Tag Archive for Technical Articles

Want to Get Smashed? Demolition Derbies Are For You

January 31, 2012 / / Comments Off

To performance parts enthusiasts, cars are more than just ways to get from one place to another. They’re treasured investments, works of art, even loyal friends. The last thing they would want to do is deliberately wreck a vehicle. Yet there is an entire class of motor sports devoted to doing just that. It’s called demolition derby, and it’s as American as hot dogs, apple pie or a ’66 Mustang.

The glory days of the demolition derby were in the 1950s and 60s, when an abundance of heavy frame vehicles with massive engines made it a cheap pastime to get into. The all time champ of derby cars was the 1964-66 Chrysler Imperial. It’s considered so unbeatable that it’s banned from most events. The sport reached its height of popularity in the 1970s, and then began a slow decline caused largely by a dwindling supply of the sturdy, high powered machines that were the traditional vehicles of choice. It survives to this day, however, as a popular event at county fairs and festivals.

While it has a reputation as a dangerous activity, derby participants rarely suffer serious injuries. A number of safety measures help to protect them, including the removal of windows, windshields, headlights, trim, and plastic. Colliding with the driver’s side door is strictly prohibited, and in fact that door is usually painted white to set it apart as off-limits. Helmets and seat belts must be worn.

The vehicles are frequently modified in other ways. Radiators, batteries and gas tanks are moved to the back seat. Oftentimes roll bars and fire extinguishers are installed, doors are welded shut, rear coil springs are replaced with leaf springs, frames are notched, and rear bumpers are removed. Car numbers and driver names are spray painted in bright, gaudy colors that are easy to see.

The goal of the contest is simple: be the last car able to move. To reduce vehicle speed, derbies are usually held in dirt or grassy fields that are soaked in water, making the wheels partially bog down. As far as tactics go, there are basically two schools of thought among competitors. One stresses driving the vehicle backwards and aiming it at the competitor’s engine compartment. The other philosophy is much simpler: just drive forward as fast as possible, aim for any part of the other car that you can hit, and let the pieces and parts fall where they may. Both approaches have been used successfully by champion drivers.

There have been a few innovations to the sport in the last few decades. One has been the growing popularity of derbies using smaller, quicker cars with four cylinder engines and lighter frames. These events tend to be crowd pleasers, as wrecks occur at greater speeds and vehicles get shoved around more than in the old days. This of course entails a greater risk for the drivers. Another trend is to allow modified vehicles to join in, rather than only permitting machines with stock parts. These are known as “gladiator” or “outlaw” derbies. Cars that participate in these contests have usually been heavily reinforced.

As mentioned before, demolition derbies don’t draw in the crowds quite as much as they did back in the day. Nonetheless, there are still plenty of events across the country to thrill fans, especially in the summer and autumn months. A great web site with lots of information about the sport is www.wecrash.com. There you’ll find a schedule of derbies nationwide, as well as tons of other information.

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Build your Own Home Workshop, Part 6: Welding

January 10, 2012 / / Comments Off

by Bill Wilson

Welding is a handy skill to have, not just for working on cars and trucks but also for doing general repairs around your home or for friends and neighbors. In this installment we’re going to cover the fundamentals that you need to know to set up a safe, simple and effective welding station with which you can do basic welds.

This article is intended as a high-level introduction to the subject, not as an in-depth tutorial. If you’ve never welded before and you want to pursue this subject further, there are plenty of more advanced learning resources available, from books and videos to classes offered at tech schools and career centers across the country.

What is Welding?

Simply put, welding is a method by which two pieces of metal are joined together by applying extreme heat to both. Done properly, the result is a bond between the two which is incredibly strong and durable. All types of metal can be welded, including iron, steel and aluminum. Even different types of metal can be joined in this way, such as aluminum and steel.

