Garden hose on break in stand

[cratemodel014]

What are the downsides to using a garden hose to cool an engine on a test stand. Just running it for 30 minutes to break cam in and check for leaks.

Thanks, Adam

[Dragsinger]

Adam, I recommend you take the time to rig up a radiator and water pump. My concern with running water through the engine is that you would have poor control. Possible hot spots, possible steam pockets and maybe areas that never get up to operating temp.

Or even consider installing the engine in its intended home.

In a perfect world, install the engine, have all adjustment as close as possible, fire up and run at fast idle a few mins, then go test drive while operating the engine at varying speeds.

[RevTheory]

Definitely following. It would be handy on the dyno as well when testing multiple ICLs when pressed for time.

[cratemodel014]

Kinda what i figured. Have a mopar 512 on the stand and the jeep radiator with electric fans isnt getting the job done. Climbs over 200 within 5 minutes of run time. Guess im gonna have to go to a bigger radiator.

[Circlotron]

You could use the garden hose to spray water on the Jeep radiator.

[desoto30]

Yes, that usually works ^^^^

[ProPower engines]

I use an aluminum rad from Northern performance. They are about $150 and they have fully welded tanks.
It will keep anything cool with a single fan and hold 170 degrees with the fan running.
Rad size is a 28" wide 19" tall with 2 rows of 1'' tubes. I welded 2 sets of inlet/outlets and cap the ones I don't use when running an engine.

[DaveMcLain]

It would not be very hard to make a cooling tower like most dynos use. All you need is a tall tank with a standpipe of some kind. Use a water pump to circulate the water and then have the cool water source connected to the tank. When the engine gets to whatever temperature you want just start letting in a little more cool water and allow the hot water to exit by spilling over the stand pipe.

On my dyno my cooling tower works like that and it is home made. I have a thermostatic valve on there from Johnson Controls that has always worked perfectly. I run the engines at 185 degrees at the entrance to the cooling tower.

[Brian P]

It sounds like the original poster already has the engine and (undersized) radiator already set up. Just spray water on the outside of the radiator and keep it wet as already suggested.

[RevTheory]

I must have completely misunderstood the original question

[ZEOHSIX]

City water pressure usually averages around 30PSI.....that can tax sealing surfaces.....we have used it at times....regulate it down to 15PSI and run a flow restrictor on the outlet side of the cooling system.....restrictor is a 3/4" ball valve in our case.

[bigjoe1]

Almost ALL OLD engine dynos used a garden hose setup so they had some control of the engine temps- NO BIG DEAL




JOE SHERMAN RACING

[roc]

City water pressure usually averages around 30PSI.....that can tax sealing surfaces.....we have used it at times....regulate it down to 15PSI and run a flow restrictor on the outlet side of the cooling system.....restrictor is a 3/4" ball valve in our case.

I don't share this concern.

1) The actual pressure with the garden hose depends on the restriction imposed where the water exits the engine block. E.g.: the ball valve referred above.
2) In a car, the water pressure inside the engine is higher than 15 psi.

[Amilcar]

Neighbours will disaproove that for sure...

[Bob Hollinshead]

You don't want to overcool the engine either right???