Guest Rolling Parts Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I'm in the early stages of putting together and engine "test stand". I want to be able to test engine management systems and rebuilt engines before doing a full engine swap into the cars. It's a simple rig of a ZX engine crossmember, some 4x4 timbers, Harbor Freight wheels, a gas tank from an old generator, a battery, switches, old muffler, and a water tank. Question is: I don't want the rolling engine stand to be too big or too heavy by mounting a full clutch/transmission. Any problem with just running an L28 with a flywheel and an adapter plate to mount a starter and a rear mount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trwebb26 Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 so basically you want to build a dyno - without the dyno... Won't be a problem. Only thing I can see is that it will rev up pretty fast without the extra rotating mass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xnke Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Cut the bellhousing off of an old dead automatic trans, or something. That would let you mount the starter, and provide some level of scatter protection from a flywheel incedent. I would not feel good about an exposed flywheel... On top of that, it would give you a good spot to place a third mounting point for the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 When people build these arent they typically made with something to put a load on the engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzed Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Just use either the bell housing off an auto (it's a separate piece on an auto) or the bell housing off an early A type 4 spd trans. (also separate). I've done this several times and it works great. You need the flywheel or flexplate for the starter to engage but that is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rolling Parts Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Just use either the bell housing off an auto (it's a separate piece on an auto) or the bell housing off an early A type 4 spd trans. (also separate). I've done this several times and it works great. You need the flywheel or flexplate for the starter to engage but that is it. THANKS! I just so happen to have a spare auto tranny laying around. To be honest I never looked at it since I never intended to install it. GREAT idea! Thanks! As far as "load", I was not really going to do any kind of dyno testing. Plans are to just run new engines with new MS boxes to make sure all is OK and running well enough before putting it in a car. If I can work out all initial bugs on the stand then I don't waste a lot of time with a car I can't drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-ya Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I've got a 240Z cross member and a 280ZXT T5 bell housing I was going to do the same with. Never got around to doing it. Nice thing about using the bell housing is that it will properly mount and support the starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 No load is required, they idle and run just fine the way they are. If you want a 'motoring dyno' to put a break in load on a freshly built engine, using a hydraulic motor in the 20-40HP range, along with appropriate cooler and relief valves will get you where you want to go, but in that case putting it on the end of a functioning transmission would be easier to couple up, and an Automatic would make the loading transients easier to modulate at any given load point. The more access you have to military surplus hydraulics you have...the more elaborate you can get...up to and including a 300+HP test stand for motoring and load testing the engine! But for starting, the bellhousing will work just fine. If you check the HF online and recent mailed catalogs, you will see they offer a engine run-in stand already.....makes mounting your components a no brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 The more access you have to military surplus hydraulics you have...the more elaborate you can get... well DUH!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Simplifying (or maybe not) this concept even further - has anyone run or even started an engine on a typical engine stand, like the 1000 lber that Harbor Freight sells? Of course, the transmission mounting points are occupied so that's a problem. And the torquing of the engine's mass when you hit the gas might be dangerous, the whole thing could fall over. It would be fun to build a solid sturdy engine stand with space for a bellhousing, starter, radiator, etc. but afterward it would just sit and take up space. I have this vision of possibly fabricating a plate to sandwich between the stand and the engine, to mount the starter on. Just thinking at this point. I've already ruled out a rope around the crank pulley... If anyone has done this with an L engine, or seen it done or heard horror stories of why not to do it, please share. I still remember watching a high-compression big-cam small block chevy motor dance around on the shop floor just so my friend could hear the results of his work as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 z-ya: I'd use a different bellhousing to use - that T5 one is a bit of a rarity for those who want to use a T5 tranny.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Economy engine stand - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 ROFL! Now just hang some fenders and doors and you got a car! Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Been there, done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Didn't think it was that uncommon. Mine has wheels though! http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-movers-dolly-38970.html This dolly plus some 1x6 pine holds the engine and tranny easily and is fairly easy to roll around a smooth floor (the orignal reason I got it and back to the OP's original post). I only did it to check a wrecking yard engine I just bought, before the warranty period ran out, plus troubleshooting before it goes in the car. Found a bad water pump. But since it's there, now it looks like a good platform for a Megasquirt installation. Fun, fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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