Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Turbo shaft speed sensor

[DHRA]

This board is in desperate need of stimulating conversation. So I thought I'd get some questions out there that "we" ( me and a good friend) are curious about.



Has anyone found a device capable of measuring shaft speeds on the turbos. In the infinite attempt to "micro" tune the truck, I feel this would be very valuable in calculating effectiveness.



Calls have been made to turbine engine engineers to no prevail, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DHRA]

answers-fast

One call the the coolest turbo guy in the world and I have a kit. I still would like to see if there are choices.

 

[hammong]

It wouldn't be too difficult to rig a weightless optical sensor on the turbo. Basically would need to mirror-polish one of the fins on the intake side, and blast the other fins to a matte finish, then install an infrared transmitter/receiver pointing at the fin, and a frequency counter on the output. Voila, turbine shaft RPM.



Greg

 

[BPINE]

OK Eric I'll bite who is the coolest turbo guy in the world???

 

[DHRA]

Other than Bell Turbo

Carl's his name, turbos are his game! Pious is pretty damn cool too! I talk with Carl more though.

 

[rcaldwell]

Yes it can be done

I work in a dyno Lab testing diesel engines. At this time i am working in a test cell with a 5. 9 cummins. We do have a Magic black box that does tell us turbo shaft speed but i will have to ask the engineer that put that device on, Monday how it works and if thier is a company that makes these systems.

 

[DHRA]

great!

what have you all done to eliminate the soot expulsion fromt eh test lab? There is a boat manufacturer across the street and they store white boats next door. He wouldn't appreciate the soot spewing all over the boats.



Do you mind if we stay in contact rcaldwell and possibly compare notes? PM me if you are interested.

 

[me4osu]

On our BIG turbos

Our engine vendors use a new shaft nut (compressor side) with a permanent magnet imbedded in one flat. Then, they drill & tap the compressor housing to mount a Hall Effect pickup. The Hall Effect pickup senses each time the magnet passes by it and sends a square wave signal to an O-scope or a computer. Frequency X 60 gives RPM.



I don't know if it can be done on a turbo as small as our Holsets. However, it is a very "non-intrusive" and accurate way of clocking a turbo.

 

[Strick-9]

I believe I heard Piers talking about getting one of these at Muncie.



-Chris

 

[HVAC]

Turbo Guru

Stacker, are you speaking of Carl Gross?



I hear he isn't with Cummins/Holset anymore?



I still owe him an E ticket ride in the "Rocket"

 

[DHRA]

Carl who?

Yea, he's hooked up with that Memphis wonder, Richard at Turbochargers Inc.



That's one deadly combination. Great people to know. Great turbo prices too.



Still can't get Carl to recommend anything but a Holset charger though

 

[Mr. Brewski]

From what I've read on the net about people using Turbochargers for homebuilt turbine engines, they have mounted a photo transistor on the inlet side, pointing at the vanes. Added a simple amplifier circuit to the transistor, and then using a device called a "Frequency Counter" to measure the cycles per second. Divide this number by the number of vanes and you get revolutions per second, a bit more math and your at RPM's.



I think that is what is being shown here in this picture.

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For those interested here is a good link to lots of reading on homebrew turbine engines.



http://www.pfranc.com/projects/turbine/top.htm