I'm looking for ideas to make an engine run stand for our motors so it can be tested before installing in the car. If you have made one please post a picture or tell what you did or what you would do differently this time.

 

I have seen Chrysler hemis started and run on 4 wheel engine stands. They were run for initial break in for about 20 minutes. There was complete instrumentation on the engine nearby on a separate stand. Water was supplied by a large tank with inlet and outlet hoses going in and out of the tank. Initial carb settings were done while it was idling. After 20 minutes run time it was shut down and allowed to cool. Break-in oil was drained and filter changed. Engine was restarted and allowed to run for about an hour at various throttle settings. It was shut down and allowed to cool again. Oil and filter were changed again. Engine was then installed in the car.

 

Link below to one that was built to run in a Jaguar straight 6 engine. I have made it a habit to check for oil pressure as soon as I get past say installation of the timing belt and bell housing, by installing the starter and cranking the engine. Frankly, taking this a step further, the engine sits pretty well on the oil pan. All you really need are some "outriggers" to keep it from tipping over. Alternately, mounting it to the cross member would be sufficient. Clamp a long 2x4 to that and it certainly is not going to tip over sideways. Block it up at the rear of the bellhousing and you've got a pretty stable platform. As shown in the above video, he just hooked up the stock cooling system with a fan and sucked fuel from a gas can. You would have to jury rig a fuel pump.

I cannot verify it but I read somewhere recently, probably about Porsche water cooled flat six, that the rings really like some load on them (i.e. cylinder pressures elevated) to seat the rings. It is a little bit of a conundrum as they wanted you to get your engine out on the road very early in the break in cycle. Not always practical. But it might be something for you to Google in a general sense.

 

Maybe Eastwood makes a stand that you can adapt to your engine.😀

 

I like how this one is made. Looks like he took an engine stand and then fabricated the rest.

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I think a wider 'footprint' would be better suited to accommodate weight distribution and stability than using a simple engine stand like that shown above.

I've bee eyeing something like this - would just need to add the support systems - would be good to maybe do preliminary tuning with aftermarket ECU?





https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lar-mets-1

 

As far as tuning, this setup has no ability to place resistive torque on the engine. A great way to run-in new engine with break in oil

 

*preliminary* being the operative term here.

Would alleviate the 'engine is in the car and trying to get the engine just to start and run smoothly with new aftermarket ECU' scenarios I've read about.