by 
The Curious Bag
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To accurately measure an engine's power output, dynamometers must themselves be calibrated from time to time. Because of the abuse they suffer, dynos are just as subject to wear and tear as engines, and must themselves be calibrated from time to time with a power source of known output.
Dyno Function
A dynamometer is resistance device used to test the power output of an engine. Some dynos use a braking system, some are inertial and others use another more powerful engine to overwhelm the one being tested.
Gasoline Test Engines
Almost all testing facilities have a test engine on hand that they use to calibrate the dyno. After duplicating test conditions in the chamber, these engine are run on the dyno, and the results are compared to a previous run to determine the correction factor.
Electric Test Motors
Some tuners prefer to use electric test motors. Electric motors are more consistent than their gas counterparts because they do not need to be warmed up or controlled as tightly.
Engine Conditions
Test engines must always be run under the same conditions to ensure accuracy. Some of the control factors include run time, coolant temperate, oil pressure, fuel, fuel pressure and ignition timing.
Engine Specifications
Test engines should be large and powerful to ensure the broadest realm of testing. Big-block gas engines and modified turbo-diesels are common.
Source:
Resource:
Titan Motorsports Testing a Supra (Video)
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