairman of the Board from 2005-2006 and, due to
his interest and expertise at “knowing his numbers”
is a frequent speaker at industry events and a regular
contributor to our articles on CNC machining.
Pictured from left to right – Jim Spitzer, Jim DeBates, Kim Ramont, Dan
But the St. Charles, IL-based Auto Machine is more than just Giannini, Ross Sierra, John DeBates, Randy Vincent. The team at Auto
one recognizable man, one machine operation or one business Machine builds all varieties of engines.
philosophy. The 2017 Vintage Engine Builder of the Year is actually
a dedicated group of professionals who are committed to restoring from antique motors to stock rebuilds to all-out performance. The
engines of the past while maximizing their appreciation for the present shop was originally formed in 1974 when John DeBates, fresh of the
and planning for the future. boat following a stint in the U.S. Navy and Jim DeBates, newly minted
The Vintage Engine Builder of the Year is one of three categories graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, were less than
in Engine Builder’s annual competition. Sponsored by Federal- satisfied with their jobs at the local International tractor dealership.
Mogul Motorparts’ Sealed Power and Fel-Pro brands, the contest “Our uncle had a garage in St. Charles, so we rented some space
looks for shops that are great examples of creativity and innovation, there to do a few things on the side at night. We were doing a little drag
merchandising and promotion, professional standards, conduct and racing with a 1967 Camaro and we just couldn’t find a place to do the
appearance, solid business management and growth, achievement and a machine work the way we wanted,” Jim DeBates says. And, you know,
passion for what they do. you buy one machine and then you’ve gotta have another machine. And
Auto Machine Inc. builds a wide variety of engines, everything then you have to have another one. So it turned into something much
more – we worked a lot of nights for quite a while.”
DeBates says he and his brother focused on cylinder head work at
first, but quickly expanded into a full machine shop with crankshaft
grinding, crank welding, line boring, rod reconditioning, cylinder
honing and resurfacing. And then they started doing work for other
drag racers and things started to take off.
In 1974, the Brothers DeBates decided they should just quit their
other jobs and just try this and see if they could succeed. Luckily, they
were following a family tradition. “Our family has been in the business
here since 1902,” Jim says. My great-grandfather was a machinist at
an auto repair place right here in town, my grandfather was an auto
mechanic and then he got the International Harvest dealership and
then my uncle took that over. We actually worked for him when we
were kids, learning, you know.
1929 Buick oiling system.
They moved to the current location in 1981 and have since enlarged
the business footprint multiple times.

22 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Circle 23 on Reader Service Card for more information
Engine Builder of the Year

“All my work has always been referral work,” DeBates says. “You
know, we’ve never placed an ad in the paper or a magazine. Business is
always up and down, you know? We always tried to stay ahead of the
game by looking for markets where you could find success.”
Auto Machine has a dedicated, experienced staff that appreciates
the chance to take on new (or old) challenges. With Jim and John
DeBates, team members Kim Ramont, Ross Sierra, Randy Vincent and
Front of the Auto Machine Inc. building, which the DeBates
Jim Spitzer, they have nearly 160 collective years together.
brothers moved into in 1985. The building got a warehouse
We’ve changed our business over time,” DeBates acknowledges.
addition in 2008.
“Do we want to be a production-style engine rebuilder or do we want
to do custom work and go into niche areas? In the late ‘80s we got our
first ‘real’ vintage project – a 1924 Studebaker, a referral from another do all kinds of custom projects. His programmer can design custom
customer – and we got into antique engine building and really liked parts that can then be fabricated in the CNC machine, a benefit when
that. We’ve done a lot of weird stuff.” it comes to his customers’ projects or his own blown and fuel injected
DeBates is quick to point out that “weird” is good – at least in his flathead V8 for a street rod he owns.
Vintage engine and restoration customers alike often need parts
that are simply unavailable in the aftermarket. 3D modeling and
custom CNC fabrication allow Auto Machine to save the day on
projects that might have seemed hopeless.
DeBates says his shop has a 6-7 month backlog on custom work, but
customers are well aware of what to expect. “We tell them. We have our
everyday work for our garages, dealers and projects that we have to get
out right away. Then we have all this other stuff going on too.”
Keeping everything straight is not always easy, DeBates admits. “It’s
a lot to manage, but with PTM – Part-Time Manager – software, it
really helps. We started on that back in 1995. I don’t know what I’d do
without it now, as far as inventory, work orders, keeping track of every
little thing goes.”
DeBates says being named Vintage Engine Builder of the Year is a
solid accomplishment for his team. “It makes me feel good for the 40
years I put in that somebody recognizes that. And, honestly, every one
Align boring mains on a 9 main 1934 Studebaker President block.
of us feels the same way. We work good here. Everybody’s been together
a long time and everybody gets along. We actually have a good time at
work!” ■
mind, and vintage work makes up about 25 percent of his business.
“We do a lot of stuff from the ’40s and ’50s, which to me doesn’t seem
that old because I was born back then. We also work on lesser-known
domestic vehicles from the early days and we a lot of old European stuff
from the ’20s and ’30s.
One of the vintage pieces that DeBates is proud of is the oldest
known Tatra engine, an air-cooled V8 from what was 1930s
Czechoslovakia. This aerodynamic car used a magnesium main case
and aluminum cylinder heads. DeBates is often astounded at the
technology found in the older engines. Understanding and repairing
these engines takes research, something DeBates says his team is always
eager to conduct.
“If you find the right guy for a particular engine, a lot of times you
can get really good information,” he explains. “We actually have a big
thick folder of information about old Cadillac engines, who would
we call to ask a question or get a part … we have a folder on all those
engines from all the years that we’ve been doing them. It really saves a
lot of time looking – but we still do a lot of looking.”
Cadillac tappet holders on an early V8 that was repaired by bushing
DeBates says adding CNC capabilities to his shop allows him to them.

24 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

ENGINE MATH

INSIDE
■ Engine Calculations
that Equal Top
Performance
■ Tuning Using
Lambda Values

EngineBuilderMag.com 25
Engine Equations

Engine Math
for Engine Builders
By Larry Carley, Technical Editor
lcarley@babcox.com

E
ngine building is a numbers
game. Whether you like
math or not, you often
have to use it when figuring things
like engine displacement, airflow,
compression ratios and valve
lift. Knowing how to calculate
these values and how to use the
numbers to match pistons, cylinder
heads, cams, carburetors and valve
train components can help you
avoid mismatched components,
interference problems, engine-
damaging detonation, poor throttle
response and lost power. And it can
make you money.
Let’s start with displacement. If you’re That information, in turn, comes in handy Cylinder Volume = bore x bore x 0.7854
building a motor with the same bore when sizing a carburetor or throttle body, x stroke
and stroke as an original stock motor, choosing a camshaft and determining the best To make this calculation, you first have
displacement should be the same as before intake port volume for a set of cylinder heads. to accurately measure the bore and stroke
because nothing has changed. A small block of the engine. Bore can be measured with a
Chevy V8 with a 4.000˝ bore and 3.480˝ MEASURING BORE bore gauge. Measure the width of the bore at
stroke crank will displace 350 cubic inches. AND STROKE the top, middle and bottom of the cylinder,
Replace the stock crank with one that has To calculate displacement, you first have to then average the results (add the three
a longer 3.750˝stroke and the engine will calculate cylinder volume. The volume of a measurements together then divide by three).
displace 372 cubic inches. And if you also bore cylinder is 3.14 (“pi”) times half the diameter This will give you the average bore diameter.
out the cylinders an extra .030˝ you end up squared (times itself ) multiplied by the height You can also check for an out-of-round
with a 383. of the cylinder. bore by measuring bore diameter twice at top,
Why is it important to know an engine’s Volume = 3.14 x (diameter/2) x middle and bottom of the cylinder. Make the
exact displacement? If you’re building a (diameter/2) x height first measurement holding the bore gauge
performance engine for a racing application This formula works for any type of in an east-west orientation, then rotate it 90
that limits displacement, you don’t want to cylinder, and it can be rewritten in a slightly degrees and measure again in a north-south
break the rules. More importantly, knowing different version that is slightly easier to use orientation. If the two numbers differ, you
displacement allows you to calculate airflow. for a piston cylinder: have an out-of-round bore. Stock engines

