Technical Book Review thread
Moderators: The Dark Side of Will, Series8217
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Atilla the Fun
- Posts: 2446
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:36 pm
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bigblockfiero
- Posts: 96
- Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:35 pm
I have all three, my nephew is trying to learn so how to rebuild your SBC is good to learn the basic hands on stuff, Max performance SBC on a budget walks you threw everything really good for learning and the John lingenfelter book could be read afterward.The Dark Side of Will wrote:I'm about to recommend some SBC build books to a guy.
"John Lingenfelter on Modifying SB Chevy Engines"
"How to Rebuild your Small Block Chevy" by David Vizard
"How to Build Max Performance Chevy Small Blocks on a Budget" also by Vizard.
Does anyone have any experience with these?
Amazon has a deal on all three together.
Davids part two rewrite of Max performance SBC on a budget is about ready to be released so that could be the third book as well.
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FieroWanaBe1
- Posts: 507
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:26 pm
Re: Technical Book Review thread
Here a some new books that Ive bought and read or started. Ive also been in school for my M.E. degree for 3.5 more years, Therefor my understanding of systems is vastly better than before. Ive been noticing much more discrepancies in tech books now.
The Racing and High-Performance Tire by Paul Haney
This book is a great survey of the construction, design and behavior of tires as they pertain to competition. The book feature interviews with drivers and engineers that reveal quite a bit on how tires are treated and understood in the field. I found out a lot about tires from this book, in my experience tires have always been a black box without much analysis of their behavior due to a minimal understanding or data. This book explains why tires do what they do and how a car's suspension affects them. A small section about very basic tuning helps to explain Vehicle Dynamics and how changes affecting the tires response, which dictates vehicle performance; an approach most authors ignore or overlook. The authors grasp or at least means of explaining more advanced vehicle dynamics can use refinement. It is obvious he tried to dumb down some concepts for a larger audience and he actually lost me on a couple of explanations because of vaguely correct statics/dynamics. I recommend this book, I learned a lot about tires, think of it as a much dumber smaller survey of Racecar Vehicle Dynamics (Ive only been able to read 2 chapters of that before wanting to lobotomist myself from boredom). At minimum Its entertaining and informative for all from interviews and anecdotes from NASCAR, CART, and F1 alone.
Competition Car Suspension by Allan Staniforth
I bought the fourth edition of this book recently after borrowing it from my school's library. Finally a suspension book with real physics, real engineering, and real design "studies". I wouldn't recommend this book as a intro, although the author does start simple. But if suspension design or optimization is something that you would really like to do, as opposed to spring and roll bar selection, this book is one of the best I've seen to start with. The author has himself designed a few suspension systems form the ground up and is willing to reveal his secrets in the text. A walk-through of the very useful tool called the "string computer" provides great insight in determining geometries, Examples as well as well as mathematical models aren't lacking in this informative book. It's still not a textbook, so entertainment (as far as technical books go) is still there with examples and photographs. The author even provides topics on fabrication and assembly. This is one of the best books Ive seen on real suspension fabrication, Its more advanced, but tires are barely mentioned, which I think may give readers without knowledge or poor knowledge of vehicle dynamics and tire responses no application of the benefits of such a well constructed book. (sadly I haven't finished the book in it's entirety, I've read three chapters and skimmed through all the pages a few times). High recommendation for this one.
Bosch Automotive Handbook 7th Edition
Modern engine technology explained. It's for engineers, if you aren't one you probably wont like it. The text is tiny, the pages are thin. It was a good reference for help on my IC engines class homework. Uses are limited to reference material.
Modern Engine Technology From A to Z
Essentially this is the Automotive handbook reorganized and prettied up with pictures. I think it's marketed towards students, so much more colorful, but almost all the same material while easier to read and understand. Again mostly reserved for reference use.
Turbocharging Performance Handbook by Jeff Hartman
This kicks Maximum Boost's ass in my opinion. The book is much more modern, and much more correct on thermodynamic topics. The author obviously knows his second law, he provides the equations for the non-engineer to size turbos, calculations like heat gain, and efficiencies, without alienating the engineer types or mechanics. Great examples, history, and personal experiences explained throughout, with constant plugs for his other book (I own that too.) A great read, and high recommendation to those wanting to build or modify a turbo-system, the last chapter is a great step by step for sizing turbo-system components. It even has a diesel section (though the authors little experience with diesel shows.) A great book that will teach those who think they know. I found it as a great thermo review too. A think many people may find this book helpful. I can think of a few members here who should read it and learn. My biggest gripe is the poor presentation of his equations, they are embedding in the same lines as the text. Get Math-type dude.
