Dynamometer Info

The following information is intended for the review of student team members who want to test their engine inside the Engine Test Room (E5-1106) using the SuperFlow SF-902 engine dynamometer.  This equipment is used to measure power and emissions of teams’ competition engines as well as provide data acquisition of temperature, pressure, voltage, current, flow etc.

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Engine setup requirements

  • Engine must be able to idle steadily and respond to throttle prior to booking dyno time
  • Engine mounting
    • Engine must be mounted on the cart or have compatible bell housing for the dyno including flywheel, flex plate etc. (direct mounting through bell housing must be approved by operator)
    • Rubber mounts are to be used between an engine and the cart to reduce vibration
    • Dyno Range of RPM is 0-10,000. For high revving engines it is best to keep the dyno in its upper range. Therefore, the final gear ratio should be less than 2:1 for best results.
    • A team must provide their own sprockets and chains
    • Chain guard must be installed to avoid catastrophic failure
    • The cart cannot be modified and it must be mounted to the dyno in original manner using provided rubber shaft adapter
  • Fuel system
    • An engine is to be connected to the dyno fuel system using AN-6 fittings
    • Fuel hoses must be fuel compatible and rated to system pressure
    • A fuel system must have a return line
    • Teams must supply their own fuel
    • Fuels other than gasoline must be approved by operator
  • Electrical system
    • The starter relay (10A fuse) on the SuperFlow SF-902 only controls the signal to a starter solenoid. For a different setup, a team will require a starter switch.
    • An alternator should be wired to charge the battery. Lack of charging system will affect the tune.
    • Ignition kill switch must be easily available during engine operation. A team can use the ignition relay connected through the dyno (15A fuse).
    • An additional ECU kill switch is preferred.
  • Throttle control
    • Throttle is controlled using a throttle actuator which is operated from the operation room.
    • In case of drive-by-wire setup, a physical pedal should be fitted, which will be controlled using the actuator.
  • Cooling system
    • The thermostat must be removed because there is a thermostat in the supply water tower. The water circulates in the tower until the thermostat is open and then it goes through the big loop. The engine must be connected to the cooling tower. Other arrangement at operator discretion.
  • Oil system
    • SuperFlow SF-902 is equipped with a Parker 60 Series (SH1-63) nipple quick connector for oil pressure feed, a compatible 1/8 SH1-62 coupler from Parker 60 Series can be used. AN-4 fitting can be used with our pressure line if a team cannot locate a Parker coupler. A team can use a signal from their sensor as well.
    • An oil pressure feed is a crucial tool that helps avoiding catastrophic failure of an engine.
  • Exhaust system
    • Wide band lambda sensor is necessary for engine tuning
    • Exhaust gas temperature sensor (K-type thermocouple probe) is a great feedback tool in tuning
    • Exhaust system has to be leak free
    • Muffler is mandatory to reduce noise
    • The muffler tip has to be able to fit in our exhaust system in order to exhaust gases out of the room efficiently
  • Communication cables must fit in the hole between two rooms and must be long enough to reach the desk in the control room. (THE DOOR MUST BE CLOSED DURING OPERATION)
  • For MAF sensor the team needs a plenum and proper fitting to the MAF housing, in order to reduce noise in the sensor.
  • Forced induction
    • Any additional cooling must be installed
    • Turbo housing should have a heat shield installed
    • Turbo oil pressure feed, boost control, exhaust temperature sensor are mandatory.

Team equipment requirements

  • Student team’s own programmable ECU with software
  • Basic tune file so the engine can start and idle
  • Student team’s own tool box in case they need quick repairs
  • Sufficient amount of gasoline

Table to dyno mating procedures

  • Rubberised shaft adapter is to be used between the dyno shaft and the table shaft to reduce vibration due to misalignment
  • The table is to be bolted to the dyno using provided mount
  • The brakes on the table are to be applied
  • Nothing besides the engine is to be left on the table when the engine is running

Pre start checklist

  • The engine mounts and all the mounting bolts are tightened
 
  • All the safety guards are installed
 
  • No tools are left on the dyno, engine or the table
 
  • Oil and water levels in the engine and heat exchanger are adequate
 
  • Fuel connections are secure
 
  • Electrical connections to the engine are secure
 
  • Battery is hooked up and charged
 
  • Throttle is connected and adjusted
 
  • Proper sensors are connected
 
  • No sensor cables, electrical wires, or pressure lines interfere with the engine exhaust system or other hot or rotating parts
 
  • Water supply valves are in the test position
 
  • All objects that might move due to the ventilation fans are secured
 
  • The fuel supply is adequate for the test
 
  • The power is on at the console, sensor box, computer, printer, and any additional control equipment
 
  • WinDyn on the computer is communicating with the sensor box
 
  • There are no fuel leaks after the system has been pressurized
 
  • The ventilation system is on and operating
 
  • The battery switch is on