Engine Masters - Episode Guide

In this first episode you'll find out if Blueprint Engines is accurate in its advertised power for a 400ci Chevy small-block crate engine, and we'll see if Freiburger is justified in his love for dual carburetors and high-rise tunnel-ram intake manifolds.

In this first episode you'll find out if Blueprint Engines is accurate in its advertised power for a 400ci Chevy small-block crate engine, and we'll see if Freiburger is justified in his love for dual carburetors and high-rise tunnel-ram intake manifolds.

It's our first head-to-head shootout with two engines: a Blueprint Engines crate Chevy 383 small block vs. a hand-built Mopar 383 by Engine Masters host Steve Dulcich. To make this a fair test, we equalized as many variables as possible.

The guys test various levels of destruction of a set of Hooker headers on a 550-horsepower, 400ci small-block Chevy from Blueprint Engines. The result is shocking.

On this episode, you'll learn a good combo for 470-plus horsepower from a stock, bottom-end 5.7L Dodge Hemi, and then see us add a Paxton supercharger in the hunt for 707 horsepower just like one of the new Dodge Hellcats. 

Topping your engine with a set of aftermarket cylinder heads is a near-certain method for making more horsepower and torque but is the extra power really worth the money? We answer that question for people who are running a typical street-cruising small-block Chevy V8.

In this episode, we will compare the price, the tune up and the power of the Holley Tri-Power setup (part number 300-521 with gold dichromate carbs) to the Edelbrock Performer RPM Dual-Quad manifold and carb kit.

Boost is good. Forced induction makes huge power, and you want it cheap and easy. We look at the two most affordable implements of boost from SummitRacing.com: a Paxton Novi 1200 blow-through-carburetor centrifugal supercharger setup, and a Weiand 174 Powercharger roots blower.

You're sitting around with your typical street/strip V-8 and wondering, should I get 2.5-inch-diameter exhaust pipes and mufflers, or should I go 3-inch? We will help you decide, giving answers about power, tuning and weight on 2.5 and 3-inch systems. You'll also find out about a very simple combo for 600-plus horsepower from a 454 Chevy!

In this episode, you'll learn a simple combination for a 600hp big-block Chevy. Many people building engines like this are torn between the streetability of a camshaft that uses hydraulic roller lifters and the race-level rpm capabilities of the solid roller lifters.

The 408 is one of the most popular small-block V-8 stroker combinations for Chevy, Ford and Mopar. We take the first step to find out which engine dominates with a dyno duel between Mopar and Ford.

The 408 is one of the most popular small-block V-8 stroker combinations for Chevy, Ford and Mopar. We take the first step to find out which engine dominates with a dyno duel between Mopar and Ford.

The 13th episode is an unlucky one for a poor little 305ci Chevy small-block. It was the victim of our test of how much nitrous oxide power boost can be tolerated by a completely stock short-block. It ends badly, but before the engine's demise we learn a lot.

We show you why the age-old concept of pulling a used engine from a running car and slapping some speed parts on it might not always be the best idea. Our special guest engine is a Mopar 360 small-block V8.

Cast-iron manifolds versus mid-length headers versus long-tube headers. Which one is best for you? In this episode, we again look to our loyal fan base to feed us ideas of power tests they want to see. The engine tested here is a BluePrint Engines 6.0L LS-based crate engine with BluePrint heads, a stock intake, and a Comp Cams roller cam.

Do you want to spend big bucks on a hydraulic roller cam setup or low bucks on the old-school flat-tappet cam? The answer depends on your desire for power and durability. We spell out the differences in the two camshaft designs so you can decide what's best for your car.

In this episode, we explore whether the price of a muffler makes a difference when it comes to performance. We provide dyno-proven answers as we run all the tests with a perfectly average 350ci small-block Chevy using Thrush and Magnaflow mufflers.

Increasing engine displacement with a stroker kit is a proven way to get more horsepower and torque, but exactly how much power? In this test of "there's no replacement for displacement," the hosts run a dyno compare you've probably never seen before.

David Freiburger explains cam lift, duration, love separation angle and installed centerline.

