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.

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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).

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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.

EngineQuest^® (EQ^®), a leading supplier of stock and performance cylinder heads and engine components, has unveiled its new 2010-2011 52-page catalog. The latest edition features several new products, including the company’s first performance aluminum head for small block Chevy applications.

“Our new catalog goes along with our recent work to update our website,” said Mark Moore, EQ’s director of sales. “This initiative has all been done to support our valued resellers and provide them with a comprehensive marketing program to help drive business to their door.”

In addition to the company’s inventory of performance and replacement cylinder heads in aluminum and cast iron, the catalog features EQ’s line of crankshafts, head bolts, exhaust manifolds, timing covers, oil pans, standard flywheels, harmonic balancers and many other hard-to-find new, remanufactured, and reclaimed parts.

EngineQuest^® (EQ^®), a leading supplier of stock and performance cylinder heads and engine components, introduced two new cylinder heads during the 2009 AAPEX and SEMA Shows in Las Vegas.

EQ announced its first performance aluminum cylinder head that will fit any small block Chevy engine and can help achieve up to 500 horsepower right out of the box.  This new replacement head, EQ Part #AC200BS, is affordably priced and comes bare or assembled, ready to install to the drive train with no porting or polishing needed.

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Wanna boost performance and practicality of the ol’ Rocket engines while maintaining full original bolt-on convenience? Ross Racing Engines of Niles, Ohio has released their new Lacy & Morse aluminum cylinder heads for the oh-so-loved 1949-64 Oldsmobile V8 applications, including 303, 324, 371 and 394 CID first-generation Rocket engines.

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NEW ROUSH YATES BELT-DRIVE TIMING GEAR FOR FORD WINDSOR-BASED ENGINES

 Originally developed for the Roush Yates 358 cubic inch (NASCAR, ARCA, Craftsman Truck Series) and 436 cubic inch (WSORR and TORC off-road series) engines, its new cog-belt system is a precise link between camshaft and crankshaft, tough enough to endure 24-hour races such as Daytona and Le Mans or a full-season of circle track competition. Further, the system enhances any engine based on the Ford Windsor cylinder block.  

 Years of service are assured simply by replacing the belt at recommended intervals (before every race, yearly, or as abuse dictates). Besides producing less friction and being more durable than gear- or chain-drives, the Roush Yates system offers race and high-performance street engines a number of advantages:

 1. Adds external accessibility and adjustability of the timing gear itself, which can be advanced or retarded (up to 25 degrees overall) during dyno testing and tuning.  No need to remove the front cover of the engine or drain the coolant system

 2. Eliminates harmful harmonics to guard against valve train instability

 3. Provides billet aluminum upper pulley for additional strength and features            cogged-tooth configuration

 4. Includes heat-treated steel cogged-tooth crankshaft pulley for strength and reliability

 5.   Accommodates both dry-sump and wet-sump oiling systems  

 6.   Features upper vent ports for cooler-running belt assembly

 7.  Includes all Grade 8-spec fasteners for strength and protection against most              metallurgical failures that affect fasteners

 Roush Yates Engines Belt Drive Assembly – P/N: I270002     Price: $1,079.00