3.4camaro

iTrader: (1)

Hey folks!

I'm a senior ME at SMU. My senior design group has decided to design and build an individual throttle body intake manifold for an LS1. We will be fabricating the thing in-house, and designing it to work within stock rpm range with stock heads and everything.

We have decided that designing it to fit under the hood of a Camaro is too much of a design constraint, considering we will be machining the entire thing, not casting. This means in order to test our manifold, we'll need an engine dyno. Here are my questions:

Is there an engine dyno in Dallas, or Texas?

We will need to purchase/procure a working, reliable engine, so do I need to purchase a wire harness/ECM as well if this is only to be used on an engine dyno?

Does anyone want to contribute time/expertise/access to dyno or working engine? We would need an engine in the fall for mock-up and building and again in the spring for testing.

There are 4 senior college kids in my group, and we are all on limited/fixed budgets. Due to the awesomeness and expense of this project, our school can't fund the entire thing, so I'm looking to LS1tech for advice and a good deal on a motor. Thanks for looking!

Luckymex_dallas

There are plenty dynos in dallas close to you would probaly be 21st century motorspots

Ls1ChevyII1963

iTrader: (7)

Just design it to work with trick flow heads lol. I'll try to find you a motor give me a call when you get back in town.

LS1vazquez

If you can't close the hood once it's installed it's probably not going to be very cost effective.

3.4camaro

iTrader: (1)

There is no hood where this will be installed. Anyone have answers to the PCM/wire harness question?

EDIT- also might want to add that I'm looking for an ENGINE dyno, not a chassis dyno.

Luckymex_dallas

the answer is NO.

Ws6kid.

Question your senior project seems to be fun
but.... is it just going to be a project? to get a grade?
or is it going to be something your going to push the envelope with?
and sure you can build a intake manifold all based of "theory".... im sure
your professors wouldnt mind since your project would need alot of extra money to host the project.... JUST my .02 I'm also working on a senior project...Can people say ls8?

SSHAWK

iTrader: (14)

I'm just asking I have never seen there shop but they have a engine dyno??

I would think for a project like this he wouldn't need a Chassis dyno.

Most shop around Dallas have the Chassis dyno's not engine dyno.

quick89

dude that is a bad *** senior design project
im majoring in mechanical engineering here at UTA hopefully we get to do a bad *** project like this one would be a ton of fun still got a few years ahead of me before that but will get there soon enough as you know its a long grueling road

3.4camaro

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. You are of great benefit to this website.

Elkyman72

Have you thought about asking around in the academic community I know for a fact UH has both an engine and chassis dyno, they use for big rig emissions and fuel efficiency testing, I would imagine there is one in that part of the state. Also I think engine dynos are more of a machine shop thing you might want to call a few of those and see if they know of one.

00fastta

What's wrong with the throttle body right now?

I always figured, at least at TCU, that the senior design projects are doing a contract rather than redesigning a 13 year old design.

Oh btw have fun losing the football game today.

3.4camaro

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Elkyman, I'll check that out.


Your fast ta must not be fast enough if you aren't dealing with idle issues caused by cam+single throttle opening.

There were too many students and not enough design contracts this year, so my group got to propose its own idea. Applying the engineering design process to a 13 year old engine will be much more challenging than modifying a wheelchair so the seat can swivel, as my fellow students will be doing. YAWN.

And I was expecting a better performance from a No. 4 ranked team. TCU sucks, a ran over a frog on the way home yesterday.

00fastta

Yeah they did play crappy yesterday. I'll give you that. But what's with the pony. Seriously?

How many are in your graduating class?

And no the ta is not very fast...hence the absolute misery the engineering degree entails, but way worth it.