Rebuilding An American ‘Iron’ Icon: The Ford ‘FE’
Adapted from Robert McDonald’s article in Engine Builder. It seems as though the car restoration market is in full swing. Anybody who has an appreciation for an automobile can tell you that it’s all about American Iron. The phrase American Iron came about because we as Americans loved big automobiles with big engines. There is
Plastic Intake Manifolds: Checking For Leaks
Most late-model engines come factory-equipped with plastic intake manifolds. Plastic saves weight and cost, and conducts heat much more slowly than aluminum or cast iron. This helps lower the temperature of the incoming air for a denser, more powerful air/fuel mixture.
Do’s And Don’ts Of Head Gaskets
Do: Clean the Holes To ensure accurate torque values and to avoid cracking the cylinder block, clean any dust, dirt, oil and fluid from the cylinder block head bolt holes before installing the new head gasket and head bolts. Never lubricate the head bolts with a friction-modified oil. Unless otherwise specified, lightly lubricate the bolt
10 Tips For Diagnosing And Installing Control Arms And Bushings
With wide adoption of large diameter wheels and low-profile tires, suspensions on late-model vehicles have changed. The extra weight of larger wheels has meant that suspension components have had to go on a diet of aluminum. Less sidewall area has transferred the role of absorbing road impacts to larger bushings in order to achieve the same ride quality.
Jeep Liberty Alignment Specs
The Liberty (2002-2007 KJ and 2008-2012 KK) was Jeep’s replacement for the Cherokee (XJ). The major changes from the Cherokee to the Liberty were an independent front suspension and trailing arm rear suspension. Compared to the Cherokee, the Liberty is actually easier to align.
5 Mistakes Entry-Level Tire Techs Make
Nothing can turn a new tech into a veteran but time and experience, and often that experience is going to come from making mistakes – sometimes real bad ones – and learning from them (you hope).
Toyota Hybrid Oil Change
Does the thought of changing the oil on a Toyota Prius scare you? Are you afraid you could be shocked with more than 200 volts? Don’t be afraid, changing the oil is not radically different than any other Toyota.
Understanding The Science Of Connecting Rods
They say an engine is only as reliable as its weakest link. The connecting rods that join the pistons with the crank can be a strong link or a weak link depending on the rods that are used. Most late model stock engines use powder metal rods. They are inexpensive to manufacture, require minimal machining to finish and are adequate for stock power levels and normal driving.
What To Do With Used Hybrid Batteries
The nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery is the best and most common hybrid battery so far, and the sheer volume of them is staggering. NiHM batteries have been in use for well over 15 years, and out of the more than 7 million hybrid cars on the road worldwide, 90% have NiMH battery packs.
Tips For Spark Plug Removal
Before attempting to remove the spark plugs on a vehicle, first determine any special instructions by the vehicle’s manufacturer for accessing the spark plugs because engines can vary widely by make and model.