26 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

can usually tolerate a couple thousandths of
distortion, but performance engines should
have as little bore distortion as possible
(0.0005˝ or less!).
Checking bore dimensions will also tell
you whether or not the block has been bored
or honed to oversize. This bit of information
is absolutely essential to correctly match
replacement pistons and rings to the bores.
Measuring cylinder bore diameters (all
of them) will also tell you if the bores need
to be reconditioned. Bores that are out-of-
round or have excessive taper (more wear at
the top than the bottom) will not seal well,
leak compression and burn oil. Excessive
taper (more than a few thousandths in a stock
engine, and even less in a performance engine)
will flex the rings in and out with every stroke
and increase the risk of ring breakage at high
rpm.
Stroke is the distance the piston travels
from the bottom to the top of the cylinder.
Stoke is measured by rotating the crank so the
piston is at Top Dead Center (TDC). The
crank is then rotated 180 degrees to move the
piston to Bottom Dead Center (BDC). The
distance traveled is stroke. CALCULATING ENGINE liters (L) instead of inches. The basic math
You can also measure stroke on the DISPLACEMENT equations are still the same but the end result
crankshaft itself. Rotate the crank on a To calculate engine displacement in cubic will be cubic centimeters (cc) or liters of
support stand so one of the rod journals is all inches, multiply the cylinder volume times the displacement instead of cubic inches.
the way up. Position your measuring tool on number of cylinders. Example: In metric measurements, a
the top of the journal, then rotate the crank so Engine Displacement = Cylinder Chevy 350 V8 has a bore of 101.6 mm and
the journal is all the way down. The distance Volume x Number of Cylinders a stroke of 88.39 mm (see conversion factors
between the two positions is stroke. Chevy 350 example: 43.73 x 8 = 349.8 that follow).
Once you have the bore and stroke cubic inches, which everybody rounds up to Cylinder volume is 101.6 x 101.6 x .7854
numbers, you can calculate cylinder volume 350 cubic inch displacement (cid). x 88.39 = 71,6607 cubic millimeters. Multiply
(also called “piston displacement”) using the by .001 and you get 716 cubic centimeters.
cylinder volume equation: ENGLISH-METRIC Multiply by 8 (number of cylinders) and you
Here’s an example using a stock Chevy CONVERSION FACTORS get 5728 cc. Multiply by 0.001 to convert to
350 V8 with a bore diameter of 4.000˝ and If you work on import engines or late model liters and you get 5.72 liters, which everybody
a stroke of 3.480˝: 4.000 x 4.000 x 0.7854 x domestic engines and prefer to use metric rounds off to 5.7L.
3.480 = 43.73 cubic inches per cylinder. dimensions, your units of measure will be
millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm) and Here are the formulas for converting

EngineBuilderMag.com 27
Engine Equations

English and metric measurements: inches, multiply by 0.0610. overbore a Chevy 350 .030˝ to obtain a new
• To convert millimeters to inches, multiply bore diameter of 4.030˝. Do the math and
by 0.03937. • To convert cubic centimeters to liters, the volume of each cylinder now becomes
multiply by 0.001. 44.389˝.
• To convert inches to millimeters, multiply The change by itself isn’t much but when
by 25.4. HOW CHANGES IN BORE you multiply it by eight cylinders, you gain 5
& STROKE CHANGE cubic inches of displacement (355 cid). Such
• To convert cubic inches to cubic centimeters, DISPLACEMENT a change is not enough to significantly alter
multiply by 16.387. Changing the bore or stroke of an engine will airflow or compression (only a 1.4 percent
opbviously change the volume of the cylinders change).
• To convert cubic centimeters to cubic and overall engine displacement. Let’s say you If you mill the surface of the block to
decrease deck height .010˝, you will also
reduce cylinder volume slightly (to 43.60
cubic inches) and overall engine displacement
to 348.8 cubic inches, a loss of only about one
cubic inch. Again, this is not enough to cause
any concerns unless you are running really
tight deck clearances and are concerned about
piston interference with the head.
But let’s say you’re building a 383 stroker
motor. Now the increase in displacement over
the stock 350 with an overbore and longer
stroke is 33 cubic inches, or 9.4 percent. That
means the induction system and cylinder
heads have to flow almost 10 percent more air
than before to deliver the same performance.
That, in turn, means you need heads with
larger ports (more intake runner volume), a
slightly larger carburetor, and or a camshaft
with a little more lift and duration to take
full advantage of the extra displacement and
airflow.

AIRFLOW &
VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY
Internal combustion engines are sometimes
referred to as air pumps because that’s what
they do. The volume of air that a naturally
aspirated four-stroke engine can theoretically
breathe is its displacement times engine speed
(RPM) divided by 2.
Theoretical Airflow = (RPM x
Displacement)/2
Example: Our stock 350 Chevy could
potentially flow up to 875,000 cubic inches of
air per minute at 5,000 RPM.
Airflow is usually specified in Cubic Feet
per Minute (CFM) rather than cubic inches,
so dividing 875,000 cubic inches by 1728 (the
number of cubic inches in a cubic foot) gives
us a theoretical airflow of 506 CFM. A 600
CFM carburetor should handle that nicely.

28 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

 Airflow in CFM = (RPM x airflow at higher engine speeds and prevent their flow capacity is a mismatch for what the
displacement)/2 x 1728 an engine from achieving its peak power engine actually requires or is capable of using.
Now, let’s rev the engine up to 8,000 RPM potential. By comparison, a carburetor The real world volumetric efficiency of
and see what happens. The engine is now that’s too large for the motor, or a multiple an engine can be measured on a dyno. Actual
attempting to pump 810 CFM of air, so you carburetor setup (two four barrels or three airflow at any rpm divided by the theoretical
need a much bigger carburetor to take full deuces) can flow more air at higher rpms but airflow times 100.
advantage of the increased airflow. may cause poor throttle response at lower Volumetric Efficiency = (actual airflow/
Of course, an engine won’t really breathe speeds because air velocity and intake vacuum theoretical airflow) x 100.
its maximum theoretical airflow because are not high enough to generate a strong signal Most engines can breathe close to 100
“Volumetric Efficiency” drops off as RPMs go through the carburetor’s metering circuits. percent volumetric efficiency at low rpms with
up due to momentum and restrictions in the The same considerations also apply to full throttle. A closed throttle or part throttle
induction system and cylinder heads. choosing heads with the optimum intake port creates a restriction that reduces efficiency.
Volumetric efficiency is important to volume and flow characteristics. Smaller ports Efficiency also drops off sharply as engine
know because it can help you more accurately are better for smaller displacement engines speed increases.
size a carburetor or throttle body to the because smaller ports increase air velocity for Most stock engines have a volumetric
engine’s airflow requirements, and more better low speed throttle response and torque. efficiency of only about 75 percent at
accurately match the port volume of the Larger port volumes that flow more air, on maximum rpm, and only about 80 percent
cylinder heads to the rpm range where you the other hand, are necessary for engines at the rpm where they develop peak torque.
want the engine to develop peak torque and designed to make high rpm power. Even so, a A naturally aspirated racing engine with a
horsepower. set of heads with huge cfm numbers may not hot cam, well-flowing heads, big valves, and
A carburetor that’s too small will restrict deliver the performance you would expect if smooth flowing intake and exhaust systems

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EngineBuilderMag.com 29
Engine Equations

can often achieve 90 percent volumetric CALCULATING We’ve already covered how to calculate
efficiency at peak rpm, and up to 95 percent COMPRESSION RATIO cylinder volume, so all that’s needed for
volumetric efficiency at the rpm where it Compression is another number that’s this step is to measure the volume of the
makes peak torque. important to know, but is harder to calculate. combustion chamber. Combustion chambers
Obviously, the higher an engine’s Basically, compression is the volume of are odd-shaped so the only way to accurately
volumetric efficiency, the more air it can the cylinder divided by the volume of the determine the actual displacement of a
pump and the more power it can make. One combustion chamber in the cylinder head. If chamber is to fill it with a liquid (colored
hundred percent volumetric efficiency can’t the piston volume is ten times the chamber water, rubbing alcohol, light oil, etc.) using a
be achieved at all rpms in a naturally aspirated volume, the engine has a compression ratio of calibrated cylinder (called a “burette.” This is
engine so that’s where turbochargers and 10 to 1. called “CCing” the head because the burette is
superchargers come into play. Compression = (cylinder volume + usually calibrated in cubic centimeters (cc).
An engine with a forced induction system chamber volume)/chamber volume The combustion chamber is measured by
can far exceed the volumetric efficiency of When a piston comes up on its compression turning the head upside down and installing
any naturally aspirated engine. The higher stroke, the volume of air and fuel in the cylinder the valves and spark plug. A flat clear piece
the boost pressure, the more air is forced into is compressed and squished into the small of plastic (Plexiglass or Lexan) is then placed
the engine and the higher the volumetric cavity created by the combustion chamber in over the chamber. Vaseline is typically used
efficiency. the head. The larger the cylinder volume and to seal the valves and the plastic cover to the
Adding a turbo to a small displacement the smaller the chamber volume, the higher the head. The burette is inserted through a small
engine can make that engine perform like compression ratio. hole in the plastic cover until the chamber
a much larger engine. Think of all the Most stock engines have a compression is full and there are no air bubbles. You then
turbocharged two-liter engines that are ratio of at least 9 to 1, and many late model note how many cc’s of liquid it took to fill the
now used in many late model cars. Many of naturally aspirated engines have compression chamber.
these engines are making 250 to 300-plus ratios as high as 10.5 or 11 to one. Race engines Comparing the measured displacement
horsepower, which is equivalent to a larger burning alcohol or race gas can handle even of the chamber against the specs for a stock
3.0L V6 or even some V8s. higher compression ratios, up to 14.5 or head will tell you if the head has been milled
15 to one. or modified. A smaller displacement would
indicate a milled head.
Once you have the chamber volume, you
need to add in the space created by the deck

