This is only the second Flowbench I have built. The first one was modeled after a commercial one but was under powered. I could barely get 8″ w.c. test pressure on intake testing.
I have been working on this thing for quite some time now. This second design is not of the Laminar Flow type benches like Jerry Branch or Don Tilley use. This design is more like the larger comercial Flowbenches most commonly used by alot of cylinder head porter’s nowdays.
This new bench was made by using some old plans from a old car magazine from the early 90’s.
My compadre, Tone from Green Bay, Wisconsin, knowing that I like Science Project’s, turned me onto this stuff. I owe all my inspiration for this madness to Dr. George Fishbach!! Besides it’s winter and what the fuck else is there to do when it’s too cold to ride.
This new bench will have the potential of as much as 1600 CFM @ 28″ w.c. I’m starting out with a 400 CFM @ 28″ w.c. capability. This is mainly because due to the cost of the vacuum motors. You really only need 300 to 600 CFM to do cylinder heads. 1200 to 1600 CFM comes into play when you’re performing serious intake/carb/EFI throttle body testing.
Another reason I’m building this is I can’t afford a commercial one which can cost thousands of Dead Presidents. In building one myself, the dough I save will allow me to hook up a cool computer and add on stuff for the bench from Audie Technology
The Flowbench with 400 CFM capacity can be built for under $500.00 US. The Flowbench cabinet is made in two section’s top and bottom. It’s dimensions are 27 x 38 x 40 inches for the bottom cabinet. The top part with the lighting and where the manometers are located is 18 x 38 x 40 inches. I designed it in two sections for portablity and ease of construction. The 3/4-inch particle board is way heavy.
The cabinet was built using a Skil saw, Roto Zip drywall tool, Black and Decker workmate, battery powered drill and various wood working hand tools. You also need to have access to a lathe and milling machine. They are useful for manufacturing the metal parts that will be used inside the bench.
These initial photos and text were kinda of a update progress report showing where I’m at with all of this. So far this winter the Flowbench project is moving along nicely, mainly because of a lack of any kind of a fucking “Dead Line”. When you have a deadline on a project, no matter what it is, you are doin you wind hurrying some aspect of the thought/building process. Which means it can turn into a “Cluster Fuck”!
This flow bench is being developed by a master Harley-Davidson mechanic from Charlotte, North Carolina Harley-Davidson. It’s based on professionally manufactured units, but Pablo is adding additional tooling to improve the ability for this unit to test heads. Once the unit is complete we will see top ends studied. We’ll begin to understand how headwork is critical to performance.–Bandit
This flick shows the inside of the lower plenum with top plenum partition removed. This looks inside from the top of the main lower cabinet that houses all the vacuum motors below this bottom plenum.
The photo above shows inside the cabinet from the back side. This is showing the back of the lower plenum and also the mounting of the relay switches that fire up the vacuum motors.
This shot depicts one of the air valves, in it’s seat, partially open.
Here are the switches, with the bezel in place, on the exhaust side air valve bushing.
This is the left side intake door shown open. The door was made out of .060 thick aluminum. Door opening is 8 1/2 x 11 inches.
Here’s the air opening’s of the vacuum motors mounted in center divider of the lower cabinet. The four motors are mounted in the center. The other holes are drilled but blocked off with aluminum plate for additional motor capacity, 12 total.
The last shot shows how I mounted the four motor’s on the center partition wall. The original plans had the motors glued to the partition. I wasn’t comfortable with that assembly, so I came up with (garage engineering) brackets that allow me to service the motors if need be. Also they won’t fall off during operation. The motors are fairly heavy. Gluing just seemed like B.S. to me. I know that some commercial flow benches glue their motors in place. Cheap bastards!!
–Pablo
