What needs to be done before a new engine goes on the dyno?

[Chris Wilson]

I have an all new, freshly built Nissan RB26 race engine that I am getting the M800 loom finished on next week. From there I want to have it mapped on an engine dyno. Given i have an engine on a stand, how and what should I check to ensure the thing will be fit to fire up and run without incurring the wrath of the dyno people? I can have it on the floor, and have put a flywheel on it, and a starter, so it can be cranked over. With no plugs in can I check the base timing and that injectors fire et cetera? Any tips on what I can ascertain to be working in this state? Thanks. It is my first attempt at a home grown Motec install, and would like to deliver it for mapping in a reasonably professional way.

[JamieA]

Ok, I guess this isnt a specifically motec question, so take it with a grain of salt.

I would put your wiring on the engine, and plug in to the ecu using the manager software

I would put your start file in the ECU, and check/calibrate all of your sensors.

It is probably best to leave the cranking over stuff until it is on the dyno, as if it is not tied down properly, it could be difficult to keep it under control, and get any useful info out of it anyhow.

The crip and things like that are standard practice for the dyno people to do themselves, and they would probably be checking it when it gets there anyhow, so you would probably be duplicating work anyhow.

So checking your wiring and setting up a start file are probably the best use of your pre dyno time for now.

-Jamie

[AaronM]

Turn the engine over on the stand first. Save you blowing money on the dyno if things are wrong. You wont have the fuel pump on so it wont fire. Make sure oil is in the engine. You will learn a lot in doing this for the first time. Using a timing light check to see that things make sense. On the screen look at the rpm straight away, it should be around 150rpm on crank. Mark the balancer for all cylinders. Check that they are firing at the right time, from then you should be ok. When you first tune, set the rpm gaps at 1000 rpm increments, no closer or you will glaze up the rings trying to get low speed sorted out. Get the engine to around 3000 under moderate, heavy load once it is warm, if it is turbo just get a good tuner to do it . Your dyno operator will be right on you with this. Good luck fella

[MarkMc]

I would go have a look at the dyno to see what fittings they have for fuel and water, etc. We spend a lot of time with some engines with just the silly stuff you only think of once the upper radiator hose is the wrong diameter or you do not have enough of the right hose clamps or the intercooler fouls on their fan, etc, etc, etc.

[ButtonPusher]

Mate ive had quite alot of expierence with engine dyno's in the past and unless the shop you are planning to use has actually had an RB26 running on their dyno before you really must go down and ASK them what you are required to bring... Things that come to mind are as mentioned already in the wiring harness,fuel pumps/regulator (wot ever will be in car is best as different pumps are better for pressure or volume) starter should be on the dyno already (depending on the make of dyno) other more difficult things are exhaust,intercooler and hosing/plumbing... If you want to do lots of continuous tuning/running you will have to have intercooler in water and regulate intake temps... really not that easy and if you haven't done this before or the dyno shop hasn't either i would be chassis dyno-ing it if i was you.... Hope this helps

[MarkMc]

Just some advise on intercooler "cooling". In the past we have seen some rather unfortunate results from people putting the whole intercooler in water and then having a hose blow off. On our dyno we suspend the IC horazontally over a big box that just catches water. On top of the intercooler we have a coil of garden hose with a heap of small holes drilled in it which acts sort of like the intercooler sprays you would find on a rally car. If a hose blows off you will not fill the engine with water.