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Engine Test Rig... Anyone Ever Built One?

GTRNUR

By GTRNUR,
in Engines & Forced Induction

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GTRNUR Grand Master

GTRNUR

Posted
Posted

Hi Everyone,

Im thinking of building an engine test rig to allow an RB engine to be started outside of the car and run till hot etc. Ive done this sort of thing before with other engines, but never with an RB.

I figured I could source a bell housing from some transmission(I have no idea which one is even removable) with a starter motor and then just source a loom to suit the CAS sensor setup im running.

Ive got a couple of spare radiators so cooling isnt an issue.

If anyone has some thoughts, suggestions or pictures to share it would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Ian

GTRNUR Grand Master

GTRNUR

Posted
  • Author
Posted
VL auto's have a removable bellhousing. Are you planning on loading the motor up?

Thanks thats the info I was hoping to hear. VL stuff is cheap and everywhere.

The starter motor pinion alignment should line up with pretty much any aftermarket flywheel right? Or do I need to get a VL flex plate and ring gear as well?

It would be great to be able to load up the engine too, to bed in the rings etc but thats a little beyond what Im capable of building at this stage. I'd have no idea where to source something that would work as a load as well.

I just want to hot run the engine till the cooling system is up to 100 degress and then check the engine for cooling system and oil leaks.

lachlanw Veteran

lachlanw

Posted
Posted

arent all of the bell housings removable ? and dont they all fit each other eg rb20 fits on rb30 . talking about autos .

have you toyed with the idea of some sort of water brake /pump for loading up engines ?

GTRNUR Grand Master

GTRNUR

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Yeah water brake was what I was thinking too, but it would be boiling pretty quickly if 3000 RPM were held for 10 minutes at WOT. Im not too concerned about loading up for this first rig. I just want to run the engine a few times before I put it in the car.

Perhaps long term if I start building engines for a living I'll have some engineering firm build me something to do the job.

The Dan Grand Master

The Dan

Posted
Posted

Running the engine to 100 degrees on a test rig doesn't mean that you are going to have it all set up correctly when you install the engine in the car. Why not buy a cooling system pressure tester and an oil pressure tester and do it with the engine in the car.

If you do set up a rig, then have a good sized rotor welded to the tailshaft and use a whole gearbox, not just the bellhousing. That way you can set up a basic breaking system and use a 1m bar to crank pressure down to load the engine.

Personally I don't see the point as you have to test everything all over again because it's being removed from the rig and installed in the car. If you were building a lot if engines and needed to run them in, I could understand, but for a once off, it seems like a lot of work.

GTRNUR Grand Master

GTRNUR

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Its really just for my open deck engine prototype. I was planing on pressure testing the water side of the engine with compressed air to 1 bar and use a gauge to see if it bleeds air overnight to spot any leaks before attempting to start it full of water.

I figure running it a few times before going to the expense and effort of putting it in the car could potentially save me having to pull it out again in case I have issues and need to pull it down to change something.

GTRNUR Grand Master

GTRNUR

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you could use a hydraulic pump with a decent valve to constrict the flow. that will give you all the load you could ask for.

Loading it up isnt a priority. I just want to see it run, idle and not leak or cross contaminate oil and water.

The Dan Grand Master

The Dan

Posted
Posted
Its really just for my open deck engine prototype. I was planing on pressure testing the water side of the engine with compressed air to 1 bar and use a gauge to see if it bleeds air overnight to spot any leaks before attempting to start it full of water.

I figure running it a few times before going to the expense and effort of putting it in the car could potentially save me having to pull it out again in case I have issues and need to pull it down to change something.

Yeah but what I was getting at was that even if you tested it all and on the rig it is ok, you still have to disconnect everything and reinstall the engine into your car. This just leaves yourself open to error or leaks again so it has to be tested twice anyway.

I see what you are saying though, just more work involved in building the rig then there would be in having to remove and refit the engine again.

s13_Skyline_inside Proficient

s13_Skyline_inside

Posted
Posted

I dont think its the external stuff that concerns him, its the leaking between the head/plate/block you can get your head right in there whilst the engine is running in a car and he's using it for developmental purposes to see if the product works properly

GTRNUR Grand Master

GTRNUR

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I dont think its the external stuff that concerns him, its the leaking between the head/plate/block you can get your head right in there whilst the engine is running in a car and he's using it for developmental purposes to see if the product works properly

Yes thats it. Its for my open deck engine prototype. Im not fitting the engine at my workshop as I dont have a hoist or engine crane. Plus its hard work i'd rather not do myself. I'll be paying someone else to do the spanner work of fitting the new engine, so I only want to have to pay for that once.

ive just built one for a race 202, make sure you have it sitting on engine mounts.. other wise it will shake rattle and roll all over the floor.

I've got the standard engine mounts and just need to come up with a way of rubber mounting the back of the bell housing. I have a couple of 65x25 box section steel lengths to make the frame out of. I think i'll set it up to bolt to the concrete floor with ramset bolts so it doesnt go walking around the garage when its running.

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