Is this a good dyno machine? My friend who owns a 00L and myself are going on Sat morning to test our trucks and I was wondering if this is a good one.

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1999 F-150 Lariat SC 2 WD, White/Silver, 5.4L, 3.55LS, K & N FIPK, Superchip, underdrive pulley set, Flowmaster dual chamber one in and duels out, six disc CD changer, towing package and captain chairs

 

Hi Mikey,

No, the Dynojet inertia dyno is not good for these heavy trucks, as if the vehicle's weight doesn't match the combined weight of the Dynojet's rollers (3600 lbs.), then the load factor is thrown off, and they cannot compensate for that. They're Ok for determining approximate power levels on Mustangs, Camaros, etc., as they are in that approximate weight range, they're not good for measuring incremental gains in back-to-back testing, as they just don't have the accuracy needed, no inertia dyno does. When you get a 2-ton+ truck on there, the load factoring is off, and the Dynojet just doesn not have the ability to properly compensate for that, that's why you need a good eddy current chassis dyno.

Dynojet's certainly have their place, and a lot of their owners aren't aware of those limitations themselves, as it's the first dyno many shops have ever owned, due to their low cost (starting at $30K, very cheap for a dyno).

Dynojet's are great in that they are inexpensive as chassis dyno's go, so now a lot more shops that could never before afford a chassis dyno can lease a Dynojet for a few hundreds bucks a month, and it's agreat tool to have, I don't mean to knock them, you just have to be aware of their capabilities and limitations, that's all.

If you have an appointment, go ahead and do it, and see what it says, just don't be surprised by the results.

Good luck!

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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Thanks Mike. I know nothing about those things, so I appreciate your input.

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1999 F-150 Lariat SC 2 WD, White/Silver, 5.4L, 3.55LS, K & N FIPK, Superchip, underdrive pulley set, Flowmaster dual chamber one in and duels out, six disc CD changer, towing package and captain chairs

 

Hi Mikey,

Sure, & thanks for calling. It's not that it's a Dynojet, there is no problem with the brand name of course, they're a good company, it's just that it's a inertia dyno, that's all.

Since you have a connection and it isn't costing you anyhting, have at it & let us know what you thought of the results!

All the best,

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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Mike why are the Lightning guys getting such great number from their dyno jet runs.

 

Thanks Mike, what about the G-Tech numbers that are backing these dyno figures up. Sometimes I think it is unreal the times these guys are running.

 

HI Stewdog,

Great question, and you're so right, we do see numbers that are actually too high on those inertia Dynojets with the Lightning.

Once again, it's the fact that it's an inertia dyno and how it responds to the power profile of that supercharged motor, along with not allowing enough time for the dyno to stabilize by not programming the automatic transmission to stay in 3rd gear all the time while on the dyno. They take it up in 3rd gear to the point where when you punch it to begin the pull, it won't downshift into second gear anymore and cause ratio torque skew, and as a result, the dyno doesn't have enough time to really stabilize properly.

We have all seen many times posted here rear-wheel readings on a Dynojet on a bone-stock Lightning of about 330 horsepower, and no bone-stock Lightning that Superchips has ever had on the dyno has ever produced anything close to that kind of number. Just to give you an idea of rear-wheel numbers on a Lightning making it's 360 hp rating stock, the rear wheel numbers were about 291 hp when it's making 360 hp at the flywheel, for about a 69 hp driveline loss.

Yet we see when they go on a Dynojet or other inertia dyno that they'll display about 320-330 hp stock at the rear wheels, and about 360-370 hp chipped at the rear wheels, and both of those figures are too high, it would have to be making a good 400 hp SAE Net at the flywheel to make anything like 330 at the rear wheels.

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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Wittom,

I brought this back up. It looks like you are right! For the past year and a half , I thought the 360 - 380 hp number for the 99' - 03' Lightnings was for stock rear wheel horsepower. I guess that was flywheel hp numbers.

It looks like our Allen/Magna M90 kits on our 4.6s and 5.4s at 9 - 12 pounds of boost is making the same or more rear wheel horsepower as a stock lightning

 

I've spent too many hours reading about these trucks. I've also been eyeing the Lightnings for quite some time, and the hp rating from Ford (380) would generally be to the flywheel.

I think that if our non-PI heads can flow enough then we (you, with more boost) can see hp numbers in the same range as a stock Lightning. We will see that number higher in the rpms though. We will also not be able to achieve the torque numbers that the Lightning enjoys.

With all the threads I've seen about what our 4.6's can do, I think that what I've concluded is that the heads in these engines are what inhibits it. Flats Man has (had) a truck set up similar to mine. He did a lot of modding, testing and posting. Untill I get to a dyno and see different, I have to use experiances like thoes of Flats Man to gauge where I'm at.

I have a strong feeling that I'm going to be dissapointed when I finally get to a dyno. Regardless of what the numbers are, this truck is a blast to drive and I've had a great time getting it to where it is.

 

Iron Horse,

The Magna kits can come fairly close to the L stock numbers, but as Wittom pointed out it's usually more at the HP peak, and not in low end torque.

Also keep in mind that for any heavy truck the numbers off a DynoJet will generally be higher than off a Clayton or Mustang dyno. The two types should only be compared against same type dyno's.




Witton,

Comparing your smaller engine with the Magna kit to the L shouldn't disappoint you at all. If you compare your post blower numbers to your pre blower numbers you would probably be more than happy.

All the dyno's in the world can't change the fun factor that certain mods give. Sometimes numbers can be deceiving and the good old Buttometer 2003 is the most important guage. Looking at a chart it's easy to focus on peak numbers and the overall curve, but in real life you feel that power delivery curve.

 

Signmaster,

I gotta say that over the past year and a half of my experience here, you have provides some very insightful and accurate real world and theoretical info. Thanks.

Not to get off topic in the chips forum but......... what specific supercharger do you think is the best for our trucks as far as providing instant boost, Lightning type power and ability to increase boost if a person goes forged internal?