| 00:00 |
Anytime you're running an engine under full power, there's some inherent risk of something going wrong.
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| 00:06 |
Unfortunately, the dyno has got a pretty bad reputation these days as the cause of many engine failures.
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| 00:13 |
And you only need to search for dyno fail on YouTube to see the evidence for yourself.
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| 00:20 |
The reality, however, is a little different.
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| 00:23 |
A modern dyno can perform a full power ramp test in 10 seconds or less.
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| 00:28 |
And when the dyno is used in an intelligent way, there's no more stress placed on the engine than there is when you drive on the road or track.
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| 00:37 |
In fact, you could argue the dyno is much safer, since the engine is normally equipped with sensors to monitor vital performance aspects like the air-fuel ratio, allowing the dyno operator to abort the run if the conditions are unsafe.
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| 00:54 |
Obviously, if you're pushing the boundaries of engine performance, then at some point failures may occur.
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| 01:00 |
But that is a risk you need to accept if you're looking for maximum power.
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| 01:06 |
If your engine is likely to suffer a failure, though, it's most likely going to do so regardless whether it's being driven on the road or on the dyno.
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| 01:16 |
Probably where the dyno has achieved much of its bad reputation is from customers taking their cars along for a tuning session, when the engine is already badly wounded, and is just waiting for an excuse to fall to pieces.
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| 01:31 |
If your engine is smoking badly, down on compression, using oil or water, or is leaking any fluids, for that matter, a dyno session isn't likely to end well.
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| 01:43 |
Basically, if you take a hand grenade to the dyno, the results are going to be quite predictable, and certainly won't be the dyno's fault.
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| 01:54 |
The other aspect that's worth clearing up is what we should be able to expect from the guy or girl performing the tuning.
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| 02:02 |
There's always a lot of blame apportioned to tuners when something does go wrong, and sometimes it's justifiable, while other times it might not be.
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| 02:12 |
It's all about being realistic with your expectations, and understanding the limits of your engine.
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| 02:19 |
Let's start by talking about what the tuner's responsibility should be.
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| 02:24 |
It's reasonable to expect that a competent tuner should be able to tune an engine, and provide an air-fuel ratio that's safe, and ensure the engine isn't suffering from detonation.
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| 02:35 |
Beyond these two parameters, though, there's a lot more to consider.
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| 02:40 |
A tuner, for example, can't be expected to have an intimate understanding of the power limit of every engine they're likely to see come across the dyno.
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| 02:49 |
Likewise, two identical engines may fail at slightly different power levels, based on how the engines have been treated and maintained during their life.
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| 02:59 |
Of course, even with a professionally built engine, things can go wrong, and it isn't uncommon to have issues, for example, with the bearings failing while the engine is on the dyno.
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| 03:11 |
Problems like this are out of the control of the tuner, and come back to the engine components or the assembly.
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| 03:19 |
Lastly, if you're pushing the boundaries and want the last possible horsepower from a highly strung engine, then you need to understand the possible outcomes if things do go wrong.
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| 03:30 |
If you want that last horsepower, and your budget can handle a complete rebuild, then that's fine.
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| 03:36 |
On the other hand, if an engine failure would cause you some serious financial problems, it would pay to take a more conservative approach when it comes to the tuning, and potentially leave some power on the table in order to give your engine a larger safety margin.
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| 03:53 |
Most of this is only really applicable if you're expecting to be pushing a fair way past what the stock engine was rated to produce.
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| 04:01 |
If you're adding headers, an exhaust system, and an air filter, for example, you're probably not going to need to be too concerned about exceeding the stock engine strength limit.
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| 04:12 |
If you're adding a turbo to a naturally aspirated engine, on the other hand, you're going to want to know that the engine internals are up to the task.
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