When the car is put on a chassis dyno, does that hurt an engine?

Not anymore than beating on it on the street or strip

If it can't withstand a dyno pull, I wouldn't want to drive it on the street.

Like I tell every body you can't hurt it, It aint got no feelings LOL

Ya a chassis dyno and engine dynos do put a 100% load on a engine which is hard to duplicate this being in car.

it doesnt hurt them to bad, i only blew the ring lands out of 4 pistons, just think, it could have been all 8(876 rwhp, and the retard failed, so did the retard puttin the fuel in it-lol)

As most said, I doubt it would hurt it any more then beatin' on it on the street. But, a guy at a local machine shop said that it could hurt it due to the car not transfering its weight, and all the oil staying in the front of the pan. That didn't sound right to me. Anyone else ever hear of this?

CHris

There was a rumor to that effect being passed around. I don't know what your oil pan looks like but mine doesn't hold any oil in the front of the pan anytime. Somehow it runs downhill to the rear. Ask the same guy how he stops at the end of the track. Does he have to spin the car around backwards to keep oil in the pan?

Go to a shop that has done it for some time. I had a shop around me when they got theres they were blowing engines up left and right.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. Oil pans are shaped so that the oil will run down to the sump where the pump pick-up is. So there shouldn't be any concern about oil starvation during a dyno run.

Go to a shop that has done it for some time. I had a shop around me when they got theres they were blowing engines up left and right. Well then I think we should clarify if we're talking about Dyno TUNES, or Dyno TESTS, because IF you're refering to guys blowing-up their engines at dyno places, then that will only occur when a place is Dyno TUNING, and they're leaning out the air/fuel ratios too much in an attempt to squeeze more HP out of their customers' cars, which causes dangerous detonating/pinging. And that's particularly dangerous with forced induction engines.

If you're simply going to some place for a Dyno TEST, then who does the TEST doesn't have to be a concern, unless they don't even know how to tie your car down properly to anchor it.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. Oil pans are shaped so that the oil will run down to the sump where the pump pick-up is. So there shouldn't be any concern about oil starvation during a dyno run.

That's what I thought, but this guy is a very well respected local guy. Has built motors for some big names and does the machine work for all the performance shops around here. He told me that and I was sceptical, but coming from him I found it to be truthful. I guess not.

Thanks for clearing that up,

Chris

Go to a shop that has done it for some time. I had a shop around me when they got theres they were blowing engines up left and right.

Where else would you find a higher rate of failure? Certainly not in the crate, or idling in the driveway. A dyno stress tests an engine and some of them don't pass the test. Not every engine is built right. As a dyno operator you aren't usually involved in the construction of the car or motor, the guy makes an appointment and you test the car. If he has chosen to put a blower on top of a used cast piston motor and it loses 2 pistons on the first pull, who is at fault?

The engines were failing do to the way the shop was running the dyno. When the manufacture came in and spent the day with them all failures stop.

In fact when nascar first started using the chassie dyno to look at the diff. makes and what they put out were having failures at first.1 example was Erine irvins texico 28 car.

to clear up some of my earlier post, when we ran mine on a chassis dyno, they said they would have to be in the car-i gave them spec instructions on rpm and to watch for the retard light-well, the guy was used to imports, and when he nailed it, it shot way over the rpm limit-i was busy watch fuel pres/boost-for the second round, i changed the rev limiter to protect it-second pass power started droping-i ended it there-i asked him about the retard light, and he said he forgot to look-turns out the fuse had blown to the retard(inlet temp probe was under the dash, hit the fuse box) i was running on the edge, and the over rev produced way to much boost, and the retard not working rattled the hell out of it-had i been in the car, i would have shut it down imed. when the retard light didnt come on, and i wouldnt have overreved it-but i take the blame for the retard failure, and i should have put a lower chip in it, even though it was operator error-all was good later on, i came back with a much safer setup, and i got to be the operator,
rwhp was lowered, but 100% safe

Carl just wondering,if you could apply a 100% or 1:1 load to the engine wouldn't the motor stall?

Carl just wondering,if you could apply a 100% or 1:1 load to the engine wouldn't the motor stall?

On a Super Flow Dyno you can start the pull at what ever RPM you want say 3200 and at wide WOT hold it there as long as you want (TRY THAT ON THE STREET) and from there hit auto a run up to the desired RPM you dial in.

Ya I am sure you could bring it down to where the engine would stall and I'm not sure why anyone would want to do that but it can be done.

Carl,
Funny that you mentioned the NASCAR Dyno. Like, Deja Vu (Dyno Vu?), just yesterday I was talking to one of the guys that performs NASCAR's Dyno tests every race weekend for tech compliance. I believe these are done post race and limited to front runners normally. He is the father of one of my daughter's best friends and soccer team mate.

FWIW, I guessed RWHP to be in the 600hp neighborhood, but informed, closer to 700 (except restrictor plate). That's at the rear wheel from a carbureted 355 cid engine, optimally expected to run 8000+ rpm for 2 1/2-3 hours, 400-500 miles.

Carl,
Funny that you mentioned the NASCAR Dyno. Like, Deja Vu (Dyno Vu?), just yesterday I was talking to one of the guys that performs NASCAR's Dyno tests every race weekend for tech compliance. I believe these are done post race and limited to front runners normally. He is the father of one of my daughter's best friends and soccer team mate.

FWIW, I guessed RWHP to be in the 600hp neighborhood, but informed, closer to 700 (except restrictor plate). That's at the rear wheel from a carbureted 355 cid engine, optimally expected to run 8000+ rpm for 2 1/2-3 hours, 400-500 miles.

My old partner that worked with me in the shop for 12 years works at DEI in the engine shop and is the tuner on the 8 car and at the super speedways that have what they call DYNO WARS after the race for the top runners