For the engineering durability testing we were doing, (test to the point of failure), we would run the following cycle, (I have posted this in the past).
Some slight variations depending on what we were looking at.
1) Fire the engine up after checking the oil level and the dyno water tower for proper coolant at the correct level.
2) Warm up the engine for 15 minutes at a idle condition. Check for any audible issues as well as monitor the Dyno Operator computer read-outs on the multiple screen displays. If all is good go to step #3.
3) Bring the engine up to the Maximum Torque Point (after determining that point on the specific engine). Run the engine there for 6 hours of steady state running.
Say the number is 4200 rpm. These are smaller engines for the most part.
4) Bring the engine back down to idle rpm for 15 minutes. Listen for issues.
Shut off the engine. Walk into the Dyno Cell and inspect all of the components on the engine visually. Look for water, oil, and fuel leaks.
Typically shift change by then. Afternoon Dyno Guy comes on and gets a briefing on where we are in the testing sequence.
Afternoon Dyno Guy moves to the next step in the sequence. Say it is the Max Torque PLUS 10% higher rpm point.
He repeats the steps above except he does it at the 10% higher rpm point.
Still the engine runs at that point for 6 hours, unless there is an issue.
Morning Dyno guy talks to the Engineer and reads the info from the Afternoon Guys testing. He does not talk to a Midnight Dyno Operator unless it is a Hot Program and we run 24 hours in the day. So Days and Afternoon testing.
The Afternoon Guy comes in, does the same steps again, except he runs 6 hours of Max HP for the engine once he identifies that point for the specific engine.
Day Shift guy comes in and repeats the steps above except now he runs 6 hours of Max HP at a now identified rpm point PLUS 10 PERCENT MORE RPM ADDED.
Obviously the HP point may remain close to the Max HP rpm point or drop with the additional engine rpm. Each engine is different based on the components.
Boosted engines seem to carry the rpm more evenly across the rpm points.
So now you have had 5 Engine Modes on the Dyno:
Idle Rpm, Max Torque Point, Max Torque Point plus 10% additional rpm, Max HP Point, and Max HP Point plus 10% rpm. That is one cycle. Hope that helps.
We have a similar test which is called a 300 HR FIE test. Both of these are ENGINE DYNO TESTS
Some years ago Ford di a little Advertising to prove out the durability of the 3.5L ECOBOOST engine. Videos were made.
Several Marketing Videos were made.
Pull logs up a Logging Camp Trail.
Run the Baja 1000 race.
Pull two vehicles on a single trailer for 24 hours on a NASCAR Track, and then do a tear-down on the same engine which was used in each of the videos.
Not what we did at all. Marketing is different from Test to Failure Dyno Testing.
Marketing Video links are on the web if you look for them.
An example
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/0...ooks-like.html
Your question was what is a cycle of testing. We have run engines 2800 hours on the dyno before failure.
Hope I answered that question for you. (usually the poor connecting rods would finally take out the engine.)
Tom V.