How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems by Jeff Hartman
I'm halfway done reading this. So far the best book on the basics of tuning Ive looked at. So far every other book I've looked at has been so basic I felt dumber afterwards. This book will explain everything you need to know to understand what tuning entails, and not just bore you with pictures of Mustangs and LS1's or Honda's and AEM junk. The author has obviously been Tuning EFI systems for a while. He explains high end ECU's like Motronic and low ends like Holley Commanders and many more. He covers piggy-backs and factory computers as well. The back half of the book is all real-world examples of custom projects, like the twin charged v6 MR2 (this car is featured in the turbo book as well). In the middle of the book there is some basic talk on induction and VE tuning as well. This book wont make you a tuning expert, or even capable, but you will understand the process much better from reading this that any other book I've seen. A great start to EFI tuning, without becoming a systems engineer.
How to Rebuild and Modify Your Manual Transmission by Robert Bowen
If I needed to rebuild a T-5 or Honda B-Series Trans this would be the best book in the world. I don't though, so this book is OK, a good insight to the inner workings of a typical synchronized H-pattern manual transmition with some sound tips on assembly, the modifying section is pretty weak, with out much more than mentioning typical modifications, but no examples are really present. This book is OK, if you like T5s, it has a great table of all the gear ratios available, as well as what cars they can be found in.
Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals by John R. Heywood
It's fucking Heywood. If you took a college class on IC engines, this was your textbook. It's old as shit, but the information is unmatched. This is graduate level shit, No one on this green earth even knows all the information lurking in there. By simply reading three chapters from this book I aced my engines class. Are you and Engineer? Physicist? Chemist? PhD? No? stay the fuck away, you will hurt yourself.
How to build Horsepower Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by David Vizard
I bought these but haven't read them much yet. Vol.1 looks to be about SBCs and parts selection for your specific power goals, Vol.2 looks to be about carburetors and their respective intake manifolds.
Air Flow & How to Get it by Joseph DiAngelis
I just bought this, it looks kind of rinky-dink. The diagrams where made in paint, but The author obvisouly has lot's of experience in cylinder heads and intake manifolds. He gives instructions on how to make your own flow bench. I haven't started this book yet.
The Step by Step Guide to Engine Blueprinting by Rick Voegelin
A good coverage of whats involved in build a long block for performance use, the examples look like all Detroit v8's, but the methods of measurement are universal. I like the book, but I haven't yet gone to such depths the author has in rebuilding an engine, so my personal opinion may be a bit on the softer side. The book covers common (although maybe not optimal) performance modifications common on HiPo engine builds. I discovered quite a bit about what is common for engine machinists and what works and doesn't by reading this. A good book for overall, I haven't seen many that didn't concentrate solely on the SBC or SBF, this one is more general.
After I finish reading my library Ill add more.
The Racing and High-Performance Tire by Paul Haney
This book is a great survey of the construction, design and behavior of tires as they pertain to competition. The book feature interviews with drivers and engineers that reveal quite a bit on how tires are treated and understood in the field. I found out a lot about tires from this book, in my experience tires have always been a black box without much analysis of their behavior due to a minimal understanding or data. This book explains why tires do what they do and how a car's suspension affects them. A small section about very basic tuning helps to explain Vehicle Dynamics and how changes affecting the tires response, which dictates vehicle performance; an approach most authors ignore or overlook. The authors grasp or at least means of explaining more advanced vehicle dynamics can use refinement. It is obvious he tried to dumb down some concepts for a larger audience and he actually lost me on a couple of explanations because of vaguely correct statics/dynamics. I recommend this book, I learned a lot about tires, think of it as a much dumber smaller survey of Racecar Vehicle Dynamics (Ive only been able to read 2 chapters of that before wanting to lobotomist myself from boredom). At minimum Its entertaining and informative for all from interviews and anecdotes from NASCAR, CART, and F1 alone.
Competition Car Suspension by Allan Staniforth
I bought the fourth edition of this book recently after borrowing it from my school's library. Finally a suspension book with real physics, real engineering, and real design "studies". I wouldn't recommend this book as a intro, although the author does start simple. But if suspension design or optimization is something that you would really like to do, as opposed to spring and roll bar selection, this book is one of the best I've seen to start with. The author has himself designed a few suspension systems form the ground up and is willing to reveal his secrets in the text. A walk-through of the very useful tool called the "string computer" provides great insight in determining geometries, Examples as well as well as mathematical models aren't lacking in this informative book. It's still not a textbook, so entertainment (as far as technical books go) is still there with examples and photographs. The author even provides topics on fabrication and assembly. This is one of the best books Ive seen on real suspension fabrication, Its more advanced, but tires are barely mentioned, which I think may give readers without knowledge or poor knowledge of vehicle dynamics and tire responses no application of the benefits of such a well constructed book. (sadly I haven't finished the book in it's entirety, I've read three chapters and skimmed through all the pages a few times). High recommendation for this one.
