Boosting Horsepower with Turbochargers, Part 2
Last time, we covered history, operating principles, and design fundamentals. Now, for failures, diagnostics, and replacement alternatives
Read More
Author: HotRod Professional
Running on Vapors and Mixing it up
Since the wholesale transition to EFI, some of us have forgotten about vapor lock and the subtleties of intake manifold design with carburetors, but many (most?) hot-rod and racing engines still breathe through the mechanical mixture maker.
Read MoreHigh-Performance Brake Basics: Calipers
There’s a whole lot of tech involved in high-performance brake systems, and here we’ll start off our ongoing series on the subject with the parts that pinch the pads.
Read More
Tools, Tools and More Tools, for Building High-Performance Engines, Part 1
Whether you call it biting the bullet, or making the commitment, if you’re going to build high-performance engines you’re going to have to invest in tools.
Read MoreWandering Fulminations on High-Performance …And, the Saga Continues
As promised, the tale of the little Torino that could and the Ciera that couldn’t continues — please bear in mind that a lot of time and miles have passed since the events described herein, and some facts may be lost to the sands of time. The story, however, is as true as I can render it after forty years.
Read More
HOT ROD Professional December 2013
Where did the term “hot rod” come from, anyway? One etymological theory for its source holds that a “rod” was a nickname for a camshaft, while another says it came from “hot roadster.”
Read More
Boosting Horsepower with a Turbocharger, Part 1
What a concept! The idea may be a century old, but it can still make a small engine put out like a big one. This two-part series will prepare you for high-performance modifications with information on operating principles, design fundamentals, diagnostic info, and replacement and upgrade alternatives.
Read More
The Henry Ford Museum, Part 2
In the first installment of our Weekend Warrior column on The Henry Ford, we explained the essence of this fabled institution just outside of Detroit. Tracing its heritage to the late 1920’s, The Henry Ford is actually five attractions all rolled up into one, and attracts as many as a million visitors each year.
Read More
Multi-Layer Steel: The “Forever” Head Gasket?
Bill McKnight dispels any misconceptions you may have about multi-layer steel gaskets. This tough, high-precision type of gasket makes the old composite variety look downright primitive.
Read More
Checking the Crankshaft
We’ll cover the highlights of crankshaft design and then we’ll discuss all the things you need to check before you load it in the block for the first time.
Read More