Building an engine test stand

Started by MiniDave, April 29, 2016, 05:45:38 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

MiniGene

Can't wait to see more. 

What are you going to do for throttle and choke control?  The transmission will be installed on the motor, so will you have to 'lock' it into neutral while running the engine in? Sorry for all the questions--this is a neat build.


MiniDave

Thanks, I probably won't have any choke or throttle controls at least at first, when I'm running in the cam I'll just turn up the idle screw till I get the RPM I need.

The transmission will stay in neutral without any help from me....

I still need to work out the exhaust - I plan on using a muffler so I can hear myself think (and not annoy the neighbors too badly) and a long straight pipe off that to get the exhaust out of the shop.

In looking at other engine stand builds online, a lot of guys just take a 2 level cart and bolt a couple of bracket/stands on that, battery and gas tank on the lower shelf and off they go. I'll probably re-engineer this thing a half dozen times as I use it and find better ways to do things.  8.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

At the risk of boring everyone to tears, I'm still trying to work out my dash gauges and switches layout, I found an old heavy duty SS restaurant shelf and cut it down to fit the stand, now all I need to do is bore a bunch of holes in it (where's that plasma cutter when I need it?) but first I made some cardboard cutouts to try an envision how it's going to look.....I'm still conflicted. I figure I can build a holder to fit that opening to drop tools in while I'm tuning....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

I tend to like either the second one or the last one.


MiniDave

#29
I'm still moving the dots around....I'm leaning toward one of these I think.....the four round switches are for fuel pump, ignition on, electric cooling fan and a spare......is there anything else I should leave room for on the panel? Big red button is the starter button, and the two small lights are for the alternator light and ign on.....I may not use those. I guess I could buy a cheap ign key switch and use that instead of the ign switch and starter button. The idea behind using the individual switches was that I could crank it over with the fuel pump and ign off to build oil pressure or do valve adjustments or whatever......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Looks like I made a decision - no going back now!   ;D
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

Looking good. The large opening must be for the radio huh!

MiniDave

#32
Ha!

This was a restaurant style shelf made out of really thick stainless and it's a real PITA to drill these large holes in it (I killed a brand new hole saw making the smaller holes) but it's what I had, so......the big hole was for a pan of some sort, I'll make something to go in there to hold tools while I run the engine.....or maybe put my 8-track in it!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Down to the last decision, where to put the switches - then it's on to wiring......

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniGene

That's coming right along.  Looking great!

Merlin

Engineering the Impossible

MiniDave

Well, I already have switches for the ign and fuel pump, either of those will kill the engine......I do have room for it if I decide I need to add one, but I'm not sure I see the need.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

I like the upper pic with the switches in a row under the gauges. So the ignition switch will turn power on/off to the dist? Then your right, that would be the kill switch.

MiniDave

Yes, the ign switch will kill the power to the coil......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

John Gervais

Quote from: Willie_B on May 23, 2016, 01:28:40 PM
I like the upper pic with the switches in a row under the gauges. So the ignition switch will turn power on/off to the dist? Then your right, that would be the kill switch.

I like this as well - and I think it looks great!
- Pave the Bay -

Merlin

I was thinking a big red button for killing the battery to the stand. In case of fire; fuel spill; short circuit; solenoid contact welding... Basically an oh shit button as well as a power off button.
Engineering the Impossible

MiniDave

I will have a quick disconnect on the + terminal of the battery.




















Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Merlin

Engineering the Impossible

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

 I had a set of those battery disconnects on Buzz and I really liked them, all you do is flick the top up to disconnect it - easy peasy.

I got a little more done on my engine stand, tonight I built the electric fan bracket and the engine steady. Both were fairly custom, requiring a bit of engineering to make them work and look decent. The engine steady in particular took a little thought as I needed it to be adjustable so the engine would sit level. I made a bracket to bolt onto the case at the bottom where it would have the most leverage and used a 3/8" turnbuckle so I could level it out. It may vibrate a bit as it has no rubber bushings but it will do the job. If I find it vibrates too much I can add some bushings.

Tomorrow I'll build the tray underneath to hold the battery and fuel tank, then I can figure out where to mount the fuel pump, pressure regulator and starter solenoid, and the associated relays for the rest of the functions - then I'll be ready to wire it up. Once I get everything placed, I'll blow it apart, clean up and/or finish any welding it needs and give it a coat of paint. Then it will be ready to go to work......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#46
Switches are now installed, still waiting for one more, the big red starter button. Fuel pump, starter relay and any other electrical gubbins will get mounted to the crossbar below the dash......

Also got the battery/fuel tank tray mounted, it sits forward to leave room for a muffler at the back. Electric cooling fan is mounted, I fired it up and it sucks a LOT of air thru the rad......it combined with the aluminum radiator will probably overcool the engine, so I may need to wire in a variable speed pot to slow it down some.

I got to looking at my engine steady this evening and it might not work with an LCB header - I might wind up redoing that.....and I'm trying to decide if I need to shroud that fan to keep someone from losing a finger tip or something......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

nice test stand If I would of run the engine out of my 1960 first I could of found the front seal leak. It was a bitch to fix in the car brand new seal leaked for some reason second one is working fine.

Where did you get the quick disconnect terminals I really like those I unhook my battery when the car is sitting. I did a quick google search but that style only came up as fitting 4-8 gauge wire my mini is 2 gauge and a lot of older american cars are even larger wire. I imagine it would open up enough to accept 2 gauge.

Another Dave that goes by D-M on here almost had his mini and shop burn down when his floor starter switch decided to internally short to ground getting red hot and flaming he happened to be in his shop when it did and pulled the battery cable and put out the fire. So I unhook mine.

Jeff

MiniDave

#48
They're sold under the brand name "Battery Doctor", they will easily work with #2 or bigger wire.....they were on Buzz when I got him and I used them all the time when working under the hood.

Here's to the link where I bought them......

http://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20158-Battery-Doctor-Disconnect/dp/B000CQBNDU?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

In the pic in the link the negative terminal looks blue, but it's actually black.

I keep the battery in my Jag unhooked for the same reason, plus too and also it runs the battery down over time. You really only need one per car but they seem to only come in pairs. I'm going to use the red one in the engine stand and the black one on the Jag....BTW, lifting the cover releases the clamp, but you still have to pull it off the battery.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#49
I'm closing in on the final bits I need for the engine stand build, today I received a box from California with 10, 30-40 amp relays with pre-wired connectors - they were shipped 2 day priority mail so they got here quick - all for $20 - shipped! They seem to be really nice, quality made stuff too....these are 5 pin relays so they can be wired either n/o or n/c.

How do they do it for the money?



Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad