Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

This is a run down of the basic types of coolant on the market today. Organic acid technology works well but requires that all the air be out of the system, so an older car without a coolant recovery tank this is a no go. As you can see Zerex makes IAT green antifreeze and ut works just fine in olde...

I set the balancer at about 30 degrees BTDC, on the compression stroke, then adjust the rotor so it points directly at the number one plug terminal in the cap. They fire right up and are close enough you can set to a fast idle to break in the cam etc.

All the old Sun scopes were analog, like a standard electronics scope. I believe the deal is the timebase of an electronic type scope. You are viewing voltage over time to get the wave form. So the scope has to be able to display the complete wave form. If the screen is too small the pattern will ge...

.004 per inch of cylinder bore normally aspirated with cast or forged pistons, hypereutectic piston .0065 per inch of bore normally aspirated, on supercharged and nitrous I always consult the ring manufacturer, I believe it makes a difference how much boost and how much nitrous. I always gap the sec...

Depending on how long you want to log is the issue. Most all OBD II scan tools have ability to record and playback sensor readings. I have an HP tuner, which actually has a decent data logging capability and will read all the sensors on an EFI engine. Off the top of my head not sure how big the buff...

I use a scope all the time. When teaching at tech school the best scopes we had were the Pico scopes installed on laptops. Since semi-retired my home shop I have an older Snap-on Modis scan tool and scope. As mentioned, anything that operates using electricity can be checked with a scope, if you kno...

Guy wants me to dyno a street blower engine 350 chevy. He has a PCV valve and vent cap on the engine. Was doing a little reading and several recommended a motorcraft PCV E5ZZ-6A666-A as it is set up for a boosted application. What do you guys use for a PCV in a mild blower engine? I always used two ...

That looks like good power for your combo. As mentioned, the exhaust system would be the easiest apple to pick. Since you stroked it are your injectors big enough? I assume you had the computer tuned after the rebuild? I did a stroked LS for a limited class pulling truck. we actually used a trailbla...

From time to time I have issues similar to this engine. First thing I do is slap a vacuum gauge on it, with a big cam bring up until the lope is gone, tells a lot about what is going on. Bouncing gauge valve train issues including flat camshaft, low vacuum retarded ignition timing, or just a poor ru...

My son is an engineer for a company that manufactures construction equipment in China. The equipment is sold in the Chinese market, and not exported to the USA. He also tells me that the Chinese can manufacture quality components. He says when as an American he negotiates with a supplier, the Chines...

as a technician if you told me your post, first thing I would do is hook up an ignition scope to see what the firing KV and burn time was on each cylinder. To keep a plug clean you need both to be right. One of the advantages of an MSD type ignition is that at low speeds the box will fire the plug t...

Come on now, you cannot tease us, numbers to go with the video.

A lot of the cheaper like RV cams are reduce base circle camshafts, and I have had to use longer pushrods many times. For just a mild build I have never used two different lengths, most hydraulic lifters have a pretty big tolerance for preload depth.

unless you are just trying to do a budget build, spend the money for a system like a Holley terminator that runs the engine and transmission, use port injection and be done with it. The Holley systems that I have installed are easy to tune and work very well. Not saying it cannot be done and you may...

Years ago I tried water wetter in a 440 mopar that had the block filled. toward the end of the season my meziere water pump locked up, rubber seals had all swelled up, and there was a jelly like substance in the radiator, never used it since.