Run Stand or Engine Dyno

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j_anderson

j_anderson

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Long shot but asking anyway. Does anyone in northern IN, NW OH or southern MI have or know of a run stand that might be able to break in my engine? Or know of a shop with an engine dyno? I really want to break-in my engine and new cam before I put it back in the car.

I have tried finding dyno shops in the area who could do this and so far have not had any luck. The places advertising dyno's are of the chassis type. I called Lingenfelter in Decatur. They have one but won't work on mine because it's not GM.
 
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Yes the Run Stands are handy for Testing, Tuning and Breaking in Cams.

Built my own > Minnesota.

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Great for testing different ignitions and carbs. Tested a 2 bbl. carb off a 6 cylinder Flathead 1957 Jeep, Super Hurricane engine.

Tested that carb > did not sound right. Took it all apart and cleaned it out, tested again on the run stand > now that sounds right.. very responsive.

Put the carb back on the Jeep > Good, Good.

Lots of uses for the run stands once you get one. This one will fold down to about 12" deep for storage when not in use, and it leaves an engine stand behind for building engines.


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Yours looks really nice! Wish you were closer! To be clear, I don't want to buy or build one. I don't plan on ever doing this again. So, it would be a waste to build/buy one for just one project. Really hoping I can find someone who has one. I would pay a fee of course for the time and trouble.
 
If you are handy you could build one for less than what a shop is going to charge you. I used my k member like in the pic. Its not going to win any beauty awards but it did the trick. Gauges and switches can be bought from Amazon for cheap.
 
^^^
Make do with what you got.
Can even run them on the floor if you block them up.

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The blurb below is from Mahle, the piston and ring manufacturer. It's directly from their Engine Break In Recommended Procedures literature;

..."A note concerning engine run stands: They should only be used to ensure no leaks, adjust timing and fuel or break-in flat tappet camshafts. An unloaded run stand WILL NOT properly seat the rings."...

The entire point of engine break in is to seat the rings. If the run stand won't do that without a load, it's not the right tool for the job. If it were me and it was my dollars, I'd keep trying to find a dyno shop to do it properly. There has to be a place within a few hours drive of that area. A chassis dyno could certainly do the job too but you just lose the fluid leak safety net. It's a controlled environment so it's probaby a safer bet than doing it in your garage.

If a dyno is not a possibility at all then put it in the car with the trans, put it on jacktands and have a helper block the throttle open at 2,500 rpm as soon as it fires to break it in with a load. Sure, fluid leaks are a PITA but glazed cylinder walls means the block has to get re-honed and re-ringed. There's also no gurantee you won't wipe a flat tappet cam during break in no matter what method you use.

Pick your poison.
 
rmchrgr said:
The blurb below is from Mahle, the piston and ring manufacturer. It's directly from their Engine Break In Recommended Procedures literature;

..."A note concerning engine run stands: They should only be used to ensure no leaks, adjust timing and fuel or break-in flat tappet camshafts. An unloaded run stand WILL NOT properly seat the rings."...

The entire point of engine break in is to seat the rings. If the run stand won't do that without a load, it's not the right tool for the job. If it were me and it was my dollars, I'd keep trying to find a dyno shop to do it properly. There has to be a place within a few hours drive of that area. A chassis dyno could certainly do the job too but you just lose the fluid leak safety net. It's a controlled environment so it's probaby a safer bet than doing it in your garage.

If a dyno is not a possibility at all then put it in the car with the trans, put it on jacktands and have a helper block the throttle open at 2,500 rpm as soon as it fires to break it in with a load. Sure, fluid leaks are a PITA but glazed cylinder walls means the block has to get re-honed and re-ringed. There's also no gurantee you won't wipe a flat tappet cam during break in no matter what method you use.

Pick your poison.
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Also, I have brand new polished headers from TTI. you are not supposed to have them on for a cam or engine break-in . Something about turning them brown if they aren't properly heat cycled first. This is something else I want to avoid. I don't want to put the engine in the car with my exhaust manifolds for break in then take them off and put the headers on.
 
j_anderson said:
Also, I have brand new polished headers from TTI. you are not supposed to have them on for a cam or engine break-in . Something about turning them brown if they aren't properly heat cycled first. This is something else I want to avoid. I don't want to put the engine in the car with my exhaust manifolds for break in then take them off and put the headers on.
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Not sure what to tell you other than that's what you have to do if you do in fact heed those warnings. Sure it's a pain but it's better than yanking the motor out to re-ring it or ruining your expensive new headers.

