-> Keep in mind a simple dyno is basically a device for measuring energy
-> output. You have to *DO* something with that energy.
That's the whole thing in a nutshell. My old Clayton chassis dyno has
a water brake which heats up a 55 gallon water tank. Superflow dynos
work the same way.
Kahn makes a hydraulic engine dyno I've thought semi-seriously about.
The small one goes for under $10,000, which is much, much cheaper than
the Superflow. Of course, that gets you an absorber, a tach, and a
torque meter, while the Superflows come with computer-controlled
throttle stepping and lots of instrumentation. The hydraulic dynos heat
oil.
There are a few electric dynos out there. I don't know what they do
with the power; it's be a kick if you could pump it back into the grid
and make the power company buy it back, but you'd have to be putting out
110 or 220v single phase power.
Before I bought the Clayton I was thinking very hard about building a
dyno using an 18" steel rotor and four GM brake calipers. By the
numbers it should have worked fine for a 5-second Superflow-like pull,
but I never got around to designing the control system for it.
For any of you living where IM240 smog testing has been rescinded, you
might make some enquiries. I also know of one guy who got a used
chassis dyno from tune-up shop. They let him have the dyno, provided he
pulled it himself and had the hole filled with concrete, so it cost him
a couple days work and a hopper from the local Readi-Mix.
I've also heard of various schools and vo-techs which have dynos they
no longer use due to changes in curriculum, lack of room for a suitable
dyno cell, or fear of litigation. It might be worthwhile to check out
your local schools.
====dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us========================DoD#978=======
can you help me...help me get out of this place?...slow sedation...
ain't my style, ain't my pace...giving me a number...NINE, SEVEN, EIGHT
==5.0 RX7 -> Tyrannosaurus RX! == SAE '82 == Denizens of Doom M/C '92==
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