Small Block Chevy Build Stage 2, Part 2: Complete Assembly & Dyno Day

(ANNOUNCER)>> WE CONTINUE THE SECOND STAGE OF OUR THREE PART SMALL BLOCK CHEVY BUILD AND TODAY WE TAKE IT TO THE DYNO. PLUS THE BASICS ON TORQUE VALUES AND THE TOOLS.

(PAT)>> THANKS FOR JOINING US BACK HERE ON ENGINE POWER. TODAY WE'RE GONNA FINISH ASSEMBLE AND DYNO STAGE TWO OF OUR THREE STAGE SMALL BLOCK CHEVY BUILD UP. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE STARTED STAGE ONE WITH A BASIC CHEVY 350 BLOCK WE FILLED WITH STOCK REPLACEMENT PARTS IN THE BOTTOM END. BUT WE STEPPED UP TO A BETTER FLOWING ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD FROM SUMMIT, A WEIAND SINGLE PLANE INTAKE, AND A HOLLEY 650 CARB. THE PAYOFF WAS 357 HORSEPOWER AND 389 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

(JOE)>> GREAT RESULTS FOR A BUDGET OF LESS THAN $4,000. FOR STAGE TWO THOUGH WE PUT THE PARTS BACK ON THE SHELF AND THREW OUT THAT BUDGET. YOU SEE OUR GOAL THIS TIME IS TO MAKE THE MOST NATURALLY ASPIRATED POWER WE CAN GET OUT OF THAT LITTLE MOUSE BLOCK. SO AFTER TWEAKING THE BLOCK TO IMPROVE OIL FLOW, WE STARTED WITH A THREE-750 EAGLE STROKER

CRANK TO PUMP UP THE CUBIC INCHES TO 383. FOR A CAM A MORE AGGRESSIVE SOLID ROLLER FROM COMP. AND ALONG THE WAY WE CAREFULLY CHECKED ALL THE CRITICAL CLEARANCES TO ENSURE GETTING THE MOST OUT OF OUR MUCH STOUTER BOTTOM END. EAGLE SENT US A COMPETITION ROTATING ASSEMBLY WITH MOLY FORGED PISTONS AND RINGS TO HANG ON OUR HBEAM RODS.

(PAT)>> SO NOW WE CAN CONTINUE ON BY DROPPING IN OUR FULLY SOAKED COMP SOLID LIFTERS.

THEY HAVE A 300 THOUSANDTHS TALLER BODY TO CLEAR THE TALLER LIFTER BOSSES OF OUR LATE MODEL BLOCK. SEALING UP OUR STROKER'S INCREASED CYLINDER PRESSURE ARE COMEDIC 27 THOUSANDTHS THICK MLS HEAD GASKETS. THESE AFR 220 ELIMINATOR HEADS ARE THEIR LARGEST, BEST FLOWING 23 DEGREE HEADS THAT USE CONVENTIONAL ROCKER ARMS. THE HEAVY DUTY INTAKE VALVES MEASURE TWO-100, AND THE INCONEL EXHAUST VALVES ARE AT ONE-600. THESE HEADS HAVE A STIFFER PACK RACING SPRING CAPABLE

OF 800 LIFT AND 8,000 RPM. WE'RE REUSING OUR ARP HEAD BOLTS AND TORQUING THEM TO 70 POUND FEET.

(JOE)>> BEFORE WE FINISH THE VALVETRAIN WE'VE GOT A LITTLE PREASSEMBLY WORK TO DO ON THIS AFR

TITAN TXR INTAKE. BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE DESIGN AND THE PLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIAL IT'S MADE WITH, AFR INSISTS THAT YOU FOLLOW THEIR DIRECTIONS TO THE LETTER

TO PREVENT LEAKS. WE START BY PRESS FITTING THESE COMPRESSION LIMITERS IN THE VALLEY PLANE. WE ALSO NEED TO DRILL A HOLE IN THE MANIFOLD SPIDER, AND INSTALL THIS PROVIDED VACUUM FITTING. BACK ON THE VALLEY PLATE WE NEED TO INSTALL ALL THE COOLANT PORT SEALS. THEN WE CAN PREASSEMBLE THE SPIDER TO THE VALLEY PLATE WITH THE LOGO FACING TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. WE'LL JUST HAND START THE SOCKET HEAD CAP SCREWS.