Safety Considerations

Welding has a reputation, largely undeserved, for being a dangerous profession. This is due primarily to the fact that it involves creating the extremely high temperatures needed to melt metal. For example, to melt iron or steel requires temperatures close to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit (app. 1600 degrees Celsius)!

To do this usually involves generating electric arcs or using combustible gasses that are under high pressure and are set aflame with a spark. If caution isn’t exercised when welding, the result can be severe shocks or damage to the lungs from inhaling fumes. In addition, burns to the skin or the eyes can occur if proper safety equipment isn’t worn.

Fortunately, these kinds of hazards can be avoided by following some basic precautions. Here’s a list of equipment that you’ll need before you start welding.

Helmet/Hood

This is an absolute must for any welder. Welding arcs give off intense amounts
of ultraviolet radiation, which can do the same damage to your eyes as staring at the sun for long periods of time. To protect against this you need a hood, also known as a helmet, that covers your eyes, face and neck. Cheaper ones have lenses that you can change out by hand, but nowadays most welders use auto-darkening masks that automatically adjust to give your retinas the necessary amount of shade.
These hoods can be found for as little as fifty bucks or so, and do an excellent job of guarding against vision loss. Amazon.com and northerntools.com both sell them, or you can just visit your local welding shop.

Gloves

These are a necessity for welding. Some seasoned welders get by with cotton or wool ones, but for a beginner there’s real only one choice. Buy a pair of quality cowhide ones that cover your hands and forearms and are insulated. NEVER use gloves made of a synthetic material, as these will invariably melt or catch fire, injuring you seriously.

Apron

Another item you simply cannot afford to do without. Get a quality leather apron. It will protect you from flecks of molten metal that occasionally leap off the work area. If one of those touches exposed skin then you’re going to the hospital.

Hat

Especially important if you have longer hair. Wear cotton, not synthetic. Yes, cotton can catch fire, but in this case it’s acceptable, since the only other alternatives usually available are made of synthetic materials that can melt into your skin. Welding shops have cheap hats that are made especially for this purpose.

Basic Safety Practices

Wind and bright sunlight are your enemies when welding. The sun makes it harder to see the flame from your torch, and wind or fan-blown air will interfere with the gasses and electric arcs needed for a strong weld. Do your welding inside the shop, and be ready to deal with the heat. In the summertime keep plenty of cold water or one of those thirst quenching drinks like Gatorade close at hand. If you find yourself sweating profusely or getting dizzy, STOP and take a break. Heat stroke will kill you quick.

While you don’t want wind or fan-blown air, you do want plenty of ventilation in the area where you’re working. Welding creates noxious fumes that can choke you. Be certain you’re not in a tight or enclosed area.

Make sure the pieces you’re welding together are well supported. Metal supports known as “dead men” are readily available, or you can make your own from threaded rod. The parts you’re working on MUST be in the correct orientation, else you’ll be doing the job a second time, and that’s no fun at all.

It can be tempting to just lay the pieces out on a concrete floor and join them together there. Don’t. The heat from a welding torch is so intense that it will vaporize the moisture in the concrete, sending a flash of steam right at you or even dislodging a chunk of cement that, under pressure from heat and steam, will fly at you like a bullet.
Do your welding on a welding table or by using proper supports.

 

Types of Welders

Stick Welding – if all you want to do is simple repairs or basic jobs like joining angle iron together, then this is all the welding you need to learn. Also known as shielded metal arc welding, good systems can be bought new for under $100. This process uses an electric arc that makes direct contact with the metal. The heat of the arc is adjusted by setting the power level, which normally runs from 30 to 225 amps for a basic unit. Lots of farmers are old hands at using these kinds of welders to repair plow blades and other equipment, and perhaps one will show you how to do it if you ask him nicely.

Oxy-Acetylene Gas Welding

This is truly the old-school approach to welding. It offers the advantage of affordability; used rigs are plentiful on sites like craigslist.org as well as in local trade papers. And having one gives you the ability to both weld and cut metal.