Calculating Engine clearance between the top of the block and

the piston. This formula will convert the

Compression Ratio
measurement in inches to cc’s:
Deck clearance volume = deck clearance
x (bore/2) x (bore/2) x 3.14 x 16.387
You also have to add in the space created
by the thickness of the head gasket (again
using inch measurements that will be
converted to cc’s):
Head gasket volume = thickness of head
gasket x (bore/2) x (bore/2) x 3.14 x 16.387
Add up the chamber volume, deck
clearance volume and head gasket volume
in cc’s and you get the total chamber
compression volume above the piston.
CR = Compression Ratio Now you have to add or subtract some
volume depending on the type of pistons
b = Cylinder Bore Diameter in Inches
used (dished, flat top or domed). With a
s = Piston stroke length in inches flat top piston that has no valve reliefs, no
V = Minimum Clearance Volume at the End of the Compression Stroke corrections are needed. With a dished piston,
in inches3. This is the minimum volume of the space in the cylinder add the volume of the recessed area in the
head at the end of the compression stroke, i.e. when the piston reaches dish (which should be provided by the piston
manufacturer). With a domed piston, subtract
its maximum upward position or top dead center (TDC).
the volume displaced by the dome (also

30 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

available from the piston manufacturer). risk of detonation. and main bearing clearances, piston and ring
Okay, now you can finally calculate the In future articles, we will look at more clearances, rod lengths and rod ratios, etc.).
compression ratio of the engine. Add up all engine math and how it comes into play Who said math can’t be fun? ■
the numbers for everything about the piston when assembling engines (things like
(chamber volume, deck clearance volume, calculating peak valve lift, checking cam specs,
gasket thickness volume, and plus or minus determining pushrod lengths, determining rod
piston volume) and divide that into the
cylinder volume displaced by the piston. Make
sure you convert the combustion chamber cc’s
to cubic inches before you divide if you are GIVE YOUR ENGINE THE LIFTER IT NEEDS
using cubic inches for the cylinder volume, or TO REACH ITS POWER POTENTIAL!
convert the cylinder volume from cubic inches
to cubic centimeters so you are using the same
units of measure for compression volume and
cylinder volume – otherwise the compression
ratio won’t make any sense.

WHY COMPRESSION
MATTERS
Compression affects power, the octane
requirements of the fuel and ignition timing.
Higher compression ratios increase the
thermal efficiency of an engine and allow the
engine to capture more of the heat energy
that’s released during combustion. That’s one
reason why high compression diesel engines
are more fuel efficient than gasoline engines.
But strange things can happen inside a
combustion chamber when heat and pressure A-2348SE RETROFIT LS LIFTER
interact with the air/fuel mixture. OUR DIRECT-SHOT OIL INJECTION SYSTEM DELIVERS A CONSTANT SUPPLY
Detonation (spark knock) can occur if OF PRESSURIZED OIL DIRECTLY TO THE NEEDLE BEARINGS WHICH IS KEY TO
the temperature and pressure in the chamber PROVIDING EXTRA RELIABLILTY.
are too great for the octane rating of the fuel.
Detonation is an erratic form of combustion
that spawns multiple flame fronts instead of a
Our wide range of flat
single expanding flame balloon. This causes a tappets and rollers will
sudden and sharp rise in combustion pressure get the most power and
that hammers the piston and can damage the
piston, rings and rod bearings. It also hurts performance out of your
power. camshaft.
TAKE IT
An engine’s static compression ratio
can be changed by changing the volume of
the cylinders (boring to oversize increases
compression), using a thicker or thinner head
TO
gasket, or milling the head to reduce chamber
THE NEXT LEVEL!
HYLIFT
volume, or milling the block to reduce deck
height, or by using dished or domed pistons.

JOHNSON
Dished pistons lower the compression ratio
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One of the advantages of using small
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increase compression and burn faster, meaning
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circle 31 for more information

EngineBuilderMag.com 31
Engine Equations

Lambda, Lambda,
Lambda
It’s not a fraternity, but rather how you should
be learning to tune your engines
By Damon Kuskie, GMS Racing Engines
damon@gmsracingengines.com

G
regg Dahl and I had the honor of speaking at the Advanced Engineering Technology Conference before
the PRI Show in Indianapolis this past December. One of the things I touched on that seemed to
generate a lot of interest, and even led to participating in a panel of experts at the Renegade Race Fuels
seminar, is the misinterpretation of air-fuel ratio (AFR) data as it relates to engine tuning and how this can lead
to sub-optimal performance and even engine damage.
When dialing in an engine, a common practice is to try to achieve a
specified target air-fuel ratio as dictated by the engine builder or fuel
manufacturer. In most cases this data is obtained using wide band
lambda (aka oxygen or O2) sensors in conjunction with a data logging
device or dyno machine. So if my target is 13.0:1 and the dyno says
13.0:1 then I’m good to go, right? Not necessarily.
The different types of fuels we burn in our engines all have a unique
value known as the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. This is defined as
the ratio at which all available air and fuel are used in the combustion
process. For gasoline this value is 14.7:1, while alcohol has a stoich
value of only 6.4:1. Where this becomes an issue regarding data
collection is in the way the dyno software or data logger interprets and
presents the AFR information.
The data taken directly from the oxygen sensor is in a format known since nothing was changed in the tune, we know that this is impossible.
as lambda. Lambda is independent of fuel type. A lambda value of “1” The exact same amount of fuel and air are going into the engine. The
indicates a stoichiometric air-fuel mixture. Higher values are leaner, reason this change in readings occurs is that the lambda value coming
while lower values are richer. In order to determine the air-fuel ratio, from the oxygen sensor is now different, but the change in stoich values
the lambda value is multiplied by the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for between the fuel types was not accounted for.
the fuel type being used. It is critically important that the dyno or data When running power adders, this problem can be compounded.
logger be configured with the correct stoich value for the fuel type Think about a turbo system with methanol injection. In this example,
being used or the resulting data will be incorrect. the stoich value of the fuel is changing as the percentage of methanol
Remember that the lambda sensor and data logging software are vs. gasoline is increased. It is impossible in this case to configure a data
looking at what is coming out of the engine; They have no idea what logger to give a truly accurate AFR reading. This is why I recommend
is going in. For example, if I have a perfectly tuned engine running on learning to tune using lambda values.
gasoline and the data logger says 13.0:1 and I do nothing but drain the Admittedly, it can be awkward at first thinking in terms of lambda
fuel tank and refill it with oxygenated race fuel, the data logger is now when you are used to working with AFR. The benefit is that once you
going to say I’m running somewhere around 14:1 AFR. Changing fuels are used to it, you can have a higher degree of confidence in your data
again, this time to alcohol, and we will see a reading around 20:1. But and can more easily and accurately tune with different fuel types. ■

32 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

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Bearings

Bearing the Load for

Cams and Cranks
They may look like simple shells of metal but bearings
are far more complex than you might first imagine
By Tim Allen, Technical Contributor
tallen@libertyengineparts.com

E
ngine bearings – those very important steel and aluminum shells Today’s bearings fall into two basic
that keep everything spinning as it should – are more complex construction designs – bimetal and trimetal.
Bimetal designs feature a steel backing with a
than they may first appear and certainly deserve more attention top layer of aluminum alloy. Trimetal bearings
than ever before. Material designs and compositions have evolved into have a steel backing like the bimetal but contain
some serious, load-handling pieces compared to the parts of long ago. This a copper lead center layer with various materials
in the top layer depending upon the application
month we’ll take a look at the various aspects pertaining to the bearings of the engine.
used in crankshaft main journals and camshafts. A bimetal bearing is widely used in most
OEM applications because it is a harder
material and can last for many thousands
of miles to provide a longer service life for
the engine. In addition, a bimetal bearing is
typically more cost effective to produce. With
regard to the crankshaft, street-driven vehicles
usually don’t have issues to contend with such
as crankshaft deflection (high horsepower
street engines being the exception) or operating
in harsh environments, so a harder bearing is a
better choice.
When building engines with higher power
outputs and RPM levels, the trimetal design
is able to take the additional abuse this type
of engine can encounter without suffering the
same level of damage that a bimetal design
would. HOWEVER: by no means should
that last statement be read as a manifesto that
a bimetal design can’t be used in performance
applications. In engines that are producing 500-
550 hp they can work very well and give a long
When installing cam bearings, the positioning of the oil hole can be placed in a preferential
operating life.
location in order to aid the oil in achieving a more efficient hydrodynamic layer upon start
up and operation if the housing bores in the block are fully grooved or the bearing itself
Both types of bearings essentially possess
has an oil groove machined into it. The best position for the oil hole when viewed from the the same load bearing capacities with the
front of the block is at the 2 o’clock (60 degrees) location when using a standard rotation difference being in their construction. They are
camshaft. engineered to perform specific duties in varying