(PAT)>> YOU HAVE TO USE THE SUPPLIED DOW CORNING 732 ON THE BLOCK'S CHINA RAIL. A GASKET OR SILICONE COULD RESULT IN LOSING OIL. WE CAN NOW PLACE THE VALLEY PLATE AND SPIDER ON THE ENGINE, AND TEMPORARILY BOLT IT DOWN AND TORQUE TO 25 POUND FEET.

(JOE)>> NOW THE SPIDER GETS REMOVED SO WE CAN INSTALL THE REMAINING SEALS IN THE VALLEY PLATE AND IN THE SPIDER. WE NEED TO PUT SOME OF OUR SEALANT IN THESE BOLT HOLES TO PREVENT OIL SEEPAGE. IN ADDITION TO THE PLACES WHERE THE GASKETS AND VALLEY PLATE SEAL COME TOGETHER. FINALLY WE CAN MOUNT THE SPIDER TO THE VALLEY PLATE

AND TIGHTEN EVERYTHING DOWN FOR GOOD. WELL THAT'S THE WAY WE INSTALL IT AND NOW WE'VE GOT THE ADVANTAGE OF AN INTERCHANGEABLE SPIDER. WHILE WE GOT THE BADDEST RACE VERSION AVAILABLE WE COULD SWAP THIS THING OUT FOR A MORE STREETABLE SINGLE OR DUAL PLANE, AND USE THE SAME VALLEY PLATE WITH NO CHANGES. OR WE COULD TAKE IT OFF AND PORT AND POLISH IT IF WE WANTED TO. RIGHT NOW WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LET THAT SEALANT DRY FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS WHILE WE MOVE ON TO SOME MORE WORK.

(PAT)>> LIKE FINISHING UP INSTALLING THE REST OF OUR VALVETRAIN, WE'LL START BY INSTALLING OUR SHAFT

SYSTEM'S BILLET ROCKER STAND WITH THE SUPPLIED HARDWARE, AND WE'LL TORQUE THEM TO 55 POUND FEET. AFTER THAT WE CAN DROP IN OUR CUSTOM LENGTH COMP PUSH RODS. THESE ARE THREEEIGHTHS IN DIAMETER WITH 135 THOUSANDTHS WALL THICKNESS FOR EXTRA STIFFNESS AND LESS DEFLECTION. THE ROCKERS GO ON ONE SET AT A TIME PER CYLINDER IN THE ENGINE'S FIRING ORDER. WE'LL COLD LASH THEM TO 10 THOUSANDTHS ON THE INTAKE, 14 THOUSANDTHS ON THE EXHAUST. NOW I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET THE REST OF THESE BOLTED DOWN AND SETUP BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE TO COME, SO STAY WITH US.

(PAT)>> SO MAN YOU HAPPY YOU JUMPED IN ON THIS ONE OR WHAT?

(JOE)>> I'M HAPPIER THAN A WOODPECKER IN A LUMBER YARD. AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING CLOSER WHEN THE VALVE COVERS GO ON. THESE ARE EXTRA TALL TO CLEAR THOSE ROCKERS.

(PAT)>> AND WE'RE GONNA REUSE OUR SUMMIT PRO FLOW ELECTRIC WATER PUMP WE HAD ON STAGE ONE IN THE DYNO. NOW REMEMBER AN ELECTRIC WATER PUMP HAS NO PARASITIC LOSS OF POWER LIKE A BELT DRIVEN ONE DOES.

(JOE)>> YOU MIGHT REMEMBER IN STAGE ONE OF THIS PROJECT A 650 CFM CARBURETOR WAS USED, WHICH

WAS ALL WELL AND GOOD. THIS TIME THOUGH IN THE SEARCH FOR MORE POWER

WE'RE STEPPING UP THIS QUICK FUEL BLACK DIAMOND 950 CFM CARBURETOR. NOW THIS BRINGS US TO A COMMON QUESTION WE GET A LOT OF TIMES. HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH CARB TO USE WITH YOUR APPLICATION? WELL LISTEN UP CLASS, PROFESSOR PAT'S GONNA TELL YOU.