Usually on this show, we are all about making more horsepower, but on this episode, we are trying to kill horsepower! We bolt four different types of cooling fans onto our 350 small-block Chevy, all with different designs and material.

This episode reinforces the fact that Steve Dulcich is not just the guy in the back of the dyno room, he's a legit engine master. You won't question that after you see his homegrown porting job.

We deliver the goods many viewers have asked for as we test the power of straight dual exhaust with no crossover pipe versus using an H-pipe versus an X-pipe.

It's Roadkill meets Engine Masters. On this episode, host David Freiburger pulls the engine out of the Rotsun 240Z and stabs it on the engine dyno at Westech Performance Group. The result is mind blowing, but we're not sure what's more surprising, the power or the fact that it never blew up.

On this episode, we explore an ancient scenario but still one of the most frequent tech questions we are asked: What budget bolt-ons can be used on a stock small-block Chevy 5.7 to get more horsepower?

This time on Engine Masters, hosts David Freiburger, Steve Dulcich, and Steve Brulé show you how to install and tune a Weiand 6-71 blower and dual 750-cfm double pumpers on a budget 350ci Chevy short-block.

Find out if you can stuff 25 psi of boost into a cast-piston, stock-crank short-block and have it live. We strap a ProCharger centrifugal supercharger to a bone-stock Chevy 350 bottom end.

We test a whopping 19 different combinations of filter sizes and styles, including paper elements, K&N filters, stock housings, dual-snorkle housings, velocity stacks, filtered lids and way more.

We test the long-standing internet theory that too big of an intake port kills bottom-end torque. Watch us take the mildest of 408 Ford small-blocks and try to make the torque curve dance.

One of the most common valvetrain upgrades for pushrod-style engines is roller rocker arms, which are often said to increase horsepower through reducing friction. But is it true? Find out on this episode of Engine Masters.

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we test the power differences between 118-octane race gas and Rockett Brand E85 ethanol-blended fuel. There's a lot more to just the horsepower curve, though, as we test Holley's out-of-the-box carburetor tunes, discuss other tuning differences, and go over a long list of other considerations you should make if you're planning a changeover to E85. While the ethanol blend can be used for a variety of different engine designs, the test here focuses on a naturally aspirated, high-compression engine making 750 horsepower. Can you drive an engine like this on the street with E85 and save money on fuel? Find out on this episode of Engine Masters, which is supported by Earl's Vapor Guard hose (specifically made to endure ethanol fuels), Mr. Gasket, Auto Meter, Permatex, and Summit Racing.

This time on Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, it's a horsepower battle with the world's most popular classic V-8s: the Chevy small-block versus the Ford Windsor. Using rebuilt short-blocks and parts packages from SummitRacing.com, the Engine Masters team built two engines as equally as possible, using a Chevy 350 and a Ford 351 with Holley carburetors, Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intakes, Air Flow Research 195 heads, Comp Cams hydraulic roller cams, and 13/4-inch-tube headers. Will one small-block make more power than the other based on inherent design superiority? The dyno is here to find out. Engine Masters is supported by Mr. Gasket, Earl's Vapor Guard, Auto Meter, Summit Racing, and Permatex.

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we explain how oil kills power—because it's not about synthetic versus regular oil and not about a brand-to-brand comparison, but about windage and oil-pan design. We take a 700hp big-block Chevy and show you how too much oil can kill 20 hp, and you'll also see gains when we go from a stock-design pan to a Milodon drag-racing oil pan. We are thankful for Engine Masters' sponsors Permatex (for no oil leaks!), Auto Meter (to check oil pressure), Mr. Gasket (to keep the oil inside), Earls (for AN oil lines and more), and Summit Racing Equipment (where you can buy it all).

It's back to basics this time on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, with a comparison of dual-plane versus single-plane intake manifolds. While the intakes used here are typical for any carbureted V-8, the lessons about how the length of the intake runners affects the shape of the power curve apply to any four-stroke engine. So are you into low-end grunt, or top-rpm horsepower? And how much of one are you willing to sacrifice to get the other? This episode will help you answer those questions. Engine Masters is supported by MSD, Holley, Permatex, Auto Meter, and Summit Racing!

