Torque measurement

[Ord Millar]

>>
>> Since the motor mounts are connected to the block , you need to rotate
the
>> block to compress the load cell not the crank.


My "plan" was to prevent the crank from rotating relative to the block, then
apply torque to the crank, and thus to the block.  Other than the fact that
my torque wrench is only good to +/- 2% or so, is there a problem with that?


>> The hardest part with this method is figuring out the scale in foot
pounds.
>> Usually load cells are calibrated with certified weights hung from a
known
>> length, usually a 1 foot long bar, hence 'foot- pound'  I don't know how
you
>> could calculate the moment of movement that the block would place on the
>> load cell. I would guess if you bolted a 1 foot bar on the engine at the
>> center line of the crank and placed a 1 pound weight on the end of the
bar,
>> you would be able to calibrate the load cell out put for 1 foot Lb. Of
>> course you would
>> want to cal it to 300 ft.Lbs or what you think the engine would put out.
If
>> you use a 2 foot bar then 1 pound on the end would apply a force of  2
foot
>> Lbs. This would save some cal weight. Your idea is  excellent  and should
>> give some good results. Another way to read the torque would be to
connect a
>> load cell to the block about where the front freeze plug is, and the
other
>> end to the frame. This will make a solid motor mount that might damage
the
>> Trans case if you torque it to hard. You might want to try this using the
>> same cal procedure, and if it works go to the mount system.
>

I think it would be extremely difficult to get a 2" long bar in the engine
bay with weights hanging on it, because there is not a lot of room.

>
>except the bar has weight
>better to place it vertical and use a scale to get the weight required
>a 5" bar and 80 lbs pull would be 400 ft lbs
>


That could work if I remove the hood.

I will try to glue one of the guages onto the mount, or onto the nut that
holds a mount, and see what kind of noise I get when the engine is running.
Calibration might be moot.