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On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:46:41 GMT, "Blueskies" wrote:
Corky, Do you have any details available about your engine test stand, such as how you restrain it, instrumentation, cooling? Also, a buddy of mine was talking about an engine build he did, and how he used water to match each header tube volume, old news I'm sure... -- Dan D. I fabricated the engine stand using a lot of OTLAR measurements. I pulled some 1 1/4" tubing out of the pile (I bought a pile of tubing for a Skybolt kit years ago and still have at least half of it left. I always seem to find enough of what I need for projects like this. I think the cost for the tubing worked out to something like 10 cents on the dollar.) and welded a large rectangle. Then I welded plates on each of the corners and scrounged up four casters from around my shop and drilled bolt holes in the plates and bolted them on. It has two swiveling and two that don't. They are largish,solid rubber commercial casters and I have no idea where I found them originally but I've had them in the shop for years. I didn't pay anything for them, I remember that. Then I duplicated the engine mount rails and bolted them to the engine. I suspended the engine over the base and fitted and welded support legs from the rails to each corner of the base. Removed the engine and welded everything. Then I added 3/4" diagonal tubing fore and aft between the support legs so that the engine could not shift or sway. That REALLY solidified things. What I'd **like** to do is remove the instrument panel from the cockpit and mount it on the stand and use what instruments are necessary to monitor engine performance. That way I don't have to fabricate two instrument panels. I have not cut any holes for instruments yet so that's in the near future. Actually buying some instruments is also in the near future. ;-) I'll need: Oil pressure, oil temperature, tachometer, water pressure, water temperature and an EGT guage. It probably wouldn't hurt to have a cylinderhead temperature guage too. I'm leaning towards digital for the tach and possibly the temps as well but have not made up my mind on which of the numerous choices to use. Or I could just use some scrap plywood since I only need the instruments that monitor engine performance so the test stand panel could be smallish. Or I could cut up some of the 1/8" sheet aluminum from the huge panel I scored for free. Using that stuff takes a lot more work than using plywood though. The radiator is sitting below the engine at present, but I think I'm going to have to move it a bit so that the exhaust system can clear it. The plan is for the exhaust to wrap under and behind the engine and tuck right behind the Griffin radiator, when I get it. But for now, the radiator I picked up from the auto parts place will do the job. It's a Ford Taurus radiator so I know it's adaquate for the task. If I pick up the custom radiator before all is installed back on the airframe, I'll likely fabricate the entire cooling duct system, including the exhaust augmentation, just to make sure the system cools properly. I will leave the engine installed in the fuselage for the moment, so I can fabricate the exhaust and make sure that it fits the airframe properly, then the exhaust will be removed from the engine and the engine transferred to the test stand and the exhaust system re-installed. I'll route hoses to the radiator as necessary and weld on a pan to hold the battery. I'll also have a "gas tank" somewhere on the base of the stand and will have to use a fuel pump to get the gas up to the carburetor, probably a submerged type, or something that goes in-line and I'll just bond on a fuel line out of the gas tank. I've built the stand tall enough that the prop can be mounted to the engine. When I get ready to fire it up, I'll literally have to chain the stand down so that it does not try to hurtle off into the woods like some demented woods buggy run amuck. I may lift the whole thing into the back of the pickup and drive up into the woods to do the extended running so that the neighbors don't complain. I'll strap it down for the trip, and for running it, of course. I'll probably pitch the prop so that the engine can run to it's maximum rpm while on the test stand. This will be necessary because I'll need to make sure the engine can manage full power for extended periods, plus there may be some tuning and adjustments required that show up only at full power. The test stand is roughly patterned after the engine test stands I worked with while training as an auto mechanic at the Rhode Island Trades Shops. Those engines did not have props bolted to them though. If anyone would like to see what the test stand looks like, send me an e-mail and I'll enclose a picture and send it to you. It's in rough form right now, not completed, but I have some shots of the engine bolted in place so you'll get a good idea of what I'm trying to accomplish. Plus, since it's in the unpainted stage, I can still make lots of modifications to it, should anyone have any ideas. Corky Scott |
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