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.

You asked and we're here to answer! On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we take our small-block Chevy 383 and show, piece by piece, how much power your water pump kills. We move from an electric pump to mechanical with all kinds of cooling tricks to show you just how little it matters. We even throw on an alternator under load just to drive the point home. Engine Masters is supported by Summit Racing Equipment, Holley/MSD, Earls Vapor Guard Hose, and Mr. Gasket.

Get ready for "no replacement for displacement" with a massive 598ci BluePrint Engines crate big-block Chevy! On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we're going to show you two completely different power combos, one for low-buck and massive street-ready low-end torque, and a second one for high-buck and high-rpm killer horsepower. Both of these setups proved super effective and we'd encourage you to duplicate them, but the episode also addresses the age-old questions about torque versus horsepower and how they are affected by parts selection and rpm—as well as how they might need to be set up in a car. And by the way, we LOVE this engine!

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.

More myths shattered! For decades, street/strip racers have been told not to run nitrous-oxide injection on the most common dual-plane intake manifolds because "you'll get fuel distribution problems." But is it true? We're here to find out on Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, where this time we run the most popular intakes with a 175hp nitrous shot and analyze cylinder-to-cylinder air/fuel ratios to discover the facts. While we're at it, we'll find out which intake makes the most power on nitrous. See it all on this episode!

Purists disputed our 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.

This episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL is very personal to host David Freiburger, since it's his own race engine that he handbuilt in the quest to get into the 200 MPH Club at El Mirage Dry Lake. Instead of the normal A/B testing on Engine Masters, this episode will focus on the details that make the engine optimized, specifically for the sustained wide-open throttle operation required for land speed racing. Plus, you'll get to see a ProCharger make more than 1,000 horsepower on a 23-degree, 347ci small-block!

In the modern world of bulletproof bottom ends, boost has become the go-to for bolt-on power. But is it really the best way to get where you want to be? On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, David Freiburger, Steve Dulcich and Steve Brulé take a bone-stock 5.3 truck LS and test four different combos of built and boosted. Building off the baseline of the naturally aspirated motor, they pull big numbers with just an intercooled turbo setup. Next, they pull the turbo to build it N/A with heads, a cam, and an intake, and then finally hang the turbo back onto the newly built mill. The choice is up to you (and your budget), but the guys will give you all the data to decide where to spend your dough.

This time on Engine Masters presented by Amsoil, we go head-to-head-to-head-to-head to find the best dual-plane for your buck. Using our longtime test mule 372 small-block Chevy, we bolt up the four most popular Air-Gap–style dual-planes to compare power and cost, to help you make the best choice for your engine and budget.

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, we take the mystery out of carburetor selection. More air means more power, but is there such a thing as too big? And how do you know when you've passed good? David Freiburger, Steve Dulcich, Steve Brulé from Westech Performance, and the dyno get together to compare carbs from 650 to 950 cfm on Our Ultimate Average 383 to help you find all the power and all the driveability.

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, David Freiburger, Steve Dulcich, and special guest Richard Holdener explore the science of reducing temperature out of a turbo in order to increase power out of the engine. Intercoolers cool wonderfully, but they can be expensive and tough to package. Water/meth injection is cheaper and easier to package, but will it cost you power in the end?  

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?

How much effort have you put into tuning your carb and ignition? We're always talking about ignition timing and air/fuel ratios, but never about their direct impact on your power production. This time on Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we show you how much power you could be throwing away with a subpar tune-up.

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.

Budget mufflers. What do you get for $40? How do they sound and how much power do they kill? On this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we run our 408 Cleveland with 12 different muffler options, including no muffler, straight through, chambered, and turbo style. Which one is best for you is up to you, but here's all the info you'll need to make the decision.

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.

Well, maybe. This time on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we dive into what effect changes to your intake manifold's plenum volume will have on your motor. We want to know if all of the Internet's theories about big boost, big cubes, and/or big rpm needing bigger plenum volume really hold water. Will all of that increased volume really turn into increased power production or are you just creating hood clearance headaches? Watch as we go from straight out-of-the-box to out-of-the-bounds-of-sanity with this plenum volume comparison. 

