this past week i went through hell fixing an oversight i made on a customer engine. all is well again, but i would have caught it immediately if i could run up every engine here before sending them out. i was going to make a start cart but decided i should be able to load it. then if i could load it, i should be able to do the customers baseline A/F ratio. from there all i needed was a means of measuring torque output (not even in units, just more or less torque) to tune ignition timing.

so ive committed myself to building an engine dynamometer before the next motor goes out, either prony brake loaded or water/hydraulic pump loaded, possibly motored as well if i can figure out how to convert that into a repeatable measurement for friction purposes.

just looking to find someone else with experience to bounce ideas off of. anyone know someone who built their own or is otherwise knowledgeable?

ps- Ethugs with something negative to say, keep your crap out of my thread.

 

There is a section on this forum where people discuss homemade dynos:

http://tractorsport.com/cgi-bi...d.cgi

 

let me know what you find, im interested in one as well.

I speak with Don all the time on what he has in his engine dyno. Doesnt seem too terrible to build

 

Go to stuskadyno.com, you can get all the mechanical parts there. Brake, water tower, driveshafts, adaptors, etc. for probably around $7000-8000. Then go to Depac.com and you can get the data ac, sensors, PC programs, load control, etc. for around $15,000- $20,000. Build a room, fans, and an engine stand, adaptors, and you are all set. Or you can find a used one, with data ac for around $15,000. Just need a room and water supply, and a 50 lb PSI water punp.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DonF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Go to stuskadyno.com, you can get all the mechanical parts there. Brake, water tower, driveshafts, adaptors, etc. for probably around $7000-8000. Then go to Depac.com and you can get the data ac, sensors, PC programs, load control, etc. for around $15,000- $20,000. Build a room, fans, and an engine stand, adaptors, and you are all set. Or you can find a used one, with data ac for around $15,000. Just need a room and water supply, and a 50 lb PSI water punp. </TD></TR></TABLE>

not a bad price for what you get. Considering CHASSIS dynos go for $30,000+-$80,000

i wasnt meaning it was inexpensive, but rather competitive compared to other "dynos"

 

interesting Data ac can be done a lot cheaper and easier.

edit: found this http://www.land-and-sea.com/da...r.htm


Modified by blundar at 1:00 AM 11/27/2006

 

I remember wondering about this after always seeing pics of Larry's dyno room at Endyn on the old forums. That'd be an awesome resource to have available, but I quickly dismissed the idea knowing it would cost more than I had to spend on such a venture.

Good luck with that for sure though

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blundar &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">interesting Data ac can be done a lot cheaper and easier.

edit: found this http://www.land-and-sea.com/da...r.htm


Modified by blundar at 1:00 AM 11/27/2006</TD></TR></TABLE>

Land and sea is a good company.We have one of their chassis dynos (motorcycle) and the last shop I worked for I set up and ran one of their engine dynos.They are local to me (about 20 miles).I owned a stuska/depac dyno before and they are a very reliable and flexible tool.The stuska/depac at a manual load valve.You "drive" the dyno and after some time you get a feel for the engines.The land and sea used a automatic load valve.You feel a little disconnected because you program the acceleration rate and hit the button.
Land and sea will supply you with components or a complete system.They have a much more flexible data acquisition system then Depac but they are both very accurate.

 

A group of students at my school did it last year for their Senior Design project.

http://dyno.boxwithlights.com/

 

thanks to everyone for contributing.. i just started a fulltime job ontop of being in business. the 19 hour days are quickly whipping me, but id like to get back to this thread when i find a moment to breathe.

 

NJIN, Have you seen Dave's (DEPAC) new load control unit and inertia free stand? They are on his website.

 

No I haven't.I sold the set up about six years ago and at that time he had been talking about a automated load control for about three years.I do miss a good manual controller tho.The land/sea had a manual valve but it was too sensitive to use for pulls.It was runaway or stalled.The manual valve keeps you moving.

 

Are you still using a belt to start them Don?

 

Upgraded to a kevlar rope. NJIN, Dave has some good vidio's of his controller, plus check out his photo from Ernie Elliot,s shop.