Pit Road Exclusive Feature
Driving Force: Katech Inc.
Author: Frank Calmes - xx/xx/2001
Katech is a full-service engine building and development facility located in Clinton Township, Michigan, just North of Detroit and is the industrial leader in advanced racing and high performance engine development. Click Here to view the Katech Video.
On April 2, 2001 Tony Verongis (Zippy) and I visited Katech where Warren Frieze, Vice President and General Manager greeted us along with Manufacturing Supervisor Caleb Newman to give us the grand tour of their cutting-edge facility.
In 1978, Fritz Kayl and Warren Frieze started Katech in a 3,000 sq. ft. building with a total of 4 employees; they have since grown to over 36,000 sq. ft. and employ 38. Katech uses the latest leading edge CAD/CAM technologies in designing and manufacturing world-class racing components. They are world renowned for their power and durable engines in all segments of high performance vehicles, whether they be boats, trucks, or cars. Katech's list of accomplishments reads like the Fortune 500 of racing and are second to none.
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After our introduction to Katech by Warren Frieze, we began at the first stop on our tour, the Engineering Department.
Here, Katech uses the latest technologies for research and development, which exceed ever-tightening industry standards. Their Engineering Department uses CAD drawing generation, a Dynascope for close inspection of materials, and state of the art Ring Tensioning equipment which allows them to be at the leading edge of oil consumption control and quantifying ring force. This, coupled with a Sonic Micrometer (which allows testing of maximum fastener stress) and a Hot Honing machine that produces flawless finishes all adds up to quality nothing short of stunning.
Next, we were off to the engine assembly area where several highly skilled craftsmen were assembling various types of race engines ranging from C5R's to Indy Racing League engines. There was even a GM Engineer on site overseeing work on the C5R engines! Talk about pressure! (Katech is GM's preferred racing engine builder, partly due to their extreme views on quality control and experience.)
In Katech Test Corridor, there are six (6) dyno cells.
- Cell 1 is a valve train analysis cell, equipped with the latest technologies and software packages for quick data acquisition. It is also a durability cell to validate the extensive distances used in most racing series.
- Cells 2, 3 and 4 are equipped with the latest state of the art testing dynos for gathering engine data.
- Cell 5 is a unique test cell used to evaluating, measure and calibrate fuel delivery systems.
- Cell 6 is used for friction and cylinder pressure measuring parasitic losses. This cell is equipped with a 300 HP electric motor to drive engines and is the most accurate method of acquiring motor data.
Katech also has the ability to simulate any racetrack on their dynos for durability testing.
We got to get a first ever sneak preview of the new C5R Carbon Fiber valve covers. These covers have never been shown to the public before and were just installed for the first time during our visit. Pretty sweet eh?
After the tour of the Test Corridor, Mr. Frieze then escorted us to their shipping department. Extreme horsepower everywhere!! Folks, this could very well be the Fort Knox of world-class high-performance engines. Several C5R engines, assorted other serious racing engines as well as an LS6 engine. The LS6 was being prepared for baseline data acquisition, so look for Z06/LS6 engine packages from Katech soon.
After visiting the shipping department, we were then off to their machine shop. Again, all of their equipment was the latest, state of the art machines. Ranging from the Hot Honing Machine, to the Pat Incometer( which is used for dimensional verification) we were impressed with the cleanliness and precision of the equipment.
Mr. Frieze then showed us one of their test bed vehicles. Katech needed a vehicle large enough to hold the various size engines they build. Quite frankly, I would hate to run up against this Suburban at a stoplight. It is equipped with a full race C5R engine!!
Katech, after 23 years of exclusively building race engines for General Motors, has decided to venture into the aftermarket segment where they are currently offer head and cam packages for the LS1 to complete turnkey engines. (They are also upgrading LS1 engines to the LS6 for their customers). Katech is now offering a massive, aluminum 7 Liter street engine, with the block based on the current C5R engine!
I want to give special thanks to Warren Frieze for showing Tony and I the inner workings of Katech. His hospitality and willingness to take the time out of his busy schedule was greatly appreciated. To say we were impressed would be an understatement. It's no wonder they have been so successful over the years, as they represent the pinnacle of high-performance engine building and technology.
Pictures:
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| 7 liter block | Lots of blocks! | |
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| C5R on dyno | C5R engine | |
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| C5R engine | C5R engine | |
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| Cell 5 - Testing Corridor | Cell 6 - Testing Corridor | |
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| A Couple Cylinder Heads :) | Engine Assembly Room | |
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| Engineering Department | Hot Honing Machine | |
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| Hot Honing Machine | Nice LS1 | |
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| LS6 Cylinder Heads | LS6 Intake Manifold | |
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| LS6 Ready For Dyno | LS6 Waiting For Mods | |
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| Pat Incometer | Suburban With C5R | |
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| Suburban With C5R | Testing Corridor | |
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Copyright 2002 - Z06Vette.com - Photo Credits: General Motors Inc.
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