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.

You've known and loved the 440 for as long as we have, and haven't been able to afford a proper muscle car 440 in just as long. You've probably also seen our motorhome 440 antics on Roadkill and Roadkill Garage. So on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL, we take one of those uber-low dollar, uber-low compression boat anchors and see how respectable it can be with just a few more bucks in investment.

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the crew sets out to test the effects of running long vs. short rods on otherwise identical engines. They'll figure out if the long rods make more torque, if the shorter rods' faster swipe makes a difference, or if rod length doesn't actually matter.

The guys find out which cheap carb produces the most expensive results on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. They pick a fight among remanufactured offerings from Edelbrock, Summit and Demon to see which will pump the most power into their tried-and-true Ultimate Average 383 Chevrolet.

The guys flip things upside down to find out how much power you might be leaving in your oil pan on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. Pan shape, windage and oil control features all play a part in minimizing turbulence around the crank, but an $1,100 solution may not be worth the cost.

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, all else equal, which will make more power, an iron head or an aluminum one? Aside from the obvious weight savings, 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.

Changing a camshaft's installed centerline creates a shift in when valves open and close, so on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the crew explores how a little advance or a little retard in cam timing can help tune a power curve for high-end performance or low-end power.

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys experiment with lash adjustments in an effort unleash some serious (and free) ponies. Specific engine and cam combos can benefit from loosening or tightening, leading to more power and better performance.

The guys determine whether a dual 2.5-inch or a single 3.0-inch exhaust system has more power on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. They swap pipes on a run-of-the mill 351 Ford, then they test turbo versus straight-through mufflers and Y-pipe versus a 90-degree merge.

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys answer the question of whether a carb spacer producers more power. The answer is yes, no and maybe, depending on the engine and manifold combination. A couple extra ponies might be possible with some seriously minimal effort.

On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys test the belief that a simple swap of the standard firing order can create more power in a 90-degree v-8. They do a 4/7 swap on a big 572 to see if there's more power to be had, or if the the theories are just that: theories.

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.

1,500 horsepower!!! Need we say more?! On this episode of Engine Masters, presented bt AMSOIL, 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.

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.

Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, explores the myriad gains that can be found for a sickly, low-compression 440. The guys plumb up a turbo, add a set of too-trick-for-this cylinder heads, and finally push some turbo boost through those heads.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the crew dives into how cylinder head flow and boost affect horsepower. They run their 363 Windsor once with 195cc and 225cc heads, and declare once and for all if cylinder heads actually matter under boost.

The guys run tests with 87, 91, 110, 116 and even E85 to see if higher octane makes more power, and if an engine's optimal timing even changes with different octane. See what happens as we pump up the gas on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys put a Demon 650 blow-through carb up against Holley's new Super Sniper Stealth throttle-body-style EFI to see which reigns supreme in terms of tunability, cylinder-to-cylinder distribution and horsepower.

The guys find out if mandrel-bent exhaust pipes really make more power over the crimped and crunched pipes the local shop bends up. They test them with mufflers, without mufflers, with turbo mufflers and more on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

As unsexy as it is, protecting an engine starts with the oil and filter. On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the crew tests 10 different filters back-to-back-to-back. From the cheapest to the trickest in the catalog, they're on the hunt for the best.

Since the dawn of supercharging, compressed air has been stuffed through carburetors, and it's as true now as it was back then. The question today on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, is: what type of carb hat is best for that blow-through application?

The crew is on the hunt for two things. First, they're searching for low air temps and big HP numbers as they compare the heat-extracting power of under-roots intercoolers vs. E85! And secondly, they aim to bring up the entire curve by swapping the short-runner blower manifold for a tunnel ram.

Does port matching an intake manifold create enough power to justify the cost? On Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the crew is going to find out with an out-of-the-box Super Victor, a port-matched Super Victor and an off-shelf Wilson-prepped version.

When it comes right down to it, nothing that happens on the dyno matters until you get the engine in the car. Today on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys test everything that will be used in David Freiburger's Model A drag car.

