Last month's "How It Works" story gave you the basics of the four-stroke cycle, describing the motion of the intake and exhaust valves in relation to the piston moving up and down in the cylinder.

When it comes to upgrading small-block engines, camshafts are a popular choice for enhancing performance. Different camshaft types can significantly alter how an engine breathes and performs, offering ...

When it comes to building a powerful engine, there is a hierarchy to the parts choice from most to least critical. The right set of well-designed cylinder heads with high airflow and good chamber ...

Most Mustang owners want crisp low to mid-range torque, good throttle response, some semblance of fuel economy, and a Mustang that sounds cool. Of course, some want that “rumpity-rump” idle and the ...

When it comes to modern internal combustion engines, there are two types that dominate the industry: pushrod and overhead camshaft (OHC). While pushrod engines were the stars of the show for many ...

Decades ago (OK, half a century or more), there was a product advertised in many of the performance magazines called the Varicam. The idea was a set of springs attached to a centrifugal device that ...