Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing accelerated thermal fatigue testing of an engine component, comprising: (i) impinging one or more torch flames directly on a selected area of the test specimen (i.e. metallic engine cylinder head) to heat such area to a critical test temperature that exceeds the normal maximum loading temperature of the specimen in normal use by about 10-25%, and holding such temperature for a period of 0.01-2.0 minutes; (ii) at the end of the holding period (ie. Water jet water in head jacket, or air in ports) quenching the heated area of the test specimen to a temperature that is about 75% below that of the normal maximum loading temperature and holding such quenching temperature for about 1-3 minutes; and (iii) repeating steps (i) and (ii) until a crack is induced in the test specimen while recording the history of temperature and time involved in such repeated steps.