One thing to watch out for is the age of the tanks, which must be recertified every 10 years. A used set might need to be recertified, which can be done at a local welding shop. Or you can simply rent tanks form the same store.

MIG/Flux-Core Wire-Feed Welding

This is perhaps the most common type of welding rig you’ll see in auto shops. It relies on a wire feed as well as an inert gas such as argon to complete the weld. A used 120 volt setup will set you back about around $150-$200, not including the gas bottles, which can be picked up at a welding shop.

Making Your Welding Rig Portable

You will probably want a cart to put your welding tools in, so you can take them to the site where the work is being done. These need not be fancy or expensive. In fact, you can buy a cart for $50 or so from Harbor Freight Tools (www.harborfreight.com) . Normally I wouldn’t recommend Harbor Freight as a source for equipment, but they’re not bad at all when it comes to basic items like this one. In addition to their website they have stores in most large to mid-size cities. They’re fun places to browse around, with thousands of items of varying levels of quality.

Wrapping Things Up

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on putting together your own auto shop. For more information on specific topics, check out the great selection of books available at www.performanceparts.com. Feel free to email or call us with any questions, and best of luck with your automotive projects!

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Build Your Own Home Workshop, Part 5: Electric Tools and Testers

January 6, 2012 / / Comments Off

by Bill Wilson

Power-driven tools add a host of new capabilities to the home workshop, but they can also quickly become prohibitively expensive. In this post I will spend most of the time discussing the basic ones that almost every shop will want to have. Later on I’ll discuss others that will come in handy for more specialized tasks, such as bodywork, painting and mounting tires to wheels.

Drill Press

This is a must-have for any properly equipped shop. Fortunately, perfectly adequate ones can be found at very reasonable costs. You’ll definitely want one with an attached vise to hold parts in place while you drill. Otherwise parts are likely to start spinning around like a top.

Try to get a drill press with at least a ½ horsepower motor. One way to save money is to buy a press that mounts on a table, as opposed to one with a built-in floor stand.

In addition to the press, you’ll want quality hardened bits in all the major sizes, such as ¼, 5/16, ½, 9/16, etc. Make sure they’re intended for metalwork. Have plenty of spares as well, because nothing will wear a bit down like drilling through steel. Step-bits have a specially designed head that creates a pilot hole for the main bit to follow. Buy these if your budget permits; you’ll find they save a lot of hassle.

Handheld/Angle Grinder

If you get no other power tool, get one of these, along with several different types of grinding discs. They clean up the crud left over after welding. They remove excess metal or paint. They’ll make short work of surface rust. They can even be used to sharpen a lawnmower blade that has been removed from the mower and securely clamped into a vise. Always wear goggles or safety glasses when using one of these simple yet amazing tools.

Bench Grinder

This is one of those classic tools that can do dozens of jobs. It earns its keep soon after purchase. A typical grinder will have a rough stone on one end and a smoother stone on the other. They’re great for removing metal. Others have wire wheels on both ends for stripping away paint and rust. Buy both kinds if you can. They come in handy quite often.

Belt Sanders

These are similar to grinders, except they are good for more precise tasks, such as shaping sheet metal or small parts.

Bandsaw

Good to have on hand for cutting aluminum and softer materials. Be sure to use fine-toothed blades meant for cutting metal metal.

Chop Saw/Circular Saw

Another tool that will slice through metal the way a kitchen knife cuts through bread. Carbide- or diamond-tipped blades will last longer, and their costs reflect that fact. There are circular saws on the market that spin slower than the ones used by woodworkers. These are acceptable alternatives.

NEVER use the high-speed table or circular saws popular with furniture builders and carpenters. They spin so fast that metal cutting blades can come apart during the job, sending ultra-sharp shrapnel flying through the air towards your head. Something like that could ruin your whole day, quick.

Vehicle Battery Charger

Excellent for – what else? – charging batteries!

