Ultimate Callout Challenge 2017: Dyno Competition

• May 12, 2017
• Story By
  Mike McGlothlin - Contributing Editor

After the smoke had dissipated from the drag strip, competitors immediately got to work preparing their trucks for the next grueling test: the chassis dyno. While some owners simply changed tires or made tuning tweaks, others thrashed all night long to ready their rigs for the rollers. The carnage endured during the drag race had several competitors searching for parts, hanging spare turbos, rebuilding, inspecting or replacing transmissions and others were even swapping in brand new engines. When the sun came up on Day 2, the transmissions were fixed, the engines were set on “kill” and the nitrous bottles were topped off. It was time to let it all hang out yet again.

During the dyno competition, each competitor would be pitted against the mobile AutoDyn 849 load cell SuperFlow chassis dyno owned by Custom Auto of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Each competitor was given 20 minutes to produce the biggest horsepower and torque number their truck could muster. Some used the full 20 minutes while others made a solid number and called it good. Some swung for the fences and survived while others suffered catastrophic damage. Everything from 2,400-rwhp to complete engine failure was on display during this event, so make sure you check out all the details below.

There’s just one more contest to go, so stay tuned… In the finale, these trucks will face off against the iron sled.

Shawn Baca: 2,447 HP/3,311 LB-FT

With a 19th place finish in the drag race, it wasn’t the start that Shawn Baca and the Industrial Injection crew were hoping for. On top of that, the only usable gear left in the transmission was Overdrive. But with Shawn being a known commodity in chassis dyno competitions — and Overdrive happening to be his gear of choice on the rollers anyway — no one was counting him out just yet. However, just when it looked like Shawn had entered his comfort zone, more gremlins surfaced. Due to a stuck nitrous solenoid, the bottles couldn’t be turned on until the truck was up to speed in Overdrive (or else the nitrous would snuff out the engine). Despite the circumstances, Shawn and his crew showed considerable poise and still managed to lay down the highest numbers at UCC 2017.

Derek Rose: 2,047 HP/2,778 LB-FT

As you can imagine, a dry block (no coolant circulating) means an engine can get heat soaked in a hurry. Such was the case for Derek Rose and his billet-aluminum block, 12-valve headed, common-rail Cummins. After making a test pass, Derek turned the truck loose on the second attempt and cleared the 2,000 hp mark. Having achieved numbers that would no doubt place him near the top, Derek decided to call it a day and start transforming the truck into a sled puller.

Wade Minter: 1,960 HP/2,727 LB-FT

Thanks to a strong, Sixth Place finish in the drag race, Wade Minter and crew were right in the thick of things when they drove onto the rollers. After replacing the broken output shaft the truck suffered at the drag strip and making a quick nitrous jet change while on the dyno, the 7.1L SoCal Diesel stroker Duramax produced just shy of 2,000 hp.

Donavan Harris: 1,625 HP/2,182 LB-FT

Also in the hunt for a top spot was Donavan Harris and the Armor Inc/Dynomite Diesel Performance Ram. After an initial run of 1,556 hp and 2,077 lb-ft of torque, Donavan improved the truck’s numbers to 1,625 hp and 2,182 lb-ft and called it good. Look for Donavan and his team to dominate during the sled pull.

Randy Reyes: 1,898 HP/2,469 LB-FT

Due to traction issues limiting him to an 18th Place finish in the drag race, Randy Reyes looked to redeem himself on the dyno. He did that and more. At the time he put down these impressive numbers, it was the most the dyno had seen (his Ram was the fourth truck to grace the dyno). As the day wore on, just five other competitors would surpass what he and his nitrous-fed dually were able to turn out.

Jesse Warren: 1,611 HP/2,422 LB-FT

Proving once again that the 6.0L Power Stroke can run with the big dogs, Jesse Warren put up a combined number greater than 4,000 — which was good enough for Eighth Place and the highest finish for the Ford crowd. Jesse’s engine, fitted with a healthy compound turbo configuration, sees well over 100 psi of boost. His setup’s massive, 4.4-inch inducer atmosphere charger alone produces 80 psi.

Shawn Ellerton: 1,062 HP/1,843 LB-FT

One 6.0L that didn’t fare so well on the rollers was the engine powering Shawn Ellerton’s Super Duty. Holding nothing back, Shawn sprayed all the nitrous he had on the first pull — and his Power Stroke wanted no part of it. Some of the wreckage left behind included what was left of the small end of a billet connecting rod.

Lavon Miller: The BIG Reveal

We knew Lavon Miller would be bringing his A-game to the dyno competition, but we had no idea he’d be competing with the mother of all engines. The night before (immediately following the drag race), Lavon and the Firepunk crew swapped a mechanical injection Cummins packing 14:1 compression, a Sigma injection pump and a massive set of triple turbos from Columbus Diesel Supply into their First Place Dodge. No, nothing was wrong with the common-rail 6.7L based Cummins “Enforcer” engine (built by D&J Precision Machine) that catapulted them into the 8’s at the drag strip — they just wanted to put on a show courtesy of some pure unadulterated, mechanical horsepower.

Lavon Miller: 2,399 HP/2,712 LB-FT

To make sure the engine produced adequate boost, Lavon rode the brakes to add load beyond what the SuperFlow dyno could provide. The strategy worked, as the Cummins mill saw an obscene 186 psi of boost courtesy of the exotic Sigma injection pump and triple-turbo arrangement. In the process of power-braking the truck with this kind of power on tap, the rotors were literally on fire. By the end of the second dyno pull, the brake fluid boiled, blew the reservoir cap off and sprayed brake fluid on the exhaust manifold, causing a small fire. When the smoke cleared, Lavon would lay claim to Second Place on the dyno, which when combined with his win the day before on the drag strip meant he was the man to beat heading into the last event: the sled pull.

Chase Fleece: 1,855 HP/2,576 LB-FT

After suspension issues kept him from getting down the track in a straight line the night before, Chase Fleece showed up with the perfect dyno tune. It took just one good pull before he decided to back off the rollers, get the truck back to Fleece Performance Engineering headquarters just a few miles away and prep his Dodge for sled pulling duty.

Aaron Rudolf: 1,122 HP/1,577 LB-FT

Knowing he’d spun a main bearing at the drag strip, Aaron (Rudy) Rudolf decided to see if his hurt 6.4L Power Stroke could survive an all-out effort on the rollers. With no oil pressure to speak of and an engine with an audible bottom end tick, Rudy let the Ford eat. Immediately after his 1,122 hp pull, the engine seized. Then it was back to the pits for an engine swap, as Rudy planned to go for broke in the sled pull as well.

Chase Lunsford: 1,576 HP/2,307 LB-FT

When you show up with three nitrous bottles mounted in the bed, everyone knows you mean business. Chase Lunsford didn’t disappoint, either, spraying his 6.7L Cummins to the tune of 1,576-rwhp. His combined total of 3,883 would land him a top 10 finish.

Ben Shadday: 1,930 HP/2,254 LB-FT

After toasting a piston the night before, Ben Shadday was back with another engine for the dyno (thanks to Fleece Performance Engineering). But while the Quad Cab Dodge would lay down a strong 1,930 hp, Ben’s hard luck with engines continued as the spare Cummins mill lifted the head.

DYNO RESULTS

Most Horsepower and Torque Combined:

See how fast these diesels can go in our UCC drag race coverage.