1. Any engine you put in a crate for shipment
   An engine with spherical cylinder heads
2. A complete aftermarket engine
   An engine that looks boxy

Because they traditionally are delivered in a crate, this is the name these aftermarket engines have gained. Some enthusiasts think crate engines constitute "cheating" since it removes many of the difficulties of building an engine yourself.

1. Mouse motor
   Little giant
2. Thunderclap
   Pocket rocket

Small-Block V-8s are shorter than the Big-Block engines, hence the name. They still produce big power, thanks to large bore radii, which is why they're such popular options for hot rods, among other vehicles.

1. Hot
   Cold
2. Natural
   Supercharged

Blowers look cool, even if they do obstruct your view somewhat. Their entire purpose is to feed enough air to the supercharger, so you get that power uplift and can really burn some rubber.

1. Blinker fluid levels
   Piston-to-valve clearance
2. Vector ball bearings
   Camshaft lobe screws

If you don't properly measure the space between the pistons and valves, they could collide. The result would be a blown engine, with multiple components broken and in need of replacement. Taking some extra time to ensure proper clearance will save you a headache later.

1. Roller tappet or round tappet
   Hemispherical or oval
2. Big or little lobes
   Flat tappet or roller tappet

While these are the two basic types of camshafts used in pushrod engines, it's not quite that simple. Changes in lifter type can result in big performance characteristic shifts. With multiple options for lifter type, a huge variety in end results emerge quickly, which can make choosing your setup a little overwhelming.

1. More low-end torque
   Earlier intake valve opening
2. Increased clearance for exhaust-side pistons
   All of the above

The choice to advance or retard camshaft timing really is about personal preference. Ultimately, you need to keep in mind what you're trying to accomplish with your build, and settle on one or the other.

1. Dial indicator
   Protractor
2. Measuring Tape
   Metal ping

Dial indicators work for measuring everything from crankshaft thrust to lifter travel, and more. They measure the distance that spans between two component surfaces, as well as how far a component travels, especially if those distances are quite minute or small. Most dial indicators can measure distances in -001-inch increments.

1. Ensures surfaces are flat
   Seals up gaps
2. Remove deposits
   Measure deck height

Engine builders use the deck bridge to see what size differences there are between surfaces that are right next to each other. This could be on the deck surface, hence the name, or the top of the pistons. A dial indicator mounted in the middle of the deck bridge or off-center helps you take precise measurements.

1. Straightshot oiling
   Tinman oiling
2. Dry sumping
   Dry oiling

With greater stress and forces placed on racing crankshafts, this innovative oiling method helps. The rods get the proper amount of oil through a continuous passage from the mains, and it is completely straight, hence the name. Keep this is mind when you're pushing performance to the limit.

1. Oils the engine from the top down
   Oils the engine from the bottom up
2. Sends oil to the main bearings first at high RPMs
   Shoots oil everywhere at once

Not only do race engines use this method, many OEM blocks do as well. Just like you can probably guess from the name, a direct passage from the main oil gallery leads right to each main bearing in the engine, instead of old designs that favored the cam bearings first, which led to problems with the main bearings.

1. Rocker arm clearance is sufficient
   It looks cool
2. The chrome isn't peeling
   It won't leak turn signal fluid

If you have leaking valve covers, or just want to transform the look of your engine bay, you need to be careful about the internal height of whatever option you pick. Contact with the rocker arms obviously will result in some unpleasant times. Just remember, if things are close, getting a gasket that's thicker than the OE one can help add a little clearance.

1. Better output throughout the RPM range
   Improved engine oiling
2. Fewer emissions
   Improved longevity

When installing an aftermarket exhaust system, you want to remove as many of the stock restrictions as possible. Choose pipes that are mandrel bent, for the best exhaust flow possible. Of course, you need to balance that with your own needs and preferences when it comes to sound level and quality.