Diagnostic Tools

Code Reader

A good one can be had for around $50. It’s the single best investment you can make for working on cars made after 1995. The onboard diagnostic system will tell you where the trouble lies, saving you hours of troubleshooting. By plugging one into the vehicle’s access port you can download its codes, so you’ll know what they’re trying to tell you.
Without the ability to properly diagnose what’s wrong, you’re left with no other choice but to guess, and to replace parts blindly in hopes of getting it right.

Timing Light

Here’s another item you can’t afford to be without. Most cars are timed by the number-1 cylinder. A timing light connects to both the plug wire for that cylinder and the vehicle’s battery. Pointing the light at the pulley tells you whether the timing mark on the pulley is in sync with the one on the body of the engine.

Very basic timing lights can be found, as well as ones with all sorts of bells and whistle that add nothing to the tool’s basic purpose. Get a simple, dependable one made by a reputable manufacturer. You’ll be very glad you did.

Multimeter and Continuity Tester

I hate working on vehicle electrical systems. So do most people. Nonetheless, it’s a task that can’t be avoided forever. A multimeter will make the job simpler. With one, you can check around faults, hot wires, and virtually everything electric in the vehicle. If you’ve never used one, there are plenty of videos on YouTube and other sites that will teach you the basics.

A continuity tester makes testing for electric current an easy affair. Attach the alligator clip to the end that you think has power, and then touch the metal probe to ground. If the light comes on you’ve got juice. If not, you’ve got problems that might cause a lot of aggravation to fix. See why I hate working with wiring?

Battery/Alternator Tester

You can get away with buying one of these at a discount store because they are very simple inside. Attach the leads to the poles of the battery or alternator and pull the switch. If the gauge shows 13-14 volts and holds steady then you’re in good shape. If it drops below 12 volts after 15 seconds or so then the battery or alternator needs replacing.

Spark Tester

These run under 20 bucks and are worth every penny. Stick it into a plug wire and you’ll soon know if you’re getting spark.

Compression Tester

Tearing down and rebuilding engines is a dying art, especially since crate engines have become so affordable. Nonetheless, you’ll still need to diagnose internal problems, a task that a compression tester makes easy. You’ll find kinds that screw into a spark plug hole as well as ones with rubber tips that you’ll need to hold in yourself. The thread-in ones are more time-consuming but also more accurate.

Using Compressed Air Without Breaking Your Budget

Most professional shops have large, powerful compressors and fittings placed throughout the work area where pneumatic drills and other tools can be plugged in. Learning how to create a setup like that is beyond the scope of these articles, but it is certainly within the abilities of a seasoned home mechanic who can supply the needed voltage. PVC pipe provides a fairly inexpensive material to fashion the lines from. If you go this route, be sure to use at least Schedule 40 PVC, which is rated for 289 PSI in ¾ inch pipe and 270 PSI in one inch pipe. This book gives detailed instructions on how to outfit your shop in this way.

On the other hand, a portable compressor can be had for under $500 that will meet the needs of most enthusiasts. A 15 gallon model that generates 200 PSI will reliably create 5.4 SCFM at 90 PSI, enough force to run an impact wrench, ratchet wrench, paint sprayer or air sander. Direct drive models don’t need added oil, and most folks find they run a bit quieter than belt-driven ones.

Equip your shop with the tools and testers described in this article and the one previous to it and you’ll be well prepared to handle almost any job that the home mechanic is likely to face. Of course you may want to expand your capabilities further, specifically into doing jobs that require welding skills and equipment. We’ll look at this topic in the next post.

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Building Your Own Home Workshop, Part 4: Basic Hand Tools and Supplies

January 4, 2012 / / Comments Off

by Bill Wilson

Now comes the fun part: equipping your new shop with all of the tools you’ll need to get to work. This can be either the most satisfying or most frustrating part of the experience, depending on a number of factors. The rule of thumb is to buy the best tools you can afford. Unfortunately, as I’m sure you already know, first-rate tools usually fetch first-rate prices. There are ways for the frugal mechanic to minimize his costs in this department, however. These include buying used tools, buying only what you truly need, and building your tool set over a period of time.

