How To Build Horsepower — Volume 1
Methods for Building Horsepower in Any Engine

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Item # SA24  ISBN: 0931472245

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How To Build Horsepower — Volume 1 gives you an inside look at the techniques expert engine builder David Vizard uses to build horsepower in engines from 4 cylinders to big-block V-8s. With over 40 years of experience in tracking down the subtle factors that add up to big power improvements, David explains how you can get these same results in your workshop.

This volume covers major engine components including: the short block, cylinder heads, camshafts, induction, carburetion, ignition, headers, and exhaust systems. Get the most from any engine with this clearly-written book.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction

• The Short Block: Realistic Power Goals | Deciding on Displacement: Bore-Stroke Relationships; Practical Power Levels; Fuel Efficiency Vs. Output; Vehicle Weight Factors | Block Selection/Prep | Pistons & Rings: Cast Vs. Forged; Selecting Piston Rings; Rings and Max. Power; Ring Design Techniques; Top Rings; The Second and Oil Ring; Ring Widths | Piston Coatings | Connecting Rods | Bearing Clearances | Lubrication and Oiling: Oil Flow and Pressure; Oil Pumps; Oil Viscosity and Power; Synthetic Oils; Oil Pan and Pickup Design; Building Your Own Pan.

• Cylinder Heads: Intake Port: Improving Low-Speed Power; Getting More Flow & Power; Searching for Max. Power; Hands-On Advise | Valveguides and Seats: Seat Recession | Intake Valve Size | Exhaust Port & Valve Size | Flow Bias | Combustion Chambers: Open Vs. Closed Chambers | Compression Ratio: High Compression; Compression and Fuel | Heat Losses: Efficiency and Metallurgy; Chamber Coatings; Valves & Thermal Coatings | Chamber Finish | Grinding Your Own Heads | Expected Results | Specialty Cylinder Heads: Air Flow Research Heads; Brodix Cylinder Heads; Dart Cylinder Head Service; Edelbrock Cylinder Heads.

• Camshaft & Valvetrain: Camshaft Basics: Otto's Four Cycles; Flow Dynamics; Tailoring Valve Events; Overlap Theory; How Much of a Good Thing | How To Select a Cam: Maximum Engine Speed; The Bigger-Is-Better Trap; Cam Design & Performance; Finding the Right Duration; Optimum Valve Lift; Reliability at High Lifts; Beyond Lift and Duration; Lobe Center Angle & Overlap; Max Power LCAs; Headers & Converters; Cam Selection Summary | Valvetrain: Lifters; Solid Lifters; Hydraulic Lifters; Leakdown Hydraulics; Roller Lifters; Pushrods and Rockers; Roller Rockerarms; Rocker Ratio.

• Induction System: Intake Manifolds: Sorting Through the Hype; Of Planes and Plenums; What's Right for You; "Tuning" with Spacers; A Spacer, But What Type? Exhaust Heat Passages; Should You Buy a Manifold? | Carburetion: Why a Carburetor Works; Carburetor Selection Basics; Two-Barrel Carburetors; Four-Barrel Carburetors; The Holley Carburetor; The Carter/Edelbrock; Runnign Two Four-Barrels; Tunnel Ram on the Street? Race-Only Tunnel Rams; Exotic & Unusual Carbs; The Accurate S.U.; A Fixed-Jet Potpourri; The Predator; I.R. Systems; How to "Jet" Carburetors; Main Jet Mania; Idle and Transition Circuits; Transition/Idle Metering; Optimizing Main Metering; The Accelerator Pump; Edelbrock Power Plate; Setting the Idle Mixture; An Easy Way Out | Air Cleaners: Improving the Stock System; No Need to Compromise; Choosing Air Filter Elements.

• Ignition Systems: Ignition Basics: Inductive-Discharge Energy; Coil Saturation; C-D Ignition | What Should You Use?: The "Conventional" Ignition; The Breakerless Ignition; Multi-Firing/Long-Duration | Ignition Timing/Advance: Distributor Spark Advance; Mechanical Advance; Vacuum Advance; Tuning Spark Advance; Electronic Advance Controls | Specialized Components: High-Voltage Coils; Dash-Adjustable Timing; Engine Overspeed Limiters; RPM-Activated Switches; Supercharger Timing; Crank Trigger Systems | Ignitions—Fine Tuning | Ignition Troubleshooting: Spark Plugs; Plug Wires; Coil Polarity; Distributor Troubleshooting; Rotor-To-Cap Alignment; Ignition Timing.

• Exhaust & Headers: Exhaust System | Backpressure Vs. Power: Computer Controls; Measuring Backpressure | Catalytic Converters: Converter Drawbacks; Converter Modifications; Hot, Hot, Hot! | Mufflers: The "Turbo" Image; Glasspacks | Exhaust System: Design & Tubing Size; The Bends Bottleneck; Crossover Pipes; Ganged Mufflers | Practical Examples | Headers | Headers or Manifolds? | How Headers Work: Scavenging; Header Tuning; Bank-Separated Headers | Tri-Y Headers | A.R. Headers | Tuning/Accessories: Comparing A.R. Benefits; Keeping the Heat In; Custom Accessories; Vacuum Extraction | Gains from Headers: Power Testing | About A.P.T.

How To Build Horsepower — Volume 1 Methods for Building Horsepower in Any Engine