Ignore the rumor mill. Crane Cams is back. It’s up and running again under the same name, and while the facility has a new address, the reborn company is still in the Daytona Beach, Florida area. I just bumped into Chase Knight at Crane’s booth during the recent IMIS show in Indy.  I’ll provide more on this as info unfolds. It’s great to see that the company and name is alive, and under the direction of the same talented folks. They’re continuing their product lines and still make camshaft cores as well. Sometimes, justice prevails. And with guys like Chase still running the show, you know that product quality will be first rate.  Welcome back, guys!

Here’s Crane’s new contact info:

Crane Cams

1640 Mason Ave.

Daytona Beach, FL 32117

866-388-5120 (ext. 1476 for Chase Knight)

www.cranecams.com

Officials at SuperFlow Technologies Group recently announced

the company has re-entered the diesel engine dyno market

starting with the introduction of the new SF-2700 Diesel Engine

Dynamometer, which is designed to test heavy-duty diesel

engines with maximum speeds up to 8,000 rpm.

Similar to other SuperFlow engine dynos, the SF-2700 is

engineered for complete, accurate, repeatable and rapid

testing. It easily tests for break-in, acceleration, steady

state, step, life cycle, as well as user-defined custom setups.

Automated load and electronic throttle control ensure

repeatability and free the user up to monitor live test data on

SuperFlow’s powerful WinDyn software. SuperFlow customers

report repeatability within two-tenths of one percent on

identical systems in different test cells.

Engine builders are able to achieve this level of repeatability

without sacrificing time through precise control of all engine

temperatures and pressures, fully automated test cycles and

the WinDyn ProFilter Technology.

The unidirectional SF-2700 features a low inertia water brake absorber rated for 2,800 hp at 6,000 rpm and

2,500 lb. ft. of torque at 1,500 rpm. This allows you to track even small improvements.

Safety limits are built in to protect the engine.

KATECH OFFERS LS9 DAMPER FOR CORVETTE ZR1

Katech Performance offers its new LS9 Damper designed for supercharged Corvette ZR1 LS9 engines.
 The LS9 Damper (KAT-A6042) features a 10% supercharger overdrive and provides four psi of additional boost for a total of 14.5 psi.  The Katech unit is a direct replacement for the original unit and uses proven crankshaft dampening technologies.  To ensure long-term durability, the unit is hard coat anodized.  Purchase of Katech’s LS9 Damper includes the belt.
     
For more information or to request a catalog, call 866-KATECH1 or visit Katech Performance online at www.katechengines.com.

EngineQuest^® (EQ^®), a leading supplier of stock and performance cylinder heads and engine components, announced that Chris Abelson of Sioux City, Iowa was the Grand Prize winner in the company’s “Head to Vegas” promotion. Abelson won a trip for two to attend IMCA’s Duel in the Desert season finale event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from November 12-14.

  Read more »

 CORE VALUE: LUNATI’S NEW $225 GOLD VALVE-SPRING KIT FOR GM LS ENGINES

Times are lean right now, and especially so for hot rodders on a budget. To address this frustrating inconvenience, Lunati bucks the market with a new LS-engine dual valve-spring kit (PN 73925K1LUN) for about $50 less than competitors.

With a maximum lift capability at 0.660-inch, the Lunati kit serves the majority of popular camshaft applications. The kit is complete with dual valve springs, steel retainers, locks, valve seals and spring locators and represents a drop-in installation for many popular LS applications.

OEM LS engines use single-wire valve springs designed around factory camshafts.  Aftermarket camshafts require new valve springs suited for high lift and serious ramp rates.

Lunati’s retainers and spring locators are CNC-manufactured from 4140 alloy steel.  The locators pilot onto the valve guides and locate the inner diameter of the inner valve springs, preventing them from abrading the spring pockets in the aluminum heads.

In common with all dual-spring retainers, these new Lunati types have a group of steps machined into their underside (which locate the upper registers of the valve springs) and a bore machined to accept the 7-degree valve locks. The locks are equipped with inner bead locks and the 7-degree interference angle between the locks and the retainers is favored by many who believe it causes the locks to clamp the valve stems tighter.

Advantages:

Through careful CAD and FEA design efforts, Lunati engineers have developed a new valve spring retainer design using wear-favorable alloy steel, yet nearly matching the weight advantage of Titanium.  For street/strip longevity, Lunati’s lightweight alloy steel retainer is unbeatable. 

Viton steel-jacketed valve seals complete the kit. The steel jackets ensure the valve stem seals remain tight around the valve guides and also protect the seals should the inner springs come in light contact with them. The Viton material is ideal for resisting heat and oil, particularly some of the more aggressive oil additives that cause ordinary seals to swell and distort.