Websites like craigslist.org are terrific places to find bargains on auto tools, as well as hundreds of other products. Classified ads in your local newspaper are excellent places to look as well. Yard sales are hit or miss, but great deals can occasionally be found.

One source that should be approached with caution is a flea market or swap meet.
Many of the dealers at such events sell the shoddiest stuff China has to offer. Sometimes these inferior products may even have prestige names such as Snap-On printed on them.

In reality they are nothing more than junk. Sockets quickly rust, ratchets fall apart, wrenches break under stress, and unstable, three-legged jack stands made out of stamped metal bend under the weight of cars. The only thing you’ll get from using this kind of equipment is a lot of pain and possibly the loss of your life, if a car collapses on you.

One brand that has a long, distinguished reputation for good quality at reasonable prices is Craftsman. This has been my brand of choice for years and personally I’ve never had any issues with their hand tools. But, if I did, getting a replacement is as simple as carrying the broken item down to the local Sears, where they’ll happily exchange it for a brand new one, no paperwork needed, no hassles involved. I’ve even heard stories of persons who found broken Craftsman tools in junk piles and traded them in for ones right off the rack.

Most guys (and gals) who work on cars start out with the bare essentials, then add to their collection as time and money allow. So don’t feel bad if for now you’ll have to make do with just the basics; you’re not the first and you won’t be the last.

Floor Jacks

This is one item you simply have to have. Prices range from around $25 for a basic one to over $400 for a 3-ton version from a company like Snap-On. Generally, however, you should be able to find one in the $100 range that will meet your needs nicely. I just saw a decent 3-ton jack on sears.com that was on sale for $80.


A good floor jack need not cost a fortune.

Jack Stands

You’ll likely be spending a great deal of time underneath vehicles supported by these, so get the strongest, sturdiest ones you can afford. One crucial point to keep in mind is to ONLY use ones with four legs! The 3-legged ones found at flea markets or Wal-Mart tip over easily; what’s more, they’re made from cheap metal that’s notorious for giving way.

I just spotted a pair at sears.com on sale for $29.99. They have a 3 ton capacity and are built from plate steel that will hold up under pressure. Stands like those will serve you well for years.

In case you’re wondering, the answer is no, I don’t own stock in Sears.


Never compromise on quality when buying floor jacks.

Safety Goggles

You can never have too many of these. Buy a dozen pair or more, and keep them near
your drill press, grinder, or any other piece of equipment that creates metal particles. Put a pair or three in your toolbox. And wear them! You only have two eyes. Make sure they’re protected.


Safety goggles will protect your eyes from dust and metal particles.

Ear Plugs/Hearing Projection

You also have only two ears, and auto work generates a lot of noise. A buck will buy you a pair of foam plugs that will protect your hearing. You can also find sound deadening earmuffs that look like headphones. Whichever way you go, make sure your ears are covered when doing noisy work.


Ear plugs are cheap protection from hearing loss.

Face Mask/Respirator

Like eyes and ears, lungs tend to come in pairs. A disposable dust mask will keep chemicals and other pollutants from getting into them. If you plan to do serious body work or painting, it’s best to go ahead and buy a respirator from a paint shop or auto parts store.


Face masks let you breathe easy.

First Aid Kit

This is an item folks tend to skimp on, unfortunately. Those $5 – $10 kits in discount stores might be fine for office workers, but you should have something more serious on hand. Around $75 will get you a kit with the same supplies that paramedics and other emergency responders use, such as burn gels and larger bandages. A great web site for these is beprepared.com.


Don’t skimp on your shop’s first aid kit.

