Modern Engine Blueprinting Techniques. Mike Mavrigian

      DEDICATION

      Precision engine building involves both art and an extremely high level of applied science. My appreciation for the complexities and skill involved resulted from my early days of competition road racing, when I relied on various engine shops to prepare my race engines. Some of these experiences were good, and some were downright horrible. As time passed, I became more aware of what was involved, and out of necessity and an increased interest, I learned how to choose a skilled and experienced builder. In the process, I began to handle my own builds and to realize the enormous satisfaction that results from continually gaining knowledge.

      The skills and insights that I’ve learned over the years (and continue to learn) are the direct result of my relationships with industry experts who share a common trait: the passion for the pursuit of perfection.

      This book is dedicated to all professional performance engine builders for whom “good enough” is never good enough.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      Thanks go to the following for their input and expertise during the research for this book:

      Trick Flow Specialties; Bob Fall, Fall Automotive Machine, Toledo, Ohio; Bill McKnight, Mahle Clevite; Scott Gressman, Gressman Powersports, Fremont, Ohio; Dave Monyhan, Goodson Tools; Tony Lombardi, Ross Racing Engines, Niles, Ohio; Jody Holtrey, Medina Mountain Motors, Creston, Ohio; Sean Crawford, JE Pistons; Dennis Ventrello, Jesel; Chris Oullette, BHJ; Chase Knight, Crane Cams; Ted Keating and John Keyes, Dart Machinery; Chris Raschke, ARP; Todd Ryden, MSD; Paul Hauglie, Melling Select; Tom Lieb, Scat Crankshafts; Duane Boes, Callies Crankshaft; Jeff Kaufman, Kaufman Racing; Randy Becker, Jr., Harland-Sharp; Randy Neal, CWT; Bill Tichenor, Holley; Trent Goodwin, Comp Cams; Ron Robart, Fox Lake Performance, Clyde Norwood, Lock-In-Tool; Neal Manton, Manton Pushrods; Barb Miller, Moroso; Debbie Fragola, Fragola Performance Systems; Schean Barrett, PRW; John Schwarz, Aviaid; Jeff Lance, Allan-M&S Auto, Wadsworth, Ohio; Scott Koffel, Koffel’s Place, Huron, Ohio.

      A special thanks to those individuals who took me under their wings and have generously shared their expertise, notably Bill McKnight, Bob Fall, Scott Gressman, Jody Hiltrey, and Tony Lombardi. These individuals, and many more within the engine community, have gained my utmost respect.

INTRODUCTION

      The term “engine blueprinting” means different things to different people, so it’s important to clarify it because it is often misused.

      Many seasoned engine builders have an accurate and complete understanding of the procedures involved in blueprinting. But in many cases, enthusiasts and customers don’t have the same understanding. Some believe that balancing and blueprinting are interchangeable terms, and that both procedures are performed when the term blueprinting is discussed. Some assume that if a component has been balanced, it has also been blueprinted, and vice versa. As an astute engine builder, you cannot make that assumption. If you review Craigslist or other online ads, you’re bound to see multiple ads listing engines that have been “balanced and blueprinted,” when in most cases the crankshaft has simply been balanced.

      In most cases, owners and/or sellers of these engines are not intentionally trying to deceive. Rather, they simply have a misunderstanding of the blueprinting process. Blueprinting an entire engine assembly involves a high degree of skilled labor that goes far beyond a routine rebuild or a bolt-together assembly or reassembly. As a result, a blueprinting procedure adds substantial cost to an engine build. Balancing (which involves weight-matching pistons and rods and correcting the balance of the crankshaft to accommodate the weight of the pistons, rods, piston pins, rod bearings, and rings) is simply one aspect of a blueprinting procedure. An engine build can feature a balanced crankshaft without a blueprinting procedure, or an engine assembly may be blueprinted, which also involves crank balancing. Simply because a crankshaft has been balanced, it does not mean that the engine has been blueprinted.

      Are OEM production engines blueprinted? No, they are not. Although a production engine may be based on specific design parameters, the reality of mass production results in deviations due to core shifts in castings and allowable tolerance ranges for parts, dimensions, and machining. Although a production engine may be perfectly suitable for use, it may not have been produced precisely to the design specifications. This isn’t because car manufacturers don’t take this seriously or are trying to short-change anyone, and this certainly doesn’t infer that production engines are faulty. It’s simply the reality of producing engines on a large scale.

      The processes of blueprinting are performed when the performance and/or racing application calls for optimizing the engine’s performance and durability.

      In a nutshell, the basic goal of blueprinting is to gain a high degree of precision in order to achieve, as closely as possible, a “zero-resistance” engine assembly. This means all parts are properly aligned and clearances are achieved for optimum efficiency. In essence, you’re trying to create the perfect engine by eliminating any variances that affect power and engine durability.

      Of course, blueprinting can be utilized to achieve the OEM design specification, but the process is not limited to this. In most cases, a blueprinting approach is used to carefully accurize the block in order to locate all bore centerlines, bore diameters, and bore angles to eliminate deviation, even though you may be altering certain bore diameters. With the main bore corrected to a perfectly straight alignment, cylinder bore centerlines are corrected, lifter bores are corrected for centerline and angle, and decks are machined to be perfectly parallel to and equidistant in height from the main bore centerline. Regardless of the cylinder-bore diameter (whether at OEM diameter or overbored for increased displacement), blueprinting involves accurizing the block as the basis of the foundation.

      Beyond block