LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion - New Texas Speed & Performance Engine Machining Center!

We are very pleased to introduce the all-new Texas Speed & Performance engine machining facility! As many know, we previously outsourced the machining and short-block assembly of our engines to a local facility that would build them to our specifications. This allowed us to have quality engines built for our customers, but it did limit some of the capabilities that we were able to offer . Our new, state-of-the-art machining facility offers the best equipment available for engine machining combined with the best engine machinists and builders that have years of experience building LS-based engines.
There are many factors that were considered when deciding to take all of our machining and assembly process in house. Among the most important reasons are listed below:

• Full control of the build time and process
• Extra capabilities to meet our customers' needs, such as 1/2" head studs for large power-adder engines, expedited engine builds, etc.
• The latest state-of-the-art equipment available to allow for the strictest of tolerances and reduced build time

We can now control the full build process, not only with how the machining process is done but also with how quick we can have an engine completed. In the past, we have experienced build times of six to eight weeks, and we will be able to significantly shorten the wait time. We will now have an average build time of two weeks! This will depend on parts availability, but we keep a huge inventory of K1 Technologies and Callies crankshafts and connecting rods, as well as Wiseco pistons, to meet the demand of most customers. Texas Speed & Performance is also the only shop in the country that will stock 25+ LS-based short-blocks! We have the ability and resources to have multiple combinations in stock for those that need their new engine quickly! We will also offer an expedited engine service for those needing an engine quickly. However, this will only apply if it is an engine that we do NOT have in stock! Some like to spread misinformation, claiming that an in-stock engine is a "cookie cutter" engine. That is completely ridiculous! EVERY Texas Speed & Performance engine will go through the same stringent machining and assembly process, and you are guaranteed to get the best engine on the market when you purchase from us. We will be using the latest equipment available to ensure the best build and assembly process for our customers.
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Texas Speed will be using a Centroid B4250 4-axis CNC machine for all of our engine block machining. It will CNC blueprint an engine block! This machine is equipped with a high tech digitizing probe which automatically locates and measures cylinder bores, deck heights, and lifter bores. This will be much more accurate, faster, and repeatable than manually blueprinting a block! For block surfacing, the probe automatically detects the block's existing surface height at multiple locations so the proper deck height can be set for a perfectly flat and square deck in relation to the cylinder bore. It will also offer CNC stroker clearancing for every block! The 4.00" stroke and longer crankshafts require clearancing at the bottom of the cylinders to avoid the connecting rods hitting the block. This is traditionally done by hand with a grinder, but automating this process not only saves time but also allows for complete accuracy every time! The Centroid B4250 will also automatically chamfer the cylinders, and it will do it every time perfectly concentric with the bore. The B4250 will even allow us to center each bore perfectly in the block! All engine blocks have a tolerance with respect to bore placement, and when you receive a new block out of the crate the bores can vary in placement! Every TSP engine block will also be engraved with our serial number for precise tracking, as well as the TSP logo. We will also use the serial number to save any and all build information specific to that particular engine. This machine allows us to reduce the machining time, while keeping block tolerances to less than .0001"!
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For honing, we will be using a Sunnen SV-10 cylinder hone with a diamond hone head that will allow for truly round cylinder bores. The mechanical stroke guarantees a precision surface finish with consistent crosshatch angle in each cylinder! The SV-10 will allow dwelling in the exact position where the bore is visually smaller. The use of Diamond honing tools incorporate an expandable, super abrasive sleeve mounted on a tapered mandrel for precision bore sizing and finishing. For those blocks that will require line honing, we will use a Sunnen CH-100. It offers maximum precision, correcting any distortion caused by warpage, cap stretch, and block variance. Most of the engine blocks will not require a line hone, but it is sometimes required.
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For balancing rotating assemblies, we will use a CWT Multi-Bal 5000 crankshaft balancer. It uses state-of-the-art analyzing electronics, which allows for extremely fast and accurate analysis of a crankshaft. It offers unmatched accuracy, and it will provide a balance sheet for every crankshaft! This is yet another step that allows for dead-on accuracy during the build of your new engine, and each balance sheet will be filed with the build sheet of the engine.
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You will not find a shop that is better qualified to machine and build your new LS-based engine. Among our engine machinists and builders are dedicated people with years of experience not just building engines in general but specifically building LS-based engines! From machine operation to setting the ring gaps during the assembly process, our machinists and builders are among the best in the industry. They have been highly trained in their field of expertise from such places at the School of Automotive Machinists (SAM). The people machining and building your Texas Speed & Performance engine not only have the proper training, but they also have years of experience! We are dedicated to building the BEST LS-based engines available for our customers, and that dedication not only comes in the form of the best equipment but also with the best employees.
Feel free to give us a call to discuss your engine needs. We are working hard to build our stock of in-stock short-blocks back up with various builds so we can meet the demand of our customers. Our in-stock engines will include 404 and 408 CID iron-blocks, 402 CID LS2/L76 aluminum short-blocks, and 418 CID LS3/L92 aluminum short-blocks. These are the most popular combinations that our customers demand, but we also offer short-block and long-block builds for the LS1, LS6, LS7, and both standard-deck and tall-deck versions of the GMPP iron LSx and RHS aluminum blocks. We can accommodate builds for customers ranging from 346 CID all the way up to 502 CID! I have included a few pictures of some of the machines below for everyone's enjoyment. Feel free to call, PM, or e-mail with any questions or concerns. We can also send you an itemized estimate for the engine you're interested in so you can see exactly what it will include.

Thanks!

Trevor
Texas Speed & Performance