Engine Performance Expo
Season 1
(Aired live in January 2021)
Expo 2021 – Episode 1: Block Selection & Machining Considerations
Revisiting our first Expo in 2021, we head to Dart Machinery to select our engine block for our featured engine build, then it's back in studio for live Q&A
Expo 2021 – Episode 2: Bore Coatings
Revisiting episode 2 from January of 2021, Lake heads down to Cleveland, GA to see Jake Raby of Flat 6 Innovations to talk bore coatings and "ring seal soup"
Expo 2021 – Episode 3: Block Machining
We take a deep dive into block machining with the pros from CNC Blockworks, BES Racing Engines, and RoushYates Engines before holding a Q&A with the audience.
Expo 2021 – Episode 4: Surfaces Finishes and Sealing
The AERA's Chuck Lynch takes us through the ins and outs of surface finishes, sealing, and the effect on gasket seal.
Expo 2021 – Episode 5: Surface Machining
We go back to January of 2021 for a deep dive into surface machining tips, tricks, and techniques from a trio of the world’s best engine builders.
Expo 2021 – Episode 6: Engine Builder Interview – Doug Yates
We climb in the wayback machine once again to re-visit our very first engine builder interview -- the legendary Doug Yates of Roush Yates Engines.
Expo 2021 – Episode 7 Part 1: Cylinder Honing and Surface Considerations
In part 1 of a 3-part series, Ben Strader, Ed Kiebler, and Keith Jones hold a whiteboard session to explain the science behind honing and cylinder finishes.
Expo 2021 – Episode 7 Part 2: Cylinder Honing and Surface Considerations
In part 2 of this 3 part series we visit three master engine builders to learn how they approach cylinder honing and surafacing
Episode 7 Part 3: Cylinder Honing and Surfacing Demo
In the final episode of this 3-part series, Rottler Manufacturing’s Ed Kiebler gives an in-depth demonstration on how to get the perfect cylinder surface finish
Expo 2021 – Episode 8: Rotating Assembly & Balancing Considerations
We learn the concepts and proper techniques in balancing rotating assemblies, get a demo of cutting an aero wing camshaft profile, and close with a Q&A session
Expo 2021 – Episode 9: Rotating Assembly & Balancing Machine Demo
CWT Industries’ Randy Neal walks host Joe Castello through a live demonstration of balancing the Expo engine's rotating assembly on CWT’s 5500 Multi-Bal machine
Expo 2021 – Episode 10: Diamond Pistons
We took a trip up to Clinton, Michigan to visit Diamond Pistons, see the facilities, learn about their R&D, and get a look at their custom piston designs.
Expo 2021 – Episode 11: Pistons, Pins, Clearances and Coatings
Lake Speed Jr is joined by the guys from Roush-Yates Engines to talk about everything piston—materials, design, heads, skirts, rings & oil—plus an audience Q&A
Expo 2021 – Episode 12: LS Engine Components
Jeff Havens of Silver Seal and Chris Straub of Straub Technologies talk about hard-to-find LS engine components, and show some of the high-end parts available.
Expo 2021 – Episode 13: Cleaning Equipment
All about cleaning and prepping engine blocks and components from spray washers to ultrasonic systems, we break down what you need to know and take audience Q&A
Expo 2021 – Episode 14: Engine Lubrication Systems – Pumps, Pans, Oil, Filters & more (part 1)
Joe and Lake recap day 1's sessions, then we go to Melling Engine Parts for a deep dive into the mechanics of oil pumps & engine lubrication systems.
Expo 2021 – Episode 15: Engine Lubrication System – Pumps, Pans, Oil, Filters & more (Part 2)
Lake Speed Jr is joined by Melling’s Mike Osterhaus and Cale Risinger to field questions on pumps, pans, clearances, filters and everything oil.
Expo 2021 – Episode 16: Engine Lubrication System – Pumps, Pans, Oil, Filters & more (Part 3)
In the final segment of our dive into engine lubrication systems, the guys from Driven Racing Oil drill into the ins-and-outs of racing oil blends
Expo 2021 – Episode 17: Custom Parts Manufacturing
It's a custom parts manufacturing episode: porting an LSA blower manifold, creating closed deck inserts, milling a custom profile on a crankshaft, plus Q&A
Expo 2021 – Episode 18: Interview with Warren Johnson
The guys sit down with the “Professor of Pro Stock”, Warren Johnson, to get his insights on all things performance engine plus a bit of Ford vs Chevy banter
Expo 2021 – Episode 19: 5-Axis Machining
Warren Johnson drop some knowledge for young engine builders, then we get 3 demos on porting with 5 axis CNC machines. The episode concludes with a Q&A session
Expo 2021 – Episode 20: Interview with Ed Pink
In this episode from the 2021 Expo, Joe Castello talks with "The Old Master", Ed Pink, as he recalls his more than 50 years in the performance engine industry.
Expo 2021 – Episode 21: Seat & Guide Machining (Part 1)
In this machining how-to feature, we dive into seat and guide machining with lots of insight on speeds and feeds from the industry’s top engine builders.