Holley carbs have been known for years as the standard by which all racing carbs are measured, but today's question is this: CFMs being equal, is there any difference in power between the smaller-bore, narrower-set "street" style 4150 carb and the bigger-bore, wider-base 4500 series Dominator carb?

Does compression make power? The easy answer is yes, but the answers we're looking for today have more to do with how it makes power and how sensitive it becomes to temperature on pump gas. Does it favor top or bottom-end power, or does a point of compression equal a linear increase across the powerband?

It's a battle between the iconic 440 Six Pack and the legendary 426 Hemi, and we're settling age-old bets on this one. Do they live up to lore of 440 grunt and 426 top end? Can the Six Pack cool outgun the famed Hemi heads?

We're taking trips to the moon as we test different combos on a 331ci small Chevy. Starting with an excellent little combo good for 7K RPM, we step it up to show you how improved airflow on a small motor equals pure RPM. Best of all, we do it all with simple parts and a small budget.

Sounds boring, we know. But if you're like us, you've always chosen an oil pump based on some knee-jerk instinct. It's time to finally learn the difference between standard, high-volume and high-pressure oil pumps in terms of pressure, flow and horsepower. Come see what there is to know on this episode of Engine Masters.

We all know that adding any sort of restrictor -- like a muffler -- is going to hurt power on a turbo motor. We also know that sometimes it just makes sanity-sense to cut down excess noise. The crew tries to find out just how much horsepower that sanity costs.

We love our big-block Mopars here at Engine Masters, and we've finally put together a horsepower-per-dollar comparison of street-centric wedge cylinder heads. Want to spend bottom dollar on some 906s? We've got you covered. Want to step all the way up to CNC-ported, tall-valve set of TFSes? Tested.

You've seen them, you've 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 study the fueling demands, horsepower, and the pros and cons of running 116 octane gasoline, E85, methanol and oxygenated gas. They all have different oxygen contents, air/fuel ratio demands, and ultimately, different abilities to cool the cylinder and create power. What does that all mean, and which is right for you?

The guys explore the cooling benefits of water-methanol injection. They'll 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. There's plenty to explore with a little experimentation on the dyno.

We've done air filter shootouts before, but none like this. On this episode of Engine Masters, it's all about finding the least restrictive way to route a cold air system. We're here to find out how much the size of that filter, as well as the length, path and diameter of the tubing, affects your performance.

We dive into the fundamentals of the cheapest, easiest and most effective way to give your motor some grunt: nitrous oxide. Using the most basic 150-horse plate system, we'll show you the basics on installation, safety and tuning for nitrous on your typical carbureted engine.

We explore the differences between single and split-duration camshafts. Can the extended exhaust duration of the split pattern crutch poor exhaust flow? Does the single pattern really suffer at RPM in the name of low-speed torque? And why would you ever not want to run a split pattern?

It's finally time for some 5.9 Magnum action! This is the easiest Mopar V8 to score out of the junkyard, and we're shooting out intake upgrades for a street car swap. We pit the factory kegger manifold against a worked-up aftermarket piece, an upsized throttle body, and even against two carbureted manifold options.

Some claim it makes more power, others say it helps an engine rev more quickly, but can the simple flopping of a piston's orientation in the cylinder really affect its performance or behavior? Today, the guys perform what may be the first ever back-to-back comparison of factory-oriented pistons against reverse-oriented ones.

We strap the General Mayhem 440 on the dyno to make some decisions on which intake and headers to run in the car, but also -- and most importantly -- to squeeze out more than the 707 Hellcat horsepowers that have been so unceremoniously yanked from the framerails.

We all know valve float as the evil that lurks beyond the redline, the dreaded robber of horsepower and destroyer of valves. But what is it really? What does it look like when it happens? And how can you put it as high in the RPM band as possible?

Ahhh, the Holley 4150. Released in the late '50s and made available to the aftermarket in the '60s, it has been the gold standard for performance carburetion ever since. It has an enormous range of street and race applications, and its design has been copied countless times. Seemingly everyone has one, but do you really know how to tune one? Join us as our resident carb whisper, Steve Brule, takes us through all the tips and tricks you need to know to get your 4150 running its best on any engine. See it on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL!

