9:00 - Team #30 - TM Enterprises/Ford
Anticipation was high as our first engine hit the dyno to open the 2009 Engine Masters Challenge.
Fielding an impressive-looking 534 ci Boss Ford big block, the dual-quad and tunnel ram equipped entry from TM Enterprises had all eyes on the dyno. The engine experienced moderate detonation in the warm-up pull, drawing heavily on the heavy air at our host UNOH dyno facility. Taking full advantage of the allotted tune-up period, Eric Simone and crew fattened the mixture and pulled timing to bring the big Ford into its sweet spot. The team set our first numbers with a score of 2465.7
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| Pull # | 1 | 2 | 3 | Avg |
| Torque | 673 | 671 | 668 | 671 |
| Horsepower | 648 | 646 | 644 | 646 |
| Final Score - 2,465.7 @ 534 CI |
 Eric Simone gives his big...  Eric Simone gives his big bad Boss motor the final once over after being mounted to the dyno. Taking the position of the first engine to run, team TM Enterprises would set the initial benchmark. |  Looking to fatten up the power...  Looking to fatten up the power numbers, the team went to work adjusting the float level to richen the fuel mixture a fraction. |  With plenty of experience...  With plenty of experience on the dyno, Eric Simone and his crew worked competently and quickly during the allotted tuning period to get the most from the Ford Boss. |
10:00 - Team #29 - Corey Short/Chrysler
Coming in just after the Boss Ford was the Hemi Chrysler entry from the Short team, setting the stage for a Ford/Mopar Hemi showdown reminiscent of the heyday of racing past. The team was put to the test as an electrical issue in the ignition created a no-start condition on the dyno. The team executed a quick change of the complete ignition system in the allotted time, and the Hemi fired to life. The engine pulled cleanly and easily to the upper limit of our test range, with no signs of distress or detonation. However when the numbers were finally tallied, the dual-quad Hemi fell in behind the front runner Ford with a score of 2252.9.
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| Pull # | 1 | 2 | 3 | Avg |
| Torque | 595 | 588 | 584 | 589 |
| Horsepower | 574 | 568 | 565 | 569 |
| Final Score - 2,252.9 @ 514 CI |
 The Big Mopar Hemi looked...  The Big Mopar Hemi looked impressive with the dual quads perched on its tunnel ram intake manifold. Here Bill Short completes the details of the dyno hook-up. |  Trouble came early for the...  Trouble came early for the Short team when the ignition system failed to deliver spark. The entire family team went to work on the electronics, and quickly had the Hemi fired to life. |  Cory Short dialed-in the ignition...  Cory Short dialed-in the ignition timing, and the Hemi continued into the competition dyno pulls with no additional tuning. |
11:00- Team #28 - SEMCO Performance/Pontiac
Pontiac experts Semco Performance came to the event packing a stout-looking 407-cubic inch Poncho. This engine bucked the trend of most builders by forgoing the option of running multi-carburetion in favor of a single four barrel. These veteran Engine Masters Competitors came to the dyno knowing what to expect, and well-prepared. With the cool calmness of experience working for them, the team went through hook-up, warm-up and the tuning period like seasoned professionals. The effort cumulated in the scored pulls, with 2415.1 points showing on the board. Although the score was not sufficient to take the lead from the TM Enterprises entry, we congratulate the Semco team on their fine effort.
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| Pull # | 1 | 2 | 3 | Avg |
| Torque | 502 | 502 | 500 | 501 |
| Horsepower | 482.8 | 482.8 | 479.9 | 481.7 |
| Final Score - 2,415.1 @ 407 CI |
 As experienced competitors,...  As experienced competitors, the Semco team was well-prepared as the engine was loaded onto the dyno cart to await a turn at the dyno. |  While many teams made the...  While many teams made the move to a dual-quad carburetor configuration, Semco went with the simplicity of a single four-barrel configuration on their healthy Pontiac. |  The engine endured its test...  The engine endured its test under fire, working through the dyno routine in a smooth seemingly effortless manner. |
1:00 - Team #27 - Automotive Machine & Performance/Ford
There's no denying that this year's Challenge has brought out some exotic machinery. Automotive Machine and Performance brought another Boss Ford big block to the contest, this being a 432-cubic inch version with dual quads on a tunnel ram intake manifold. This experienced team had the Ford up and running with no problems, and by the heavy thump in the cell the engine sounded strong. The warm-up pulls showed the engine running a little rich, and adjustments were made to the jets and air bleeds during the tuning period. The team continued with their tuning regime, adjusting out a touch or timing. These adjustments paid off with an improved output, putting the score for the engine at 2554.1, enough to put the team in the current second position.
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| Pull # | 1 | 2 | 3 | Avg |
| Torque | 544 | 537 | 536 | 539 |
| Horsepower | 528 | 522 | 520 | 523.3 |
| Final Score - 2,459.1 @ 432 CI |
 Mike Phillips of Performance...  Mike Phillips of Performance Machine and Performance takes a close look at the carbs and stacks as the Automotive Machine and Performance was prepared for competition |  Tuning changes in qualifying...  Tuning changes in qualifying took a two-pronged approach, including fuel calibration and timing. Here, the carbs are opened for a jetting change. |  The coordination of the team...  The coordination of the team with all hands on deck and working in unison speaks volumes on the experience and skill of these men. |