EngineLabs

06/17/2026

It's Weird Engine Wednesday, and today, we're talking about a Honda V3 engine... Yes, a V3.

The Honda MVX250F engine was a two-stroke 90-degree V3 designed for the 1983 MotoGP season. Honda has never been afraid of trying weird stuff when it comes to it MotoGP efforts, and this 249cc engine proves it. With a 47mm (1.850-inch) bore and 48mm (1.890-inch) stroke, the tiny engine made 49 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 23 lb-ft of torque at 8,500 rpm.

While those numbers might seem low, that calculates out to almost 200 horsepower per liter from a naturally aspirated engine with an 8.0:1 compression ratio. Oddly enough, the single-cylinder engine “bank” was often jetted differently than the two-cylinder bank, which probably exacerbated the engine’s inherent instability, which Honda attempted to counter by using a significantly heavier connecting rod on the single-cylinder side. Unfortunately, the engine's vibratory nature was hard on components and the bike itself wasn’t a commercial success, relegating the engine to a mere footnote in history.

06/16/2026

When it comes to driving aftermarket accessories, like external oil pumps, you have options to drive from in front of or behind your damper. We take a look at ATI Performance Products solutions to run an HTD cogged belt off the front of your engine.

06/15/2026

Think all forged pistons require a complete rotating assembly overhaul?

That's exactly why Drop-In Pistons exist.

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

They deliver the strength, durability, advanced coatings, and hard-anodized ring lands you'd expect from a premium forged piston — without forcing you into aftermarket rods or a full rebalance.

The best part? From the outside, they look like any other aftermarket piston. The real magic is maintaining factory-equivalent weight while dramatically increasing performance potential.

If your factory rods and crank are capable of handling more power, a Drop-In Piston upgrade can be one of the smartest ways to increase durability and performance without rebuilding everything.

Would you run a Drop-In Piston in your build?

06/15/2026

Let's start the week off with some pedantic bickering... Pound-Feet or Foot-Pounds–Which One Is It?

Recently, we posted a video explaining horsepower vs. torque. We also posted an article about ARP fasteners and obtaining proper torque. Some of our alert readers noted that in one article we used “pound-feet” exclusively and in the other, the term “foot-pounds” appeared (in the definition of a horsepower). The use of “foot-pound” wasn’t in error, and we’ll explain why.

They are each separate, distinct units of measure. However, as it turns out foot-pound and pound-foot can be converted between one another via complicated math, even though they measure two different things. First, we need to define what each unit is, and what it measures.

The “pound-foot” (lb-ft) is a unit of torque and a vector measurement that is created by one pound of force acting on a one foot lever. The formula for torque in the instance of tightening a fastener would be: Torque equals force times radius, or T=FR. When tightening a bolt, “R” would be the length of your wrench.

The “foot-pound” (or more accurately, “foot-pound-force”), on the other hand, is a measurement of work. Work is the measurement of force over a given distance. So one foot-pound-force (ft-lbf or just ft-lb) is the energy required to move a one pound object one foot of linear distance.

So while both measurements have a force component (pounds) and what is called a displacement component (feet), one is a scalar and one is a vector – which is a fancy way of saying they measure different things.

06/14/2026

It pays to clip coupons from the Sunday paper! 😆

06/14/2026

Yep... It happens.

06/13/2026

That's one of those exhaust flamethrower injectors.

06/12/2026

I'm pretty sure it's a joke, but...

After years of testing the new adjustable rods are here!
Imagine never having to stop a build because you guessed wrong on connecting rod length. An adjustable connecting rod completely changes the game — no more waiting on custom parts, no more ordering the wrong size, no more tearing the engine back apart because your compression height or deck clearance wasn’t what you thought it was. Just adjust the rod, set the length where you need it, and keep moving. For engine builders, racers, and fabricators, that kind of flexibility would save time, money, and a whole lot of frustration.

06/12/2026

🔥 Why are Drop-In Pistons such a popular upgrade? 🔥

It’s not just about replacing a stock piston — it’s about stepping up to the strength and durability of a forged piston without turning your build into a machine shop project.

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

Most drop-in pistons use forged 4032 aluminum, offering an excellent balance of strength, longevity, and street-friendly performance. For more extreme applications, 2618 alloy can provide even greater toughness when the combination demands it.

The impressive part? Manufacturers engineer these pistons around each material’s expansion characteristics, ensuring the correct fit and piston-to-wall clearance for a true drop-in solution.

💪 Stronger materials.
⚙️ Engineered fitment.
🚀 Serious performance potential.

Would you choose 4032 or 2618 for your next build?

06/12/2026

Have you ever wondered how a camshaft comes to life?

Specific camshaft profiles are also referred to as “grinds”, which lends a helpful hint as to exactly how a cam is made — they are ground. Pretty much all stock and most aftermarket cams are made from blanks cast from various grades of iron or steel, while specialty cams are made from billet steel.

Cast cams are typically made with chilled cast iron. The camshaft mold is made with a blank camshaft that has large, raw lifter lobes, allowing the blank to be used for most profiles. Each blank is made for a specific engine family, such as small-block Chevy, big-block Chevy, LS, small-block Ford, or Mopar big-block.

For high-end custom engines, billet steel or tool steel is used to form the camshaft. Billet steel blanks are raw steel billet “logs,” which have almost no features pre-built into the cam core. There are multiple reasons for needing a billet camshaft, including heavy spring rates, extreme lift, and high RPM. Every single parameter must be machined into a billet camshaft, from the bearing journals to the distributor gear, so these are more expensive and take longer to make. The benefit is that you control every aspect of the cam profile. Most billet cams are made from 5150 or 5160 steel.