At 7,500 rpm, the pistons in your race engine reach either top-dead-center or bottom-dead-center and change directions 25 times per second. That means the piston goes from traveling at top piston ...

Let's face it: Most of us don't have engine lathes and milling machines in our garage. Heck, we barely have a complete socket set, much less honing machines and other whatzits to machine a motor with.

Rather than using conventional bolts, some automakers rely on torque-to-yield bolts for specific engines. But why are these used over more traditional options?