International Journal of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering (IJAME)

ISSN: 2229-8649 (Print); ISSN: 2180-1606 (Online); Volume 10, pp. 2034-2041, July-December 2014
©Universiti Malaysia Pahang
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15282/ijame.10.2014.20.0171

DEVELOPMENT OF A TEST-RIG FOR A MODERN MOTORCYCLE ENGINE

Khalaf I. Hamada1, M.K.Mohammed1 and M.M. Rahman2,3

1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering,
University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq
Email:hamada.khalaf9@gmail.com
3
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
26600 Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
Email: mustafizur@ump.edu.my
Phone: +6094246239; Fax: +6094246222
3
Automotive Engineering Centre, Universiti Malaysia Pahang,
26600 Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This paper presents experimental activities that have been performed in the Automotive
Engineering Centre laboratories in Universiti Malaysia Pahang for developing a test-rig
based on a modern motorcycle engine. The experimental engine test-rig was developed
based on an eddy current dynamometer which was coupled to a four-stroke single-
cylinder SI motorcycle engine. Moreover, the test-rig consists of all the measurement
equipment, sensors and auxiliaries kits for carrying out engine testing in a sufficient
way. The results of these activities have been used for validation of a one-dimensional
model developed based on that single cylinder engine. Both the in-cylinder pressure
trace and brake torque were used to validate the engine model. There was good
agreement between the simulation and experimental results. The constructed test-rig can
be utilized for further research and development programs.

Keywords: Small engine; test-rig; motorcycle; port injection

INTRODUCTION

The motorcycle is a very popular vehicle for transportation due to its mobility,
convenience, economy, and door-to-door functions [1]. However, motorcycles are also a
major source of air pollution and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that cause
climate change [2-6]. The technology roadmap for motorcycles in response to the
increasing requirement for emission control and enhanced products is closely following
that of the automotive industry [7-12]. Various challenges and drawbacks have arisen
with the traditional IC engine technologies. Consequently, universal automotive engine
researchers are concerned with the enhancement fuel efficiency to meet stringent
emission limits [13-16]. One of the key areas of development in the modern automotive
industry is fuel injection technology. It has provided considerable improvements
towards realizing the concept of fuel efficiency (the lowest possible fuel consumption
and emissions) over the last three decades. With respect to carburetion, fuel injection
offers many advantages that design engineers have to evaluate for their cost
effectiveness [17-19].The fuel injection system utilizes a nozzle valve which is called an
injector to spray fuel into the air stream [20, 21]. Spark ignition engines use fuel
injectors to spray fuel into the air stream into the intake manifold (throttle body

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 Development of a test-rig for a modern motorcycle engine

injection), inlet port (port fuel injection), or directly into the cylinder (direct injection)
[22]. Port fuel injection gives more increments in power and torque and more uniform
fuel distribution, more rapid engine response to changes in throttle position, and more
precise control of the equivalence ratio during cold-start and engine warm-up
[23].Though the port fuel injection system has some advantages, it cannot at present
meet the continuously increasing demands for performance, emission legislation and
fuel economy [24]. Therefore, electronically controlled gasoline direct injection systems
have started to be used instead of the port fuel injection system. Nevertheless, the port
fuel injection (PFI) system has been used widely for small four-stroke gasoline engines
because of its simplicity compared to the direct injection (DI) system [1, 25]. This
research presents the design and construction of a simple practical test-rig based on the
small engine for a modern motorbike application. With this modern engine, the port
injection technique will be facilitated to convey new technologies for carrying out
confirmed researches. It utilizes the existing equipment in the lab combined with the
current technologies in the motorcycle field to develop an appropriate test-rig to support
the institute’s development and teaching programs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research activity is conducted to build up an experimental test-rig based on a

modern motorcycle engine for research and development purposes. Design work was
started with the identification of which engine configuration could achieve the study
targets; on the other hand it should be compatible with the existing equipment in the lab.
Accordingly, the dynamometer was the key component for designing the current test-
rig. It was decided to consider the dynamometer’s specifications to determine a suitable
engine configuration.

Dynamometer

An eddy current dynamometer manufactured by Dynalec Controls Ltd. with a capacity

of 15 kW was used. Figure 1 shows the dynamometer coupled to the installed test
engine and cooling systems. A universal propeller shaft was used to transfer the energy
from the engine to the dynamometer. The control system of the dynamometer was
mounted in the control room as shown in Figure 2. From the dynamometer control
panel, the required operation mode is specified among seven available modes. In
addition, the throttle controller is actuated and the required position is selected (WOT).
It is also possible to impose the required engine speed and read the torque produced by
the engine. Throttle control is one of the basic controls required for the engine testing. A
Dynalec Controls TLPC/612A control unit and TM/612B throttle actuator were utilized
in this work.

Tested Engine

The tested engine is a motorbike engine with a port gasoline fuel injection system
(model Yamaha FZ150i) manufactured by Yamaha-Malaysia. It is a single cylinder,
four-stroke, naturally aspirated, water-cooled motorcycle engine. The aluminium
cylinder head has a pent-roof configuration for the combustion chamber with a centre-
mounted sparkplug. The cylinder head has dual intake and exhaust valves actuated by a
single overhead cam (SOHV). The engine is representative of the small engine group.

