Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Troubleshooting Low Oil Pressure on a Freshly-Built Chevy 454 Big Block
I recently built a Gen VI 454 big block Chevy street engine that came out of a late model Chevy truck. I had the local machine shop do all the […]
Author: Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith has had a passion for cars since he began working at his grandfather's gas station at the age 10. After graduating from Iowa State University with a journalism degree in 1978, he combined his two passions: cars and writing. Smith began writing for Car Craft magazine in 1979 and became editor in 1984. In 1987, he assumed the role of editor for Hot Rod magazine before returning to his first love of writing technical stories. Since 2003, Jeff has held various positions at Car Craft (including editor), has written books on small block Chevy performance, and even cultivated an impressive collection of 1965 and 1966 Chevelles. Now he serves as a regular contributor to OnAllCylinders.
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Does My Mild Small Block Chevy Need a High Pressure or High Volume Oil Pump?
I am about to rebuild a 350 small block Chevy that originally came out of a truck. We’re going to add new forged pistons, better rods, and if I can […]
Flat Tappet Rat Muscle: Summit Racing Muscle Car Camshafts for Big Block Chevy Engines
There was a time when big block Chevy engines with solid lifter camshafts clattered their way down the boulevards and highways of America. It was a time of big block […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Should I Start My Vehicle’s Engine Periodically During Winter Storage?
Now that the cold weather is here, I’ve always been told that starting the engine in my stored car, truck, or SUV periodically, like once a month, and letting it […]
Crimp it Right! How to Use the Moroso Impact Wire Crimping Tool to Assemble Battery Cables
As with most things in life, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things. That idea extends even to crimping battery cables. This story will illustrate how […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Tuning Out a Rich Mixture on a 455 Oldsmobile with a Quick Fuel Carburetor
I’m having a hard time with the 750 vacuum secondary Quick Fuel Slayer carburetor on my low compression 455 Olds. The engine has a mild 218/218 cam and good manifold vacuum at […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Investigating Irregular Block Wear Behind the Cam Gear on a SBC
I have a really nice, four-bolt main small block Chevy 350 that I’m about to build into a street 383 with a stroker crank with forged pistons and good rods. […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Finding & Fixing a Strong Gas Odor from a 1967 Chevy El Camino
I normally park my 1967 El Camino in my separate shop with all the other car parts and stuff but recently had the opportunity to park it in my attached […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Troubleshooting a Noisy Starter Motor in a Chevy Big Block
I have a big block Chevy in my 1965 Bel Air and it runs great but has a very noisy starter motor. I am using a late model, permanent magnet […]
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Can I Run Solid Roller Lifters on a Hydraulic Roller Cam?
I have a small-block 350 street/strip engine that I continue to play around with. In my last session at the track, it seems like the engine doesn’t pull as hard […]