Dyno Run

[Menno van Rij]

As mentioned last week: today, my car had an appointment with a Dyno meter... Two years ago, when Bert Zomer in Holten rebuilt my engine, he told me that he would perform a Dyno test after the engine had done some milage. So, off to Holten earlier today.

 

Last year Ian Cornish wrote an article about Dynos. (TRAction 238 - October 2009). His article contains very interesting stuff if you ever want to have your car 'Dyno-ed'. And given the state of my car, I was very interested to read that Ian mentioned a 'bog-standard, 2138cc. TR4' (page 30). My car has a bog standard, 2138cc TR4 engine too. So comparing both cars is reasonable. Keeping in mind the fact that no two RRs (rolling road) show the same figures!

 

I wanted to know the torque and the shape of the torque line. I only wanted to have the car tested at 4700 RPMmax.: I will never exceed that figure! HP (or DIN-ps/pk) wasn't too important at that time. A horizontal torque line makes the car driveable imho.

 

First, the RR engineer put my car on the drums, making sure that the car was properly strapped! The RR can be adapted to test larger and smaller vehicles: the drums can be adjusted forwards and backwards.

 

Then he performed a few test runs, using a 4gas flow meter, making sure the air-fuel ratio was correct. Not only at tickover, but also at 4700 RPMmax. It appeared that the carbs were adjusted correctly and needed no adjustment. So he started his runs. The RR compensates the loss of power through the drive line, the high temp. (32C Celsius) etc.

 

The first run showed about 120 Nm DinTrq = 88.5 lb.ft and 72 DinPS = 71.1 HP. Close to the figures of the prementioned 'bog-standard' TR4. But then, Alan, the guy who helped me rebuilding my car, started advancing the ignition! 4 'clicks' on the first run, gaining HP en Torque and after that, 2 more 'clicks' without hearing a pinking noise under load! And the car once again gained some HP and Torque: 79.3 DinPS = 78.2 HP and 94.5 lb.ft. Now that's very close to the data Ian mentioned in his article!

 

What's more important: We had set 4700 RPMmax. but both the HP and Torque curve weren't coming down at those RPMs. Perhaps, there's even more to be found! But I'll leave it like this. What I haven't figured out however, is the conversion of these modern day figures compared with the original data Triumph used for the TR.

 

The message of this day is: be sure to set your ignition! You will gain 10% HP and Torque by turning a venier wheel!

 

Menno

 

I added a PDF of the last run. (Below the pics!) When you open the file (Adobe!) you can rotate the file clockwise by clicking somewhere on your screen with the right mouse button. You'll notice a ragged line at the beginning of the curves: the RR has trouble measuring low-end power...

 

Bert's shop

 

Jarno, the engineer behind the wheel, Alan watching

 

[pfenlon]

Not being an Engine expert I find it interesting that such a small adjustment can result in such a large amount of BHP.

 

Your car still looks unused Menno, when are we going to get a photo of it full of mud and crud!

 

To Exceed your limit of 4,750 rpm would be a little fuitless anyway and little if anything gained in a road car.

[ianc]

Menno - excellent result, achieved with just minor adjustment. Splendid!

It's difficult to compare Triumph's original results with those from a rolling road, since Triumph (as explained in my article) had the engine on a test rig, not mounted in a car. Nor do we know whether the engine had a proper dynamo or exhaust system fitted. Almost certainly, the engine would have been connected direct to the dynamometer (i.e. no gearbox).

Lastly, the Triumph graph in my article was for a TR2, and we know that the later cars had better beathing and therefore more power at higher revs.

Ian Cornish

[Ian Vincent]

Its a sobering thought (to me anyway) that my daily driver which is nothing special (but is a diesel) has 170 Din HP and a max torque of 400Nm between 1400 and 2800 rpm.

 

It is this kind of progress that has contributed the installation of traffic lights at large roundabouts. Modern vehicles can accelerate up to speed and handle around the curves so well that it makes it impossible for anyone waiting at one of the entrances to break into the traffic stream - by the time it gets to you it is going too fast.

 

Rgds Ian

[Menno van Rij]

Its a sobering thought (to me anyway) that my daily driver which is nothing special (but is a diesel) has 170 Din HP and a max torque of 400Nm between 1400 and 2800 rpm.

 

It is this kind of progress that has contributed the installation of traffic lights at large roundabouts. Modern vehicles can accelerate up to speed and handle around the curves so well that it makes it impossible for anyone waiting at one of the entrances to break into the traffic stream - by the time it gets to you it is going too fast.

 

Rgds Ian

 

 

Point well made! Next to the RR is an engine stand. Tuning, remapping etc. especially for rallye and dirt track cars. There was a Volkswagen engine on the stand: 2.0 ltr + turbo for a dirt track car. They were busy remapping the engine... max. Din HP: 523, max torque: 680 Nm... at 8000 RPM, 9100 RPMmax. Sounded glorious at RMPmax! Now, these are serious figures! Off course, this engine is going to be used for a special job, but it makes you think what they can achive with the engine of your Eurobox.

 

Menno

[angelfj]

Menno: Thank you for this excellent report. This is valuable information which is very useful!

 

I really admire the huge electric fan in front of your car. I need something like this for our house as we have been dealing with 100+ degree days!

 

Cheers

[Menno van Rij]

I really admire the huge electric fan in front of your car. I need something like this for our house as we have been dealing with 100+ degree days

 

Yes, I know what you mean! Even overhere in Holland, de thermometer touches 100 Degrees, which is quite unusual for us. And the Meteo Office thinks it will last at least for two more weeks! I left the car in the garage today. It was unpleasantly hot today. Even driving my TR wouldn't have cooled me! I did take the sidescreens off. And that's something I don't do often! So, tomorrow I'll be driving 'al fresco' so to speak.

 

The journey to the RR yesterday involved some serious city driving: traffic lights, roundabouts etc. I was very curious to see what the temp. gauge on the dash was going to show me! Not a problem: the needle stayed a little left of the 185 degree marker! When the temp rose, the Pacet fan cut in, lowering the temp. to the original position just left of the 185 marker.

 

The huge fan in front of the RR provided enough cool air for my car. Even at high revs., the engine temp. on the dash was lower than in traffic!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Menno

Edited July 9, 2010 by Menno van Rij