Oscar, My test stands are raised up about 6" to let my engine hoist slide under the test stand. The test stands allow 2 ways to mount the engine. Today a Model A Bell Housing is used to mount one end of the block and 2 supports mount the cam gear end of the block. The test stand also allows the engine to be mounted using standard Pietenpol mounts. Today there is a flywheel with a ring gear on the crank. None of the clutch parts are there. I use a High-Torque starter from Summit Racing. No Dyno on the test stand. I built the stands so I could run in the engines and work out a bunch of fire wall forward issues including :
Do I need to adjust the Gas Adjustment Valve ?
Is there a better way to connect the gas line to the Model B Carb ?
What would it weigh to add an electric starter ?
What is the best oil filter solution and what does that weigh ?
How to mount a generator and what would that weigh ?
I plan to use my Model B engine. What does it weigh vs my Model A engine ?
I have 2 Model B crankshafts... one balanced without counterweights and one balanced with counterweights. It is tempting to use the lighter one without counterweights, but I want to test it both ways.
Which magnetos do I like best ? I am testing Slick, Wico Jet, Wico X, and Pertex. I would like to try a Bendix.
What is the right timing of the 2 magnetos ? Should one fire 2 degrees before the other one ? Or What ?
How to smooth out the vibrations as much as possible ?
How to design the Radiator ? I built the front 16" of the fuselage on the test stand and the leading edge of the wing to help me design a radiator similar to Dan Helsper's that will fit my airplane... get the right angles on the inlet/outlets and get the mounting methods worked out. Should the Center Section be modified for a better radiator mount ?
The stands allow me to build and use the normal Pietenpol engine mounts... with or without the Bell Housing in place. I will build the Piet engine mounts on the test stand and run the engine in the Piet engine mounts... working out the throttle, choke, and other gauges and controls. I would rather try things on my test stands than on my Piet.
Lots to learn.
None of those questions need a Dyno. What are the questions that require a Dyno ?
I have read the Dallas Model A dyno tests at
http://www.modelaparts.net/dynosheets.h ... heets.html We have 3 Dynos in my neighborhood. 2 are drive on setups. I could put an engine in one of my model A's and use one of the drive on dynos.... or there is a small engine dyno from Power Test Inc. Similar to the one that the Dallas guys used. I could go mount the engines on that dyno. Lots of work so I need to understand what we need to know that the Dallas guys have not already answered.
John