139: The TRUTH Behind Drivetrain Losses on the Dyno.

Real-world performance is what matters when tuning a vehicle, but let’s not pretend the numbers on a dyno sheet mean nothing. The thing is… How can we trust one result from another? How are different dynos arriving at their calculated power and torque figures? And what’s the deal with drivetrain losses? 

Todd Lewis from Mainline Dyno is here to answer these questions and many more. 

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

We’ve been using Mainline dynos for over a decade now, so when Todd flew over to our facility to carry out some upgrades on our four-wheel-drive hub dyno, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to sit him down and get some definitive answers about the sometimes confusing world of dynometers. 

We start by discussing the history of dynos — both engine and chassis — covering the rapid pace of advancement over the last few decades, the different types available today and their pros and cons, as well as what modern dynos are now capable of. 

We then jump into the heavy tech side, covering fascinating topics like inertia and load bearing systems, how much power some dynos can really handle, eddy current retarders, and plenty more. 

The conversation rounds out with some great chat around properly strapping a car to a rolling road system, accounting for variances in drivetrain loss and how it should be calculated, as well as achieving complete consistency from run to run — probably the most important factor for any tuner.

Looking to Invest in a Dyno? Listen to This First. 

Check out Mainline Dyno here:
Instagram: @mainlinedyno
Facebook:  Mainline DynoLog Dynamometers
WWW: https://www.mainlinedyno.com.au

👉 Don’t forget, you can use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Timestamps:

0:00 The TRUTH Behind Drivetrain Losses on the Dyno
4:05 How did you become interested in cars?
10:55 What has changed in the dyno space since you’ve been involved?
14:39 What is a vane dyno?
15:43 When did Mainline start focusing on dynos?
20:01 What drove demand for dynos in the early 2000s?
22:15 What other brands of dyno were around in the early 2000s?
24:09 What is an inertia dyno?
28:56 What is a load-bearing dyno, and how do we apply that load?
34:43 What is an eddy current retarder?
41:42 Why do we get varied dyno readings?
47:17 How do you train people to get consistency on their dynos?
57:19 Why is everyone using an eddy current retarder?
59:29 Do you get to a point where the rolling road doesn’t make sense?
1:03:20 How did the development of the hub dyno come about?
1:16:21 Hub dynos vs roller dynos?
1:23:15 How much power are we losing in the drivetrain?
1:37:04 Is there much demand for linked dynos?
1:41:16 When did you start with Mainline and can you give us an overview of Mainline today?
1:45:50 New operating system — why have you updated it?
1:52:27 Final three questions