Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: Alan Swanson
I'd love to see your pictures. Maybe we could talk Steve into putting them on his web site so that you don't cause problems with large mail attachments.Dean Dayton - deandayton(at)hotmail.com>Hi Larry:> Our local RAA chapter built a test stand to run engines and get a >reasonably accurate reading of the torque and thrust developed. We used a >shortened hydraulic cylinder to mount a plate type firewal on. The axis of this >cylinder is horizontal and the rod end of the cylinder is carried in a slip fit >bearing. Oil trapped in the cylinder is pressurized by the thrust generated by >the prop. A pressure gauge was recalibrated by painting the face white and >putting marks on the face that indicate thrust in pounds.> A second cylinder is mounted on an arm ninety degrees to the axis of >rotation. this cylinder is set up to measure the reaction torque in foot pounds. >By measuring prop speed with a photo tach and putting the info into the HP >formula we can have a pretty good idea of the static HP and thrust any >particular engine prop combination will produce.> The whole unit is mounted on a trailer so the run ups can be done >away from kids dogs neighbours etc.. We spent less than $300 on the whole >outfit.( a lot of scrounging!) So far we have run a continental A-80 from a >Stinson and an 0-320 Lycoming for an RV. The results we got from our tests >came out very close to the advertised specs. > I started the test stand project so that I could run my much modified>Ford B engine before I mounted it in the airframe.> If there is enough interest I could scan in a photo and post it as an>attachment.>>John Mc>________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Dean Dayton
________________________________________________________________________________Send reply to: Pietenpol Discussion All,Just tore down my Corvair engine and found it must have spent a fewyears out in the rain. Everything above the camshaft is badly rusted.Oh well, guess I'll have some spare (aluminum) parts!After I find and overhaul the next one, I'll be building a simple teststand. This will allow me to break in and modify engines withoutrisking the hull.I'll keep you posted...LarryHi Larry: Our local RAA chapter built a test stand to run engines and get a reasonably accurate reading of the torque and thrust developed. We used a shortened hydraulic cylinder to mount a plate type firewal on. The axis of thiscylinder is horizontal and the rod end of the cylinder is carried in a slip fitbearing. Oil trapped in the cylinder is pressurized by the thrust generated bythe prop. A pressure gauge was recalibrated by painting the face white and putting marks on the face that indicate thrust in pounds. A second cylinder is mounted on an arm ninety degrees to the axis of rotation. this cylinder is set up to measure the reaction torque in foot pounds.By measuring prop speed with a photo tach and putting the info into the HP formula we can have a pretty good idea of the static HP and thrust any particular engine prop combination will produce. The whole unit is mounted on a trailer so the run ups can be done away from kids dogs neighbours etc.. We spent less than $300 on the whole outfit.( a lot of scrounging!) So far we have run a continental A-80 from a Stinson and an 0-320 Lycoming for an RV. The results we got from our tests came out very close to the advertised specs. I started the test stand project so that I could run my much modified Ford B engine before I mounted it in the airframe. If there is enough interest I could scan in a photo and post it as an attachment.John Mc________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: steve(at)byu.edu
No problem, Send them directly to me @Steve(at)byu.eduSteve-----Original Message-----Dean DaytonSent: Tuesday, May 26, 1998 11:31 AMSubject: Pietenpol-List: Re: Engine test standI'd love to see your pictures. Maybe we could talk Steve into putting them on his web site so that you don't cause problems with large mail attachments.Dean Dayton - deandayton(at)hotmail.com>Hi Larry:> Our local RAA chapter built a test stand to run engines and get a >reasonably accurate reading of the torque and thrust developed. We used a >shortened hydraulic cylinder to mount a plate type firewal on. The axis of this >cylinder is horizontal and the rod end of the cylinder is carried in a slip fit >bearing. Oil trapped in the cylinder is pressurized by the thrust generated by >the prop. A pressure gauge was recalibrated by painting the face white and >putting marks on the face that indicate thrust in pounds.> A second cylinder is mounted on an arm ninety degrees to the axis of >rotation. this cylinder is set up to measure the reaction torque in foot pounds. >By measuring prop speed with a photo tach and putting the info into the HP >formula we can have a pretty good idea of the static HP and thrust any >particular engine prop combination will produce.> The whole unit is mounted on a trailer so the run ups can be done >away from kids dogs neighbours etc.. We spent less than $300 on the whole >outfit.( a lot of scrounging!) So far we have run a continental A-80 from a >Stinson and an 0-320 Lycoming for an RV. The results we got from our tests >came out very close to the advertised specs. > I started the test stand project so that I could run my much modified>Ford B engine before I mounted it in the airframe.> If there is enough interest I could scan in a photo and post it as an>attachment.>>John Mc>________________________________________________________________________________