engine run stand

[Rentawrench]

We have the one in post 9.

VERY adjustable an it has a HEMI on it.

Remember you need to mount a bell housing along with the engine.

I think --> will need a Heavy stand for his.

 

[projectPONY]

We have the one in post 9.

VERY adjustable an it has a HEMI on it.

Remember you need to mount a bell housing along with the engine.

I think --> will need a Heavy stand for his.

Educate me please. Why does it need a bellhousing on it?

 

[Rentawrench]

To keep Hands an other objects from the spining flywheel an certain motors use the bell as the starter mount.

 

[projectPONY]

Gotcha

 

[mrpowderkeg]

Build it so you can run different engines on it. We built ours with a sliding rail type front mount, and a ridged rear mount. Mostly for Ford engines, so we just use pickup motor mounts and bellhousings. BUT we can fab some simple adaptors for other brand of engines, and the sliding rail will move to position the front motor mounts. The front radiator upright slips into stake pockets, and has a 5 way trailer hitch plug that makes removal quick. The rear upright folds down, and the base can be hung on a wall or slid under a car or truck or bench, likewise the radiator upright can be hung up as well.

 

[projectPONY]

Man that is nice!! Any chance I can talk you into providing some dimensions? And a few more pics without an engine on it?

 

[mrpowderkeg]

I have a 460 on it now, but I will take some additional pictures and measurements.

 

[projectPONY]

Great, thanks.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Earplugs anyone?

 

[mrpowderkeg]

Yeah earplugs were a must, I took the picture, that was a 406 FE on the stand. Anyhow I got some more pictures of it, its 30 inches wide by 60 long, I wish we would have made it two inches longer for 460s. We mocked it up with an FE block and made it a bit longer. I will have to move the fan to the front of the radiator but that's no big deal.

I don't know why but for some reason but some of the pics are huge, I resized them but they are still showing up as ginormous on my GF's computer... eh it's late and I gotta get up for work in the morning, yes I burn the midnight oil, had to do a flywheel swap on the stand, wired up a duraspark box for it, and tig welded a few street rod parts tonight. Gnite...

 

[projectPONY]

Thanks for the pics. I'm truly impressed. I will be making some changes to my original plans to incorporate some of your ideas. Hope you don't mind.

I do have another question though. How important is it to run the motor mounts? I've seen a couple of designs with none at all, just some angle iron with the correct holes for bolts. I'm not interested in making it possible to mount other engines on it since all I do is Ford smallblocks.

 

[Richard D]

That is the slickest engine stand I've seen yet. I really like the sliders. I was wondering how to make mine adjustable, know I know. What diameter rod did you use?

 

[mrpowderkeg]

I don't recall what size the slider shaft is. I'll have to measure it after work. It's solid shaft. Most of the steel, wheels and whatnot we had lying around. I think we have about 150 into it. You do not need to use motor mounts. A person could come up with some sort of standard bolt pattern flange for whatever your favorite flavor of engine is. We mostly do Ford engines, and thats why we used motor mounts, the mounts are mid 70s pickup since those trucks have every typical Ford engine as an option. It makes standardizing the bellhousing bolt pattern and motor mount system easy. I do have a 440 that I need to fire up on it, and making a motor mount adapter should be easy enough since I'm not limited to a fixed point for on the stand to adapt to the different brand of mounts.

I don't recall the thickness of the square tube we used. It was stuff that we had lying around but it was pretty heavy, the 460 is one heavy sob...

 

[projectPONY]

I don't recall what size the slider shaft is. I'll have to measure it after work. It's solid shaft. Most of the steel, wheels and whatnot we had lying around. I think we have about 150 into it. You do not need to use motor mounts. A person could come up with some sort of standard bolt pattern flange for whatever your favorite flavor of engine is. We mostly do Ford engines, and thats why we used motor mounts, the mounts are mid 70s pickup since those trucks have every typical Ford engine as an option. It makes standardizing the bellhousing bolt pattern and motor mount system easy. I do have a 440 that I need to fire up on it, and making a motor mount adapter should be easy enough since I'm not limited to a fixed point for on the stand to adapt to the different brand of mounts.

well, we mainly do ford 302 and 351 and I was thinking about using stock Mustang mounts. I was planning on fabbing up a plate at an angle to mimic the receiving mounting location on the K member with a bolt hole for the stud on the motor mount. what do you think?

 

[mrpowderkeg]

That will work, if that is your bread and butter. I had a earlier version that I made that was mostly for sbf engines, it was simple and pretty light. If recall I just made a ridgid upright that had a flat piece of angle iron drilled to bolt directly to the block. I used a FMX bellhousing for that one, and used a standard flexplate instead of a flywheel.

 

[projectPONY]

I guess what I'm really trying to find out is if the vibration of going without the motor mounts will be severe.

 

[mrpowderkeg]

The vibrations are non existent really. Unless you get the wrong flexplate, flywheel or balancer.

Video of the 406. Yes it's a real 406 FE I **** with html tags, click on image to take you to photobucket video

 

[Richard D]

Mr. Powderkeg-
You should post this up on the Jalopy Journal as well, lots of guys there would appreciate it.

 

[kartracer55]

I guess what I'm really trying to find out is if the vibration of going without the motor mounts will be severe.