34 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Bearings

engine applications. If we look at a couple of

popular high performance street builds such as
the 383 small block Chevy and the 347 small
block Ford, which are built in large numbers
using cast steel cranks and generally producing
anywhere from 400-500 hp, a bimetal bearing
would be a good choice for these type engines.
For the most part, the sustained rpm levels
are lower and peak below 6,200 in these
applications. Since the bimetal is a harder
bearing, it can adequately support the crank The industry accepted standard for clearance is .001˝ for every inch of journal diameter, which
while giving a longer service length. would mean if you had a 2.500˝ main journal then .0025˝ clearance would be the number to
In comparison, a rule-restricted, small aim for.
block engine built for dirt track competition,
but making similar power levels while operating in this equation is the strength factor of the around .005˝ - .006˝ with lubrication duties
at higher rpms and in a harsh environment crankshafts available to us today but power can being handled by synthetic oil with a viscosity
should use a trimetal type. This will give a be found in setting clearances tighter to take in the 70-90 range. These engines are running
higher level of embedability (the bearing full advantage of the oils. on the verge of hydraulic lock due to the
material’s ability to absorb small foreign Consider that when the main journals of amount of nitro filling the cylinders, so you can
particles in the oil) to prevent damage to the the crank and the internal dimensions of the imagine the loads that the bearings are under.
journals and withstand crank deflection better bearings are closer to the same diameter, the We can also look at older or vintage engines
due to the softer design of the bearing. In oil film has a wider contact area in which to in the same manner, not that they are operating
engines that are producing higher power levels distribute the load. This provides a reduction under such extremes but in the fact that better
and full competition builds, the trimetal will within the oil film and on the surface of the cranks and aftermarket blocks are not usually
typically be the bearing of choice. bearing. The thinner viscosity oil simply flows available when building some less familiar
Another way of summing it up in regard much easier than a heavier, thicker oil. engines to make more power than it was
to engines that are achieving high horsepower, Let me pause at this point to reiterate the originally intended to produce. I’m thinking
high rpms and twisting the crank is to fact that you must have a strong crankshaft in about older engines with no comparable
remember that you don’t want to use a bearing order to make the engine work with tighter replacement parts manufactured with
that’s too hard. The other aspect of utilizing a clearances in performance applications. modern materials and processes such as a 394
softer bearing in high-performance builds is the Otherwise, the bearings will be history. If we Oldsmobile, 425 Buick nailhead, 346 Cadillac,
ability to withstand crank deflection without look at the highest horsepower-producing etc. There are some “standard” engines such as
peeling away portions of the bearing surface engines on the planet – blown engines that Ford flat heads and FEs, early SBC (of course)
because the softer material can wear off or guzzle nitromethane – it gives us a clear picture and older Hemis like 392s, that have better
deflect under the load. of what happens when the crank is flexing. The aftermarket components available, but on many
cylinder pressures and massive blower boost of the older applications it’s pretty slim pickings
Clearances place astounding loads on the bottom end, for upgraded or performance level parts.
In recent years there has been a continued move which is why you see the teams dropping the There can still be a reduction in the
toward tightening up clearances at both the pan and pulling caps to check the bearings after clearance on older applications though if
OEM and the rebuilding level. This is partly each pass. This example is definitely from the utilizing modern synthetic oils. Just to clarify,
due to advancements in bearing designs, but extreme end of the competition scale, but again, we’re not talking about massive dimensional
also has much to do with modern engine oils. it shows how quickly you can kill a bearing differences. Something in the range of .0005˝
Given that the crankshaft is spinning on a when crank flex takes up the clearance. - .001˝ can make a difference in the oiling
hydrodynamic layer of lubricating oil between Now that you’ve heard a portion of the case efficiency and film pressure of the engine.
the main journal and the bearing, it’s easy to see for the benefits of tighter clearances combined Initially, the practice of increasing the
how the viscosity of the lubricant that’s used with thinner oils, we’ll make a 180-degree bearing clearance came about when builders
can play a major role in engine durability. turn with the caveat that not every application were looking for ways to keep their motors
Many modern performance oils have a can utilize this set up. If we refer back to our alive while making more power out of factory
much thinner operating viscosity than what previous example pertaining to crank flex engines without the benefit of the technology
was widely used in the past. The chemical in Top Fuel engines, they wouldn’t make it available today. Looser clearances could help
compounds of these oils are also designed to through the burnout without knocking out the you go more rounds or make more laps with
take higher levels of heat and promote friction bearings if the clearances were tight. In these cranks that were moving around in OEM
reduction. Granted, another huge component engines, main bearing clearance is generally blocks that suffered everything from cap walk

36 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

to poor oiling characteristics under elevated
loads or rpms. Along with the additional
clearance, higher viscosity oils were used in
the effort to stave off bearing problems in
conjunction with higher volume pumps to
move the lubricant through the engine.
A lot of this came from the pioneers of the
hot rod industry, but there have also been a
great deal of advancements made by bearing
manufacturers in terms of the technology
we were using in the not-so-distant past too.
We assemble our sprint car engines today
differently than we did in the early ’90s,
and with the current technology, bearing
failures are fairly rare. The industry accepted A wiped bearing surface is one in which surface rubbing, melting and smearing is evident.
This may be due to a variety of causes, including: excessive load at start-up/run-down,
standard for clearance is .001˝ for every inch
insufficient lubricant, operational overload, loss of clearance or misalignment.
of journal diameter, which would mean if
you had a 2.500˝ main journal then .0025˝ A friend of mine at one of the performance clearance is oil temperature. Tighter clearances
clearance would be the number to aim for. One oil companies put it into some simple terms can produce higher oil temps but, with less
manufacturer gives a suggested range of .0007˝ regarding clearances: “If standard is .0025˝, loading, the engine will operate smoother.
- .001˝ per inch with a builder option of adding then loose is .003˝ and tight is .002˝,” he said. Additional clearance will have more oil flowing
an additional .0005˝ for performance engines. Another factor that is affected by the through the bearing, which will give better oil

circle 37 for more information

EngineBuilderMag.com 37
Bearings

cooling, but the peak load for the bearing will

be higher.

Cam Bearings
Cam bearings, like the mains, are manufactured
using various materials. New manufacturing
technologies and metallurgical advancements
mean these components are able to match
the strength and durability of other high
performance valvetrain components. High
performance micro babbitt and burnished
cam bearings are available to provide twice the
fatigue strength while using high spring force.
Additionally, high performance coated bearing
are available to assist with dry starts and provide
added lubrication.
Manufacturers put considerable effort into
designing components for engines that are built
to exceed the performance they were originally
designed for in an OE application. As with other
engine bearings, advancements in technology New cam bearing manufacturing technologies and metallurgical advancements mean
and manufacturing processes have produced a these components are able to match the strength and durability of other high performance
higher quality product available today. valvetrain components. Photo courtesy of Dura-Bond Bearing Co.
As is frequently evident, the OE engine
manufacturer doesn’t always try to make your achieve the correct alignment in the cam achieving a more efficient hydrodynamic layer
job easier. Cam bearings are bored in place on bore and prevent damaging the steel backing. upon start up and operation if the housing
most OE blocks due to block tolerances. In Precautions should also be taken to prevent any bores in the block are fully grooved or the
some cases, engine repairs have necessitated nicks or gouges in the bearing material during bearing itself has an oil groove machined into it.
block replacement. However, engineering installation and especially when test fitting the The best position for the oil hole when viewed
expertise has resulted in aftermarket cam for proper rotation. from the front of the block is at the 2 o’clock
alternatives for many popular performance Block distortion happens gradually over (60 degrees) location when using a standard
engines including the Chevy LT1 (6.2L OHV time and the camshaft wears the bearings rotation camshaft. This location enables the oil
V8, MY 2014-201) and Dodge Hemi (5.7L to match the amount of distortion through layer to begin to form more quickly at the lower
OHV V8, MY 2009-2014; 6.4L OHV V8, continual engine operation. Upon disassembly part of the bearing plus the rotational forces
MY 2011-2014. of the engine, the camshaft would rotate freely of the cam can assist in pulling oil through
In many cases, bearing manufacturers work in the worn bearings but produce tight spots the feedhole. Not all blocks have this option
with successful CERs and PERs to develop or make installation of the new cam impossible and there may not be a grooved cam bearing
products to solve specific engine issues. Some after the bearings have been replaced with a available, at which point the feedhole should
of the more critical issues have included Ford new set due to the distortion of the housing be centered with the oiling hole in the housing
applications, where slots in the bearings were bores. Due to block tolerances and distortion, bore to insure a full flow path for lubrication.
replaced by holes to keep the bearings from a forgiving bearing material is necessary for We’ve really just scratched the surface on
buckling on installation and control oil flow; reliable operation. the subject of bearings as there are several other
with Jeeps (bearings in positions 2 and 3 tend Larger OD bearings are available for many areas to discuss, including roller cam bearings
to need grooves to control oil flow not found mainstream engines, which allows the cam and coatings that we’ll have to save for later.
in the OE application) and the popular GM tunnel to be re-bored in order to eliminate the However, a quick note regarding coatings is to
LS engines (MY 2005-2015) which require a distortion of the block. The general consensus simply say that if a coated bearing is available
coated bearing in positions 1 and 5 to keep the of bearing manufacturers suggests an optimum for your particular application and within your
engines running. operating clearance of .002˝ with an upper budget it will always be beneficial to utilize it.
One of the biggest culprits in cam bearing range of .004˝ in order to provide the best oil Matching your bearing material to the
complaints has to do with misalignment. This layer. application in conjunction with setting
can occur from improper installation or as the When installing cam bearings, the clearances and oil selection will go a long way
result of block distortion. Use of a centering positioning of the oil hole can be placed in a in the effort to keeping your engine performing
cone while driving in the bearings will help preferential location in order to aid the oil in smoothly. ■

38 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

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V-Twin

Drag Racing
the Pushrod V-Twin
Gregg Dahl, Technical Contributor
gregg@gmsracingengines.com

