TESTING ENGINES

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30603, 20 November 1964, Page 11

TESTING ENGINES

SIMULATION of the stresses on an engine of being driven uphill on full throttle for 50,000 miles are [being carried out by engine [test facilities around the world. The purpose is to discover possible engine flaws before beginning production of the engines. [ Some engines are run at full speed on test stands for up to 500 hours or until a part fails. All tests are conducted in soundproof test rooms, all measurements bej ing automatically recorded. I During the extended highspeed tests, engines have been known to become so hot that some parts throw off sufficient red glow to allow a newspaper to be read. After each test the engines are stripped and all parts carefully checked. Each month engines are selected at random from the production line 'and given thorough tests to ; uncover any hidden faults. Sound waves are also used to check engines: electronic sensing probes are inserted into cylinder bores, a small transmitter receiver in the tip of each probe sending sound waves into the casting. The waves echo from the outside

wall of the casting, recording the thickness of metal. As well as this, engines are cut in half and checked with micrometers to determine metal thickness, and by microscopes for casting cleanliness.