Engine run in stand

Anyone here ever built there own engine run in stand? Would be nice to run an engine to test for leaks, or break in a cam before wasting dyno time. post pictures if you have done this.

Thanks.

Yep, built one years ago out of old scrap laying in the dirt by the barn, lol. It's crude as he11, but works great and has had a bunch of different engines on it.
Uses an old cast iron 4 speed bellhousing and flywheel I had laying around. Standard motor mounts.

Made out off some chanel that was laying around. Definitely over kill.

CHIP,
Do you have a picture of how you supported the rear of the bellhousing?

Outlaw,
What guts do you have in the trans?
Do you have trans fluid in it?

Built one 10 years ago, been used dozens of times. You will like having one.

Rear shot.

I have always wanted one and even bought a bell housing and flywheel as a start.

However when I heard Total Seal say that a new engine should be run without a load as little as possible with new rings, it cooled my enthusiasm.

I have one 80% finished. If you lived closer I would sell you mine. Mine is set up to use a Chevy flywheel from a powerglide to Mopar Kit and a starter adapter I bought from a Moparts member that made and sold them

I've heard just the opposite about breaking in a new motor and ring seating and proper ring seal.
I've seen more new engines use oil for awhile that where broken in the car for 20 to 45 minutes with no load than I've seen and owned motors broken in on a engine dyno or out on the road broken in under driven loads breaking in the cam

Here is what I have so far. Got some tubing drops from work. I found the transmission mounting locations for GM, Ford, and Mopar 4 speeds, so any bellhousing will fit. The front motor mounts are removable, and I’ll make different ones that I think will get used. Need to figure out a battery mount location, and what to do for fuel yet.

It's a good start Jeff!

You might rethink your radiator mount, especially if you ever haul the thing around. Mine moved around enough to cause radiator damage to one of the tanks. I have since switched to the cradle stock type setup. My fuel cell, pump, and battery are below the radiator and a little forward. With gauges and ignition above them, it makes it somewhat compact. You have a good start there. Jim.

Heck yaa. You will be making noise in no time

If this will be used in the same space you store you car I would just make a long fuel line and utilize the fuel system from your car.

I want it to be a self contained unit, so any of my friends locally can use it. HEMI Joel has a complete set of gauges for me, and another friend is donating an older electric fuel pump he doesn’t need. I’m thinking of an aluminum 2 gallon cell, as they are cheap on eBay. I have an old Holley regulator in the trailer, so I think I just need to find a dirt cheap MSD 6A, and a coil.

Jeff,
What distance between the headers did you use? (yellow arrows)
What car do those headers fit?

16 inches. The headers are my old Hooker 5209’s that fit my Road Runner. They are just hanging from the block. If I bolted them to a cylinder head, they would be tipped out at the bottom, quite a bit more.

That might apply to older style ring packs maybe? The new thin and light stuff may be different. Total seal probably has a decent idea of what they are talking about?

I read an article from a guy who built and raced cycles. He built two identical engines. One went through a normal break in period then raced for a season. The other raced right out the box full blast. The second always ran faster and at end of season after tear down looked like new, first one had carboned up rings-crankcase and weird wear in the cylinders. He figured the immediate pressure seated the rings better. The old addage on running it hard off the showroom floor proved true.

without the standard FT cam break in ?

Seems like the requirements for ring seating are not the same as for cam break-in.

I worked at my uncles Dodge dealership from 69 to 73 never once did a factory car come in with a wiped cam. I’m preety sure most all wiped cams are on used-rebuilt engines and most likely poor assembly. Knock on wood I’ve yet to wipe one even changing a cam to 3 different engines and put lifters where ever.

Jim, no, but I can get you a pic. The bellhousing just butts up to the flat face of the angle iron and I drilled the 4 holes for the transmission mount bolts. Just something to hold up the rear of the whole deal.
Like I said, mine is ugly and crude, but I have basically zero money in it and it works great. I got tired of retorquing heads in the car after a fresh build...that's what led me to build this thing. It's SOOOO much easier now. Nice for when I occasionally build an engine to sell or for someone else.

I made these adjustable length "arms" to use on a run stand to support the side engine mounts on a variety of engines.
This material is 1/8" wall thickness, so the 3/4 square tube slides into the 1" square tube.
Trying to make this stand adjustable for many types of engines, Chevy, Mopar, etc.