H
arley-Davidson’s pushrod V-Twin has been raced in every form like Delkron STD and S&S Cycle began
imaginable since its beginning in the early 20th century. From manufacturing bigger and bigger components
pushing the size of the twin from its 61-cubic-
the very beginning of motorsports both factory riders and inch beginnings to well over 160 cu.-in. in
privateers have pushed this 45-degree staple of motorcycling to record some cases. In the American Motorcycle
performances in almost every motorsports arena. Racing Association (amraonline.com) there
are classes for everyone who chooses to show
The modern versions of this iconic mill make has the aftermarket support or the up at an event. Ranging from ride-in bracket
can be traced back to the first mass-produced general following as H-D’s 45-degree pushrod racing to Top Fuel, if you decide to go V-Twin
OHV twin, the 1936 Knucklehead. Even V-Twin. The aftermarket industry that has racing, you can do it there. We race in Outlaw
today’s new world four-valve Milwaukee Eight surrounded the V-Twin has helped the mother Street, which is a street tire class with a
has family likeness to its ancestor. Evolution company thrive and survive by spawning 70-inch wheelbase limit, 145 cu.-in. engine
of this platform over the past 100 years has interest and pushing the engine to new places size limit and run without wheelie bars. The
produced a reliable, long-mileage, high- in racing and on the street. Being a drag racing current ET records are 5.30-seconds in the
performance engine. It excels at everything fanatic as well as a Harley and general engine 1/8 mile and 8.25-seconds in the quarter mile
from day-to-day use on the open highways to guy, I naturally became involved with drag held by Stacey Bortz who is the only woman
race tracks, drag strips, hill climbs, land speed racing on my personal Harleys. to compete in the class. The engines are
venues, and even dynamometer competitions. When I first started drag racing V-Twins 4.800˝ bore x 4.00˝ stroke with rpms above
In the motorcycle world, no other single (I race gas bikes), I simply rode down to 8,500. This is in a basic valvetrain architecture
the old Eldora Raceway (1/8th mile) in that was designed for 3,000 rpm continuous
Fairmont, WV with my new 1987 Sportster duty with short peaks of around 5,400 rpm!
and signed up and bracket raced. Back then, There have been several articles written about
the fastest gas bikes went somewhere in the street performance Harley builds and quite
low 9 seconds to mid 8s in quarter-mile times a few about the 60-degree Pro Stocks seen in
and produced speeds in the mid-140 mph NHRA, but I want to talk about the seldom-
to low-150 mph (this is what I remember seen versions that live somewhere in between
and not official). Nowadays, the fastest the Street/Sportsman and Pro Stock realms.
normally aspirated gas V-Twins can run in the Since I’ve already mentioned the
8.20-seconds at over 165 mph on a street tire valvetrain, we will start there. The rocker
without wheelie bars! You can subtract a full resembles a bellcrank and transfers motion
second and add 10+ mph for a similar engine from the extreme right of the head to the
in a full dragster-type bike. valves in the center of the engine. The reason
The reason for this increase in for this is that the cam or cams (depending
performance beyond the typical evolution on the version of twin) are riding on the right
in development is the fact that companies side of the crankshaft just above the pinion

40 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

On the opposite page, Gregg Dahl (foreground) and Damon Kuskie (back) discuss theory at the 2017 AETC. (Above)
Drag racer Stacey Bortz puts that theory into practice during a run in AMRA’s Outlaw Street class. Bortz holds the
E.T. records of 5.304 in the 1/8th mile and 8.259 in the 1/4 mile at Beech Bend Raceway. Gregg Dahl holds the speed
record of 137.95 at the same track.

EngineBuilderMag.com 41
V-Twin

shaft that drives the system. This design also requires a pushrod that that use a special bronze bushing that is oiled by splash in the Evo or
can approach 13-inches long! Getting this system to live and perform at Sportster and direct fed in the Twin Cam. The roller is more exposed
such high speeds was quite a project to say the least. in the first two designs and holds up well in the splash environment.
Starting in the cam case the lifters are mechanical roller types Even though the Sportster is the most popular racing platform, we
have obtained very good results with the Evo and Twin Cam versions.
The Twin Cam has larger cam cores that have cross section diameters
more like a big block V8 and are placed higher in the case shortening
the pushrods as a result. When running valve lifts just under one inch
and durations in the 290-degree at .050˝ range, the heavy cam core
pays benefits. In the S&S Special Application Twin cam cases, the
lifter bores are moved apart to better align them with the rocker arms.
The pushrods are from Smith Brothers with diameters from 7/16˝ to
9/16˝ either straight or tapered and with wall thicknesses from .165˝
to .188˝. Smith Brothers also makes a very stiff adjustable version that
works quite well in some of these applications. Jesel Valvetrain also has
pushrods that use shims to get adjustment to solve the non adjustable
rocker problem.
The weight of the valvetrain is much the same as a mountain
motor V8 and requires a lot of spring. We have run as much as 400 lbs.
on the seat and 1,200 lbs. open to keep things under control. One of
The lifter bores on the right have been bored on angles that allow the things we have done that helped with valvetrain control was to leave
12EB_14GRP 12/3/14 8:40 AM Page 1
better alignment with the rocker arms. the 1.725 rocker ratio behind and go back to the stock 1.625 ratio. To

circle 42 for more information

42 February 2018 | EngineBuilder
The case on the right has a deck height raised 1.125 inches to keep the bores from intersecting. Notice the difference from the cam case to
the case deck.

compensate, a larger lobe lift was used helping to relieve some stress on to be very large and will not fit in any stock chassis. If you sit a Chevy
our bellcrank style rocker arms. We are currently converting to the Jesel 454 next to a Mountain Motor Pro Stock engine you get the idea. The
V-Twin adjustable rocker system, which is much more stable and will overall deck height on these beasts can be as high as 12.000˝.
allow the speeds to get closer to 9,000 rpm. The cylinders are made from ductile iron or can be billet
With bores approaching 5.000˝, the case decks on these engines aluminum with ductile sleeves. In Outlaw Street we are required to run
need to be raised from 6.000˝ (Twin Cam) and 5.375˝ (most others) finned cylinders to try to maintain a street-like appearance. We have
to 7.125˝. This is to keep the pistons from sharing the same space had good results with both versions although we did discover that the
when they pass through the bottoms of their stroke. An aluminum solid iron cylinders distorted more than we ever expected them to. We
connecting rod measuring 8.500˝ center-to-center is also needed to have been told for years by manufacturers and other sources that torque
work with such a tall package. The cam case is also offset from stock plates on iron barrels were not needed but we have found gains in using
specs to the right .850˝ on the Sportster
02EB_18LibertyEagle50.qxp and AM
2/2/18 8:10 .375˝Page
on the
1 Twin Cam them.
to make room for the bore size. As one can imagine, these engines get The pistons can be billets or forgings. We have used compression

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(844) 621-4242 (855) 621-4242 (888) 621-4242 (866) 621-4242 (877) 621-4242 (800) 621-4242

circle 43 for more information

EngineBuilderMag.com 43
V-Twin

ratios as high as 16:1 and have had good success with 13.5 – 14:1
depending on the cam timing and rpm range of the application. With
a 4.000˝ stroke and the engine speeds we see the piston speed can be
5,700+ feet per min with the piston assembly weighing in at around
700 grams. Since the oiling system is dry sump, thin, low-tension rings
can be used to not only gain some power but are also easier on the
cylinder walls, allowing a longer service life from our custom cylinders.
Wrist pins are tool steel and are .990˝ diameter.
The crankshaft is a stiffer version of the stock unit. It uses the same
crank pin and rod rollers as the S&S Buell Pro Stock engine. We have
used both aluminum and coated-steel bearing cages and have settled on
the copper-coated steel ones. Some teams prefer a pork chop flywheel
set while others use the full-round halves. While the lighter pork chops
can be easier to accelerate, the full-round store a little more energy for
This flywheel/crankshaft assembly is pressed and welded together launch and shift recovery.
and requires a great deal of work to service. When properly done, Feeding the whole process is a set of special purpose cylinder heads
they are very rugged and dependable.
we buy as partially finished castings from S&S. With a minimum intake
cross section of 4.4 square inches and an intake valve diameter ranging
from 2.450˝ to 2.600˝, these can move air in excess of 550 cfm at 28˝ of
depression and .950˝ of lift. Victory 1 Performance produces the valve
to do this job in titanium with a diamond-like carbon coating. The
seats are Mold Star 90 material with seat angles varying from 45 to 55
degrees depending on the application. These heads also use dual plugs –
one in each side of the chamber.
The current fuel system is EFI and designed in-house here at GMS.
Our engineer, Damon Kuskie worked with Performance Electronics
to develop a self-contained engine management and data acquisition
system to work with the twin in a competition environment. It uses an
individual runner design with 70mm throttle bodies, and sensors and
components from both the automotive and motorcycle sectors. Also
designed in-house is our crank sensor and trigger wheel that has made
EFI possible on engines without that option from the manufacturer.
The cast Pro Stock Sportster on the left along with the Special
While going over all of this, you start to realize that these engines
Application Twin Cam have 7.125˝ decks to allow 4.800˝ and larger
use similar bore, valve size, port cross section, and cam designs as
bores. While the four cam arrangement provides a straighter path
700 to 800 cu.-in. V8s. Now think about that being applied to a
for the push rods, the twin cam uses a higher cam placement with
more robust cam cores and bearings. 45-degree motorcycle engine and spinning it to 8,600 rpm! We all
know 60-degree Pro Stocks are even more impressive, but these are self
starting, somewhat rideable machines that still show their lineage back
to the Knucklehead.
Although this is Engine Builder magazine, I would like to mention
a little about the gear boxes we use to transfer the power. The Sportster
is a unitized case with the transmission and engine being one. Those
transmissions are modified for us by R&D Motorsports. We have also
had R&D modify the big-twin five speeds as well, although not as
durable as the Sportster. Another disadvantage with the big-twin box is
the wide gear ratio package. Baker Drivetrain’s Torque Box transmission
has the ratios and plenty of torque capacity to satisfy our needs. We
have gotten Baker and Liberty’s Gears together on this project to come
up with the only clean sheet motorcycle racing transmission on the
market. Every other option is a modified version of a stock unit. After
220 runs and shifts in the mid 8,000s the first unit passed inspection
The connecting rods are made from 7075 aluminum at 8.500˝ center- with no issues.
to-center. Once all is assembled and installed in the motorcycle, we go into