1. Better looks
   Greater durability
2. Louder sound
   Improved ground clearance

At first, the aftermarket was creating shorty headers to leave room for catalytic converters and other smog devices. Hot rod tuners found that shorties also allow for improved ground clearance, so if your vehicle is lowered this is a big advantage over long tube headers.

1. Himalayan origin
   Hemispherical heads
2. Helium-derived design
   Charles Hemi, their inventor

Not only does the hemispherical design of the combustion chamber improve output, it boosts the efficiency of a Hemi engine. The spark plug sits at the top of the combustion chamber, with the valves on opposite sides of each other.

1. How high the engine revs
   How much torque you get at 1,200 RPM
2. The distance the piston travels inside the cylinder
   What hot rodders do to calm their engines

The stroke for your engine is set by the crankshaft configuration. By making modifications to increase stroke, you squeeze more displacement out of your engine, and in turn more power, making this a popular modification for hot rods.

1. The uninteresting parts
   The diameter of the cylinders
2. The depth of the block
   The drill bit used to make the engine

This is the other aspect of an engine that determines displacement, along with stroke. Obviously, you want to have the biggest bore possible, although spacing between the cylinders can limit how big you can go. As you increase the bore, you also must upgrade the pistons to match.

1. Better looks
   More power
2. You can play with the crate
   Warranty included

Some may badmouth crate engines, but because they're assembled by professionals, you get the backing of a warranty. You also benefit from the vast experience of the team that designed and put together your engine, with proven results at a budget price.

1. Ford
   Chevy
2. Honda
   Chrysler

Ford first introduced the flathead V8 in 1932, enjoying a 50-year run. Many hot rodders consider this engine to be excellent for reaching huge output figures. They also love the unique sound that it produces when pushed to the limits.

1. Tiny fans
   Tiny hands
2. Balloons
   Meshing lobes

The spinning of these meshing lobes in the blow causes air to stack up in the intake manifold. That means positive pressure builds, which of course results in bigger output numbers for the engine. Many hot rod owners love the way these look, as well as what they do.

1. Motorcycle races
   World War II
2. Bicycle races
   Kids playing with go-karts

To make bombers temporarily go faster as they were out on runs during World War II, the military fogged nitrous oxide into the motors. Veterans of the war remembered the effect of the nitrous, and decided to try it out on their own hot rods. As you probably know, nitrous is still used in hot rods and other vehicles today.

1. Shifter
   Valve
2. Camshaft
   Spark plug

Hot rodders developed this slang term for camshafts. If you think about it, a camshaft is shaped like a short stick, only one that's bumpy. The lobes, of course, actuate the valves. The more aggressive the lobes, the more dramatic the results, depending on a few factors.

1. You damaged the block
   You installed a performance ECU or PCM
2. You shaved off some of the cylinder walls
   You duplicated the design for a new build

If your hot rod engine is a little more modern than some, computer controls open up a new avenue for tuning. Throwing in an ECU or PCM that's been programmed for improved performance can take full advantage of bolt-on modifications you've installed, and provide other solid performance benefits.

1. Cubic Inches Displacement
   Changing Internal Diodes
2. Charging Illicit Deals
   Checking Internet Deals

Displacement will sometimes be measured by liters, but cubic inches is still a perfectly acceptable method. Not everyone will even use C.I.D. or anything other than a number, like a 356 or 492, assuming you already know they're referring to cubic inches.

1. Goat
   Cheetah
2. Horse
   Elephant

When Chrysler first released the Hemi, hot rodders started calling it the elephant engine. It was powerful like the creature, plus large and heavy, which is why they made that association. The term stuck and is still used by enthusiasts today.

1. The first generation Chevy Big Blocks
   Nitrous fogger
2. A V12 engine
   A four barrel carburetor

Because the first generation of the Chevy Big Blog V8s were called the W-series, they gained this affectionate name. Chevy launched the W-series in the late 1950s, using it in some passenger cars, plus its trucks. By the mid-1960s the Wombat was retired.

