Okay, I keep reading about there is a difference between detonation and pre-ignition but it seems that whenever I ask anybody about this, they agree but don’t know the difference. The typical answer I get is “It’s really complicated.” So, is it really? J.M. Jeff Smith: This really isn’t all that difficult to explain. Detonation
In the ‘80s, GM used a 4.3L 90-degree V6 in many different cars. I know that this engine is basically a small-block Chevy with two cylinders removed. This got me to wondering why they haven’t built a 90-degree V6 using the 5.3L or 6.0L LS engines? M.S. Jeff Smith: This is a great “what if”
I hate to admit that I’ve been working on cars for more years that I care to admit and yet I still don’t understand all the different things about ignition advance. Every time I ask my friends who say they know all about that – I get a different answer. Can you make it simple
I have an all-steel ’41 Willys with an all-aluminum 498ci Keith Black HEMI with a Don Hampton 8-71 supercharger and an EFI system using electronic fuel injectors located under the hat. The engine makes killer power and it has a TH-400 trans behind it with a 9-inch rear and a spool. The car cruises down
I recently read a story in a national publication that struck me as interesting and worth dissecting. The story tested the addition of a tall, long runner EFI intake manifold versus a production LS1 intake. I’ve recreated the curve in the charts and graphs included here. The test showed that the baseline combination using the
I have a small, 12-ounce bottle of DOT 4 brake fluid that’s been on the shelf for at least a couple of years. I was going to use it but two things got my attention. First, the plastic bottle had collapsed–almost like it was sucked in. That made me wonder if the fluid inside
[portfolio_slideshow id=32476] Drum brakes have their place—just not on any kind of performance car that’s driven with enthusiasm. In our experience, drum brakes are good for one and perhaps two aggressive stomps on the brake pedal from speed and then, like Douglas MacArthur’s old soldier, they just fade away. That’s why Summit Racing offers an
We measure speed in miles per hour and torque in pounds for every foot of leverage, but what the heck is a “horsepower” and how is it quantified? Is it really the power of a horse? What would that horse be doing and for how long? I’m having a problem with this for years and
I have a ’67 Chevelle that I have decided to swap in a faster ratio steering box. All the stories I’ve read suggest that an ’88 Monte Carlo steering box is the way to go, but I think they are probably all gone as I can’t find one anywhere. Any ideas on a good alternative?
I’ve noticed that Chrysler is using a new eight-speed automatic transmission for rear wheel drive cars and trucks. I don’t understand how this is more efficient than a more typical four-speed automatic. Plus, with twice as many gears, this transmission has to be really heavy. Care to comment? R.V. It’s interesting how the number of
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