44 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

(Above) Feeding the whole process is a set of special purpose (Above) The case in the foreground is a factory H-D case. The
cylinder heads we buy as partially finished castings from S&S. With Special Application case in the background is capable of containing
a minimum intake cross section of 4.4 square inches and an intake 160+ cubes.
valve diameter ranging from 2.450˝ to 2.600˝, these can move air in
excess of 550 cfm at 28˝ of depression and .950˝ of lift.

(Right) Ductile iron has been the popular choice for v-twin racing
cylinders since the first racing twins emerged. The factory cylinder
on the right is an iron liner with the finned aluminum barrel cast
around it. Look at how long the spigot is on the iron cylinder.
Taking advantage of the tall decks, this allows for good support
when the piston passes through the bottom of its stroke.

the dyno room to see what we have. Rear wheel horsepower can be in
the 260 range with peak torque in the 190 lb.-ft. range. Some of the
160 cu.-in. grudge racing engines will go over 270 hp and 200 lb.-ft.
of torque. The curves are really flat and broad for a racing engine. The
45-degree engine with the heavy crankshaft assembly (30 to 36 pounds
with rods installed) helps to make this possible.
Working on and building engines like these has been a natural
transition for me coming from a big-inch automotive engine
background. A necessity is a machine shop equipped with boring,
surfacing, guide and seat, honing, and milling equipment that is not
common to a motorcycle shop. Having a flow bench to move the air
through large ports with repeatability and a room full of tools specific
to the V-Twin is not commonplace in the average engine shop either.
This, along with racing these engines has put us in a niche market that
has kept work flowing from around the globe.
As I’ve said here before, you need to be able to change with the
times or the trends to keep a shop going and to grow. For us, it was the The 4.800˝ bore from the Outlaw engine dwarfs the 3.875˝ from the
monster V-Twin. For others it will be diesel, marine, industrial or some Harley 103 Twin Cam.
other form of racing. In my area, the days of the small machine shop
behind the parts store is gone. For my shop, chasing a vision of racing
and making a new path was a very good strategy. You’ve got to roll with
the punches or tap out. ■

EngineBuilderMag.com 45
 T
he Beach Boys once sang, “Good, good timin’, good, good,
Timing Components
timin’ ... you need good timin’.” They weren’t singing about an
engine – at least not in this particular song – but they could
have been. It’s no secret that an engine’s performance relies on how well
all aspects of its components are working together to produce power.
Timing components are a major part of that equation. Here are some
timing components to consider that are available today for your builds.

TIMING COVERS
EngineQuest has you covered with the most VARIABLE CAM AND VALVE
complete listing of hard to find (and readily
available) automotive, industrial and marine TIMING PHASERS
timing covers. Units with internal oil pumps are Cloyes has recently developed the variable cam
fully assembled and tested with 10 weight oil timing (VCT) / variable valve timing (VVT) phasers for
for relief valve operation, pressure and flow. the Ford 4.6L/5.4L engine. Cloyes is combining the
All timing covers come with a limited parts and phasers with its current timing kits, which will provide
labor warranty for 1 year. Applications include a complete replacement option for consumers. The
AMC Jeep, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler / Dodge, kit number will be 9-0391SBVVT, and will be available
Ford, Isuzu, Pontiac, Toyota and Industrial / Marine. April/May of 2018.
EngineQuest.com/timing-covers cloyes.com

COMPLETE TIMING SETS FOR G.M. 3.6L ENGINES

Elgin Industries has introduced
complete, OE-style replacement
PRO CHEVROLET LS PRO
timing sets for millions of GM ADJUST TIMING SETS
vehicles equipped with 3.6L (217 CID) New from Engine Pro
DOHC engines, including bio-fuel are Chevrolet LS Pro
and flex fuel variants. These premium Adjust performance
quality replacement sets contain all timing sets for
required components except variable three-bolt camshafts.
valve timing camshaft sprockets. In These timing sets
addition to these sets, Elgin offers a feature a double roller
broad range of OE-style replacement .250˝ chain that are
timing sets for most popular late-model domestic and import engines. heat treated and
elginind.com polished, a billet steel
cam sprocket with
thrust bearing, 5-piece
HIGH PERFORMANCE MELL-GEAR TIMING SETS dowel pin insert kit for +/- 4 degree cam adjustment,
a billet steel crank sprocket with oil pump spacer
Melling has recently introduced two timing
plates, and a billet steel oil pump drive sprocket with
sets for the GM LS application. Both part
oil pump spacer plates. Fits LS1, LS2, LS6 and L92.
#48562-6 for the GM LS3 and part #48563-6
All Engine Pro performance timing sets are
for the GM LS7 are high performance MELL-
manufactured with top quality features such as
GEAR timing sets that feature induction-
heat-treated steel and pre-stretched chain.
hardened and manganese-phosphate-coated
sprockets for initial break-in lubrication. The enginepro.com
crank sprockets are one-piece billet steel.
The chains have several features including a 30% increase in plate thickness, an
individual oil hole for each pin, pin thickness increased by 35% and chromium TIMING BELT KIT
infused to resist wear, and all plates are polished for reduced friction and guide
Gates, a manufacturer of automotive parts and
wear. The fixed roller chain has less moving parts than other roller chains.
accessories, recently announced a performance
melling.com automotive belt designed for the high demands of
racing builds. Their timing belt kit, TCKWP328RB,
includes all the premium necessary parts and a water
FAST ADJUST TIMING SETS pump. Using a Gates timing belt kit will make for a
successful timing belt job.
PBM Fast Adjust Billet Timing Sets make camshaft timing
motovicity.com
quick and easy. Timing can be adjusted a total of 12
degrees, from 6-degrees retard to 6-degrees advance,
by adjusting the two-piece billet steel cam sprocket.
The timing sets feature heavy-duty .250˝ roller chains
with CNC-machined billet gears and are available with
Torrington bearings for utmost reliability and durability.
Ideal for street performance and race applications.
pbm-erson.com

46 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

 WE'RE NOT JUST
OIL PUMPS
Melling has a full line of timing kits, sprockets, gears, chains, 3-piece sets,
tensioners, dampers, and guides for both import and domestic vehicles.
Visit MELLING.COM to search your application.

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Timing Sets Now Available!
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48563-6 GM LS-7

2620 Saradan Dr. ࠮ Jackson, MI 49202

800-777-8172 ࠮ melling.com

Circle 47 on Reader Service Card for more information

Engine of the Week Spotlight

481X Top Sportsman Engine

Steve Morris | Steve Morris Engines
Muskegon, MI

By Greg Jones, Managing Editor

gjones@babcox.com

S teve Morris is an engine builder

who doesn’t need an introduction
these days. Not too long ago, his
who wants the best in a centrifugal
supercharged piece. He says it’s both
durable and dependable.
work, some things are still a struggle
from time to time.
“I’ve had some issues with this
engine shop, Steve Morris Engines “We’ve worked on everything from engine on the dyno that are electrical
in Norton Shores, MI, built the Devel the piston design to valve train stuff – related,” he says. “I’ve had this thing
Sixteen – a V16 5,000 hp engine that while a lot of it was really good to start on the dyno for three weeks. By the
cemented him as an elite builder with we just try to make things better,” time you get a part in and test it, get
of boosted, supercharged and he says. “We use MGP connecting another part in and test it again and try
turbocharged engines. Today, his shop rods, Diamond or CP-Carrillo pistons, to hunt down and diagnose problems,
only builds engines that produce more and Crower, Bryant or Callies the engine ends up being on there
than 1,000 hp. crankshafts.” forever. For an engine like this being
One of those recent engine builds This particular engine has a Bryant dyno tested and tuned, I easily have
was on hand at the PRI Show, a Pro crankshaft with MGP rods, Diamond 80-100 hours into it.”
Modified/Top Sportsman engine with pistons, King engine bearings and a Aside from the machine work on
the 481X platform. Holley EFI system. It also has Steve’s the block, balancing, modifications
“The 481X platform consists of a camshaft profile. and assembly, Morris says the tune is
solid billet block and solid billet head,” “I don’t grind camshafts but I do all one of the most critical elements for a
Morris says. “This particular one has a the design and profile work on them high-horsepower engine. This one, he
Vortech supercharger on it, which is a and then have the manufacturers grind says, should produce around 3,500 hp
gear-driven supercharger. The engine them to my specifications,” he says. and 2,800 lb.-ft. of torque.
runs on methanol and has all of our While the camshaft grinding is done “The major challenge is tuning at
componentry on it because I make outside his building, Morris does make this kind of horsepower level,” Morris
the billet intake manifold, billet valve the intake manifold and spends a lot says. “There are very few people who
covers, bracketry and any kind of small of time designing and making that the actually dyno test and tune stuff at this
fabrication work like that.” way he wants. horsepower level.
This Top Sportsman is a 3,500 “We actually make quite a few “We are always offering to work
horsepower Vortech engine. It’s an intake manifolds now for SBC, BBC with people on having a real turnkey
engine that Steve believes would be and LS stuff,” Morris says. package. I will even train them on how
a good option for fast grudge cars, While the shop has become quite to use the EFI system and train them
fast Top Sportsman cars, or anybody good at this high-performance engine to help them get the cars down the
track,” he says.
“We don’t build just the long
block. We’re doing a complete engine
package and really trying to help
people get what they need,” Morris
concludes. ■

The Engine of the Week eNewsletter is

sponsored by Cometic Gasket.

