Engine Masters

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, the 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, 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.

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.

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?

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.

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. Come see how to find it on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by Amsoil.

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?". Come get all the data you can handle, right here on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

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. 

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.

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.

1,500 horsepower!!! Need we say more?! Well, here’s more if you need it: 555 BBC, The Blower Shop, E85, and nitrous!! On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we take said BBC, with said blower, and test the difference in power between gas and E85 and how much more we can make when running each on nitrous. This is not one you want to miss!

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. 

You've seen the treasured motorhome 440 on Engine Masters before, but not like this! On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we explore the myriad of 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.

Here at Engine Masters, we love our Dyno Days, and we want you to love them, too. So we've made this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, all about what you should expect at a Dyno Day.

We set out to answer that high-voltage question that viewers have long been asking: Is upgrading my ignition system really worth it, or is any spark a good spark? We go all the way from a single-point distributor and a factory coil all the way up to a fancy digitally controlled multispark system. So is a spark really just a spark? Find out on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

So you run open headers at the dragstrip?  Sounds cool, but wouldn't it sound even cooler to make more power? On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we're running a test of collector lengths. We fit the COVID-350 with progressively shorter header collectors on both 1 3/4 inch and 1 5/8 inch headers to see the gains or losses that come from running just a little more piping. 

Strap in, this one's a little different. Instead of our normal comparisons and shootouts, this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, follows the build of Freiburger's own 582ci BBC in his personal quest for 1,000 NA horsepower.

On this episode on Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we investigate how much it costs to look cool. Guys choose headers all the time based on style. Whether they’re Zoomies, Lakes, Tri-Ys, or Fenderwell headers, some pipes are just gotta-haves. Well, we’re gonna tell you just how much power gets sacrificed in that quest for cool!

Everybody knows that a lighter car is a faster car, but will choosing lightweight parts for your rotating assembly actually help your engine make more power, too?  Come find out on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, as we give our full-bodied SBC a lot less weight to rotate.

The common knowledge is that a boosted motor acts just like an oversized version of the NA motor. The curves stay the same shape, they just grow in numbers. But will the header that made the most NA power still make the most power boosted? We'll find out on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

It's another battle of old-school cool here on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. As far as dual quad manifolds go, it's hard to beat the cool factor of the Tunnel Ram and Cross Ram setups. These longer runners make more torque-that's a given. But will they make more power in the laid-down configuration of the Cross Ram or standing tall like the Tunnel Ram?

How do you go about choosing the right muffler for a 1,000-horsepower motor? We've assembled four of the best street-worthy mufflers - meaning they actually cut decibels, not just look the part - and will run them back to back on the 555ci of blown BBC that we've DETUNED to make about 1,000 HP. So which muffler does the trick? We'll find out on this episode of Engine Masters, Presented by AMSOIL.

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we break down two very different engines that both make very similar 500 hp. It's our 500-hp 372 small-block vs. our 500-hp big-block 454, it's a high-rpm screamfest vs. low-end grunt, it's high-strung efficiency vs. big-displacement ease, and it's all right here. 

Engine Masters' first six-cylinder test! Will the Leaning Tower of Power live up to the name? Let's find out as Steve Dulcich puts his creation to the test. With a TorqStorm supercharger, 10.5:1, and a race-prepped head, his slant 6 is shooting for the moon to make factory 383 power numbers. Is this the Little Six that could? We'll find out on this episode of Engine Masters, Presented by AMSOIL.