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Engine Care Kit

All high performance and racing engines require some degree of maintenance or attention to detail. Many of our engine packages are shipped with an "Engine Care Kit". If your engine package did not include one, we strongly suggest you contact our Parts Department to obtain one. In using the tools in this kit, you will be protecting your valuable investment and assuring that your engine is operating at peak efficiency.

The tools in this kit will help you monitor several key engine components. The kit includes:

EZ Wrench Valve Lash Adjustment Tool

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Valve lash settings are critical on a racing engine. The valvetrain takes an enormous amount of punishment. Wear that occurs in this area causes clearances to increase. Monitoring valve lash setting affords you the opportunity to replace weak or failing components before they actually fail. Failed valvetrain components can result in severe and expensive engine damage.

Let's say you are at the races adjusting your valves and you find a particular valve, say #3 exhaust, is noticeably looser than any other. You set it to the correct adjustment and make a note of this on the blackboard in your trailer. The next time you adjust the valves, all the valves seem to be holding their settings well, but #3 exhaust is again noticeably loose. Check your rocker arm, pushrod and roller lifter, on #3 exhaust. There may be a weak or failing component. A failing lifter will continue to add clearances to the valve lash settings right up until when all the needle bearings in the roller fall into your oiling system. This could occur just before or after your cam is damaged.

Monitoring these indicators can be a lifesaver. Components don't generally fail all at once. They usually give warning. Please look and listen!

Valve Spring
Pressure Tester

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Another area of the valvetrain that operates under severe conditions is the valve springs. Proper valve spring pressure is essential for a racing engine to reach its maximum potential and to avoid costly valvetrain damage. This hand held valve spring pressure tester is not as accurate as a bench model tester. That is not its purpose. It allows you to establish a baseline reading of the valve spring's seat pressure. From this point of reference you can monitor the progressive wear of this critical component. It allows you to replace weak or failing valve springs, which can inhibit optimum performance or cause severe engine damage.

This task is easily performed in a matter of minutes while the valve covers are already off and you are adjusting the valve lash. Please add this activity to your maintenance schedule.

Oil Filter
Inspection Tool

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The oil filter inspection tool makes it easy for you to monitor the condition of your engine and alert you to possible impending danger. Every time you change your engine oil, you should cut open your oil filter and inspect its contents. This tool allows you to remove the canister from the filter element for easy inspection. Instead of sawing the filter apart, this tool works like a large can opener to separate the canister from the actual filter element without adding any debris to the oil.

You will find small amounts of debris when you perform this task. Small specks of aluminum, probably the valve springs rubbing the aluminum cylinder heads, etc., are normal in a new engine. During subsequent inspections you will come to know what is normal, as to the coloration and size of the particles found. If however, your inspection reveals particles that are larger in size or quantity than usual, or have the color of bearing material, your engine is giving you another one of those indicators that something may be failing. This gives you the chance to find out what, before any serious damage can occur.

If you want to monitor the condition of your engine even closer, or in the event that you may suspect a possible problem, you could inspect your oil filter between oil changes. After inspecting, just replace with a new filter and add a quart of oil. Oil and oil filters are very inexpensive compared to damaged engine components! This test is easy to perform and takes only minimal time.