Driven by lunacy as much as novelty, Dulcich is at it again with his slant-six tomfoolery. With goals of his 225ci monster powering a daily driver '68 Dart, Steve is putting four aftermarket intake manifolds to the test to see what will give him the most grunt. But can Steve "RPM" Dulcich see past the peak horsepower to the meat of daily driver torque? Probably not, but we'll find out on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.

We're talking an OEM used parts comparo, abundantly plentiful in the junkyards and classifieds. This debate has raged in the LS community for years, and we're here to show you the difference in power potential between a dime-a-dozen cathedral port and the "racier" rectangular ports found on the LS3. The rectangles have bigger intake ports and flow numbers, bigger valves, and bigger chambers, but what does it all add up to? Come find out on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL.*

The new Hemi has a new Hemi, but is it any better than the old new Hemi? That's right, we're battling two iterations of the 5.7 III Hemi, the '03-08 vs. the '09-current, and we're learning a TON in the process. With an eye toward engine-swap simplicity, we've stuffed them both with the biggest cams they can handle and managed fuel and spark in the most affordable way possible for each. The only thing left to do is decide how you want to spend your hard-earned Hemi-swapping dollars. Let us show you the way on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL.

The Windsor family finally gets its turn at an intake shootout! This test mule is a Dart-based Windsor at 363ci with a solid roller cam and 7,100 rpm, and it's just begging for the best single-plane manifold to breathe through. With offerings from Edelbrock, Trick Flow, Ford Racing, AFR, and SpeedMaster, we're sure to make our small Ford sing! Come check them all out on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL.

It's the age-old battle of power v price, but is it as simple as all that? Are you really giving up significant power by cheaping out on a solid flat tappet, or is the extra power of the roller worth every penny? Join us on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL as we talk duration, lobe intensity, spring pressures, dollars and horsepower.

Are your cast manifolds enough to keep up with your turbo motor? And at what point should you be running proper headers? Those are the questions we're asking this time on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL. Using a typical mill you'd find in a turbo street car, we're running our 630-hp 5.3 LS with factory exhaust manifolds and again with turbo headers to show you the differences in boost, backpressure, and horsepower.

One fuel, two fuel, hot fuel, cool fuel. If you think that was a mouthful, just wait until you hear what our guys have to say in this one! Inspired by the learnings from Episode 43's study on coolant temperature testing, we're going one step beyond icing down the manifold. This time on Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we're deliberately heating and cooling our fuel to see the difference it makes to the tune and the power output of our Ultimate Average 383.

The Mopar Max Wedge head was once considered all but unobtanium. The aftermarket has finally come to the rescue, making Max Wedge heads that are both available and affordable. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we've got an example of a 270cc Trick Flow unit to see if the Max Wedge style, with its bigger intake runners and more direct flow path, are really a worthwhile upgrade for YOUR typical street/strip big-block.

You've seen them all over. On vintage race cars, trophy trucks, motorcycles, and even—for some reason—street cars. They're header wraps, and manufacturers claim they not only reduce radiant heat, but create additional power through their scavenging effects and superior heat management. Is any of it true?? We'll find out on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, as we test a set of painted, ceramic-coated, and wrapped headers against one another on our Ultimate Average 383.

So you've got an LS and you need to make a choice on an intake. Chances are high you're looking at some version of Holly's "Ram" Intakes, whether it's the long runner Hi-Ram, the Mid-Rise, the compact Lo-Ram, or the hood-clearance-friendly Ultra Lo-Ram. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we line them up one by one on our 550 rectangle port headed 6.2-liter LS to help you decide which power curve is best for you. But fear not, cathedral-headed LSers, this test applies for you, too!

It shouldn't be hard to believe, but there are plenty of folks out there opting to run a carburetor on the new-fangled LS. So many folks, in fact, that even after whittling down the offerings, we still have six different manifolds to sandwich between our old-school carb and our new-school 6.0 LS. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we not only show you the differences between these popular manifolds and test the power they make, but also how to get your LS running with a carb as easily as possible. We've got a lot of pulls to make, so let's get started.

