Latest project has been this test stand. Started this project about 2 years ago. I was parting some cars at the time and it's always better both for the buyer and seller if you can fire the engine - so I decided I had to rig something up. I got sidetracked and it sat in the shed for a while. This engine is going into an 89 1 ton van. I've lost a couple of cams lately for various reasons - mainly i think because there were chassis issues that prevented me from immediate start up (bad fuel pump, bad wiring). I want a little insurance that this engine will fire right up because I sure DO NOT want to put this in and take it back out. VAN = PAIN IN THE NECK. I'll do the cam break in on this stand. Anyway this is where my strange electrical question came from.
I built one to fire the mav motor and gave it to the machine shop. Just get to use it if I need to. Takes the anxeity out of putting a new motor in.
Thats great. Sure takes the guess work out of troubleshooting engine or chassis proplems. Excellent for tuning and break-in before stuffing the beast into a car.
I've used just my engine stand to do that. Held the radiator up with a couple of 2 X 4's, a tin can filled with gas at the fuel pump, and an oil pressure gauge connected up. Hit the starter with a jumper cable to a battery and away we go. Sure makes it easy to retorque the head bolts.
Yes, I built one too...actually for a 350 chevy to start out with, but it's universal. It's about like the one in the pic, though this one has wheels and a self-contained cooling system thats mounted underneath, as well as a fuel system that's under the radiator. Thing works like a charm, and we have run several engines on it. First one was the hardest though...had to rig a set of pulleys to turn the WP, got that fixed (JY parts) and fired it up. Knock-knock-knock....had a main knock that sounded like someone hammering on the end of the crank with a 12 pound sledge! Dummy me....I got lazy & forgot to check the clearances, just looked at the bearing box. The crank was .010" under, but the bearings were standard--but came in a .010" box. Just mispackaged, but cost a ton of time pulling it back apart. Latest was a 302 that we build for a '67 Mustang (stocker--or nearly stock) for a friend/musician. Ran like a champ. The stand is set up so we can swap from GM to Ford to Slow-Par to anything in between for the most part. Just set up a couple mounts & it's ready to rock & roll. Oh, it's also on large caster wheels to we can roll it around and has a full exhaust system as well (so we can hear the knocks LOL). Great little stand, just too big to manuver around much.
How do you get the starter to work, it bolts on the bellhousing and i've never seen a engine stand that would hold the engine with the bell housing attached. :confused:
How much you want for it you put four tires, a steering wheel, and a cup holder on it? (good for you )
Taking the guess work out is definately the plan here. I tried to make this one as universal as possible. All the engine mounds slide along the rails and have bolts to "pinch" them down into position (the next engine to go on the stand is a Pontiac). As far as the starter goes - I have an old c4 bellhousing and flexplate installed. The bellhousing is bolted to a piece of steel (school bus frame rail) in the back which is welded to the base. Still have to rig up a fuel system and belt. Cleaver
How do you get the starter to work.. I just installed the block plate to locate the starter, put a couple of bellhousing bolts and dowels in to hold the block plate and bolted up the flywheel (manual). Not sure if a stock block plate is as heavy gauge steel as the one for my Lakewood bellhousing.