If you have an engine you would like to

highlight in this series, please email Engine
Builder magazine’s managing editor, Greg
Jones at gjones@babcox.com.

48 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Circle 49 on Reader Service Card for more information
Injectors

Injector Design
Changes
How Injectors Have Adapted to EFI and GDI Applications

By Bob McDonald, Technical Contributor

bmcdonald@enginebuildermag.com

T
he fuel injector is a precision instrument that provides the Mechanical fuel injection became recognized
amount of fuel needed for a given cylinder - unfortunatley, it when it was offered as an option on the 1957
Corvette, but many consumers fail to recognize
is also the most overlooked component of the fuel injection that is wasn’t just found in gas engines – all
system. I say this because no one really takes an injector apart to see what is diesel engines were mechanically injected as
inside. There are small intricate pieces inside the injector’s body that work well up until the early 1990s.
When electronic fuel injection started
together to deliver fuel. In simple terms, the injector is a solenoid valve hitting the market on gasoline production
that when commanded open sprays pressurized fuel. Whether the engine cars in the mid 1980s, consumers really had a
uses gasoline or diesel fuel, the injector works on the same premise for hard time grasping the concept. The biggest
obstacle was the fact that the car was now
both. Over the years, injectors and their fuel control systems have changed equipped with a “computer” which had many
for several developmental reasons including efficiency, emissions, and wires coming from its brain compared to the
reaction time. “one wire” electronic ignition system with
a carburetor. But look how much that has
changed. Fuel injection has even made its way
In the mid 1980s, the use of port fuel injection was adopted and to be accepted by the hot-rodding world and
continued to evolve for all makes of automobiles. But, only minor most all racing classes.
changes took place to the injector which can be conceived as a As the years of fuel injection went by, the
fuel discharge actuator. injector, along with other fuel components,
began to change. This was done for several
reasons and it is best understood if you take
a closer look at each style of injector. The
primary focus for injector design changes will
be related to spray atomization and clogging
resistance. For gasoline engines there are three
basic styles of injectors: disc, ball and seat and
pintle. Keep in mind that all three styles of
injectors share common components such as
the body, o-rings and coil assembly.
The body of the injector contains all of the
injector’s internal components. In the top of
the injector is the fuel inlet, which should have
some sort of fuel filter. Once inside, fuel flows
through a tube known as a fuel shaft which

50 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

goes through the coil assembly to the injector dynamic flow that need to be understood to Injectors are rarely operated at full static flow.
seat, which can be ball and seat, disc or pintle. determine proper injector size. The static flow If they are, the injector heats up and becomes
The coil assembly activates the solenoid which refers to when an injector is energized (cycled unstable. When sizing an injector, there should
moves the ball, disc or pintle causing fuel to on) and usually left on for one minute. This is be a safety margin used in the formula. This
exit the injector. When injection has taken similar to what happens when using an injector will usually be 10% to 20% of variance.
place, the internal spring returns the ball, disc tester machine. This determines the flow of In the previous example, the injector
or pintle back to its seat very quickly so there is the injector using a determined pressure such needed was 28 lbs./hr. Using the safety margin
no fuel leakage. as 45 psi. The static flow is then calculated in of 10%, the injector formula would be:
There are two different kinds of coil lbs. / hr. So if you are going to be choosing an 28 lbs. / hr. X 10% = 30 lbs. / hr.
assemblies inside the injector body. These are injector for your application, you will need to 28 lbs. / hr. X 20%= 33 lbs. / hr.
referred to as high impedance (saturated) use the following formula to get a baseline of A common injector of 30 lbs. / hr. should
and low impedance (peak and hold). High the correct lbs. / hr. injector you would need. be sufficient.
impedance has high resistance across the coil HP X BSFC divided by the number of The dynamic flow is the measurement of
assembly usually in the range of 12 to 16 ohms. cylinders = Injector flow. the flow of the injector as it is pulsed on and
This enables the injector to operate a low Example: A V8 500 horsepower engine off for a given number of cycles. The period
current levels usually around 1 amp or less. The x the bsfc, which is around .45 (naturally between the start of each cycle is called the PI
low current keeps the circuit cool and helps aspirated) or .55 (forced induction) then (Pulse Interval) and the time that the injector
extend life. The major downfall of using high divided by the number of cylinders. is energized is referred to as PW (Pulse Width)
impedance coils is that the response times are 500 x .45 = 225 divided by 8 = 28. measured in milli-seconds. While tuning an
slow. Here is an example of amperage draw of a So this engine would need a 28 lbs. / hr. electronic fuel injection system, the injectors
high impedance injector: injector to operate at that horsepower. should not be operated at less than 2 milli-
05EB_16ProGear33.qxp 7/24/17 9:32 AM Page 1
Using Ohm’s law (V=IR) = A 12 volt But, one important thing to note here. seconds because they will become erratic due
system with an injector resistance of 13 ohms
(measurement taken with an ohm meter
across the top of the terminals at the electrical
connector) would yield this:
I = 12 volts / 13 ohms = .92 amps
Low impedance injectors require more
current to open. Usually resistance across
the terminals of a low impedance injector
will range between 1 and 3 ohms. Here is an
example of amperage draw in a low impedance
injector:
Using Ohm’s law (V=IR) = A 12 volt
system with an injector resistance of 3 ohms
would yield this:
I = 12 volts / 3 ohms = 4 amps
If the injector were operated constantly at
4 amps, the circuits would overheat. But, this
is why the injector is referred to as a peak and
hold. A low impedance injector has a switching
mechanism built inside the circuit to lower the
current down once the injector has opened.
Once the injector has opened, the majority of
the work has been done so it will require less
current to keep it open. This is why it is referred
to as peak and hold. As an example, the injector
fires and the circuit takes 4 amps to open. After
it is open the current will be cut below half to
hold it open, usually around 1.5 amps.
Now, when using fuel injection the injector
needs to be properly sized for the application.
There are two factors known as static flow and
circle 51 for more information
EngineBuilderMag.com 51
Injectors

to the fact that the coil, when energized, is

not reaching its full magnetic potential and
the ability to control fuel is unstable. On the
opposite end, never operate the injector above
90% duty cycle because when pulsed this hard
the injector does not have time to completely
close before opening again. Fuel flow becomes
unstable and erratic. Present day injectors are known as EV6 (left) or USCAR (right). They are
identified by their type of connector. They are also available in the aftermarket
As mentioned earlier, there are three basic
with different flow rates and ball and seat injection.
styles of injectors – pintle, ball and seat and
disc. The pintle style uses a needle valve with
a tapered seat. When the coil is energized the and very reliable. However, over a period of of a narrow hole in the orifice. This style also
needle valve moves up off of the tapered seat time they suffer from deposit build up around prevents buildup of deposits and because the
which allows fuel to flow through the orfice. the pintle, which would restrict flow. disc is lightweight it has quicker response times.
The cone at the end of the orfice produces a With the ball and seat design, when the The lightweight disc also has quiet operation
15 to 30-degree spray pattern. When the coil is injector is energized there is a ball that raises with little or no “clicking” noise compared to
de-energized, there is a spring in the top of the off of a seat, which allows fuel to flow through the other designs.
needle valve that pushes the needle valve back tiny holes. The ball and seat designs prevented Different manufacturers of injectors often
into the seat which cuts off fuel flow. In the the deposit build up like the pintle styles. The incorporate different spray patterns as the fuel
tip of the injector is a machined orfice which ball and seat is very similar to the disc design. In exits the injector for promoting atomization.
determines the fuel flow rate as mentioned a disc style injector, when the coil is energized For production engine applications it has been
previously. Pintle injectors were used for years the disc raises up off the seat and fuel flows out found that the spray pattern often does not

circle 52 for more information

52 February 2018 | EngineBuilder
 Many early fuel injection systems had injectors known as EV1 or minitimer. The minitimer
injector can be identified by this type of connector. This type of injector is reliable and
can still be found today in aftermarket systems and available with different flow rates and
ball and seat type injection

