FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Has someone got a simple proven set up to run my grey motor outside the car for testing, tuning and running in. Wiring, fuel etc. It will be about another 12 mths b4 I will be putting it back into the car. Instead of me developing something from scratch I am sure that there are many simple set ups out there.
Thanks in advance
regards
rick

Many years ago I worked with a guy who had a holden sideplate motor powering a Lincoln generator/welder . The only thing I remember is that it ran double throttle bodies stacked ,where the top throttle was open around 2000rpm and the lower ran at idle . When an arc was struck the bottom throttle would be opened. If you don't need the motor you could just store it by putting oil down the plugholes and backing off the rockers .There are people who would know more than me about protecting the water pump and water jacket but some of the products used for storing power boat[inboard] engines maybe useful. Haydn

I built one for a motor I had done up for a car.
Sturdy lower frame solid mounted to the bellhousing and front engine plate. (would have been better with rubber mounts)
It had a Victa lawnmower fuel tank mounted on a light upper frame. No radiator was used as I only ran it for short periods, so also had no fan belt on it.
Battery sat on the lower frame with a retainer.
Ignition switch on the upper frame
Battery cables are as normal to starter motor and earth.
Wiring circuit goes from battery to switch, switch to coil and switch to starter.
It had a front exhaust pipe which had been modded to sit higher and a muffler attached to that.
Would be easy to hook up a radiator on another light frame at the front if necessary.
Lent it to a friend and never got it back.....
Ken

I've run a few on cradles  ;D. I can't weld, and don't fancy investing a heap of time in switches etc for something that will run for short periods infrequently... that means my way is pretty simple.

Simple way is to buy a SBC engine cradle - you can get these from Radum. Make sure you get the one where the rear (angled) legs are moveable, not fixed.

A piece of RHS drilled and bolted to the front allows you to pick up the front engine mount, with or without the Holden rubber pillow block. Sliding the legs backwards allows you to pick up the rear Holden steel gearbox angled mounts. This works both with the engine-only, and with a gearbox in place. handy if you don't want to separate them.

If you are only firing it up to keep it turned over (or fiddling with float levels etc), you don't need a radiator. Pull the thermostat out, and use a cutoff length of bicycle inner tube (with hose clamps) to fit your garden hose into the top thermostat housing. Another length of inner tube on the lower thermostat housing will let you get the water to drain (or at least away from the engine). Take the four bolts out and pull off the fan... it hurts if you accidently put your hand into it!

If you are trying to tune it (jetting or timing), you will need the thermostat and radiator to get it warm. Bit fiddly - easier to tune when the engine is back in the car... the time it takes to plumb a radiator is really not worth it (at least to me).

Wiring is pretty simple - negative jumper lead to engine block, small hot wire from starter to coil, positive jumper lead to starter with small hot wire attached. Touch the small hot wire to the starter solenoid to get it to turn over, then pull off once it fires.

Fuel from a plastic bottle, run through garden hose into either the fuel pump or straight to carb (wire the plastic bottle above the engine to let it gravity feed). Don't forget to remove the bottle lid or it will pull vacuum and starve.

Exhaust out the standard manifold to the floor. A bit noisy (and some 1' flames when backing off) but that's half the fun.

Cheers,
Harv

I have ran a grey for a short time by sitting it on a suitable size 4wd tyre.  I put a bottom radiator hose on and used another length of hose on the thermostat housing and coupled the two together.  Removed the top hose, filled the block with water and recoupled the top hose. Exhaust straight out the manifold to the floor.  Crude wiring as previously suggested.  Bit noisy but good for around 5 minutes running.  The motor was a good one and have stored it with the water in it with the hose configuration I used.

Keith

Try to avoid running them on the floor sitting on the sump (without a tyre). It works, but V8s tend to chase you around the shed. Don't ask me how I know :D.

If using the Radum cradles, try to not use this one:
http://radum.com.au/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=6621

It looks the same as the other type, but the back legs (on an angle) are not adjustable. It can still work, but you need to make an angle iron adaptor to go from the (fixed) back legs to the sump screws... fiddly.

I bought a smokey grey motor runner a year or so back, which my son has claimed as his own. Loves firing it up on the cradle. Good lessons for a 12 year old.

Cheers,
Harv

I run/start nilly all of mine on the engine stand
Just don't do it on a 3 wheel make sure it's a 4 wheel

Sometimes depending on the engine I have had to pack it up to get the right angle
They normally go pretty cheap as someone is always getting rid of one

thank you to all for the replies and ideas, will use most of them I am sure. One thing about asking people with experience it eliminates the "ERRORS" from trial and errors. As I have completely rebuilt the motor I want to be able to a couple of times a month start it up and run it for about 10 to 15 mins. What I mean't by tuning is that all the marks etc line up and idles smoothly on the stand, final tuning I will get a mechanic friend to do when motor back in. Once again thanks. rick