1. Pairing beer with meat
   Figuring out where the plug in electronics
2. Joining all the valves together
   Making ports larger and smoother

By making the intake and exhaust ports larger and smoother, that allows the gases to flow more quickly into and out of the engine. The more intake and exhaust gases you can move, the more power you extract from the engine.

1. Roots supercharger
   Centrifugal supercharger
2. Nitrous oxide
   Gasoline

Nitrous oxide has many names in the hot rod world, including laughing gas, the bottle, and liquid supercharger. It is technically a form of forced induction, since nitrous will cool the air, cramming more into the cylinders, even though the effect is temporary. So used that way, it works kind of like a supercharger.

1. A blown cylinder head
   Performance camshafts
2. Turbochargers
   An old Buick V8

Many enthusiasts consider the Nailhead to be one of the best V8 engines made after World War II. It had an innovative design, including a short stroke, plus a layout that allowed for huge bore increases. The most unique thing was the vertical valves, combined with underhand-style rocker arms.

1. Pull the plugs
   Check the carburetor
2. Change the oil and filter
   Warm it with a hair dryer

Oftentimes hot rod engines sit for a while. You have to make sure everything is okay before you fire it up, just to ensure there aren't any avoidable problems like too little oil. Of course, if you still experience problems, you'll need to hunt down the cause.

1. Spreading Vasoline on the camshafts
   Putting lotion on your hands
2. Turning the oil pump manually
   Wearing gloves with a lubricant

Before you fire up an engine you've been building, you first must get oil through all the necessary areas, otherwise, you're risking metal-on-metal contact. Manually turning the oil pump might require using a specific tool or running it with an old distributor you've modified for the occasion. Each oil pump is different, so you'll have to figure out exactly how to run yours before firing up the engine the first time.

1. Nothing. They're silly.
   Allow you to put a more powerful engine in a smaller car.
2. Break your suspension, no matter any mods you put in.
   Make your car more reliable.

Engine swaps can be tricky things to perform, depending on your car and the engine. You'll need to figure out all the peripherals, like the radiator, transmission, alternator, etc. Also, remember that a heavier engine will sink the front of your car down some, so plan ahead to avoid contacting the road as you go over bumps.

1. No, the size should depend on the engine.
   Yes, more power is a good thing, always.
2. No, they won't fit on your engine.
   Yes, you can't go wrong with massive carbs every time.

It is possible to go too big on your carburetors, because you'll reach a point where it actually harms performance. Most stock engines won't see any benefit from going with something larger than 750 cfm for a carb, but it really depends on your setup. Some hot rodders use a formula where you take the cubic inch size of the engine, then multiply it by the max rpm, then divide that number by 3,456 to calculate the size of your carb.

1. Clean the carb for better performance.
   Fog your engine with it.
2. Spray it around possible sources of the leak.
   Empty it into the gas tank.

Some people mistake vacuum leaks with carburetor problems. Before you swap out the carb or try servicing it, fire up the engine and start spraying carb cleaner around areas like the vacuum ports, base of the carb, etc. If the RPMs suddenly climb when you're spraying around a certain area, you know there's a vacuum leak there.

1. What's Over There
   Wild Owl Town
2. Will Oliver Tell
   Wide Open Throttle

This is an important part of your hot rod engine's performance, but many people completely ignore it. Adjust your WOT to extract maximum horsepower. You can do this by looking down the carb's throat while someone pushes the gas pedal all the way to the floor, with the engine shut off. If you don't see the plates open entirely, so they're straight up and down, you need to adjust the throttle linkage until they do.

1. Poor timing
   Cat in the engine
2. Bad air quality
   Turning the steering wheel

Sure, a hard start could be a fuel delivery problem. But a lot of times, it's actually a problem with the timing. Check the adjustments and ensure all ignition components are in proper working order, before you even dream of looking at the carburetor.