1G AWD on a two wheel dyno...how bad?

mbyoung424 · Feb 6, 2015

So, I know a Tsi shouldn't be on a two wheel dyno without specific modifications. There's plenty in the tech articles as to why that is true and what needs to be changed if you want to do it.

My problem is that I took my car to get the emissions inspection done in VA. I had just taken my Passat W8 to the same place and they didn't put it on a dyno so I had no reason to think they'd do so with my Talon. I turned my back after they pulled the car in and heard them start revving it. I turned to see they had it on the dyno with just the rear wheels spinning. I immediately ran towards them yelling to stop and they did. I then noticed a puddle of liquid under the car and about lost it. Luckily, there was a trail of this unknown liquid leading up to where they had the car and it turned out my steering rack had sprung a leak in their parking lot.

I failed the emissions inspection and didn't try for the safety inspection as I knew I'd fail that too so I've only actually driven the car twice since this happened a few months ago and just finished working on it yesterday. I didn't notice anything wrong after this incident, has my DSM luck finally turned or is there an impending catastrophe I should expect when I start driving this car again?

mbyoung424 · Feb 6, 2015

bigdnno98 said:
I had no idea places put cars on dynos for emissions testing. That sucks. I don't know the stuggle no emissions testing in my county

They didn't do that to the first car I took there so I have no idea. I wish I had registered the car in Iowa when I was home before bringing it to Virginia. That being said, the safety inspections I went through in Germany were horrendous so this isn't too bad. Of my two cars and two motorcycles I don't think I ever got any of them passed on the first attempt. Even got kicked out once.

gofer · Feb 6, 2015

mbyoung424 said:
There is an orange sticker in the driver side door jam that says not to start the engine or rotate a single tire when off of the ground.

The orange sticker there is a SAFETY concern, doing this you won't hurt anything mechanically you've just got to be careful.

When I bought my Shep trans this is how he recommended initial break-in after filling it up with gear oil, jacking it up off all four wheels and going through the gears.

RamenPride · Feb 7, 2015

bigdnno98 said:
I had no idea places put cars on dynos for emissions testing.

For non-OBDII cars they do emissions testing by running the car on a dyno and sticking a sensor in the tailpipe. For OBDII they usually just do a diagnostic test, since the ECU will trigger an error code if the emissions equipment isn't working properly. Of course, each state/locality has their own way of doing it. We don't have emissions testing in this part of VA.

Nate355RS · Feb 7, 2015

That's crazy, I've lived in VA for a long time and I've never seen anyone put a car on a dnyo for inspection. It must be a northern VA thing.

macna · Feb 7, 2015

Man, sounds like many of you have been victims of uninformed mechanics and workers. No one has thought to approach these people to cover the cost of repairs? The smog people, the tow truck man, etc? "You break, you buy" right?

mercaholik · Feb 7, 2015

That's funny cause initially I thought what did the guy ride the brakes to get only the rear to spin? Just joking to myself but now that I think of it how didn't the car move? Op you said it was in drive, meaning it's an auto trans? But you said it was built by tre? Do they do autos too, either way you should try an figure what stage and mods where done. Does it even still have a stock center diff.

gofer · Feb 7, 2015

...every time I've had a car put up on the rollers to get emissions tested they've always chalked a wheel.

mbyoung424 · Feb 7, 2015

macna said:
Man, sounds like many of you have been victims of uninformed mechanics and workers. No one has thought to approach these people to cover the cost of repairs? The smog people, the tow truck man, etc? "You break, you buy" right?

It was hard to prove the tow truck damaged the xmsn when the transfer case locked up.

mercaholik said:
That's funny cause initially I thought what did the guy ride the brakes to get only the rear to spin? Just joking to myself but now that I think of it how didn't the car move? Op you said it was in drive, meaning it's an auto trans? But you said it was built by tre? Do they do autos too, either way you should try an figure what stage and mods where done. Does it even still have a stock center diff.

Again, my mistake. When I said drive I just meant in gear. It is a manual, I don't think TRE does automatics.

gofer said:
...every time I've had a car put up on the rollers to get emissions tested they've always chalked a wheel.

It may have been chalked, I didn't see them pull any chalks prior to pulling it forward when I told it was AWD though.

mbyoung424 · Feb 7, 2015

I was able to confirm that there is indeed power to both the front and rear tires this morning. Got the center console all put back together and was going to take the car in for the emissions check, but now it won't start. I suppose there is always something.

CrackedDSM · Feb 7, 2015

I have fond memories of English Racing and their 16G 1G Auto using stock calipers/rotors and cheapo pads. Pulled up to the line, started brake boosting, and insta-RWD burnout on the line. Front wheels sitting stock still. He did that a few times with no damage but obviously he didn't leave it that way. So I mean, it's not out of the question. Stock 1G brakes aren't anything to write home about, especially the rears. Even on a decent 16G setup you can manage a RWD burnout with the front wheels sitting still in a 1G Auto w/ stock brakes. I wouldn't personally try it, nor recommend it, but I've had it happen to me at the track. Had an official come up to my window and go "hotshot, don't sit here and burn out on the line" and had to explain it was AWD and had no idea it would do that. Lol.

mercaholik · Feb 7, 2015

I hope I didn't come across the wrong way, it's hard to convey tone on the forums but I wasn't being sarcastic. Sorry about the no start, is it a crank/no start or no crank/no start?

mbyoung424 · Feb 7, 2015

mercaholik said:
I hope I didn't come across the wrong way, it's hard to convey tone on the forums but I wasn't being sarcastic. Sorry about the no start, is it a crank/no start or no crank/no start?

I didn't take it in a sarcastic or negative way. Crank and no start, no power to the SAFC. Hunting down electrons now. More specifically, no power to the ECU since I guess the power supply would be the same. Turns out the 20A MPI fuse was missing, can't explain why it started before without it, but it starts again.

TalonKaos · Apr 7, 2015

mbyoung424 said:
I didn't run it while on the jack stands as I specifically remember reading not to do that on one of the cars informative stickers.

mbyoung424 said:
There is an orange sticker in the driver side door jam that says not to start the engine or rotate a single tire when off of the ground.

gofer said:
The orange sticker there is a SAFETY concern, doing this you won't hurt anything mechanically you've just got to be careful.

When I bought my Shep trans this is how he recommended initial break-in after filling it up with gear oil, jacking it up off all four wheels and going through the gears.

I think the warnings are to keep you from turning one or more of the wheels while one or more of the wheels are stationary. Or from towing the car with two wheels on the ground. If all four wheels are off the ground then you can safely spin the wheels.

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1G AWD on a two wheel dyno...how bad?

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