have changed to a Delphi connector and have direct injection range from 500 psi at idle to
measured as small as 1.5 inches in length. 3,000 psi under load. In diesel applications,
In recent years, a new type of fuel injection pressures range from 5,000 psi at idle to
has been used and is becoming more familiar. 30,000 psi under load. Once the injection has
It is often referred to as GDI (Gasoline Direct occurred and the injector is de-energized the
Injection) where the fuel injector is placed crystals shrink causing the pintle to close. The
in the cylinder head usually in the center or reason for the use of piezoelectric injectors is
the side of the combustion chamber. The because they open and close at a much faster
GDI system is very similar to the Common rate. Because the injectors are placed in the
Rail Direct Injection diesel technology. Both combustion chamber, there is precise control
systems consists of a high pressure fuel pump over the injection interval.
contribute to any additional power gains. This that is driven by the engine that pressurizes The pistons are made very specific for
being because most injectors are positioned to fuel and sends it to a fuel rail that supplies direct injection engines. The fuel is directed
spray fuel above the intake valve at a degree that each injector. The injector is placed into the into a small recess in the piston crown. This is
would let fuel transition into the air stream. combustion chamber of the cylinder head also the same for a diesel engine. The piston
Sometimes there is fuel fallout that may hit the where fuel will be delivered into the top or crown is designed to promote combustion and
intake runner wall but spray pattern, whether the side of the piston. The piston is made efficiency from proper fuel atomization in the
it is straight or coned, has not proven any very unique to the direct injection system combustion chamber. Because of their precise
horsepower. as its design helps promote flame travel and control, piezo electric injectors can be cycled
From the mid-1980s when port fuel combustion efficiency for the amount of several times per combustion event.
injection was introduced into production cars, gasoline used. The benefits of direct injection Take the diesel engine for example: there
there have been only minor changes as far as are fuel efficiency, power output, more precise is a small amount of fuel injected as the piston
the body, o-rings, and electrical connector. Up control over fuel, and injection timing. is coming up the bore, which is known as pilot
until 2005, most injectors were incorporated GDI injectors and Common Rail diesel injection. This injection event gives a little bit
with the EV1 connector also known as the injectors are known as piezoelectric. This of fuel to start the combustion. Then there
minitimer and were about 2.5 inches in length. type of injector is actuated by a stack of piezo is a pre-injection event where another small
In 2005, the connector was changed to an EV6 crystals. When energized, these crystals expand amount of fuel is injected again to help start
known as the UScar and the length measured with enough force to move a pintle that is combustion. As the piston reaches the top of
about 2 inches long. Most recent designs under extreme pressure. Pressures in gasoline the bore, the main injection event happens and
combustion takes place. As the piston travels
down the bore another injection event takes
place during the flame front known as post
injection. This puts a little more fuel to the
fire to help clean up the end gases. When the
DPF is being cleaned there is another injection
Now, port fuel injection has changed to GDI. The cycle on the exhaust stroke so fuel can enter
Gasoline Direct Injection system is becoming the exhaust system to react with the DOC to
more common on all makes of automobiles.
produce the heat needed to clean the DPF.
Even though they can be somewhat more
Similar injection events take place in GDI
complex, the GDI system offers many benefits
engines to promote efficiency and economy.
for power and efficiency.
Fuel injection, whether it is mechanical,
port, or direct has been around for many years.
These ideas and theories of fuel injection
were tried and used back in the early-1900s
in different applications. Other countries had
adopted gasoline direct injection several years
Common-Rail diesel injectors are very similar before we saw the idea here in the United
to Gasoline Direct Injectors. Both consist of States.
piezoelectric crystals that move a pintle when Understanding the technical aspects of
energized. They operate at over 100 volts and have a these intricate components will help you
very quick response time. Because they are placed in diagnose your installer customers’ problems
the combustion chamber, the injection pulse width is
better and help you build more efficient engines
lower than typical port injection.
yourself. ■

EngineBuilderMag.com 53
Shop Financials

Tax Cuts
& Jobs Act
How Your Shop Can Benefit
From the New Tax Law.

T he late-2017 tax overhaul is the most sweeping change to the federal tax code in at
least 30 years. It calls for lowering individual and corporate tax rates, repealing many
tax credits and deductions, enhancing the child tax credit, boosting business write-offs,
Vehicle Depreciation
The bill raises the cap placed on
depreciation write-offs of business-use
and more. The law also impacts the Affordable Care Act (ACA), effectively repealing the vehicles. The new caps will be:
individual shared responsibility requirement. Whether or not that part of the change will • $10,000 for the first year a vehicle is
remain is unclear at the time of this writing. placed in service (up from a current level
Note: Many of these changes are temporary. This temporary relief for individuals will of $3,160);
be short lived. These rollbacks, if continued, will result in a tax revenue loss of hundreds of • $16,000 for the second year (up from
billions, if not, into the trillions of dollars. Congress has not and will not guarantee to extend $5,100);
these cuts for individuals, so it looks like the middle class will eventually pick up the bill. • $9,600 for the third year (up from $3,050);
• and $5,760 for each subsequent year (up
INDIVIDUAL TAX RATES Bonus Depreciation from $1,875) until costs are fully recovered.
After 2017, the new law carries temporary The new law increases the 50-percent The new, higher limits apply to vehicles
tax rates of 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35, and 37 “bonus depreciation” allowance to 100 placed in service after December 31,
percent. Currently the individual income percent for property placed in service after 2017, and for which additional first-year
tax rates are 10, 15, 25, 28, 33, 35, and 39.6 September 27, 2017, and before January 1, depreciation under Code Sec. 168(k) is not
percent; so there is some relief across the 2023 (January 1, 2024, for longer production claimed.
board for now. period property and certain aircraft). A The limitations are indexed for inflation
Note: These rate changes will expire 20-percent phase-down schedule would for passenger automobiles placed in service
after 2025. then kick in. It also removes the requirement after 2018.
that the original use of qualified property
BUSINESSES must commence with the taxpayer, thus Section 179 Expensing
allowing bonus depreciation on the The final bill enhances Code Sec. 179
Corporate Taxes purchase of used property. expensing. The Conference bill sets the
Starting in 2018, the new law calls for a The bonus depreciation rate has Code Sec. 179 dollar limitation at $1 million
21-percent corporate tax rate, compared to fluctuated wildly over the last 15 years, and the investment limitation at $2.5 million.
the current max rate of 35 percent. from as low as zero percent to as high as Note: So there’s less difference between
Note: The bill makes the new rate 100 percent. It is often seen as a means the Section 179 expensing and bonus
permanent. to incentivize business growth and job depreciation if they both give 100% write-
Even though the current maximum creation. offs for new or used property. Remember
corporate tax rate is 35 percent, many Note: This means you can buy or plan to that Section 179 expensing requires
corporations now pay an effective tax rate buy new OR used equipment and take the property to be used at more than 50% for
that is far less. Under the new law, the full amount off of your taxes, for now. business purposes or it may be subject to
corporate AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) recapture, but Sec. 179 allows you to decide
has been repealed and effectively lets some to expense only certain qualifying assets
corporations pay even far less than the new within any asset class.
21-percent rate.

54 February 2018 | EngineBuilder

Deductions and Credits Pass-Through Businesses would be limited to 80 percent of taxable
Numerous business tax write-offs are Currently, owners of partnerships, S income for losses arising in tax years
eliminated, but some important ones that corporations, and sole proprietorships – beginning after December 31, 2017. The
may affect us remain. The law leaves the filing as “pass-through” entities – pay tax at law also denies the carryback for NOLs in
research and development credit in place, the individual rates, with the highest rate at most cases while providing for an indefinite
but requires five-year amortization of 39.6 percent. The law states a reduction in carryforward, subject to the percentage
research and development expenditures. the percentage of the deduction allowable limitation.
The law also creates a temporary credit for under the provision to 20 percent (not
employers paying employees who are on 23 percent), a reduction in the threshold SUMMARY
family and medical leave. amount above which both the limitation on Like it or not, the new tax law looks to be a
Note: Go out and buy that new dyno, specified service businesses and the wage good thing for many businesses, at least in
but you’ll have to stretch out the expense limit are phased in, and a modification in the short run. Long-term economic effects
over 5 years of taxes. the wage limit applicable to taxpayers with will continue to be debated for some time.
taxable income above certain threshold Whether you are a small business owner or
Interest Deductions amounts. work for one, as always, the best advice is
The law caps the deduction for net interest Note: The law would prevent pass- to consult a professional and make sure you
expenses at 30 percent of adjusted taxable through owners – especially service are planning for the long road ahead. ■
income, among other criteria. Exceptions providers such as doctors, lawyers,
would exist for small businesses, including engine tuners, etc. – from converting their
an exemption for businesses with average compensation income taxed at higher rates
gross receipts of $25 million or less. into profits taxed at the lower rate.
Note: This part is an attempt to “level KEVIN STACK

the playing field” between businesses that Net Operating Losses COLUMNIST & FOUNDER OF NOBLE
VENTURE FINANCIAL GROUP
capitalize through equity and those that The law changes current rules for net KEVIN@NOBLEVENTUREFINANCIAL.COM

borrow. operating losses (NOLs). Generally, NOLs

ADVERTISER PAGE ADVERTISER PAGE ADVERTISER PAGE

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