16-19 WD Tales 6/19/13 8:57 AM Page 18
WD Tales
on a variety of engines and there are a engine manufacturer, cubic inch and turer’s CPL number. variety of questions to answer to get horsepower rating will be just the start. When you’re talking about parts the correct parts. Let’s look at some We’ll also need to know if it’s standard like crankshafts, cylinder heads or congeneral applications and see what you or reverse rotation. Some reverse rotanecting rods, a casting number will might be asked to provide to make tion engines were available with both most likely be required. sure you get the right parts the first gear drive and chain drive camshafts. When I started this story, I claimed time. You might be asked if the pistons are that one minute could save you 30 For most import or domestic pasflat top, domed or dished. Solid, hyminutes or more. If that one minute is senger cars and light truck applicaused to collect the information I’ve tions you need an accurate year, described, it could easily save you If you guess or assume you make, model, cubic inch or liter the 30-plus minutes you’ll waste displacement, and for anything know the vehicle information, calling your parts distributor only from this century or from the ’80s to learn you need to contact your you’re going to be wrong. and ’90s we need the eighth digit customer for more info before you from the manufacturer’s VIN. can call your distributor again to I started in the parts business bedraulic or roller lifter camshaft, oval or get what you needed in the first place. hind the counter in 1974. I left that rectangular intake port heads and the If your shop rate is $70- $80 an hour, store in the early ’80s and by then, we firing order are all potential questions you’ll save yourself $35-$40 in wasted were occasionally asking for a VIN when trying to identify a marine entime. Not quite free money, but you get number. It’s now 30-plus years later, gine. the point. and the VIN is needed to find most any Heavy-duty and industrial engines There are still two more points to part for a modern vehicle. Why do I alrequire year, make, chassis model and make. First, if you guess or assume you ways get that long silence on the other engine size, but these type of applicaknow the vehicle information, you’re end of the phone when I ask for it tions will also require an engine serial going to be wrong. And you know today for an engine part? number. Parts for Caterpillar will also what they say if you assume, you make Marine applications get to be more require an arrangement number, while an ass of you and me. And I personally complex. Year, boat manufacturer, Cummin’s parts require a manufacdon’t like being made an ass. Given the
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18 June 2013 | EngineBuilder
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