Bosch Automotive Handbook 7th Edition
Modern engine technology explained. It's for engineers, if you aren't one you probably wont like it. The text is tiny, the pages are thin. It was a good reference for help on my IC engines class homework. Uses are limited to reference material.
Modern Engine Technology From A to Z
Essentially this is the Automotive handbook reorganized and prettied up with pictures. I think it's marketed towards students, so much more colorful, but almost all the same material while easier to read and understand. Again mostly reserved for reference use.
Turbocharging Performance Handbook by Jeff Hartman
This kicks Maximum Boost's ass in my opinion. The book is much more modern, and much more correct on thermodynamic topics. The author obviously knows his second law, he provides the equations for the non-engineer to size turbos, calculations like heat gain, and efficiencies, without alienating the engineer types or mechanics. Great examples, history, and personal experiences explained throughout, with constant plugs for his other book (I own that too.) A great read, and high recommendation to those wanting to build or modify a turbo-system, the last chapter is a great step by step for sizing turbo-system components. It even has a diesel section (though the authors little experience with diesel shows.) A great book that will teach those who think they know. I found it as a great thermo review too. A think many people may find this book helpful. I can think of a few members here who should read it and learn. My biggest gripe is the poor presentation of his equations, they are embedding in the same lines as the text. Get Math-type dude.
How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems by Jeff Hartman
I'm halfway done reading this. So far the best book on the basics of tuning Ive looked at. So far every other book I've looked at has been so basic I felt dumber afterwards. This book will explain everything you need to know to understand what tuning entails, and not just bore you with pictures of Mustangs and LS1's or Honda's and AEM junk. The author has obviously been Tuning EFI systems for a while. He explains high end ECU's like Motronic and low ends like Holley Commanders and many more. He covers piggy-backs and factory computers as well. The back half of the book is all real-world examples of custom projects, like the twin charged v6 MR2 (this car is featured in the turbo book as well). In the middle of the book there is some basic talk on induction and VE tuning as well. This book wont make you a tuning expert, or even capable, but you will understand the process much better from reading this that any other book I've seen. A great start to EFI tuning, without becoming a systems engineer.
How to Rebuild and Modify Your Manual Transmission by Robert Bowen
If I needed to rebuild a T-5 or Honda B-Series Trans this would be the best book in the world. I don't though, so this book is OK, a good insight to the inner workings of a typical synchronized H-pattern manual transmition with some sound tips on assembly, the modifying section is pretty weak, with out much more than mentioning typical modifications, but no examples are really present. This book is OK, if you like T5s, it has a great table of all the gear ratios available, as well as what cars they can be found in.
Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals by John R. Heywood
It's fucking Heywood. If you took a college class on IC engines, this was your textbook. It's old as shit, but the information is unmatched. This is graduate level shit, No one on this green earth even knows all the information lurking in there. By simply reading three chapters from this book I aced my engines class. Are you and Engineer? Physicist? Chemist? PhD? No? stay the fuck away, you will hurt yourself.
How to build Horsepower Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by David Vizard
I bought these but haven't read them much yet. Vol.1 looks to be about SBCs and parts selection for your specific power goals, Vol.2 looks to be about carburetors and their respective intake manifolds.
Air Flow & How to Get it by Joseph DiAngelis
I just bought this, it looks kind of rinky-dink. The diagrams where made in paint, but The author obvisouly has lot's of experience in cylinder heads and intake manifolds. He gives instructions on how to make your own flow bench. I haven't started this book yet.
The Step by Step Guide to Engine Blueprinting by Rick Voegelin
A good coverage of whats involved in build a long block for performance use, the examples look like all Detroit v8's, but the methods of measurement are universal. I like the book, but I haven't yet gone to such depths the author has in rebuilding an engine, so my personal opinion may be a bit on the softer side. The book covers common (although maybe not optimal) performance modifications common on HiPo engine builds. I discovered quite a bit about what is common for engine machinists and what works and doesn't by reading this. A good book for overall, I haven't seen many that didn't concentrate solely on the SBC or SBF, this one is more general.
After I finish reading my library Ill add more.
car.