(PAT)>> WE'LL USE A FORMULA THAT'S A THEORETICAL GUIDELINE SO YOU DON'T GET A CARBURETOR THAT'S TOO SMALL FOR YOUR APPLICATION. AND KEEP IN MIND, THIS FORMULA DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PRESSURE DROP THAT THE CFM WAS RATED AT BUT IT'LL KEEP YOU OUT OF THE WOODS. THE FORMULA IS ENGINE'S CUBIC INCH DISPLACEMENT TIMES ITS MAXIMUM RPM, DIVIDED BY 34-56, AND THAT

EQUALS THE CARBURETOR'S CFM AT 100 PERCENT VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY, IT'S THE ENGINE'S INTAKE TRACTABILITY TO FILL THE CYLINDER FROM TOP DEAD CENTER TO BOTTOM DEAD CENTER ON ITS INTAKE STROKE. AND MOST ENGINES OPERATE BETWEEN 75 PERCENT AND 95 PERCENT VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY, AND 100 PERCENT AND ABOVE ARE JUST RESERVED FOR TRUE HORSEPOWER PER CUBIC INCH ENGINES LIKE A NASCAR STYLE OR AN NHRA PRO STOCK. THE LONG VERSION OF THIS EQUATION COMPUTES HOW MANY INTAKE STROKES THERE ARE PER A FOUR CYCLE ENGINE AND CONVERTS CUBIC INCHES TO CUBIC FEET. BUT IF WE USE OUR 34-56 AS A FACTOR IT WILL WORK ON ANY CARBURETOR.

SO HOW DID WE APPLY THIS FORMULA TO OUR COMBINATION?

WELL WE TOOK OUR 383 CUBIC INCHES AND WE MULTIPLIED

IT BY 8,000 RPM, WHICH IS WHAT WE PLAN TO TURN IT, AND DIVIDED IT BY 34-56, AND THAT GAVE US A GRAND TOTAL OF 886.57 CFM. AND THAT'S HOW YOU CAN ACCURATELY COMPUTE YOUR THEORETICAL MINIMUM CARBURETOR CFM.

(JOE)>> OR SIMPLY USE SUMMIT'S CALCULATOR ON THEIR WEBSITE TO GET YOUR CARBURETOR AND JUST PUT THE THING ON. WELL IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO GET TO THIS PART.

(PAT)>> NOW THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART ACTUALLY.

(JOE)>> AGAIN WE'RE SHOOTING FOR HORSEPOWER NUMBERS WELL OVER 500 WITH THIS STAGE TWO SMALL BLOCK.

I GUESS THEY WERE THINKING AHEAD LAST TIME USING THESE INCH AND THREE QUARTER HEADERS FROM DOUG'S CAUSE WE'RE USING THEM AGAIN.

IT'S HARD TO GET HEADERS THAT ARE TOO BIG. FOR SPARK WE'RE UPGRADING FROM THE HEI DISTRIBUTOR USED IN STAGE ONE TO THIS MSD PRO BILLET.

(PAT)>> NO CUTTING CORNERS ON SPARK PLUGS EITHER. OUR WIRES WILL SNAKE DOWN TO THESE NEW ETHREE DIAMOND FIRES.

NOW WE'LL DUMP IN SEVEN QUARTS OF ROYAL

PURPLE XPR FIVE W-30. FOR FUEL WE'LL FEED OUR MOUSE WITH 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS.

(JOE)>> AFTER A FEW MORE FINAL HOOK UPS

WE CAN LIGHT IT OFF.

(PAT)>> ALRIGHT JOE YOU READY?

(JOE)>> YEAH. [ ENGINE FIRES ]

(JOE)>> WE'LL SET THE INITIAL TIMING AT 28 DEGREES AND RUN THE ENGINE TO GET TO OPERATING TEMP. [ ENGINE RUNNING ]

(JOE)>> THEN SHUT IT DOWN AND HOT LASH THE VALVES. 16 THOUSANDTHS ON THE INTAKE, 20 THOUSANDTHS

ON THE EXHAUST.

