Engine Masters

There is no hotter engine package these days than the turbocharged GM LS-Series V-8. Many people have proven that you can pull a 4.8L or 5.3L straight out of a junkyard and boost it to the moon and make 1,000 hp—but what if you’re a little more conservative and want to have huge power but also reliability from an engine you can drive every day on pump gas? That’s what you’ll learn about on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL. We’ll show you where we spent the money and where we saved it, and why we chose some lower-power components in favor of budget and reliability as we make incredible power from a 5.3L with a single turbo, 91-octane fuel, and stock cylinder heads.

A junkyard Chevy LS engine with a turbo—it’s a dime-a-dozen concept these days, but how big can it go? To find out, Engine Masters went to the originator of the “Big Bang Theory” dyno test: Richard Holdener, who delivered the world a 1,200hp boosted 4.8L way back in 2011 in the pages of HOT ROD magazine. Holdener has brought many junkyard engines to a power-adder-assisted demise since then, and has found the connecting rods to be the weak spot. The Gen IV engines have better rods, so this time the victim is a 6.0L with a pair of BorgWarners on the way to 30 psi. Will it go or will it blow? Find out in jaw-dropping fashion on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL.

This time, our episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL is for the purists. It’s for the ones who disputed our Episode 2 test with throttle-body injection (TBI) not being real electronic fuel injection (EFI). So we’re back and more serious than ever with a state-of-the-art 1,050-cfm multipoint EFI system facing off against the 750- and 1,000-cfm relics known as carburetors. Which will squirt the most power into our tried-and-true 383 Chevrolet? Find out here.

This time on Engine Masters presented by Amsoil, we explore what we’ve always known: Increased engine temperature decreases power output. We always thought we knew the answer, but today our 598 Chevy big-block gets some special heat treatment to find out exactly how and why heat kills power. The answer might be just as surprising to you as it was to us.

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, David Freiburger and Steve Dulcich welcome back Richard Holdener to blow the literal lid off of internet “blower manifold” theories. You’ve seen us play with runner lengths before, but this time we use FAST’s modular-runner intake manifold to test both short and long runners to see how each reacts in both NA and boosted trim. Is there such thing as a “blower manifold” or is it all just keyboard huff and puff? Join us to find out, won’t you?

This time, the comparison features 100-percent more hydraulic cam! Last round we compared hydraulic and solid roller lifters on hydraulic and solid cams, respectively. But we have more questions! For instance, can you actually run solid roller lifters on a hydraulic cam? Why would you? And, if you do, will they make more power? How long will they survive? The list goes on, but check out the answers for yourself on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, and hopefully you’ll be as intrigued as the rest of us.

How much fuel pump power does your motor need? This time on Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we investigate the limits of four budget, mechanical pumps on our very streetable, 500 horse 372 Chevy. Can these budget pumps keep enough pressure and flow to support our power numbers? What about the power that you’re making? If you’re anything like us, this might motivate you to take a second look at your own fuel system.

This time on Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, David Freiburger, Steve Dulcich, and Steve Brule´, go on the hunt for the best manifold to make big horsepower numbers on a big-inch, big-block Chevrolet. These aren’t manifolds for any boring, old 454 or even a 496. We’re talking 598 cubes of big-block, and we’re throwing four different single-plane, single 4bbl manifolds at it from Dart, Pro-Filer, Brodix, and Edelbrock to see how the difference in their runner walls and plenum shapes make or cost power.

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.

Youve seen them, youve drooled over them, and you may have even run them. We dive into the wavy waters of individual runner systems, how you can tune them, and whether all that cool makes any more power than the stalwart carburetor.

The guys explore the cooling benefits of water-methanol injection. Theyll be looking at any added tolerance to detonation, intake air temps, how much to inject at what rpm, and the optimal ratio of water to methanol. Theres plenty to explore with a little experimentation on the dyno.

Hot intake air temps are bad, and cold IATs are good, right? But how bad is bad, and how good is good, especially in a boosted application? To find out, the guys explore the benefits of an air-to-air intercooler in terms of power and detonation resistance. They also test out external CO2 foggers that keep the intercooler extra cool.

Exploring the effects of different sized water tanks and their ability to keep the intake charge colder longer; air-to-water intercoolers make power by absorbing the heat of the intake air into the cool of the ICs water.

Call it a velocity stack, a radiused entry, or even a salad bowl, the bellmouth is designed to direct and smooth the airflow into the throttle body, creating a more efficient airflow. But does it make power? Well answer that very question for both N/A and supercharged versions of our 363ci small-block Ford.

Cam specs are cam specs, right? Wrong! The guys show you how three seemingly identical cams can behave very differently. Its called cam-lobe intensity, and its all about the shape of the lobe between the base circle and the nose. So whats the difference between a standard, a high-intensity, and a low-shock cam? Which one is right for you?

The guys explore how the length of header primary tubes can affect the power curve, and look at how engines expel exhaust, including the negative pressure wave that pulls burnt gases from the cylinder and where the power occurs.

Steve Dulcich has posed the theory that headers dont matter nearly as much when paired with a small cam as they do with a larger cam. To find out, the guys look at the percentage of power gained on our Ultimate Average 383 when using factory-style manifolds, shorty headers, and full-length headers with a tiny 200/206 cam, and then again with a meatier 230/236 stick. Does a smaller cam benefit less from a header upgrade?

With so many oil weights and combinations on the market, the crew sets out to show how different weights behave, perform and react inside your engine under operating conditions. While it only scratches the surface, expect a primer on oil weights and how differing weights affect horsepower, pressure and resilience to temperature.

Weve all run the standard 14-inch round filter in the past and wondered every time if theres any difference between them. Does cotton gauze make any more power than a paper filter, or is it just a more expensive filter? Is there even any difference between brands?

The spray-bar style nitrous plate has been the standard forever, which begs two questions: can it be improved upon, and does it even need to be? The guys put the tried-and-true spray-bar style up against the newfangled perimeter-discharge style to see how each delivery method affects the tune of the motor.

Whether it comes from exhaust, transmission or any of your other heat-generating components, isolating and separating heat can make a hot ride comfortable, and even a hot intake charge cooler. Were testing header wraps and panel heat shields, so come see how -- and how not -- to keep your cool.

A 200-hp shot of nitrous is really no big deal as long as you do it right, so we show you how to do it right. We test a long-told hose-length theory as well as a long-proven nitrous-controller practice to illustrate how softening the "hit" of the nitrous can help you control the power and keep your motor in one piece.

Holley recently debuted the second iteration of its throttle body EFI system, and were here to see if its any better than the first version and any better than the carburetor we so dearly love. Well walk you through the installation, the setup and the benefits. Most important, well show you the results.

Were diving back into the intricacies of camshaft grinds. This time, were exploring not just split-duration cams, but how larger and larger splits affect the power curve. Will it make any difference at all?