Unlikely with a V8. If we are talking some POS harley V twin, then maybe

Edit: We have a Land & Sea dyno set up to run CBR 600RR motors on and vibrations have never been an issue.

 

[Richard D]

Them's fight'n words! Actually not at all accurate since, until recently, H-D engines were solid mounted.

 

[bop_pa]

Ok I'm going to jump on this post and keep it going, as I posted an engine run stand post myself before being directed here. What always seems to be missing is how to wire a run stand up. I think there are a million ways to custom build the frame part but what I would like to know, or better yet, see a drawing of is how to wire it up. This includes the gauges, method for start up, battery, gas, grounds, alt, distributor etc. Somebody posted about buying the run stand plans online but did not mention if there was a wiring diagram or anything. I think the wiring / start up method is what is holding me back at this point as I am still in the planning stages. I have a couple BB mopar engines I am working on and would like a way to test them.

 

[johno]

On page 21 this months Car craft is a major engine stand, but a really nice idea for mount adjustment for different engines.

 

[projectPONY]

Ok I'm going to jump on this post and keep it going, as I posted an engine run stand post myself before being directed here. What always seems to be missing is how to wire a run stand up. I think there are a million ways to custom build the frame part but what I would like to know, or better yet, see a drawing of is how to wire it up. This includes the gauges, method for start up, battery, gas, grounds, alt, distributor etc. Somebody posted about buying the run stand plans online but did not mention if there was a wiring diagram or anything. I think the wiring / start up method is what is holding me back at this point as I am still in the planning stages. I have a couple BB mopar engines I am working on and would like a way to test them.

This is a good point but I think that you might be over thinking it. Just have to think of the stand as being the chasis of a car. I know for a fact you will need a starter selonoid. Gauges are simple, temp gauge will come off the temp sensor and rpm gauge off the dizzy, and so on. IMO the wiring will be the simplest part of the build.

 

[projectPONY]

On page 21 this months Car craft is a major engine stand, but a really nice idea for mount adjustment for different engines.

Thanks for the tip, gonna have to pick it up.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

bop_pa, I bought a set of the (printed $14.50) plans mentioned earlier in this thread and the color-coded wiring diagrams for both Ford and GM engines are included. The plans are very well done in a professional format. Well worth the cost IMHO.

 

[ptschram]

This is a good point but I think that you might be over thinking it. Just have to think of the stand as being the chasis of a car. I know for a fact you will need a starter selonoid. Gauges are simple, temp gauge will come off the temp sensor and rpm gauge off the dizzy, and so on. IMO the wiring will be the simplest part of the build.

LOL-I was thinking about starting to build a stand and I got hung up on the EMS as I work on three different EMS on the same block.

I'll have to have three separate wiring harnesses and two different alarm units to test the three different EMS.

 

[Ascinder]

I have and LS series engine sitting on the 2000 lb. engine stand from HF.

Is there any good reason I can't attach the bellhousing to the engine and hook up the support arms to it, then just maybe make some 2x2 tubing arms to come up and support the engine at the motor mounts and attach down at the stabilization legs of the stand? It seems pretty cheap, portable, and it would be simple to break down and get out of the way when not used, plus it dual purposes the stand. I have a fuel tank that can straddle the legs as well and it seems like you would be able to make a simple plate to bolt in through the back side of the bellhousing adjuster arms for all the guages and a battery tray in the box section underneath.

 

[Richard D]

I wouldn't trust a Horrible Fright stand to HOLD an engine, let alone run one, weather you beefed it up or not.

 

[Ascinder]

I agree as far as their lighter stands are concerned-they're garbage, but like their 56" rollaway, once you get to their heavier duty level, their stuff is fine. Their 750lb and 1000lb stands weigh about 50 lbs each, this one weighs over 100. I have had that engine on the stand for just about 2 years now and have moved it all over the place, plus moved to another house with it just last week and it's performed great. This one isn't built like their cheesy tinfoil 4 banger stands. I have the Summit Racing west coast distribution center right here in town and I haven't seen a stand there yet that seems much better than this one. The only thing I wish it had was a geared rotation system, otherwise it's great.

 

[drive em]

Out of curiosity, do you guys strap those things down? And how? I dont see any loops on the rigs at all.

I would think even the moderate torque engine would flip that little stand with even the slightest blip of the throttle

I have been using my engine start up stand for 18 years, and there is no need to hold it down as long as it is wide enough.

 

[srmofo]

I have been using my engine start up stand for 18 years, and there is no need to hold it down as long as it is wide enough.

Yeah I was thinking about this after I had posted, and Ive come to the conclusion that as long as the engine is not performing any work (like turning a drivetrain, then it has nothing to push against.

 

[richtersrodz]

Just don't do it like this guy.. a tire and two bricks. Looks a bit dangerous, but I'm sure most of us have tried something like this at one time or another.

When I bought my first v-8 from the junk yard, they cranked it sitting right there on the floor, on the pan. Only tragedy was the guy's pants, when the oil line shot oil all over his leg, and it didn't notice, til it was soaked.

 

[bignastyGS]

Awesome run stand Mrpowderkeg...I would pay you for the dimensions of your stand..

 

[gearheads78]

Some great ideas in here. I plan on building something of a universal type since I work on so much different type of stuff.

 

[projectPONY]

Wow, I had completely forgot about this thread.

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