WELL I'M IMPRESSED, THIS SOUNDS GREAT!

(PAT)>> I AGREE.

(JOE)>> NOW DURING THE BREAK WE'RE GONNA LET IT

WARM UP AGAIN, GET SOME OIL TEMP INTO IT WHERE WE WANT IT, AND THEN YOU CAN GET READY FOR SOME STAGE TWO HORSEPOWER.

(PAT)>> WE'RE BACK AND READY FOR THE INITIAL PULL.

(JOE)>> I GUESS THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR THIS FIRST PULL RIGHT?

(PAT)>> YEP, WE'RE GONNA MAKE A SHORT BLAST, 2,500

TO 5,000 JUST TO SEE WHAT THE PRESSURES AND FLUIDS LOOK LIKE, AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> REMEMBER MOVE TIME FOR TORQUE AND JET FOR HORSEPOWER. STILL GOT ALL HER GUTS.

(JOE)>> YEAH!

(PAT)>> THE GRAPH IS SOLID, SO LET THE TUNING BEGIN. AT 28 DEGREES OF TIMING ALL THE SWEEPS WILL BE BETWEEN 3,500 AND 6,500 RPM.

(JOE)>> SOUNDED GOOD AGAIN.

(PAT)>> I LIKED IT, I LIKED IT.

OH, RIGHT THERE.

(JOE)>> NOT BAD, 488.

(PAT)>> 488 HORSEPOWER, 440 POUND FEET OF TORQUE. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

(JOE)>> MORE TIMING.

(PAT)>> MORE TIMING, LET'S PUT LIKE THREE DEGREES IN IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> THE GOAL IS TO FIND MAXIMUM TIMING WITHOUT DETONATION OR POWER LOSS.

(JOE)>> IT LIKED IT.

(PAT)>> IT DEFINITELY LIKED IT. HOLY MOLY, 536 HORSEPOWER, 472 POUND FEET OF TORQUE. WE REPEATED THIS PROCESS ONE DEGREE AT A TIME CHECKING THE PLUGS ALONG THE WAY. STILL IT CREPT UP A LITTLE BIT, 543 HORSEPOWER, 476 POUND FEET. LITTLE TINY GAINS, THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING ONE AT A TIME BECAUSE WE CAN OVERTIME IT AT SOME POINT. SO WE'RE JUST CREEPING UP ON IT AND WE'RE GONNA

STILL SNEAK IT IN UNTIL THAT LEVELS OFF.

(JOE)>> WELL ONE MORE DEGREE.

(PAT)>> ANOTHER DEGREE, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT. WE'RE UP TO 37 DEGREES. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> ALRIGHT, I THINK WE FOUND IT.

(JOE)>> YOU THINK SO?

(PAT)>> YEP, THERE IT IS, 541, 473, BEAUTIFUL. WE'VE REACHED OUR LIMIT TOO. BUT AFTER SOME SHUT EYE WE'RE PICKING IT BACK UP. BUT OVERNIGHT WE HAD A HUGE WEATHER SWING. THE AIR WENT FROM COOL AND DRY TO WARMER, HUMID, AND RAINY.

SO SINCE WE DON'T HAVE CONTROLLED DYNO AIR THE POWER WILL BE EFFECTED SLIGHTLY. WITH TIMING BACK TO OUR SWEET SPOT AT 36 DEGREES

WE'RE MAKING THE NEW BASELINE RUN.

WELL LET'S SEE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. 535 FOR POWER, 473 FOR TORQUE. COMPARED TO YESTERDAY WHEN WE HAD THE SAME TORQUE BUT 541 HORSEPOWER.

(JOE)>> SO WE'RE DOWN ABOUT A PERCENT, NOT TOO SHABBY THOUGH. SO LET'S MOVE ON.

(PAT)>> THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA DO BEFORE WE

MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CARBURETOR IS STACK TWO AFR ONE INCH SPACERS IN DESIGNED TO RUN ON THIS MANIFOLD.