You've seen them around for years, you may have considered running them, you may even have them on your car right now. But do exhaust cutouts really serve any purpose beyond rattling the drums out of passersby's ears? Well, proponents have always claimed they make your car faster, but on this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we see how they stack up against a full exhaust and a header extension behind our heavy-breathing 598-cubic-inch Big Block Chevy. We run them in multiple positions as well as both open and corked to see just what effect they have on power, no matter how you want to run them.

How much hidden power is lurking in your existing engine combination? We're here to show you how to find it without buying, changing or upgrading a single component. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, we use all the little tips and tricks we've learned over the seasons to super-tune every bit of remaining horsepower out of the 410ci Windsor from David's Disgustang.

No matter how many LS swaps are out there, the old-school SBC is still an absolute force in the marketplace. On this episode of Engine Masters, presented by AMSOIL, the guys bolt three of the lowest-buck cylinder heads out there to their Ultimate Average 383 and make pulls for power!

This test is all about choosing the features you want and need on your carburetor, and how those features affect horsepower and tunability. Do mechanical secondaries really make any more power than vacuum-power ones? Does a choke horn restrict inlet airflow? We'll help you decide what's best for your application on this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL.

Same test, new twist. We've tested single V-split pattern cams before on Engine Masters and concluded that a split pattern can increase top-end power without necessarily affecting bottom-end torque. Well, our findings have been challenged, and we're here for the science. If that was an earful, you'll definitely want the details inside this episode of Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL.

We all know oil pressure is critical. Not enough can leave you broken, and too much can have you springing leaks. But can too much also be robbing precious horsepower? To find out, the guys test three commonly ordered LS oil pumps in different volume and pressure configurations to see if oil pumps can in fact be enough of a rotational drag to affect power production.

What do you do when your 800-horsepower 572 just won't get you consistent eight-second passes in your '31 Model A? Well, if you're David Freiburger, you strap it to the Westech dyno to tune, poke and swap at until you're at a comfortable 950+ horsepower.

It's arguably the coolest carb configuration of all time. The 3x2 setup on the six pack was designed to supply part-throttle economy on the center carb while the outside carbs kick in for power! The guys shoot out three of the coolest vintage six pack designs to find out which is gimmick, which is greatness, and which makes the most power on a street 440.

With the power potential of E85 available only at limited gas stations, having the ability to run a blend of gasoline and E85 in your street car is a game changer. Credit the flex fuel sensor. By sampling your fuel composition and adjusting fuel flow, you can not only run a mix of fuels, but make more and more power as you mix in more and more E85.

Do boost leaks really even matter? Can vacuum leaks make more power? You read those questions right. Come be surprised right along with us as we find power in unexpected places, and lose less than we'd expect in others.

So you've decided to run nitrous on your EFI manifold and need to know how a wet system stacks up against a dry system. Does one make more power or give you more problems than the other? Which is easier to set up, and which requires more tuning? What does wet or dry even mean?

We've been covering the battle of carburetor versus EFI as far back as Episode 2 of Engine Masters. In this edition, multipoint EFI is getting its turn against the venerable Dominator. It's injectors versus jets, dry flow versus wet, and drivability versus horsepower.

One thousand horsepower is becoming all too common these days, and all too accessible. With such staggering numbers so well within reach, it's time we really looked into the differences between two ways to get there: a supercharger on a medium-sized mill; and natural aspiration atop a large-displacement. If you wanna go big, get informed.

As a longtime soapbox-shouter of tunnel-ram greatness, David Freiburger is constantly peppered with questions about running a single four-barrel carb versus dual quads on the tunnel ram. And finally, he answers with this: a street-car tunnel-ram setup for the guys who are all about the look, the presence, and the glory of the tunnel ram.

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, presented by AMSOIL.

Our testing has repeatedly shown that carbs make more peak power than EFI, and our explanation is based on the fuel's ability to cool the incoming air on its way to the head. Multipoint injection just can't do that. Or can it? We move fuel injectors up the intake manifold runners to see if the extra distance of suspended fuel makes extra power, presented by AMSOIL.