Expo 2021 – Episode 22: Seat & Guide Machining (Part 2)
In an impromptu interview, John Callies and Chris Straub talk about Callies' contribution to Pontiac's racing program & the evolution of today’s cylinder head.
Expo 2021 – Episode 23: Valves, Valve Seats & Guides
Expo host Joe Castello is joined by the AERA Engine Builder's Association's Chuck Lynch to dive into everything you need to know about seat and guide machining.
Expo 2021 – Episode 24: Valvetrain – Cams, Pushrods, Rockers, Lifters & Valve Springs
Billy Godbold does an educational session on valvetrains and low shock technology, the standard for power and durability across the spectrum of race engines
Expo 2021 – Episode 25: Engine Testing With the Spintron
Ben Strader of EFI University goes through the cost savings and advantages you get from engine testing on the Spintron before going to the dyno or the track
Expo 2021 – EFI vs. Carburetor Tuning Do’s & Don’ts
It's carburetor vs EFI as EFI University’s Ben Strader takes us to school on engine tune-up and break-in do's and don'ts, as well as the myth of the "Fat Tune".
Expo 2021 – Episode 27: Troy LaCrone & Jim Gray Interview
Revisiting Expo 2021, Expo host Joe Castello sits down with Outlaw Style racing king, Troy LaCrone and his engine builder Jim Gray of Bullet Racing Engines
Expo 2021 – Episode 28: Moran Motorsports Shop Tour
We head up to Michigan to visit Mike Moran of Moran Motorsports and get a tour of his amazing shop, home to some of the most awe-inspiring cars you've seen.
Expo 2021 – Episode 29: Turbocharger Q&A
Host Joe Castello is joined Randy Neal and Mike Moran to talk about the challenges of turbocharging and how nearly anyone interested can get started with it.
Expo 2021 – Episode 30: Block Sleeving Demonstration
In episode 30, we dive deep into block sleeving with demonstrations from MPR Racing on sleeving a Coyote block, and BES Racing sleeving an LT block
Expo 2021 – Episode 31: Block Sleeving Q&A
Joe Castello is joined by Joe Creason of Creason Racing Engines, and Tim Eichhorn from MPR Racing for an "Ask The Experts" session on block sleeving.
Expo 2021 – Episode 32: Nitrous with Pat Musi
For this segment, we traveled down to North Carolina to talk Nitrous and have a little Q&A with Pat Musi of Musi Enterprises, and home of Musi Racing Engines
Expo 2021 – Episode 33: Lifter Bushings Part 1 – Installation
This episode is a deep dive into keyed lifter bushing installation starting with a walk through of the process and then a demonstration of each step in it.
Expo 2021 – Episode 34: Lifter Bushings Part 2 – Ask the Experts
Following the lifter bushing installation demo in episode 33, John Callies is joined by Lake Speed Jr and Ed Kiebler for a live audience Q&A session on lifters
Expo 2021 – Episode 35: John Callies Interview
In one of our first Engine Builder Interviews, Expo MC Joe Castello sat down with the legendary John Callies to talk about his amazing career in motorsports
Expo 2021 – Episode 36: Performance Diesel Part 1
Part 1 of a 2 part series where Cass Choate of Choate Performance Engineering and The Diesel Doctor takes us into building performance diesel engines
Expo 2021 – Episode 37: Performance Diesel Part 2
In part 2 of our series on performance diesel we return to Choate Engineering to see custom part manufacturing before heading in-studio for a Q&A session
Expo 2021 – Episode 38: Assembly Tips & Tricks (Part 1)
In this episode we re-visit one of our most popular segments – the many amazing tool hacks, tips and tricks of legendary engine builder Jon Kaase
Expo 2021 – Episode 39: Assembly Tips & Tricks (Part 2)
Jon Kaase joins Lake Speed Jr and Joe Castello for an entertaining Q&A with the audience. Then we go through modifying a Chevy LS production block for racing
Expo 2021 – Episode 40: Setting Ring End Gaps
Joe Castello and Lake Speed Jr take us through the purpose of ring end gaps, show us how to figure out what the proper gap, and provide a demo on setting them
Expo 2021 – Episode 41: Dyno Testing Best Practices
We break down the basics of dyno testing and how to develop a testing framework you can test nearly any type of engine and combination of engine components.
Expo 2021 – Episode 42: Dyno Tools & Techniques
Shaver's "Dyno" Don Mac Askill takes us through the entire process of putting an engine on the dyno, running it through its paces & proper removal procedures
Expo 2021 – Episode 43: Dyno Testing Q&A
We conclude our 3-part deep dive on dyno with an in-studio Q&A session with "Dyno" Don Mac Askill on anything & everything you'd want to know about dyno testing
Expo 2021 – Episode 44: Closing Roundtable
In the last segment from Expo 2021 Lake and Joe sat down with our experts for a roundtable wrap-up of what we learned, then give away the Expo LS short block
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