Gloves

There are a number of toxic chemicals in every auto shop, from plain old gasoline to solvents poisonous enough to kill a dozen men. Protect yourself from contact with these dangerous substances by wearing gloves. Your choices range from cheap latex ones for less than five bucks to quality nitrile pairs for around $20, maybe a bit less if you look around.

$25 – $30 will get you a pair of professional mechanic’s gloves. These were designed with input from NASCAR techs that have to work quickly around extremely hot engine components and other parts. They offer a good degree of burn protection and are generally worth the cost.


Good gloves will protect your hands from burns as well as chemicals.

Toolboxes

You’ll want at least two of these. One will be the main chest that holds the bulk of your hand tools, including specialized ones that you’ll only use occasionally. The other will be a smaller, portable one that you can carry with you; it will hold the basics, such as wrenches, a socket set, electronic testing equipment, etc. Buy the best ones you can,
and keep in mind that tools are among the most frequently stolen items on the planet. Get boxes with decent locks.


Get the best toolboxes you can.

Wrenches

You’ll want to have two or more of these in each standard size. It’s common to find a ½ inch nut on a ½ inch bolt, and you’ll need a separate wrench to hold each. Adjustable wrenches in a variety of sizes are important to have as well.

The newer ratcheting wrenches can be pricey, but they’re worth every penny, especially when working in tight spaces. Get a set, even if you have to buy them one at a time. Your wrist will thank you.


Wrenches are a must have in any shop.

Pliers

Standard slip joint pliers are a must to have around. Again, this is a tool that people sometimes skimp on. Don’t. Absolutely nothing is worse than a shoddy pair that slides out of joint when you’re working.

Besides the standard pliers, you’ll also want a pair of needle-nose, linesman, and plumbing (also known as Channel Locks) pliers. Get some diagonal cutters and wire strippers too, as well as locking pliers, also known as Vise Grips. And please don’t use pliers in place of wrenches, unless you enjoy trying to turn rounded-off bolts at weird angles.


Get a variety of pliers for different jobs.

Screwdrivers

Flathead, Phillips head, star, Allen, hex – whatever types of screws you’re likely to face, you’ll need a way to loosen and tighten them. And, even though you shouldn’t, you and I both know that you’re eventually going to use one to open a can of paint, as a chisel, or in some other way that may damage the tool. So get some cheap ones just for these purposes.


Good screwdrivers should only be used for tightening and loosening screws.

Socket Sets/Ratchets

You’ll want two sets of these, an extensive one for your main tool box and a smaller one for your portable tool chest. Get ones in all the standard drive sizes: ¼, 3/8, and ½ inch.
Six sided sockets offer more torque than their twelve-sided cousins, but are harder to work with. Make certain you get both regular and deep well sockets; little can be accomplished without both.


You won’t be doing much mechanical work without ratchets and sockets.

Torque Wrenches

Simply put, a torque wrench is one with some sort of meter on it that tells you how much force is being applied. All real mechanics need one of these.

A torque wrench removes the guesswork from tightening bolts and nuts.

As a young adult, when changing tires I never knew how much pressure to apply when replacing the nuts, so I would just stand on the lug wrench. That worked okay until I snapped a couple of bolts and had to spend some serious cash at the local machine shop.

Learn from my stupidity; get a torque wrench. The most common ones are the clicking type. You twist the handle to the setting you want, and then start tightening. When you hear a click you’ve applied the proper amount of force.

Other Stuff You’ll Need

An extractor is essential to removing bolts and screws that have broken off. These are fantastic tools, but don’t expect them to work miracles. They have been known to break off inside of the part, making the situation worse than it was before.

In college I was trying to bleed my brakes once when I noticed that one of the calipers had a broken bleeder stem. I tried and tried to drill it out, only to destroy one bit after the other. It turned out that the previous owner had tried using an extractor to remove part of the stem, only to break it off inside the caliper. Removing it required destroying three metal chisels.

