Engine Builder Magazine

11/07/2025

EB Takeover: Van Gilder Racing Engines
Jake Van Gilder, owner of Van Gilder Racing Engines, has paved a path for himself in the engine building and machining industry. Now that he's been running his own shop for several years, the next chapter of VGRE is just around the corner. Check out what makes VGRE a special shop with big things to come in this Shop Takeover!
—
Shop Takeovers are brought to you by Driven Racing Oil – No shortcuts. No substitutes. No Compromises. Great Racers and Engine Builders Choose Driven Racing Oil. Visit https://www.drivenracingoil.com/ for more info.
—

10/07/2025

We're sorry to tell you guys this, but most diesel trucks are going to have an EGR failure in their lifetime!

We talk about air filtration and the filters we put on our trucks and all this clean air and how important that is. But, on the other side of this, we feed the engine nasty, dirty, hot air, which can cause issues like EGR failure.

Take a deep dive into the ins and outs of the EGR cooler: https://bit.ly/4lIvnfF
—

We talk about air filtration and the filters we put on our trucks and all this clean air and how important that is. But, on the other side of this, we feed the engine nasty, dirty, hot air, which can cause issues like EGR failure.

09/07/2025

At Rudy’s Spring Truck Jam, Neil Nissen’s 5.9L Cummins-powered Dodge caught our attention – making over 1,200 hp with a compound turbo setup, full A/C and factory paint. See how this daily driver turned into a streetable race truck in our latest Diesel of the Week sponsored by AMSOIL INC.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/07/neil-nissans-1200-hp-compound-turbo-5-9l-cummins-engine/

09/07/2025

Big news from F1 and Oracle Red Bull Racing as long-time Team Principal Christian Horner has been let go. Horner’s exit marks the end of an era that saw Red Bull transform from a mid-grid curiosity into a dominant F1 powerhouse. Who's an F1 fan among us?
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/07/christian-horner-exits-red-bull-f1-after-20-years-laurent-mekies-becomes-ceo/

08/07/2025

From its $800 V6 roots to a streetable 6-second monster, the Diehl brothers' (Nick Diehl & David Michael Diehl) Mustang and its 400 cid turbocharged LS Next engine built by Steve Morris Engines prove what’s possible when the right combination and relentless determination come together. Check out the details in this Engine of the Week sponsored by Elring - Das Original and PennGrade 1 High Performance Oil.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/07/diehl-brothers-400-cid-turbo-ls-next-powered-mustang-charges-into-the-6s/

07/07/2025

Shop Solutions: LOCK RING GROOVING

Here is a piston spud I made for machining lock ring grooves in pistons on the lathe. It’s the same concept as the ones I make for lifter bushings. This uses the chuck as an end stop so the indicator/DRO setup is the same for both sides – just flip it 180-degrees after machining one side. The I.D. grooving tools and holders are available in many sizes and profiles through tool suppliers.

Ron Flood | Cedar Machine | North Branch, MN
—
Engine Builder and Engine Pro present Shop Solutions to provide machine shop owners and engine technicians the opportunity to share their knowledge to benefit the entire industry and their own shops. Those who submit Shop Solutions that are published are awarded a prepaid $100 Visa gift card.

Submit your Shop Solution at [email protected]. You must include your name, shop name, shop address, and shop telephone number. Submitted Shop Solutions not published will be kept on file and reevaluated for each month’s new entries.

04/07/2025

Celebrating the Stars and Stripes with some patriotic engine content! Happy July 4th from the Engine Builder team. Wishing everyone a safe holiday weekend.

02/07/2025

James Lucas, a retired Marine and diesel enthusiast, is pushing his 2018 L5P Duramax-powered Sierra Denali 2500 to the edge, and frankly where not many have gone yet, with a 1,500+ hp SoCal Diesel build and future goals of 2,000+ hp, proving no limits exist for true diesel passion. Check it out in this latest Diesel of the Week sponsored by AMSOIL INC.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/07/this-compound-turbo-l5p-duramax-engine-might-be-the-baddest-on-the-planet/

01/07/2025

Attention diesel truck owners... maybe you've been this truck owner, but let's help others learn to avoid this mistake. Good content from Diesel Army.

If you've accidentally put DEF into your diesel tank, it's important to act quickly. This blunder can cause damage to your truck’s engine.

01/07/2025

In a world where its rare to see a Ford engine inside a Ford car anymore, Darin Hendricks stayed true to the Blue Oval by utilizing a supercharged 5.2L Ford Super Cobra Jet engine in his Foxbody Mustang equipped to tackle the Stick Shift class in drag-and-drive competition. It's our newest Engine of the Week sponsored by Elring - Das Original and PennGrade 1 High Performance Oil.
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2025/07/supercharged-5-2l-super-cobra-jet-engine/

30/06/2025

Shop Solutions: THE FREE NICKEL TOUR

Often, a new customer will stop by saying, “So-and-so at XYZ Garage told me to stop by and ask for the ‘Free Nickel Tour.’ I’m interested in having a high-performance engine built.” I have found this to be far more productive marketing than answering the same questions over the phone!

One afternoon, I came back from lunch and there’s a young 20-something “new guy,” who I hadn’t met before, refacing some Chevy LS valves. I could tell he was a newbie, as he was moving cautiously and slower than usual. But after watching him do a couple, I could see he was doing an excellent job.

I introduced myself, “Hi, I’m Tom, the company founder and owner, Eric is my son. You must be a new hire. Welcome to our team.”

The guy looked at me a little confused, then said, “No, I just stopped by for the ‘Free Nickel Tour.’ Eric showed me how to reface valves, then let me try a few while he went to check on a block in the CNC machine.” I just patted him on the shoulder and said, “Well son, you’re doing a fine job. Keep it up, you only have 5 more valves to go.”

I wandered across the shop to find Eric, while thinking, “What help shortage? There’s plenty of free help if you know where to find it.”

While you won’t be able to put them all to work, a tour of your facility will go a long way towards creating a bond and trust that their project is in good and expert hands. The attached photo shows some students from Hill College getting a ‘Free Nickel Tour.’

Tom Nichols | Automotive Machine & Supply, Inc | Cleburne, TX
—
Engine Builder and Engine Pro present Shop Solutions to provide machine shop owners and engine technicians the opportunity to share their knowledge to benefit the entire industry and their own shops. Those who submit Shop Solutions that are published are awarded a prepaid $100 Visa gift card.

Submit your Shop Solution at [email protected]. You must include your name, shop name, shop address, and shop telephone number. Submitted Shop Solutions not published will be kept on file and reevaluated for each month’s new entries.