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The engine specifications are listed in Table 1. The engine with the eddy current
dynamometer engine test-rig is shown in Figure 1. The engine cooling system was
modified in order to carry out the experiment. The base engine radiator was
disconnected and engine coolant is taken directly to the external cooling system. An
engine water pump circulates the coolant between the engine and the external cooling
system rather than an engine radiator. The external cooling system is made up of a
three-way valve and a header tank heat exchanger. This three-way valve governs the
flow direction according to the temperature signal. It is actuated by a pneumatic actuator
manufactured by Young Tech Ltd. The header tank is a shell and tube heat exchanger
with the engine coolant being the fluid flowing into the tube. The temperature of the
coolant expelled from the engine is sensed by a thermocouple which transmitsa signal to
the temperature controller. The pre-set temperature specified for the controller was 70○C
to match the manufacturer’s settings. The rejected heat from the coolant in the header
tank heat exchanger is carried by the water and rejected ultimately in a fan coil heat
exchanger.

Temperature controller
Dynamometer
Throttle
controller

Three-way valve

Tested engine Header tank Pneumatic actuator

Figure 1. Test engine connected to the eddy current dynamometer.

Table 1. Specifications of the selected test engine.

Parameter Value
Engine model 4-stroke, water cooled, spark ignition, port injection
Bore × stroke [mm × mm] 57×58.7
Displacement [cm3] 149.8
Geometric compression ratio 10.4
Connecting rod length [mm] 100
Intake valve open/ closed 29o BTDC/ 59o ABDC
Exhaust valve open/ closed 57o BBDC/ 29o ATDC
Max. power [kW] 11.1@ 8500 [rpm]
Max. torque [N.m] 13.1 @7500 [rpm]
No. of cylinder 1

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 Development of a test-rig for a modern motorcycle engine

Dyno control panel Computerized combustion analyser

Figure 2. Control room.

Measurements

The acquired database included in-cylinder pressure against crank angle within a
combustion analyser to obtain the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) under
multi-rated engine speed. The in-cylinder pressure trace was instantaneously measured
by using an FGP transducer. The FGP pressure sensor type XPM5-100 bar is installed
on the cylinder head to measure the engine cylinder pressure. A special threaded hole
was made in the cylinder head to accept the pressure sensor. A Kistler Type 2613B
crank angle encoder, mounted at the end of the dynamometer shaft, provides the clock
signal for measurement. The crank angle encoder and pressure sensor are connected
with a DEWE5000, a computer-based combustion analyser, completed with a data
acquisition system. The combustion analyser unit, DEWE5000 is employed for pressure
data collection in the crank angle domain. Moreover, measurements were taken for
engine torque and actual speed through the dynamometer control panel.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A one-dimensional gas dynamic model was developed utilizing the GT-Power code for
engine performance prediction. The general characteristics of the model set-up process
and the model governing equations are abridged and outlined in previous works[26-
28].The experimental test-rig was used in order to provide validation data for the
baseline engine numerical model. Thereby, the indicated mean effective pressure
(IMEP) for the baseline engine model with gasoline fuel has been utilized as a proof.
Besides that, the brake torque for the engine has been utilized to assess the numerical
results.In Figure 3, the experimental IMEP against engine speed are compared with the
computational results. It can be seen that the computational results closely follow the
experimental results. The predicted results are in reasonably good agreement with the
experimental results (within a maximum relative error of 4% for IMEP). It is shown that
the computational results have the same trends as the experimental results. In spite of

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the deviation between the computational and experimental results, the developed set-up
is still capable of describing the engine performance with acceptable coincidence.

13

Simulation result
Experimental result

12
IMEP[bar]

11

10

9
2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Engine Speed[rpm]

Figure 3.Comparison between experimental and simulated IMEP of tested engine.

13

Simulation result
Experimental result

12
Engine Torque[N.m]

11

10

8
2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Engine Speed[rpm]

Figure 4.Comparison between experimental and simulated torque of tested engine.

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 Development of a test-rig for a modern motorcycle engine

Figure 4 shows a comparison of the experimental brake torque for the gasoline-
fuelled engine against engine speed with the computational results. It is shown that the
computational results have the same trends as the experimental results. In spite of the
large deviation between the computational and experimental results (with a maximum
relative error of 7.5 % for the engine brake torque), the adopted model is still capable of
describing the engine performance with acceptable coincidence. Obviously, the present
test-rig is capable of predicting, with reasonable accuracy, the engine performance of a
gasoline SI engine, and then it can be extended to be used for further analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, this work has tried to build up a proper test-rig based on a modern
motorcycle engine for systematic research and development programs. A small engine
test-rig was constructed for an educational and development environment and was found
to be capable of achieving similar results to those obtained in a large-scale approved
laboratory. The developed test-rig was employed for verification of a numerical model
and showed a reasonable matching between the numerical and experimental results.
Moreover, it can be confirmed that an acceptable test-rig was developed through
comparison with the manufacturer’s specification of the tested engine as listed in
Table 1. The current test-rig is clearly capable of evaluating, with sufficient accuracy,
the performance of a gasoline SI engine, and it can therefore be extended for use in
further research and development projects.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors would like to thank Universiti Malaysia Pahang for providing
laboratory facilities and financial support under projects No. RDU100387.

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