Learn from my misfortune. Always use the largest extractor head possible. Tap it in place. Drill out as much of the old bolt as you can first. And be sure you know of a good machine shop, in case you need it.

A tap and die set, a Riv-Nutter, an assortment of cheaters bars for your ratchets, and an extension tool with a magnet on the end to retrieve dropped screws will round out the list of basic hand tools you’ll need. Next time we turn our attention to ones that require electricity. See you then.

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Nitrogen Tire Filling: Benefits for Performance Tires?

April 3, 2007 / / No comments

Consumers are being hit with more marketing supporting nitrogen filling in tires. Is it truly beneficial in performance tires, including race applications? Most experts say yes, and many professional racing teams have made the switch.

Tires are typically filled with compressed air, which consists of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases by volume. So all tires are filled mostly with nitrogen. Filling your tires with pure nitrogen offers two primary benefits: First it replaces smaller oxygen molecules with significantly larger nitrogen molecules, reducing the rate at which compressed gas seeps through tire walls. The result is tires maintaining their original pressure longer. Keeping inflation constant is important in that performance tires need to minimize tire deflection to transfer power to the track. Tires deflect more at lower tire pressures, resulting in pooorer power transfer, more tire heat being generated and potentially inconsitent performance. Racing tires can be filled with nitrogen at the pressure you wish to have during the race because inflation pressure doesn’t increase quite so much as with air. While not generally a consideration to racers, steady pressure is also key to optimal fuel economy.

Secondly, it eliminates moisture, Water vapor (humidity) can make up as much as 5 percent of the volume of air under worst-case conditions. Air containing water vapor can increase the pressure in a tire three to seven psi as it is heated, depending upon driving conditions and ambient air temperatures. Because nitrogen contains basically no water vapor, the pressure build-up due to heat is minimized. Therefore the tire’s hot pressure is very similar to the cold-inflation pressure, with much less change due to driving conditions. That means racers can set a cold tire pressure and more accurately predict the hot pressures.

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SuperChips Flashpaq, Max Tri-Tune, Max Dual-Tune Installation Instructions for Fords

February 9, 2007 / / No comments

SuperChips has posted the installation instructions for your Flashpaq, Max Tri-Tune, Max Dual-Tune Tuners (Ford application). These include instructions for SuperChips 1805 Flashpaq, SuperChips 1815 Flashpaq, SuperChips 1825 Flashpaq, SuperChips 1705 Max Tri-Tune, SuperChips 1715 Max Tri-Tune, SuperChips 1724 Max Dual-Tune, and SuperChips 1725 Max Dual-Tune and also SuperChips 1100 Module Ford Blue Unprogrammed:

A complete list of Superchips products

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SuperChips Flashpaq Data Acquisition Instructions (DAQ)

February 8, 2007 / / No comments

SuperChips has posted instructions on how to download and program your flashpaq:

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Exhaust Wraps – The Truth About Wraps

February 7, 2007 / / No comments

Wrapping exhaust tubing, particularly headers, is a crucial and important step when controlling exhaust temperatures and reducing radiant under-hood heat by up to 50%. Keeping exhaust gases hotter within the exhaust system helps in decreasing density and as a result increases the flow of exhaust gases. This improves exhaust scavenging, which, in turn, reduces intake temperatures for increased horsepower gains. Also, limiting the radiant heat trapped inside the engine bay decreases heat absorption through the fire wall, which keeps dash components and cabin temperatures to a an absolute minimum.

Oftentimes, people are interested in exhaust wraps, but are afraid that the wrap may damage their pipes. No one is sure who started the rumor, but for some people this inaccuracy has become common knowledge. However, the truth is that wrapping your pipes will not damage them! It will not make the metal brittle or promote any enhanced corrosion. In rare instances, rust and corrosion may occur on lower grade metals. This can be avoided by using a silicone coating to repel water and debris.

