Engine Test Stand

32Bowtie_Rat · Jul 28, 2013

I'm curious to know what everyone has for an engine test stand. Did you buy it new? Did you make it? How much do you have invested in it?

Upload your pictures or plans; I'd like to take a look & get some ideas!

donsrods · Jul 28, 2013

I had one almost done one time and then we moved our shop and I tossed it out because I was tired of moving stuff. I am going to build another one some day, it would come in handy.

A friend built one out of 2 x 6 lumber and some casters, and when he told me about it I thought it would be really hokey, but when I saw it I was amazed how nice it came out. We all commented that if he put a driveshaft on it he could drive it.

Don

RPM · Jul 28, 2013

Why, would you need a test stand? Most of these hot rods are so easy to work on and change engines in. You go to all the work to put it on a test stand then hook it all up and make it run. Then pull it all down and drop it in the frame rails. Why not just drop it in the frame and only have to hook it all up one time?

32Bowtie_Rat · Jul 28, 2013

RPM said:
Why, would you need a test stand? Most of these hot rods are so easy to work on and change engines in. You go to all the work to put it on a test stand then hook it all up and make it run. Then pull it all down and drop it in the frame rails. Why not just drop it in the frame and only have to hook it all up one time?

I get what you're saying but I haven't had the time to make up a frame or rolling chassis; that's next year's plan. In the mean time the engine & tranny are to be done this year so they can be ready to go. That's why I'm going to put it on an engine test stand. [P

donsrods · Jul 29, 2013

The main advantage as I see it is that you would know before you drop it in the nicely painted chassis that it runs and doesn't leak. For example, I have had the engine in my 27 in and out 3 times since I built the car 5 years ago and it is a PAIN with a capital P. There is no room for even your fingers to get some bolts loose, and there is lots of wiring and plumbing to disconnect. It is almost easier to pull the body off of the car to get the motor out than to do it with it on.

An engine run in stand would let you make sure it is perfect and keep you from having to go through all of that, plus the wasted trans fluid, coolant, etc that you dump when removing one from the car. I plan on making sure the 394 Olds that is going in my rpu project is broken in on a stand first because that car will be a real pain to get the engine out of due to space limitations.

Don

The last time we pulled the engine on my Sons RPU we actually DID remove the body to make it easier. I never want to go through that again.

WickedFast1 · Aug 1, 2013

Just my thoughts but, I don't use one either, why would have the expense of tubing, time, gauges, tachs and storage ? you may use it one maybe two times? why not just take it to a dyno the cost would be less than the cost to build and you don't have the lost storage space, around here the cost is 350.- 400. to tune it on a dyno and you know anything you want and what you need to do to it to improve it.
just my thoughts.

Dirtyrat · Aug 1, 2013

If you have the room, its well worth it.

Neverdone · Aug 2, 2013

some day it is something that I want to have. I have a lot of junk sitting around that it wouldn't be hard to build one. Was going to use 2x2 square tube and make some sort of sliding bracket to hold the motor mounts. But for now it is only a vision.

kkadams123 · Aug 2, 2013

I teach automotive at a high school, and we have 5 test stands. They are made of 2x2 tubing and on wheels. We use them to test run engines hat e students build. They work great. We built a new one last year that doesn't take up too much room to store.

Screamin' Metal · Aug 2, 2013

Well, its a time saver, should anything be wrong with the motor. I run everything in on a test stand, just so everthings OK before installation. They're cheap enough....hell, Northern Tools had one on sale for $350 not long ago, had casters, a small dash, radiator mounts the whole ball of wax.

Mine, I have a tach and all the guages, a place to mount the ign. battery tray, radiator, cooling fans to blow the hot air outta your face....

Restorex · Feb 27, 2014

I know this thread is a few months old, but just in case someone is looking to build a test stand, here are a couple photos of mine. My dad built it for me for Christmas a couple years ago.

burner1 · Feb 27, 2014

I have built one from scratch. Basically I made mounts to the engine with down tubes and built the frame to line up to the downtubes and size I wanted:

440Clark · Feb 27, 2014

I wanna hear that engine run. Please? Really I'd like to hear it with BOTH sets of headers, you know the really cool first set and the really cool second set!

burner1 · Feb 28, 2014

I have a video of it running but it does not do it justice. The sound over modulates and you really cannot hear it running:

http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/434.AVI

The first set of headers was collected wrong. I made a test set up and a computer program to read some parameters...Just something I was playing with. I learned pretty quickly that something was wrong with the first set of headers then confirmed I screwed myself with the firing order and collector sequence.

The second set were built specifically to delay the collection of the gasses in a home made muffler which also has a movable restrictor plate:

Sorry this is not exactly a rat rod but some of the things I have done to this car are far out of the box:

http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/ex/exh5.jpg

http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/ex/exh2.jpg

Engine Test Stand

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