I know the feeling, I tend to heed those types of cover-your-*** warnings and do whatever I can to prevent failure before installation. You can check stuff until you're blue in the face but at some point you just have to take the leap and trust it's going to be alright and possibly have to do some extra work to ensure things are done properly.
 
rmchrgr said:
Not sure what to tell you other than that's what you have to do if you do in fact heed those warnings. Sure it's a pain but it's better than yanking the motor out to re-ring it or ruining your expensive new headers.

I know the feeling, I tend to heed those types of cover-your-*** warnings and do whatever I can to prevent failure before installation. You can check stuff until you're blue in the face but at some point you just have to take the leap and trust it's going to be alright and possibly have to do some extra work to ensure things are done properly.
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I'm not arguing your points at all. I hadn't even considered a load needed on the engine to seat the rings. So thank you for mentioning it. It's something else I need to make sure I take into account. Some googling on the topic and I have read you can use a run stand to break in a flat tappet and ensure no leaks then install the engine in the car and break in the engine to seat the rings but I don't want to risk it.

What is needed to "properly load" the engine? Install the TC/trans?
 
You're not going to ruin the rings breaking the cam in on the stand. You would have to do the same break in procedure if it was installed in the car. No one drops in a new engine, turns the key and drives off.
 
They are fairly cheap fit any engine and are sellable very easy to the next guy. We run them all on this same stand. If you build one for your engine it will be hard to sell to someone that needs it for a different engine.









Some Diesels we start on the ground or table.you just have to hold them.

.

The big Diesels we hold with the skid loader or excavator.


We just bought 2 small blocks and My son straddled the trans . We fired them up in the driveway , the manifolds burned his shoe laces off.


Buy a stand and the resell it. That is what many do.Post it and in one day its gone.
 
rmchrgr said:
The blurb below is from Mahle, the piston and ring manufacturer. It's directly from their Engine Break In Recommended Procedures literature;

..."A note concerning engine run stands: They should only be used to ensure no leaks, adjust timing and fuel or break-in flat tappet camshafts. An unloaded run stand WILL NOT properly seat the rings."...

The entire point of engine break in is to seat the rings. If the run stand won't do that without a load, it's not the right tool for the job. If it were me and it was my dollars, I'd keep trying to find a dyno shop to do it properly. There has to be a place within a few hours drive of that area. A chassis dyno could certainly do the job too but you just lose the fluid leak safety net. It's a controlled environment so it's probaby a safer bet than doing it in your garage.

If a dyno is not a possibility at all then put it in the car with the trans, put it on jacktands and have a helper block the throttle open at 2,500 rpm as soon as it fires to break it in with a load. Sure, fluid leaks are a PITA but glazed cylinder walls means the block has to get re-honed and re-ringed. There's also no gurantee you won't wipe a flat tappet cam during break in no matter what method you use.

Pick your poison.
Click to expand...

How did DIY people ever survive with start in the car and bring up the RPM to break in a cam. There was never a load on them when doing it in the car. Yes, it's better to load/unload to help the rings. Don't run it pig rich and get the timing right. Not sure how you are going to load an auto car during break in other than put it in gear, have the tires rolling on jack stands, dragging the brakes. Hope the jackstands don't fail while in gear, could get ugly.

Got to make do with what you got sometimes.

Not directed at anyone, just the general substance of Mahle's statement.
 
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Video: How To Break-In A New Engine Without An Engine Dyno

I think most of the pro-run stand replies here are fine and if that's what you have then go for it. Just be aware of the difference running an engine on a stand vs. breaking it in a dyno - the run stand will break in the cam (which is half the battle) but in lieu of a dyno the engine will still have to go in the car anyway to seat the rings. Like I said before, pick your poison.

Bottom line, most engine break-in anguish can be erased by using a roller cam. To me a roller is a worthwhile investment since they are all but guaranteed to survive the break-in process. Roller cams are just better anyway.
 
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My 340 was a complete new build, made a janky run stand to break in cam with factory manifolds, short exhaust and mufflers. As well as a 4spd bellhousing and flywheel. Ensured no leaks etc. Then kicked Karen off my property and installed in car. I was mild on it for the first couple hundred but been a little more spirited with it lately. I get you don't want to make/build one. Anyone local that could help you make one?
 
I've fired up many just sittin on the floor supported by an engine hoist.
 
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