Jeff Smith

What exactly is vapor lock? The weather is warming up now and last summer I had trouble with my small block Nova dying a various times when he engine ran a little hot. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? R.S. Jeff Smith: That’s a really good question that doesn’t really have a

I just bought a new, digital timing light to replace my old original light. When I push the button, the timing moves but I’m not sure I know exactly what’s really going on here. There’s probably an easy answer but it escapes me! Thanks D.L. Jeff Smith: What you are using is what is commonly

I just bought an LS3 crate engine and the instructions that Chevrolet includes with the engine recommend pre-lubing the engine with a Kent Moore tool J45299. I looked that tool up and it’s a 2-quart plastic bottle, a small hand pump, and a few assorted fittings and they want $340 for it! That seems like

I’m still buying parts to assemble a 355-cubic-inch small block Chevy for my ’55 Chevy. My buddy was over this past weekend and told me that I should make sure to port-match the intake manifold to the heads. Is that something I should do? He says he read where that could be worth 10 horsepower

Editor’s Note: The following letter is in response to an answer in a previous column concerning whether to go with a 5.3L LS engine or a larger 350ci small-block Chevy. You can read Jeff’s original answer here. Prices reflect April 2016 figures per Summit Racing and, given the context/purpose of the article, have not been updated.

I’m having a problem with the small block 383 in my Impala. The engine was new about two years ago, but I keep having problems with the spark plugs loading up with oil. Some of my friends say it’s a valve guide seal problem but the heads were new when we put the engine together. Others

I purchased a ’68 Camaro basket case along with a pile of parts including what appears to be a 10-bolt rear-end that was not under the car. How do I identify this as either an 8.2-inch or perhaps an 8.5-inch 10-bolt? I’ve heard those later 10-bolts are stronger, but I don’t know much about them.

I recently bought an EZ-EFI throttle body fuel injection system from FAST for my ’70 Buick Skylark. I installed it according to the instructions and it started and ran pretty good for the first few days. I’ve noticed now that the engine runs very rich and it’s starting to load up the spark plugs. I’ve

I just purchased a ’64 Chevelle that is very close to stock. It has a 350-cubic-inch small block and a Turbo 350 that I’m happy with, so I’m thinking of improving the handling but only if I can do that without making it ride like a dump truck. I’ve seen rear sway bars on many Chevelles

I’m confused. I’ve seen magazine stories that say you should plug off that oil filter bypass in a small block Chevy but I’ve also heard that you shouldn’t do that. But with the bypass, doesn’t a bunch of oil go around the oil filter? That can’t be good, right? S.F. Jeff Smith: Essentially you are