CAMSHAFT BALANCING That’s right, camshaft balancing. It’s all about optimizing and regaining lost energy. The camshaft is yet another rotating mass, so why would we not pay attention to the subject of balance? When was the last time you balanced a camshaft? If you’re like most builders, the answer is never, with the answer accompanied [...]
Always use the cam assembly lube provided or recommended by the camshaft manufacturer, in addition to using the correct break-in oil. Nothing changes with regard to prep. Coat each lobe completely with the recommended assembly lube, usually a high-pressure moly-based material. Even with the lobes coated with moly, using an engine oil that is too [...]
CHOOSING THE RIGHT OIL FOR FLAT TAPPET CAM BREAK-IN All oils are not created equal. by Mike Mavrigian photos by author Avoiding flat tappet cam failure can be as simple as using the correct oil during break-in. Chances are you’ve run into this problem first-hand, or know a builder who has shared his horror stories. [...]
Both rod and main bearings must feature a specified amount of crush area in order to achieve bearing lock-in within the housing. The bearing shell outer edges (approaching the parting line areas) are larger than the saddle, which adds to the lock-in placement of the bearing shells. Dirt particles or embedded blasting shot left behind [...]
CLEARANCES VS. CAVITATION EROSION Cavitation erosion of a bearing occurs when rapid movement of the shaft away from the bearing surface causes vapor bubbles to form in the oil film. When these bubbles break, the resulting force causes erosion of the bearing soft overlay layer. Appearance and location of cavitation erosion will differ with operating [...]
RACE BEARING TECH The bearing gurus at Clevite share insight regarding current and future rod and main bearing development. Installed bearing sets create a slightly eccentric bore, which promotes oil film capture and enables the rotational movement of the shaft to generate a hydroplane of oil film around the circumference. Bearing crush is critical to [...]
LS ENGINE TECH The current new generations of GM engines are here to stay and represent the hot ticket for today’s and tomorrow’s hot-dog smallblocks for both street performance and racing applications. It’s time to get up to speed. by Mike Mavrigian photos by author LS6 aluminum 5.7L block. LS2 aluminum 6.0L block. The Gen [...]
CRITICAL: BUY QUALITY Performance aftermarket fastener manufacturers offer much higher tensile strength fasteners that are specifically designed for racing applications. ARP, for example, offers threaded fasteners that boast 170,000 psi, 190,000 psi and 220,000 psi. In other words, instead of hitting the local hardware store or Internet source for imported who-knows-what-or-where-they-came-from fasteners, stick with reputable [...]
METRIC NUT GRADES The grade system for nuts is a number that represents 1/10 of the specified proof load stress (in kgf/mm2). The proof load stress corresponds to the minimum tensile strength of the highest grade bolt that can be used with that nut. GRADE CAUTION Although it is common for Grade 5 bolts to [...]
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