We know that air-to-water intercoolers make power by absorbing the heat of the intake air into the cool of the IC's water. But doesn't that water eventually just get hot, too? We explore the effects of different-sized water tanks and their ability to keep the intake charge colder longer, as well as to hold ice and make power gains even larger!

How much airflow does a throttle body need to provide? The crew compares 90 mm and 105 mm forward-facing throttle bodies against one another, and then to 2000 cfm worth of top-mounted, dual quad-style throttle bodies. These will all sit atop a fuel-injected, 442ci LS7 mill pumping out around 700 hp. How much airflow is enough for this power level?

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? We'll answer that very question for both N/A and supercharged versions of our 363ci small-block Ford.

Precise and scientific or unrefined and ham-fisted? Despite the reputations sequential and batch-fire injection styles each carry, does either really make a difference when it comes to overall power? The guys explore that question, as well as tunability, what it takes to make the switch, and all of the pros and cons that come along with each.

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

Can any one type of spark plug make more power than the next? What about the ones with fancy metal tips or extra ground straps? What if you gap them bigger or smaller? The crew answers all these questions and shares as many tips and tricks as you can handle.

This one's all about how the length of header primary tubes can affect the power curve. The guys explore all the different ways an engine expels its exhaust -- mainly the negative pressure wave that pulls burnt gases from the cylinder, how that changes how much torque is made, and where the power occurs.

The bigger the cam, the higher the curve, right? Well, there's some truth to that, but what about when you're talking about low-end torque? The guys explore the world of usable, cruise-able, tow-ready torque curves with three of the smallest camshafts they've ever tested. But how small is too small? Come along as they find out.

Steve Dulcich has posed the theory that headers don't 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?

Listen up, street drivers of big-block Chevys, this is the shootout for you! With so many average power, cruiser level, and even bone stock BBC's roaming around, this one is long overdue. From high rise to low rise, square bore and spread bore, this episode of Engine Masters is all about which intake will give you the most bang for your basic big-block.

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.

Why does colder fuel make more power? How can you consistently keep fuel temps down, and what difference will it really make? All these questions, and more, answered this time on Engine Masters.

We've all run the standard 14-inch round filter in the past and wondered every time if there's 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?

Can your pushrods or valve springs affect your power production, even when valve float isn't a problem? This promises to be an eye-opening episode of Engine Masters, as we test varying combinations of valve spring and pushrod strengths in our 514 big-block Ford.

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.

We've done an intake manifold comparison on nearly every American big and small block platform, and at long last it's big block Ford's turn. We're shooting out single planes AND dual planes on a healthy street/strip 514ci combo that should relate to what a lot of BBF guys are running.

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. We're testing header wraps and panel heat shields, so come see how -- and how not -- to keep your cool.

Standalone air/fuel ratio gauges have changed the game when it comes to tuning carbureted engines, with a world of possibilities and pitfalls when using them. We start by comparing five off-the-shelf units, then move on to showing how things like placement, air leaks and even dead cylinders can affect your readings, your tuning decisions, and ultimately your power levels.

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.

Freiburger's 582 big block Chevy is back! And this time we're using it to shoot out 1050, 1250 and 1450 cfm Dominators. When you're flirting in that 1,000-hp range, how much difference do those extra cfms make, and how much does the tune change between them?

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

Does a 300 shot of nitrous sound like a lot, or like you're just getting started? That's one way to tell if you should be running a plate or a port system, and the guys walk you through each system, how much power you can add through each, and the jetting differences between them.

As this show often does, we're diving back into the intricacies of camshaft grinds. This time, we're exploring not just split-duration cams, but how larger and larger splits affect the power curve. Will it make any difference at all?

We all know there's invisible voodoo that can make or rob power in an exhaust system. The guys explore the merits of stepped headers, whose primaries step up in diameter, and merge collectors, which create an intentional restriction in the collector, against good old-fashioned, no-frills headers. Do the frequency-tuning claims of the steps and the velocity-enhancing merges make a difference to your motor? Absolutely!