Over the last few months we have had an in-depth look at the main components that go into building a performance engine. The aim has been to give you a better understanding of what is available, and eliminate the jargon so you can make better-informed decisions about the parts going into your engine.

But this series wouldn’t be complete without having a look at the humble con-rod, so let’s get up close and personal with one of the most stressed parts of any engine.

What is a Con-Rod?
As its name implies, a con-rod (connecting rod) is responsible for connecting the crankshaft to the piston. All the force generated during combustion is transferred through the con-rod and the end result is rotation of the crankshaft. Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of force involved, and the con-rod must be able to handle the massive compressive and tensile stresses without getting bent out of shape. (more…)

Last month we looked at how crankshafts are manufactured, what options are available and what these options mean in plain English. This month we will dig a bit deeper and look at the starting point of any performance engine: the cylinder block.

There are lots of options available to consider and a confusing array of technical jargon that comes along for the ride. We will cut through the jargon and find out what really matters when it comes to choosing a suitable engine block for your next build.

Iron versus Alloy

For many years the world of production V8 engines has been dominated by the good old cast iron block. For better or worse this was all that was available, and cast iron is still the material associated with most of the traditional performance-oriented V8 engines that are popular for modification.

Cast iron isn’t a bad material for an engine block, and while the resulting engine is inevitably pretty heavy, it is also quite strong and rigid — and both are important traits when trying to produce a lot of power.

Aluminium engine blocks have become more common in production cars over the last couple of decades as manufacturers looked for improvements in engine efficiency. The aluminium block offers significant weight savings over cast iron, thus its use lowers the overall weight of the car and so improves fuel economy and performance. (more…)

Last month we had a close look at the composition of pistons, and what this means in the real world for your performance engine. Obviously pistons are only a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to selecting parts to build a strong and reliable engine that will meet all your performance criteria. This month we will take an in-depth look at crankshafts and what you need to know to choose a suitable part.

Cast Versus Forged

Much like the pistons we discussed last month, there are two typical manufacturing methods for producing OEM crankshafts. For many years, the only offering available in road cars was a cast crankshaft. In this manufacturing technique, molten iron is poured into a crankshaft-shaped mould and allowed to cool. The process is cheap and the tooling used has a long service life, making it ideal for mass production. The cast item is also very close to the finished shape of the crankshaft, which reduces machining time. The downside is that the cast material has a low density and no real grain structure, which results in a weaker product. A cast crankshaft is also quite brittle, which is not a desirable trait for a performance engine.

Forged crankshafts, on the other hand, are formed by placing a hot piece of steel between two forging dies and forcing it into the shape of a crankshaft under immense pressure. This results in a denser material with a superior grain structure. That makes a forged crankshaft stiffer and stronger than its cast counterpart, while it is also less brittle, which improves its reliability. (more…)

Buying a second hand engine or performing an engine transplant? We check out the facts and figures for some common options.

Ford Windsor

The Windsor was introduced in 1962, replacing the previous Ford Y-block engine. The name is derived from the factory in which the first engines were produced in Windsor, Ontario. In 1996, Ford replaced the 302ci (5.0-litre) pushrod Windsor V8 with the Modular 4.6-litre in the Mustang, although it was continued in the F150 till 1997 and the Explorer until 2001.

The Windsor uses a thin-wall cast iron block with a separate aluminium timing chain cover. This feature differentiates it from later Cleveland or 351-series engines, which use an integrated timing cover cast in the block.

There is often confusion about the name of the 2V and 4V Windsors. Although many people assume this to be the number of valves per cylinder, it actually refers to the number of barrels in the carburettor. Another simple differentiation between the Windsor and Cleveland series is the location of the radiator hose — the Windsor routed coolant through the intake manifold with the hose protruding horizontally, while the Cleveland had the radiator hose connecting vertically to the engine block. Until 1964 the Windor’s rods used an oil squirt hole to lubricate the piston pin and rings. (more…)

Selecting new engine components for a rebuild can be a daunting task, with an endless number of brands and options to choose from. The parts you will need are dependent on a number of variables, which means there really is no one-size-fits-all answer for you. Over the years I have seen countless customers who have ended up with an engine combination that is either complete overkill for their application or, alternatively, is just not up to the required task. While in the first instance the overkill engine is only likely to leave a hole in your wallet, a combination that isn’t up to the task could just as easily leave a hole in your block.

This month we will take an in-depth look at pistons. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of cast versus forged pistons, and separate some of the facts from the fiction so you can make an informed decision about which pistons to select for your next build.

Cast Pistons

Cast pistons still remain the components of choice for production engine manufacturers. There are a number of advantages to the cast piston, however, it should be no surprise that their low cost is the reason they are favoured. Cast pistons also exhibit a very low rate of thermal expansion, which means they don’t expand much as the engine heats up. This allows the clearance between the piston and bore to be set very tight, which results in a very quiet engine. (more…)

Airbag suspension systems have been around for years, but many people are still unaware of the technicalities surrounding their use.

Some manufacturers have been using air suspension systems since vehicle production first began. Modern aftermarket setups bear little resemblance to those early factory systems, however, and there are many pitfalls for the unwary looking to install airbags.

Despite what you may have seen or heard, if they’re installed correctly, airbags shouldn’t detract from a car’s handling at all, in fact, in many cases they may actually assist it. It’s only when they are incorrectly installed that airbag systems are likely to cause problems. Nevertheless, while getting professionals to install the gear for you is recommended, there is nothing to stop home mechanics giving it a go, as long as they do it correctly.

The Right Parts

There are two main type of airbags, and even one of them isn’t a bag at all but an air strut. An air strut looks not too dissimilar to a traditional shock absorber, but slightly wider. Air struts are generally designed to fit in certain models of vehicle, however some universal-type ones are available. Generally, air struts are used in late-model vehicles that run a coil spring over the shock absorber.

The second type is the more common two- or three-layer convoluted rubber bag, not unlike what you see under the back of many trucks to help assist with carrying heavy loads.

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Datalogging systems used to be prohibitively expensive, which meant they were typically reserved for professional race teams. Times have changed, however, and now entry-level datalogging systems are readily available from a variety of manufacturers, with some systems starting out at less than $1000. This has meant basic datalogging is now within reach of the average enthusiast, though the number of systems and options available can be daunting and confusing even for the most well-informed consumer.

Obviously, if you only use your car to get to work and back then logging the amount of time spent stationary in traffic will not be much help. But for those of who like to get amongst it for the odd track day or go to the drag strip every now and then, some basic datalogging might help improve times dramatically.

The key with datalogging is being very clear about what you are actually trying to achieve. It is great to have data from hundreds of different sensors, and in the right hands this can provide a huge amount of information to improve the engine, suspension or brakes. But unless you know what you are looking at and how to interpret the data, it can be very easy to get lost in a sea of numbers and end up more confused than when you started.

Most people tend to overcomplicate their data-logging system and end up logging a lot of channels that aren’t strictly necessary to get the answers they are looking for. This can make your datalogging system a lot more expensive than it needs to be, once the cost of the additional sensors is factored in. Logging from a large number of sensors will also mean the size of your log files is dramatically increased. That may not present a problem, but if your logging equipment has a limited amount of storage memory, you may find you run out of memory to do the job.

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