NOTE: Small-block Chevy applications: While GM LS engines will be the most popular use of this spring kit, the similar kit (PN 73925K2LUN) is also available with the proper retainers and locks for the traditional small-block Chevy engine.                                                                                                                                                               

Dual Valve-Spring Specs:

O.D. 1.306 inch; I.D. 0.676 inch; Max lift: 0.660 inch; Seat load: 153 lb/in @ 1.810 inch; Open load: 400 @ 1.150 inch; Rate: 379 lb/in; Coil bind: 1.100 inch

OUR 427 FE FINDS A HOME

Remember the bored/stroked Ford  FE engine that we built recently? This began with a 427 FE block, bored and stroked to 485 CID. If you missed it, just click on the engine project build tab for the entire series of build articles.

The engine found its home in a 1964 Comet AFX clone built by Birchwood Automotive in Creston, Ohio. Built as a period-correct copy of one of Don Nicholson’s drag cars, the bored and stroked 485 CID FE engine dyno’d at 508 HP.

Read more »

Actually, it’s about time, money and convenience. Don’t have time or the dough to jaunt down to Orlando to check out what’s new in the world of racing components and supplies at the PRI show? How does Indy sound?

A new trade show will debut December 2-3, 2009 to the delight of performance and racing industry members. The IMIS (International Motorsports Industry Show) will open its doors for the first time, bringing back a much-needed gathering of serious speed stuff to Indianapolis (the new show will be held in the all-new Lucas Oil Stadium (adjacent to the convention center).

Read more »

SuperFlow Technologies Group (SF) has introduced three new flowbenches with state-of-the-art airflow measurement technology.

The new SF-260, SF-450, and SF-750 models were developed to broaden SF’s extensive industry-leading product line and are equipped with a FlowCom™ computer system which makes them much faster and easier to use. The FlowCom system ensures accurate digital airflow measurement and control as it automatically measures test pressure and temperature; then presents corrected flow data on an easy-to-read, precision display in both U.S. and metric units.

An automatic motor controller facilitates easy test set up and measurement and it enables the operator to maintain constant test pressure without the use of knobs and valves. The FlowCom and motor controller combination also helps to extend motor life and reduce heat.

The flowbench automatically regulates test pressure base on keypad input. Testing is generally performed at 25” to 28” of water test pressure; however, it is capable of providing fast, accurate, repeatable results at any test pressure between 5” and 45” with accuracy +/- 0.5% full scale and repeatability +/- 0.1% full scale.

“Today, engine development is more technical than ever before,” says Steve Matthiesen, VP of Marketing and Sales at SuperFlow. “and as a result, we’ve basically re-designed the system. These new flowbench models allow users to access items much faster.  They control to airflow in CFM, as well as test pressure. And they give customers more flexibility in selecting a flowbench that matches their exact CFM requirements. We’re also very proud of that fact that all SuperFlow flowbenches continue to be designed and precision-manufactured right here in the USA,” Matthiesen added.

All three models are covered by one-year limited warranty.

Ross Racing Engines has announced their new Lacey & Morse transmission adapter system designed to directly mate a 350 or 400 turbo automatic transmission to 1949-64 303, 324, 371 and 394 CID Oldsmobile engines with no further modification. The adapter kit also fits early 1949-54 Cadillac applications.

Bellhousing adapters are CNC machined from aluminum billet. Flexplates are anodized aluminum with a steel ring gear. Ross offers both the adapter kits as well as complete bolt-in assemblies (transmission already fitted with the billet bellhousing adapter, converter, and flexplate). Features factory side motor mount provisions. Complete kits can be tailor-built per specific applications.

Tired of struggling to start high compression engines on the dyno? With help from Ostrich Racing Engines in Des Moines, IA, SuperFlow has developed SuperStart, a new bolt-on starter option for engine dynamometers that test high-compression sprint car engines, as well as late model engines.

SuperStart bolts directly onto the dyno. It can be permanently fitted with a dry sump oil system and a fuel pump.  This reduces set up time considerably. It’s compatible with SuperFlow SF-833 and SF-871 water brake absorbers. And it has a floating shaft design that eliminates “rattle” and accommodates almost any bell housing depth. Blank adapter rings and bell housing mounting plates are available to mount to any application.

Recently, SuperFlow commissioned Ostrich Racing Engines (ORE) to conduct extensive testing on their SF-902 engine dyno using the SuperStart option, and according to ORE Owner Lee Nelson the new starter handled his 16:1 compression sprint car engines with ease.

“Our old system struggled to start hot engines and lacked the cranking power needed to keep engines from kicking back. So, quite often, we were breaking starters and bell housings. With the new SuperStart, we have more than enough cranking power to start our 410 sprint engines … every time.”

According to Nelson, another benefit of the SuperStart is reduced flywheel weight versus conventional systems. Previous flywheels weighed 37 lbs, This created 57% more spinning weight than the lighter 16lb flywheel used on the SuperStart.