THE ONE AGAINST THE MANIFOLD HAS AN OPEN CENTER AND THE ONE UNDER THE CARB IS A TAPERED FOUR HOLE. THIS WILL MAXIMIZE THE PLENUM AREA AND CHANGE THE WAY THE AIR/FUEL CHARGE COMES INTO THE MANIFOLD. TWO CARBURETOR SPACERS TOTALING TWO INCHES, EVERYTHING ELSE BEING THE SAME. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

(JOE)>> IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING.

(PAT)>> THAT IT WILL, HERE WE GO! [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> MIGHT HAVE SEEN A COUPLE EXTRA ON

THAT ONE, CONSIDERING 547, 485 FOR TORQUE. THAT'S A GAIN OF 12 HORSEPOWER AND 12 POUND FEET OF TORQUE. PEAK HORSEPOWER WAS AT 6,400 RPM AND PEAK TORQUE WAS AT 5,300. I DON'T KNOW IF A JET WOULD DO ANYTHING TO IT.

IT MIGHT MAKE IT A LITTLE WORSE.

SO WHAT WE COULD DO SAFELY FOR NOW IS CHANGE AN AIR BLEED.

(JOE)>> WE'RE GOING FROM 32 THOUSANDTHS TO 36 THOUSANDTHS FOR A FOUR THOUSANDTHS INCREASE.

(PAT)>> SAME RPM, LET'S LET HER RIP. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

(JOE)>> MAYBE IT LIKES THE AIR. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> TURNS OUT NO!

(JOE)>> NO, IT DOESN'T LIKE IT AT ALL.

(PAT)>> 537 HORSE, 474 POUND FEET FOR A LOSS OF

10 HORSEPOWER AND 11 POUND FEET. PEAK HORSEPOWER WAS AT 6,500 RPM AND PEAK TORQUE OCCURRED AT 5,200 RPM. SO WE'RE CHEATING THE DIFFERENCE DOWN TO 34 THOUSANDTHS. ALRIGHT, A LITTLE CHANGE.

(JOE)>> A LITTLE LESS AIR.

(PAT)>> WE'RE GONNA SEE WHAT IT DOES HERE. [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> WOW, LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENED THERE. THE CURVE LOOKS NICE, 545 HORSE, 480 POUND FEET.

(JOE)>> IT LIKED THAT.

(PAT)>> PEAK HORSEPOWER WAS AT 6,400, AND PEAK TORQUE WAS AT 5,400, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE YOU

KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS THOSE SPACERS PUT OUR CARB RIGHT IN RANGE OF WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE AS FAR AS AIR FUEL MIX. AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. THAT'S WHY WE DYNO. YOU COULDN'T FEEL THAT IN THE CAR, YOU COULD SEE IT IN A TIME SLIP, BUT THAT'S WHAT DYNO'ING IS ALL ABOUT. YOU ALWAYS DON'T MAKE A GAIN. IT'S SOMETIMES GOOD TO KNOW WHAT DOESN'T WORK. TIME TO BACK UP A LITTLE AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL 36 THOUSANDTHS AIR BLEEDS, AND WE'RE NOT DONE YET. WE STILL HAVE ONE MORE CHANGE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HELP US OUT.

(JOE)>> WELL PAT I'VE HAD A BLAST HELPING YOU OUT ON THIS THING.

(PAT)>> MAN JOE, GLAD YOU'RE HERE.

(JOE)>> WELL WE GOT THE ORIGINAL BLEEDS REINSTALLED BECAUSE, WELL AS IT TURNS OUT, THEY WERE CORRECT FOR THIS SETUP.

BUT YOU KNOW IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT TO FIND OUT.

(PAT)>> ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE A CHANGE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS RESULT IN A GAIN BUT HEY, THAT'S

WHY IT'S CALLED TUNING.

(JOE)>> WELL WE'VE GOT ONE MORE THING TO TRY OUT. NOW WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THIS THING THROUGH TWO AND A HALF INCH EXHAUST PIPES. WHAT WOULD ANOTHER HALF INCH DIFFERENCE MAKE? WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT. THEY'RE BEING FED BY INCH AND THREE QUARTER HEADERS. THAT STAYS THE SAME, BUT IF THE SMALLER EXHAUST PIPES WERE A RESTRICTION, OUR THREE INCH REPLACEMENTS SHOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN POWER.

