Engine Masters

Feb 28, 2020

Finally, after all these episodes, the Engine Masters crew set out to test the effects of running long rods versus short rods on otherwise identical engines. Do longer rods make more torque? Does the faster swipe past TDC of the shorter rods make all the difference? Or does it not actually matter in the least? We found out, and now you can too, on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL.

Mar 6, 2020

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we found out which cheap carbs produce the most expensive results! We pick a fight between three remanufactured offerings from Edelbrock, Summit, and Demon to see which of these 750cfm bargains will pump the most power into our tried-and-true, Ultimate Average 383 Chevrolet.

Mar 13, 2020

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by Amsoil, David and the Steves flip things upside down to find out how much power you might be leaving in your oil pan. Pan shape, windage, and oil control features all play a part in minimizing turbulence around the crank, but is a $1,100 oil pan really worth the cost? Come find out as we test and tune our way to some pretty impressive results.

Mar 20, 2020

All else equal, which will make more power, an iron head or an aluminum one? That’s what we’re testing on this week’s Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. Aside from the obvious weight savings, there are some real things to consider. Does aluminum’s ability to shed heat help it make more power, or does the iron head’s heat retention promote cylinder pressure and therefore more power? There’s only one way to find out, and that’s right here on the dyno.

Mar 27, 2020

Changing the installed centerline of your camshaft will create a shift in when your valves open and close. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we explore how a little advance or a little retard in cam timing can help you tune your power curve for the high-end performance or low-end power that you’re after.

Apr 3, 2020

Got a solid cam? Well, have we got some free ponies for you! By experimenting with your lash adjustments, you can effectively tune a bit of duration and lift into or out of your camshaft. Looser lash creates a hair less of each; a tighter lash, on the other hand, can actually buy you a bit. Given your specific engine and cam combo, there may be some serious (and FREE!) power just waiting to be tuned in. Come see how to find it on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by Amsoil.

Apr 10, 2020

Once again, ladies and gentlemen, you asked and we delivered! The question was simple yet timeless: "Which makes more power, a dual 2.5-inch or a single 3.0-inch exhaust system?" To find out, we're swapping pipes on our run-of-the-mill 351 Ford, which makes about 400 hp, and to richen the pot we're also testing out turbo vs. straight-through mufflers and Y-pipe vs. a 90-degree merge. Come get all the data you can handle, right here on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

Apr 17, 2020

This time on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we deliver on a question that fans have been asking for years: “Will a carb spacer make me more power?” The answer is yes, no, and maybe. It all depends on your engine and manifold combination. So come see what works, what doesn't, and how you might be able to get a couple extra ponies for some seriously minimal effort.

Apr 24, 2020

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we put more power claims to the test! This time it's the belief that a simple swap of the standard 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order can create more power in your 90-degree V-8. Whether it's changes in manifold pulsing patterns or crankshaft harmonics that make more power, the theories abound. So we're here to do a 4/7 swap on a big 572 to see if there's more power to be had or if the theories are just that: theories.

May 1, 2020

Ford fans, listen up! It’s your turn to get schooled in the art of intake manifold selection. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we’ve rounded up four of the most popular street-style, dual-plane intake manifolds on the market and strapped them to our test mule. Today, that engine is a something you’d find under many a Ford hood: a 351 Windsor with a stock bottom end, roller cam, about 430 horsepower, and an appetite for more! Oh, and Mustang fans, come find out how much power that hood clearance issue really costs you. You’re not going to like it.

Jul 31, 2020

1,500 horsepower!!! Need we say more?! We take 555 BBC and the Blower Shop then test the difference in power between gas and e85, and how much more we can make when running each on nitrous.

Aug 7, 2020

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we dive into one of the most commonly confusing elements of camshaft design: lobe separation angle. A cam's LSA dictates how far apart valve events are, how the engine will idle, where the peak power will live and where the rpm range ends.

Aug 14, 2020

You've seen the treasured motorhome 440 before, but not like this! We explore the myriad gains you can find on a sickly, pathetic, low-compression 440 in three stages: first, by plumbing up a turbo; then with a set of too-trick-for-this-engine TFS cylinder heads; and finally with some turbo boost pushing through those heads.

Aug 21, 2020

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys guide you through the basics of bringing your motor to the dyno cell for the first time, including motor setup, how the dyno works and how to make the most of your money, time and motor.

Aug 28, 2020

On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the crew answers the high-voltage question of whether upgrading an ignition system is worth it. They load up a big-block Ford with junky leftover parts and replace them one-by-one to see how valuable each piece is.

Sep 4, 2020

The guys from Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, fit the COVID-350 with progressively shorter header collectors to see the effect of a little more piping. Power is just waiting to be collected with some cheap and effective trial-and-error tuning.

Sep 11, 2020

Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, follows the build of Freiburger's 582ci BBC in his quest for 1,000 NA horsepower. An in-depth rundown of the parts that came together and why they were chosen shows the evolution of the build and the path to glory.

Sep 18, 2020

Whether they’re Zoomies, Lakes, Tri-Ys, or Fenderwell headers, some pipes are just gotta-haves. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, The crew investigates just how much power gets sacrificed in that quest for cool!

Sep 25, 2020

Everybody knows that a lighter car is a faster car. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys see if choosing lightweight parts for the rotating assembly helps the engine make more power, too.

Oct 2, 2020

The common knowledge is that a boosted motor acts just like an oversized version of the NA motor. On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys see if the headers that made the most NA power hold up on a power-boosted motor.

Oct 9, 2020

It's another battle of old-school cool here on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, where the guys bolt tunnel-ram and cross-ram setups to the 383 Chevy and stagger jets until their gasoline-soaked hearts are content.

Oct 16, 2020

So you wanna street-drive your 1,000 HP monster. You'll need a muffler for the street that will also wring every horsepower possible at the strip. The guys see which street-worthy muffler does the trick on Engine Masters, Presented by AMSOIL.

Oct 23, 2020

On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys break down two very different engines that both make very similar 500-hp power numbers. It's our 500-hp 372 small block vs. our 500-hp big-block 454 and a high-rpm screamfest vs. low-end grunt.

Oct 30, 2020

On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, Steve Dulcich puts his Leaning Tower of Power to the test to see if it lives up to its name. With a supercharger, 10.5:1 and a race-prepped head, his slant 6 is shooting for the moon to make 383 power numbers.

Nov 6, 2020

The guys put claims about blower cams to the test with their new 363ci small-block Ford. They'll run similarly spec’d "street" and "blower" cams both NA and under boost to see if blower cams make more power across the board, just under boost, or not at all.

Nov 13, 2020

It's uncharted territory on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. After years of willing dismissal and dinosaur-brained ignorance, the Engine Masters have decided to give the Gen III Hemi a fair shake. Can you swap it in cheaply? How tunable is it? How robust is the aftermarket support? We'll explore all of these questions AND find out what it does with a (hopefully) simple cam swap. Come in, sit down, and learn with us, won't you?