EngineLabs

05/29/2026

Did you know that the 5.2L Voodoo engine wasn't Ford's first DOHC flat-plane 32-valve engine?

👉 https://www.enginelabs.com/news/fords-aluminum-32-valve-flat-plane-v8-from-1940s-the-gaa-engine/

We're talking almost 90 years earlier, and a little over 3.5 times larger than the modern 8,200 rpm screamer. This behemoth is an engine that was in production with the Second World War in full swing in Europe. Of course, we’re talking about the Ford GAA engine.

The monster 1,110-cube (18.0-liter) V8 engine had a 60-degree bank-angle aluminum block with a 5.400-inch bore and 6.00-inch stroke, very similar to the famous Merlin engine, but ultimately with four fewer cylinders.

05/28/2026

Most people think upgrading pistons means expensive machine shop work, rebalancing the rotating assembly, and weeks of downtime.

That’s not always true.

Thank you Mahle Motorsport, for sponsoring our video! Visit https://bit.ly/49bzUUk

In this episode of EngineLabs Labs, we break down exactly what “drop-in pistons” are, how they work, and why they’ve become such a popular upgrade for LS and Gen V engine builds.

From forged aluminum construction and slipper skirt designs to OEM weight matching and advanced ring packages, modern drop-in pistons deliver serious durability and performance improvements while still working with factory rods, crankshafts, and balance specs.

If you’ve ever wondered how builders safely make more power without completely reworking the rotating assembly, this episode explains the science behind it.
Watch now and let us know:

Would you trust a drop-in piston setup in your build?

05/27/2026

This dyno session turned into a full-on hunt for every last bit of power. 🔥

Visit https://bit.ly/49bzUUk Thank you MAHLE Motorsport North America for sponsoring our video!

We started with short pulls, added timing, adjusted fuel, bumped the RPM to 7,500, and watched the data closely after every run. Each change picked up a little more — until the engine finally plateaued.

After trying plugs, fuel, timing, and every adjustment we could make, the combo told us it was done.

…Or was it? 😏

Because we still had one more trick waiting: the dual quad lid.

Would YOU keep pushing it?

05/27/2026

The Bugatti W16 is probably the most famous modern 16-cylinder engine on the planet. Extremely unique in that it is two VR8 engines (which are incredibly unique on their own) joined at a 90-degree angle to make what the company has dubbed simply a W16. A square 86mm (3.39 inches) design made for an 8.0-liter displacement, the engine underwent various facelifts and trim changes in its 19 years of production, and unfortunately, ceased production in 2024.

05/26/2026

Tech Tip Tuesday 👀

Traditional braided hose assembly can be difficult to do with only two hands. Angling your hose-end soft jaws halfway out of the vice can be a game changer and give you a third hand.

👉 https://www.enginelabs.com/news/quick-tip-clamping-braided-stainless-steel-hose-in-the-vise/

By using asymmetrical leverage from the soft jaws, you can exert an even amount of pressure on both the nut and the stainless braided hose itself, preventing it from backing out while you apply pressure from the front. The trick is to have the vise jaws only halfway up the soft jaws, allowing them to angle inward towards the hose, while still preventing the nut from rotating.

Assembling braided stainless hose and fittings just got a little easier thanks to this quick tip from Koul Tools.

05/25/2026

Today should be filled with feelings of gratitude, for so many reasons.

05/24/2026

But, is it wrong? 😆

05/24/2026

Anything worth doing, is worth doing to excess... Amirite?

05/23/2026

Let's see your engines!

05/23/2026

Just don't burn your backyard down while playing with your hopped-up grills this weekend.

05/22/2026

General Motors recently gave performance purists another massive reason to celebrate by officially announcing that the highly anticipated new LS6 V8 will be produced at its historic Flint assembly facility.

👉 https://www.enginelabs.com/news/general-motors-flint-facility-builds-the-new-ls6-v8/

While the impressive performance numbers of this modern powerplant are a given, the fact that it will be bolted together in the exact same location that birthed the iconic Chevy small-block adds serious fuel to the fire. GM first built a small-block at this historic Michigan manufacturing plant back in July 1954 to power the classic ’55 Corvette. Over the following decades, the dedicated local assembly crew produced more than 40 million engines before shifting its production focus in 1999.