YEAH YOU GUESSED IT, ANOTHER EXPERIMENT.

(PAT)>> THIS IS THE GRAND FINALE!

(JOE)>> DRUM ROLL! [ ENGINE REVVING ]

(PAT)>> I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW. LOOK WHAT THE TORQUE DID, 495!

(JOE)>> WE GOT 10 MORE. THAT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED BUT I GUESS JUST LIKE WITH THOSE AIR BLEED CHANGES YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

(PAT)>> AND I WAS GLAD YOU WERE HERE TO SEE IT.

(JOE)>> ME TOO!

(PAT)>> THIS ENGINE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT A POPULAR COMBO ON PUMP GAS IS CAPABLE OF. AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A FULL TILT RACE BULLET, WE SHOWED THAT IT IS VERY SENSITIVE TO TUNING CHANGES, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE. WE STILL HAVE STAGE THREE PLANNED, AND THAT WILL INVOLVE TAKING MOST OF THE COMPONENTS AND PUTTING

THEM IN AN AFTERMARKET BLOCK WITH A CENTRIFUGAL PRESSURIZER AND A TRICK BLOW THROUGH THROTTLE

BODY INJECTION SYSTEM. WATCH FOR IT IN THE FUTURE. DO YOU WANT TO BUILD AN LS THAT MAKES BIG POWER? WELL THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START. THIS IS A NEW GM FACTORY OVERSTOCK FOUR POINT EIGHT AND FIVE POINT THREE LITER LS BLOCK FROM SUMMIT RACING. IT'S MADE OUT OF CAST IRON TO WITHSTAND HIGH HORSEPOWER APPLICATIONS BETTER THAN ALUMINUM, AND

IT ALSO HAS STOCK NINE-240 DECK HEIGHT. THE BORES ARE FINISHED AT THREE-780, AND IT ALSO HAS SIX BOLT MAIN CAPS WITH THE CAM BEARINGS ALREADY INSTALLED. IT'S A STOUT START TO YOUR LS BUILD AND IT'S VERY AFFORDABLE FOR ONLY AROUND $400 BUCKS.

(JOE)>> ALL ENGINES MAKE HEAT AND DEI MAKES SOME PRODUCTS THAT PROTECT YOUR ENGINE COMPONENTS FROM THE DAMAGES OF HEAT. COMPONENTS LIKE SPARK PLUG WIRES AND BOOTS. THIS IS AN EIGHT PACK SET OF THEIR PROTECTABOOTS, DESIGNED TO PROTECT AGAINST HEADER AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEAT, AND LOWER THE RISK OF BACK FIRING AND ENGINE DAMAGE. THEY'RE GUARANTEED TO HANDLE UP TO 1,200 DEGREES. THEY FIT MOST STRAIGHT AND 90 DEGREE BOOTS, AND THEY COME IN A VARIETY OF SEVEN DIFFERENT COLORS. AN EIGHT CYLINDER SET WILL SET YOU BACK LESS THAN $60 BUCKS.

(PAT)>> DID YOU KNOW THAT ROCK AUTO DOT COM NOW OFFERS COMPLETE EXHAUST KITS FOR ANY VEHICLE YOU DRIVE? THAT'S RIGHT, ALL THE PIECES AND PARTS TO GET

THE JOB DONE WITHOUT ANY OF THE GUESS WORK. AND INSTEAD OF DIGGING THROUGH THE STORE SHELVES YOU JUST NAVIGATE THEIR USER FRIENDLY WEBSITE TO GET THE SYSTEM OR INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS YOU NEED, AND YOU CAN EVEN TRACK YOUR ORDER HERE. SO WHETHER IT'S MUFFLERS OR MUD FLAPS, IF IT GOES ON A VEHICLE YOU CAN FIND IT ALL AT ROCK AUTO DOT COM.

