Anybody ever dyno an engine?

[resurrected_jimmy]

I need to know what to expect from dyno testing. What to bring with me, how to set up a cooling system for this, what tools to bring? Tis is a EFI engine so how do you organize all the crap associated with this. I was thinking of mounting the ECM and stuff to a piece of plywood I could bolt to the bellhousing bolts or something. Also, how much am I looking at $$$ to do this? Basicly I need somebody to walk me through this so I don't look like an idiot and make the most of my time.

Thanks

 

[DEMON44]

I've only ever dyno'd heavy diesels, on a Clayton water dyno, at the engine shop I used to work at. After overhaul evry engine got worked over at WOT. But that being said, we'd never have a customer in the dyno room. So I would imagine the Dyno owner/ operator should be doing the hookup, run and tune. I'm surprised that you have to do anything, but bring your stuff and watch.

We used a water tower for cooling, straight H20, no glycol. Hook the hoses to your engine ports. Done. T-stat deals with temp.

Someone is going to have to have a laptop with software.

Water, Power, Oil and Fuel. are all you need to be concerned with to run on a dyno. And make sure there are mechanical guages hooked in for safety.

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

I did 1 in april. Talk to the dyno guy, they'll tell you how to set things up and what to bring. This is what I took for the one I did. Ten gals of gas, 2 sets of plugs (one hotter 1 colder) my timing light (because his light wont be there to set it after I leave) carb tuning kit (you're EFI I realize) and anyting you want to do a side by side comparasion on (I did air cleaner housings). Most places will allow either an open session or a closed one, open one means anyone can walk in and see the data, a closed one usually means the door gets locked. The first time you hear your engine hit 6000 rpm under full load will have your fingers crossed it doesn't blow up. Mine did 9 pulls, total that day, and it took about 4 hours start to finish. I wound up with a 383 with alum heads that runs on 91 octane pump gas that turned 470 tq and 450 hp at 5700rpm. Good luck, and you will feel like a new proud father when its done.
George

 

[ntsqd]

I used to work for a racing engine builder. I built all of their dyno support hardware and my dad did all of the software. We've had 200HP Pinto engines on it and 1200 HP Tractor Puller engines on it.
Cooling system hooks up to the engine's inlet and outlets. You shouldn't need to bring a radiator or anything like that. You will need what ever h2o pump you plan to use.

You really need to talk to the guy who's in charge of the dyno b/c each will have their own set of rules.
If they didn't build the engine then you for sure want to know what octane fuel you want it run on.
If the EFI is programmable and you intend to do any tuning you'll need all of the bits req'd to do that.

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

Any idea how much dyno time costs?

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

The way the place I go to is $240 for the first 4 hours and $ 60.00 per hour after that. Ask the dyno operator what gas station he recomends for a pump gas motor (if thats what you're building) because he should check specific gravity as well as air density and air temp for the correction factor to sea level. Ask about the headers or manifolds for the dyno. If you're going run manifolds in the vehicle then use those for the test. But their headers may work for the test, thats one less thing to carry around, plus theirs will have holes in them for their exhaust temp probes to fit into. Should be one probe for each cylinder. Don't forget to mention you need a bung in the pipe for your O2 sensor to fit. If you use your headers and they're ceramic coated factor in the breakin time for the coating on them (20-30 min).
George

 

[beastofablaze]

But how does it work with efi? I've wonder this myself many times. I just don 't see how it can be done on an engine dyno.

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

This is a pump gas big-inch SB that I have copied from a magazine. It was built specificly to be be torquer and I want to see how it differs with EFI from their test results with a carb and different intake. I already have to modify the EFI with bigger injectors so I want to bolt it to a dyno to see what it does and to get it to perform as close as possible to the test they performed.

Thanks to everyone who has posted already

 

[Diesel Dan]

Hopefully early next year we will be dynoing a 383 as well. Cost will be $200 for first 2hrs which includes ~45 minutes setup time and just over an hour run time. This dyno, for now, only has two EGT sensors. One for each bank, he wants to get the 8 channel setup but that's another 5K. I really like the idea of breaking it in under a light load, much better for the rings. No cam break-in since it's a roller.

Don't see a problem with the EFI set. Unless it wants a VSS for an input, that could cause issues.