Basically, every time you start up an engine, the exhaust system pipes heat up and undergo an aging process that is so nominal it would take 50+ years to actually see any kind of change in the composition of the metal. Exhaust wraps do accelerate the aging process, but even so, it could take up to 30+ years to see any real change in composition, and even that would be nominal at best. The same applies to ceramic jet coatings. So, you can wrap with confidence!

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Camshaft End Play

February 6, 2007 / / No comments

Something that many people take for granted is checking the camshaft end play (especially on flat-faced lifter camshafts) when assembling their engine.  In most instances, the lifters will bear against the taper that is ground into each lobe, locating the camshaft to the rear of the engine, as intended. However, there are a number of other factors that must be considered and should always be checked for good performance and longevity.

When building a fresh engine with new cam bearings, the cam end plug has been removed, and a new one should have been installed.  If the end plug is now located too far forward in the block, the end of the cam may now be bottoming out on the plug, causing the lobes to be improperly aligned with the lifters. It will also cause the timing sprockets to be out of line.  This will cause premature cam and lifter wear, and will damage the timing chain and sprockets. Make sure that the cam sprocket is able to ride against its correct thrust surface and that the cam and crank sprocket are in alignment when installed on your camshaft.  On engines that may have a cam thrust plate (Ford FE, Chrysler LA 273-360, etc.), clearance to the end plug must also be checked.  If the plug is too far forward when the plate is tightened, the back of the cam could now be forced against the rear plug.  Galling will occur, heat will be generated, and unhappy metal particles may be passing through your powerplant.  Also, camshafts from different manufacturers may have slightly different lengths, so don’t assume that if one cam fits properly, others will as well.

On thrust plate equipped engines, plates may vary slightly in thickness, and the steps on the cam and cam sprocket can also vary.  Make sure that you don’t have a stack-up of tolerances that could prevent the cam from rotating freely.  Install the cam, thrust plate, and sprockets without the timing chain to verify that nothing is in a bind.  You should have approximately .003-.005″ of end play to allow for thermal changes and to promote proper lubrication in the thrust area.  Engines that have roller camshafts installed (that didn’t originally have them) may require an aftermarket cam button spacer or some other type of device to keep the cam from moving forward (roller camshafts have no lobe taper).  A slight amount of end play is also required for proper function.  If possible, leave the cam end plug out until final assembly.  This way, you can check end play once the front cover has been installed, its gasket crushed, and all tolerances taken up.  With a dial indicator riding against the rear of the cam, reach through the lifter bores and move the cam back and forth.  The .003-.005″ end play dimension should be maintained.  When installing the cam end plug, be careful not to drive it in too far, undoing all of the work you’ve done up to this point.

There are many configurations and methods that manufacturers have used to locate their camshafts properly. It would be impossible to list all of them here.  Just be sure to check the basics of proper cam alignment, end play, and free rotation.  If you aren’t sure that what you have is correct, consult a shop manual, or someone familiar with your type of engine and application.

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Understanding Torque

January 8, 2007 / / No comments

From a driver’s perspective, torque is the only thing that a driver feels, otherwise known as “seat of the pants,” and horsepower is just sort of an esoteric measurement in that context. Three hundred foot pounds of torque will accelerate you just as hard at 2,000 RPM as it would if you were making that torque at 4,000 RPM in the same gear.

In contrast to a torque curve (and the matching pushback into your seat), horsepower rises rapidly with RPM, especially when torque values are also climbing. Horsepower will continue to climb, even well past the torque peak, and will continue to rise as the engine speed climbs until the torque curve really begins to plummet, faster than engine RPM is rising. However, horsepower has nothing to do with what a driver “feels.” The technical term: the moment of a force; the measure of a force’s tendency to produce torsion and rotation about an axis, equal to the vector product of the radius vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force and the force vector.

In layman’s terms(quoted from one of Crane’s techs.), “torque is what breaks the nut loose; horsepower is how fast the nut comes off “

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