Jul 22nd 2026
Late AMC 304s have a certain personality. They came from the tail end of the V8 era, back when emissions gear, lean tuning, and tired carburetors could make a perfectly decent engine seem half asleep.…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Jul 15th 2026
When it comes to automotive engineering, efficiency and innovation go hand in hand. Displacement on Demand (DoD) is a technology designed to enhance engine efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. This…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Jul 8th 2026
The AMC 304 spent years living in CJs, J-trucks, Jeeps, Hornets, Gremlins, Wagoneers, and plenty of driveway projects that still smell faintly like old gas and gear oil. People chase the 360 and 401 a…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Jun 24th 2026
The Jeep 4.0L hangs on longer than most engines. You’ve probably seen one with way more miles than it should have, still running decent. Strong low-end torque, simple design is why people keep r…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Jun 10th 2026
Builders usually want the same few things from a head swap: more airflow, less weight over the nose, and better control over chamber heat. That’s why aluminum heads keep coming up in Small Block…
Published by Regal Patnaud, Northern Auto Parts
May 27th 2026
You're halfway through a small-block build, and someone at the parts counter (or on a forum thread) tells you to throw in a high-volume oil pump. It's not expensive. It sounds like an upgrade. And hey…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
May 27th 2026
What are the benefits of a "Stroker Engine"? A stroker engine is a modified version of a standard engine designed to increase displacement and power. This modification typically involves changing the…
Published by Regal Patnaud, Northern Auto Parts
May 13th 2026
Piston rings are small components responsible for sealing the combustion chamber, regulating oil consumption, and transferring heat from the piston to the cylinder wall. Among the various types of pis…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
May 6th 2026
A connecting rod works harder than most parts inside an engine. Every time the air-fuel charge fires, pressure drives the piston downward, and the rod carries that load straight to the crankshaft. A m…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Apr 15th 2026
What is "Cam Break In Oil" and how important is it? So you just finished up with an engine rebuild. Or maybe you have a brand-new assembly that’s all ready to go. Well, there's one more importa…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Apr 1st 2026
When Should You Not Be Soaking Lifters? You should not be soaking lifters that are pre-oiled, pre-assembled, or labeled “no pre-soak required” by the manufacturer. Many modern hydraulic…
Published by Steve Koch
Mar 25th 2026
Pre-1980 V8s have seen decades of heat cycles, vibration, and real road miles. Cast iron blocks and heads expand and contract every time the engine warms up, then cools back down. After years of that…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
