Aug 19th 2026
At Northern Auto Parts, a few rebuild questions come up over and over. People want to know what really needs replacement, what can stay in service, how far a stock rebuild should go, and where upgrade…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Aug 5th 2026
A stroker engine isn’t only for increasing displacement. It can squeeze out more torque and power. A longer stroke allows for a bigger combustion event in each cylinder, which means more low-end…
Aug 5th 2026
The AMC 360 has earned a long second life in old Jeeps, Wagoneers, J-trucks, Javelins, Matadors, and a surprising number of garage swaps. People keep using it for one simple reason: it delivers useful…
Published by Steve Koch, Northern Auto Parts
Jul 29th 2026
It starts with a simple combo: take a 350 block, punch it out .030 over, then drop in a 400 small block crank. That gives you a 3.75" stroke inside a 4.030" bore, and just like that, you’ve got…
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
Jun 3rd 2026
How important is the right torque converter in a performance engine? Every component in your car’s engine plays a role for it to run efficiently and with enough power. Among these is the torque…
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
