A small gap with big importance in the performance and health of an engine - here's everything you need to know.

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.

In the pre-LS era, a typical small-block-powered street car would rev willingly to around 5,000 rpm. You could assemble a cam package for it—even using heavy components—and you probably wouldn't have ...

Obviously, these valve-control-related issues, associated with insufficient valvespring pressure, are the reason why camshaft manufacturers offer valvespring upgrades. The obvious answer might seem to ...

Time was when a valve job was done with some valve-grinding compound and a vacuum cup on a stick. But no more. Today's high performance engines require the same machining precision in the valves that ...

For Part I, covering the new combustion system, direct injection, and active fuel management: click here. For Part III, covering the block, crankshaft and lubrication systems: click here. Continuing ...