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There's a good reason why you stay out of the dyno cell when doing a full power run!

little ol' e

Jus' a hobby guy
Every Dyno run, be it engine or chassis. We were still in the proto type stages. You would need more than a helmet and chest protection to enter the room haha.
I built a 403 Olds block and lost it to detonation back in the day, wasn't pretty. Just expensive and cool to watch haha..
Needless to say, that was my last 403 Olds attempt.
 

Susquatch

Ultra Member
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Premium Member
All of the engine dynos I ever worked on (literally 100s of them) were enclosed in explosion proof rooms with blowout exterior walls and roofs. The window into the dyno cell was thick explosion proof glass. There was also high pressure full replacement air fire extinguishing too. I've seen dozens of engines disintegrate. You almost always knew it was gunna happen before it did. You hit that red button and it was over as fast as it started.
 

little ol' e

Jus' a hobby guy
All of the engine dynos I ever worked on (literally 100s of them) I've seen dozens of engines disintegrate. You almost always knew it was gunna happen before it did. You hit that red button and it was over as fast as it started.
Do you remember the Olds 350 DX engines ? If so, you probably seen some crazy diesel explosions. The DX blocks make for a much stronger gas block, but hard to find these days.
Did you blow them all up @Susquatch ?
 

Susquatch

Ultra Member
Administrator
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Do you remember the Olds 350 DX engines ? If so, you probably seen some crazy diesel explosions. The DX blocks make for a much stronger gas block, but hard to find these days.
Did you blow them all up @Susquatch ?

I certainly do. I didn't blow any up myself, but I blame that engine for the poor presence of diesel engines in North American passenger cars. That stupid engine put a bad taste in the public's mouth that has never gone away. It's a better block for gas, but it was a rotten block for diesel.
 

slow-poke

Ultra Member
One day at Gimli drag strip, the alcohol dragsters were going at it, they all had Keith Black style Hemi engines except one. The announcer told the crowd to get further back because the next dragster up was using a different philosophy basically a disposable engine I recall it was a Chevy block of some sort. Announcer stated that they normally only get one or two passes before it explodes. It survived the tire warm up but then exploded at the line on its first actual pass, large chunks went flying all over the place.

Seems like a crazy approach I can't imagine there was anything salvageable from that engine.

I would hate to have an engine failure at the far end of the track.
 
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DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
I certainly do. I didn't blow any up myself, but I blame that engine for the poor presence of diesel engines in North American passenger cars. That stupid engine put a bad taste in the public's mouth that has never gone away. It's a better block for gas, but it was a rotten block for diesel.
Yes that GM nightmare of a diesel engine tainted my upbringing and view of diesel passenger vehicles even tho we never actually owned one. I was however fortunate enough to get through college and university with the help of a Volkwagens diesel Rabbit. Now that was designed by engineers who knew what mattered and what didn't.
 
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