PTS Flowbench Forum

Hi guys.
Unfortunately my bench build has been put on the backburner for way too long. Work and stuff gets in the road. About 4 months ago I was ready to cut the cabinet on the CNC router and it had a failure, so I ordered a new controller (@$4,000...ouch) which was supposed to take 3 months out of the US. Unfortunately when the 3 months was up I was told it will be another 3 months, so expecting it around Feb/March...

So, in the interim, a mate has loaned me his SF110 so I can get some data for Dynomation 6 as I want to start looking at my race car engine (Nissan SR20VE and SR16VE).

Isd it possible for me to hook up my PTS DM to measure the SF110 manometers and get the outputs, and also then run the probe. I also have the automatic depression controller so I's like to set it up and get it running at the same time.

I feel I could run the auto depression controller easily enough, but it's calculating the flow based on the orifices in the SF110 that has me stumped. Can anyone help here.
If I can't get my router up and running by the end of FEB I'm going to start cutting the bench manually, however I'd rather start and finish it on the CNC.

On another point, I've got a new resin 3D printer and I've made some valve lifting jigs with it. I also made one for holding the linear pot for a Audie technology CAm Pro Plus so I can measure my camshafts. I borrowed that from the same mate.
I have some SR16VE FIA homologated camshafts that weren't available to the public (long story) and consequently there is no published info available about them. I currently have 2 variations of them from NISMO.

Anyway, if someone could give me some pointers on how to set up the PTS stuff on the borrowed SF110 I'd be very appreciative. At least I can start getting used to it while I build the other one.

Greig

No one?

What I'm thinking I need to do is remove all the bungs in the top which should be 185cfm@10".
I will open the valve fully so the bench would run flat out.

I would then wire up the power supply using the components I got from Bruce so it controls the motor of the flowbench and using the depression controller I got from Bruce, I should be able to set it and 10" and it would run to 10" and stay there.

Next I would need to run one of the plates I got from to Bruce to calibrate the bench.

Once this is done I should be able to flow test at 10" using the PTS gear until I can get my bench built.

Correct?

I need to find the instructional videos on how to use the electronics I got from Bruce.

Interesting. I just put 2 of my calibration plates on the SF110 and they were both very close when converting the pressures over.
The 1.18" plate could pull 10" and the 2.045" plate could only pull 8", but converted with the Superflow conversion to 28" they were both extremely close to the plate 28" CFM.

I just need to work out how to hook up the DM and the auto motor controller now. Then when I get my PTS one done I just need to swap them over. I can't wait to do the PTS bench and start testing at 28" to be honest. Getting this Superflow has helped me refocus on the PTS project. It's something tangible now.

My SF-110 can pull about 165cfm @ 10" on the intake side and a little more on the exhaust side. I use the PTS plates to check my calibration and I'm using the older style Flowcom and Performance Trends software. Pressures are pressures and I can't see why the DM from PTS wouldn't work just fine on the Superflow.

Thanks Dave. You're right
I've got it pretty much working now. The next step is to put everything into the one box and get the auto depression working.

Fun Fun Fun

The SF110 heats the air with the motors before it exits the measuring orifice plates so you need to have a correction factor for CFM to account for this temp increase. The PTS DM will not allow for this as it's designed for a center orifice style flowbench where the same air goes through the test part and measuring orifice so it's ratiometric and does not require a correction factor.

The air heating problem is significant with the blue benches.
All that massive electrical power going into the bench comes right back out again as heated air.
Hot air expands, and the CFM flowing through your cylinder head is nothing like the CFM of the hot air being blown out through the flow measurement orifices.

PTS benches do not suffer from this defect.

In the excel spreadsheet I wrote to deal with the data I added the temp corrections in there.
Of course the end game is to build the PTS bench, but this is getting me started. And it's inspired me to move on the bigger bench as well.

I now have the SF110 bench doing the auto depression so it's coming along nicely.

Once we're back at work and the part turns up for the CNC router I'll get that going and start making the cabinet. Unfortunately Covid is causing a few issues up here in QLD, and what I'd planned for isn't going to be as smooth as I thought it was going to be a couple of weeks ago. We teach engineering in High Schools by building race cars. We're starting about 40 cars this year, but have approx 20 or so that are half way through. With a delayed start to schools, our back to work plans have been thrown into disarray. We'll find out more next week.

Here's some pics of some of the cars the students finished and drove at Lakeside in October 2021. We had about 30 cars on track and approx 300 student drivers. Next October we envisage 40 cars on track, so approx 400 drivers. It's a fun way to teach engineering that suitably keeps me broke...LOL... The Blue Clubbie in the last pic had the paint job sponsored by Jess Dane, part owner of 888 as the teacher from that school also works for 888. Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup signed the car, nice touch. We have our own event thanks to John Tetley that owns the track.