We may have goofed, but we're man enough to admit it. Despite the countless engine dynamometer tests car magazines publish each month, we've rarely-if ever-explained how an engine dyno actually works.

Gearhead vehicle discussions often go something like this: "How fast?" "What's the e.t.?" "How much boost?" "What's the horsepower and torque?" Whether bragging or fact, the answers are usually the ...