Challenge-Worthy

DTS Dynos Make The Jeg's Engine Masters Challenge Happen

By Scott Parkhurst

With the growth of our popular Jeg's Engine Masters Challenge competition came the need for a new location with multiple dyno cells, and the absolute need for incredibly accurate information to determine the annual Champion. Our Challenge competition tests engines for average power production (both torque and horsepower) over a given rpm range (this year, it's 2,500-6,500 rpm). In searching for a new home, we found a facility boasting a trio of identical new Dynamic Test Systems (DTS) dynos, and the capability to offer competitors a way to truly compare dyno figures with the Champions of this new sport.

Previous Challenges had been hindered by the understandable want of the participants to compare data. By choosing to locate our "qualifying" sites in different geographical parts of the country, this became impossible. Variations in weather, altitude, and test machinery meant the best-running engines would all go to the Finals, but the numbers produced in the qualifying sessions could not be directly compared. We needed to find a better way to level the playing field so all participants could see how they fared directly with those who'd be crowned Champions.

With a location found and secured as the new home of the Challenge, we were happy to begin work with the manufacturers of the dynos we'd be testing on. Dynamic Test Systems (DTS) was enthusiastic about the Challenge being run on their well-refined dynos, and we shared with them our need for absolute synchronicity between the three separate machines. All the subject engines could now be located under the same roof and be tested under very similar conditions (geographically-speaking). We needed their assurance all three dynos would be capable of delivering identical test data to ensure all participants a fair run.

What we got from DTS was more than assurance. This team is seeing the Challenge as a perfect way to showcase the accuracy and repeatability of their dyno test systems. They've guaranteed us accuracy to within less than one total horsepower among all three dynos, which is perfectly acceptable to us. Further review of their product only served to build our confidence in their claims. While no one will truly see this benefit until after the Challenge competition has been completed, what we've learned has certainly shored up our beliefs in making the best-possible decisions for our Challenge, and we'd like to share those findings with you.

We know relatively few of our readers will ever actually own their own dyno. However, we know more and more readers are having their own engines or cars tested on dynos to better tune them for efficiency, and also to know the exact power figures to work with. Also, testing a new engine ensures the assembly and machining is correct, and after a thorough dyno session, the owner knows the current state of their significant engine investment.

Knowing the engine runs well prior to its installation in a vehicle saves on headaches, too. Once the engine is installed, the owner knows it's capable of starting and running well, so if it doesn't start, or if it starts but runs badly, the builder knows it's not the engine, but some other subsystem in the car. Should you install a fresh, untested engine in the car and have issues getting it started or running correctly, is it the engine itself, or something in the car? You simply cannot know until the problem is diagnosed accurately and corrected. If you'd have dyno tested the engine first, you'd know for certain.

In looking over the DTS equipment, we learned plenty about engine testing. We've been doing this for awhile and were surprised at just how much we did not know. Let's take a look at some DTS equipment, and once we're through it should become apparent how important accurate dyno testing is for everyone, and exactly how critical it's grown to be for the participants and sponsors of our Jeg's Engine Masters Challenge competition. By working with the dedicated crew at DTS, we feel we're doing our very best to deliver the world's finest dyno racing competition, and after learning a bit more about how they do things, we're confident you'll want your next engine tested on a DTS dyno too. There may be some power hiding inside you didn't know about, and these machines have been designed to help you find every last horsepower you've already paid for. That's the kind of machine we find hard not to love, and we're quickly falling for these innovative and precise machines from DTS.