(MIKE)>> ONE QUESTION WE HEAR A LOT FROM NOVICE ENGINE BUILDERS IS HOW IMPORTANT IS THE CORRECT TORQUING OF ENGINE FASTENERS? WELL LET'S TALK ABOUT CYLINDER HEAD STUDS AND BOLTS.

THEY HAVE TO WITHSTAND ENORMOUS LOADS TO KEEP THE HEADS SEALED TO THE GASKET AND THE BLOCK. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THOSE LOADS ARE.

(PAT)>> A REGULAR GASOLINE ENGINE WITH A FOUR INCH BORE WILL SEE BETWEEN 1,100 AND 1,200 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH AT PEAK COMBUSTION PRESSURE FOR AROUND 14,000 POUNDS OF PRESSURE PER CYLINDER PRESSING UP ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. THAT MEANS EACH FASTENER COULD SEE AS MUCH AS FIVE TONS OF PRESSURE EACH AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE.

(MIKE)>> TO KEEP THE HEAD GASKET SEALED UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS REQUIRES A CLAMP LOAD OF ABOUT THREE TIMES THE PEAK PRESSURE CREATED AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. NOW THAT'S CALLED THE LIFT OFF FORCE AND IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE APPLICATION. THE FASTENERS AROUND THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER HAVE TO SHARE A COMBINED FORCE OF ABOUT 45,000 POUNDS TO

KEEP THE CYLINDER HEAD IN PLACE. NOW THE MORE BOLTS OR STUDS YOU HAVE AROUND THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, THE BETTER THAT LOAD IS SPREAD OUT.

(PAT)>> CYLINDER HEADS, MAIN CAPS, AND CONNECTING RODS HAVE THE MOST CRITICAL FASTENERS IN THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THEY MUST BE IN PERFECT CONDITION AND LUBRICATED

PROPERLY TO ACHIEVE ACCURATE TORQUE VALUES. THESE FASTENERS ARE DESIGNED TO STRETCH WHEN TIGHTENED, AND THE FORCE OF THE WRENCH DOES TWO THINGS. FIRST, IT'S OVERCOMING THE FRICTION BETWEEN THE THREADS OF THE FASTENER AND THE THREADS IN THE BLOCK. ALSO THE FRICTION UNDER THE HEAD OF THE BOLT AS IT TURNS AGAINST THE CYLINDER, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 85 TO 90 PERCENT OF THE FORCE FROM THE WRENCH. SECOND, TIGHTENING THE FASTENER CREATES CLAMP

LOAD AS IT STRETCHES. THIS ACCOUNTS FOR THE REMAINING 10 TO 15 PERCENT OF THE FORCE FROM THE WRENCH.

(MIKE)>> THERE ARE A FEW TYPES OF TORQUE WRENCHES WE USE FOR THESE FASTENERS. THE FIRST IS A BEAM TYPE AND THESE ARE ACCURATE TO WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS TWO PERCENT OF THE TORQUE VALUE. NEXT IN LINE IS A CLICK TYPE, WHICH IS ACCURATE TO WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS FIVE PERCENT. AND FINALLY THERE'S AN ELECTRIC, WHICH IS PRICEY BUT HAS A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY BUILT IN.

ACCURACY COMES FROM SEVERAL FACTORS, LIKE THE

LUBE THAT'S USED, THE CLEANLINESS OF THE THREADS, AND A TORQUE WRENCH THAT'S CALIBRATED CORRECTLY. TO CHECK THE ACCURACY OF THE TORQUE WRENCHES WE USE A DIGITAL TORQUE WRENCH TESTER FROM INTERCOMP. NOW ITS ACCURACY IS WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS POINT TWOFIVE PERCENT AND HAS MODES FOR INCH POUNDS, POUND FEET, AND NEWTON METERS. TO DEMONSTRATE I'LL APPLY 60 INCH POUNDS ON THE BEAM STYLE AND HOLD IT STEADY. IT'S SPOT ON! THIS LET'S US KNOW THAT MATCO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB CALIBRATING THIS TORQUE WRENCH. SO NOW YOU KNOW THE IMPORTANCE, TORQUE ON!

(JOE)>> WELL THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK. UNTIL NEXT TIME THOUGH, PEACE!