DIY engine test setup

[tony-muscle]

I tested my engine this week in a backyard-made test setup. Here is a picture for fun. I was managing a lot of wires, water and gasoline so don't try this at home unless you know what you are doing. It is not a professional setup but it served its purpose successfully. I only run it until the thermostat opened so it was not intended to be a very long test. Also note that there is no fan and the flywheel was covered.

I tested the engine with the original exhaust manifold since the headers are in the car connected to the exhaust pipe.



Another view. Notice my truck in the back working as a noise shield  lollerz



Close-up of the wood "fiber" engine stands and rubber mats:

 

[bkdunha]

YIKES! From one cheesehead to another that takes some big ones to start up like that. I would be behind the truck watching that one fire off.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

only the wood fiber supports would worry me, I would be okay with wood fiber in a more secure form such as a pallet with a channel for the pan. but we've started them on an old tire, so I have no room to criticize

 

[Don C]

I've thought about cobbling something together for my next engine build, but want to include a radiator. I want to be able to run it long enough to do a good break in, making sure the rings and valve springs go through a heat cycle and work hardening the cam (even though it's going to be a roller cam).

Probably be the only time I use it, so don't want to spend a lot of time and money on it, though. So, might try to find an engine dynometer, if I think the guy running it knows what he's doing. I don't like turning something like this over to someone I don't know.

 

[tony-muscle]

only the wood fiber supports would worry me, I would be okay with wood fiber in a more secure form such as a pallet with a channel for the pan. but we've started them on an old tire, so I have no room to criticize

Actually, those supports are very beefy. They are 6x6s and I cut them to fit the engine mounts with bolts. It was very sturdy. Granted that if the engine would have gone crazy out of balance then it would have been trouble. That's why I was always close to the ignition switch.

 

[tony-muscle]

I've thought about cobbling something together for my next engine build, but want to include a radiator. I want to be able to run it long enough to do a good break in, making sure the rings and valve springs go through a heat cycle and work hardening the cam (even though it's going to be a roller cam).

Probably be the only time I use it, so don't want to spend a lot of time and money on it, though. So, might try to find an engine dynometer, if I think the guy running it knows what he's doing. I don't like turning something like this over to someone I don't know.

Don, it is very doable. I was actually thinking of adding the radiator to the setup but then I figured I only wanted to run it for a few minutes. The only difference in my case is that I needed to connect the inlet and outlet hoses to the radiator and needed to find a way to support the radiator. The way I was going to do it is using one of the floor electric fans I have to push air through. One thing for sure is that I didn't want to have the engine rotating the fan. I would have not felt safe that way.

 

[tony-muscle]

BTW, the only item I purchased was the 3-gauge setup from Harbor Freight and a SPST switch. All for less than $20. The rest is made from stuff I had laying around. The temp probe from harbor freight doesn't seal well, but nothing that the Right Stuff can't fix.

 

[Pegleg]

I would remove the wheels from a engine stand and bolt chains to the stand where wheels removed and strap it down