2022 has been an interesting year. As we’ve really started recovering from the pandemic, we’ve watched the industry face a number of struggles. It’s no surprise that both supply and labor issues have continued to plague companies that are working as hard as they can to keep up. However, that has not stopped the industry from innovating and continuing to undertake some incredibly interesting projects. As you can see below, the Top 10 articles of 2022 are quite diverse. Join us on a quick trip down memory lane as we look at the most-read EngineLabs articles of 2022.

Ed. Note: Clicking the heading will take you to the full article being discussed

#10 – Cummins New Hydrogen Combustion Engine Platform Takes On Diesels

It’s no secret that internal combustion is under attack. While it’s clear that fossil fuels are really what’s being targeted, realists as well as enthusiasts of internal combustion engines are trying to provide a pathway that doesn’t involved electric motors and unrealistic, impractical logistics. This article discusses Cummins’ new platform that aims at providing a net-zero-emissions solution for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. While there are opponents to hydrogen, Cummins believes it to be a viable solution in the short term.

#9 – Honing At Home: Chucking Up A Ball Hone And Testing The Results

This article exploded, largely because it verified what a lot of people already suspected with real data. We took our Retro 5.0 engine block down to Total Seal’s Phoenix, AZ facility and put a profilometer on the obviously-worn cylinders. Once the readings were in, we decided we couldn’t hurt anything by running a ball hone through a cylinder and remeasuring. To everyone’s surprise, the cylinder’s numbers appeared to move back into the completely usable zone. It’s hard to argue with data.

#8 –Teardown Of A Blown-Up 4,000-Horsepower Big-Block

What is there to say about this one? You guys and gals love destruction. And this engine… did it ever destroy itself. Steve Morris absolutely nuked his 572-cube SMX billet big-block engine right at 4,000 horsepower. The most amazing thing was that the pistons were all still in the cylinders while the rods looks like Claymore mine, post-detonation. Between the pure carnage and Morris’ thoughtful analysis of the incident, this article slides into number 8 on the list.

#7 – GM’s New LZ0 Diesel Engine Details Are Finally Released

After months of leaking details of its latest diesel engine, General Motors finally officially released all the details on the new 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine. In turbocharged form, the engine was advertised at 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful diesel in the 1500 lineup of GM vehicles. Obviously, you guys love diesel engines, as the popularity of this article landed it in the number 7 position for 2022.

#6 – Wild New Omega 1 Engine Design Makes Big Claims

I think we all get interested when a new type of engine pops up on our radar. So, it’s no surprise that the Omega 1 piqued a lot of reader interest. It’s an interesting concept, that looks good on paper. However, there are some big claims being made with little-to-no real-world evidence to back them up. While this might just be a pie-in-the-sky dream with some significant marketing behind it, who knows, it might actually prove to be a legitimate design.

#5 – Florida Man Attempts To Fix Blown Head Gasket With Flex Seal

Doesn’t the title really say it all? Well-known YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland has the time and money to do some really outrageous things. While I’m not sure anyone involved with the testing actually expected it to work, what it did successfully accomplish is entertaining a whole lot of people. The scariest thing about the entire test was that the Flex Seal head gasket didn’t immediately fail.

#4 – Opening A Time Capsule — Dynoing A 1990s NASCAR Engine in 2022

Finding this article in 2022’s Top 5 is no surprise. Whenever Lake Speed, Jr. is interested in something at this level, you know it’s going to be fun. Taking one of his dad’s old vintage NASCAR Cup engines and putting it on the dyno was only half of the interesting story. As of right now, there are some of the biggest names in the industry putting in work on rebuilding it into a modern monster, not governed by any rulebook.

#3 – What I Learned Today With Jeff Smith — Oil On The Spark Plug Threads

This article was a surprise to find in the Top 3, as it was just a simple quick tech piece on the possible reasons for finding oil on the spark plug threads. However, whenever Jeff Smith speaks, we listen, a sentiment that many of you seem to share as well. Sometimes the most interesting information comes from a quick bit of discussion.

#2 – Not An Oxymoron — Looking At The VR6 Inline-V6 Engine

This article came about after a vigorous back and forth on social media, with people arguing whether the VR6 engine was actually a V6 engine or not. The answer is, of course it is, since having a single cylinder head doesn’t define an engine’s configuration, but rather the cylinder bank angle does. Where the real argument should be is how Volkswagen got away with calling it an “Inline-V engine” in the first place.

#1 – Big And Tall: Chevy’s RS-X / ZZ632 Big-Block Cylinder Heads Are Huge

The number one article for 2022 on EngineLabs was the deep dive on Chevrolet Performance’s RS-X big-block cylinder head. Topping the well-received naturally aspirated 1,000-horsepower ZZ632 crate engine, these heads can trace their roots back to NHRA Pro Stock racing and legendary GM engineer Alin Dragoiu. Between the specifications of the cylinder head, and the story of its development, this article resonated with you. About the only regret we have about this article is that we didn’t move forward with our plan to cut the cylinder head open to show the cross-section of the port. Maybe next time.