Engine Masters - Season 8

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Engine Masters presented by AMSOIL is an all-new show on the Motor Trend Channel featuring parts testing and engine-to-engine shootouts. Developed from the popular Engine Masters Challenge – a dyno shootout event also presented by AMSOIL – Engine Masters on the Motor Trend YouTube Channel is hosted by David Freiburger of Roadkill, Steve Dulcich of Engine Masters magazine, and Steve Brule of Westech Performance Group.

Engine Masters: Season 8 - 26 Episode s

8x1 - Air-to-Air Intercooler, Now With CO2!!
March 24, 2023
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.
8x2 - High vs. Low Injectors
March 31, 2023
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.
8x3 - Tank Testing for Air-to-Water Intercoolers
April 7, 2023
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 IC's water.
8x4 - The Throttle-Body Throwdown!
April 14, 2023
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, all atop a fuel-injected, 700-hp LS7.
8x5 - Bellmouth Power
April 21, 2023
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.
8x6 - Sequential vs. Batch Fire EFI
April 28, 2023
The reputations of sequential and batch-fire injection styles each carry when it comes to overall power; the guys explore that question, tunability, what it takes to make the switch, and all of the pros and cons.
8x7 - One Cam, Three Ways
May 5, 2023
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?
8x8 - Straight Talk About Spark Plugs
May 12, 2023
The crew examines the power of different types of spark plugs, such as ones with fancy metal tips or extra ground straps, and explains the results of gapping them bigger or smaller.
8x9 - Exhaust Tech: Header Primary Length
May 19, 2023
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.
8x10 - Cams: How Small Is Too Small?
May 26, 2023
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.
8x11 - When Headers Don't Matter
June 2, 2023
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?
8x12 - Big-Block Chevy Dual Plane Shootout!
June 9, 2023
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.
8x13 - The Weight of Oil
June 16, 2023
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.
8x14 - Keep Your Fuel Cool!!
August 25, 2023
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.
8x15 - The Surprising Findings of the Air Filter Shootout
September 1, 2023
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?
8x16 - Proper Pushrods & Sufficient Springs
September 8, 2023
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.
8x17 - The Nitrous Plate Debate
September 15, 2023
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.
8x18 - BBF Intake Manifold Comparison
September 22, 2023
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.
8x19 - Heat Management
September 29, 2023
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.
8x20 - A Study in O2 Sensors and AFR Readings
October 6, 2023
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.
8x21 - Controlling the Hit
October 13, 2023
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.
8x22 - BIG CFM Shootout
October 20, 2023
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?
8x23 - Sniper 2 the Rescue
October 27, 2023
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.
8x24 - Port v Plate Nitrous Injection
November 3, 2023
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.
8x25 - The Exhaust Duration Equation
November 10, 2023
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?
8x26 - Header Science: Step vs. Merge
November 17, 2023
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!

Engine Masters - Season 8

Engine Masters: Season 8 - 26 Episode s

8x1 - Air-to-Air Intercooler, Now With CO2!!

8x2 - High vs. Low Injectors

8x3 - Tank Testing for Air-to-Water Intercoolers

8x4 - The Throttle-Body Throwdown!

8x5 - Bellmouth Power

8x6 - Sequential vs. Batch Fire EFI

8x7 - One Cam, Three Ways

8x8 - Straight Talk About Spark Plugs

8x9 - Exhaust Tech: Header Primary Length

8x10 - Cams: How Small Is Too Small?

8x11 - When Headers Don't Matter

8x12 - Big-Block Chevy Dual Plane Shootout!

8x13 - The Weight of Oil

8x14 - Keep Your Fuel Cool!!

8x15 - The Surprising Findings of the Air Filter Shootout

8x16 - Proper Pushrods & Sufficient Springs

8x17 - The Nitrous Plate Debate

8x18 - BBF Intake Manifold Comparison

8x19 - Heat Management

8x20 - A Study in O2 Sensors and AFR Readings

8x21 - Controlling the Hit

8x22 - BIG CFM Shootout

8x23 - Sniper 2 the Rescue

8x24 - Port v Plate Nitrous Injection

8x25 - The Exhaust Duration Equation

8x26 - Header Science: Step vs. Merge

Engine Masters: All seasons

S1: Season 1

S2: Season 2

S3: Season 3

S4: Season 4

S5: Season 5

S6: Season 6

S7: Season 7

S8: Season 8