Which one is better and why. My purpose is to run 91 Octane (the best i can get in colorado) with high boost (above 15psi).

Marc

 

If you are using it just for intercooling, then water has 6 times more cooling power than methanol. I use straight water, because I am doing it mainly for saftey.

If you are thinking about taking the car to the edge, you can tune for W/I and use the methanol as a kick of fuel, as well as cooling the intake charge.

 

Well I don't have personal experience, but from everything that I've heard/read, methanol is used in a 50/50 mixture. Since methanol can be burned, it can add more power, while still offer extra cooling from the water. Anything over a 50/50 mixture doesnt create any more power, and can cause problems. Typically a full water injection system will keep everything cooler and allow you to run more boost then a methanol/water injection system due to water having better cooling properties.

-Alex

 

Here is a great link for tons more information on the subject.

http://www.waterinjection.info/

The supporting forum

http://www.aquamist.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

Good luck

 

Why dose water allow for more boost?

 

Methanol will burn, water doesnt. Water has better cooling properties than methanol. By water creating lower temps, its less likely to detonate.

-Alex

 

I guess the simple question is will i be able to run 91+WI with water at 28 PSI and be safe, not the tuning aspect just performance. Is 50/50 a better mixture. Since Meth is 118 octane seems like a better alternative to running C16 in you tank.

 

I don't think you'll be able to run that kind of boost even with water injection. You also have to think about a few things. In a situation like that you'll be dependant on that WI working and not failing. If it did, I wouldn't want to be around! lol Anywho, your best bet would be to use pure water if your looking for around 20 psi. I think its a slim chance you'll be able to run 28 psi with pump gas though. You'd be even farther from your goal with a 50/50 mix.

-Alex

 

Read the threads on turbobuick.com, they've been using it for years and have found better performance with a mixture.

 

You could also use xylene/toulene (paint thinners) as an octane booster.

xylene = 117 octane
toulene = 114 octane

It is also recommended that you add some lubricant (2-stroke oil, ATF, etc) and a cleansing agent (mineral spirits, kerosene) to the mix. I know people that have been using this stuff for years without problems.

 

So in a nutshell this is what I understand (please correct me if I'm wrong):

Water will reduce the internal combustion chamber temperatures better than any flammable liquid. Its main purpose in the introduction of a water injection systems is to provide a safety cushion by controlling detonation, rather than adding power.

Methane/alcohol mixes, while still able to absorb heat, do not do so as effectively as straight water. Their advantage over water lies in the fact that they can be burned, and so, there is a potential to make more power with it?

 

I would say if you are just looking at it from an additive standpoint, yes. However, you do have the ability to make more power with both liquids, not just alcohol. Some would say even more power with water.

The reason for this is that it has the ability to cool more, hence you have the potential to advance ignition, and lean the mixture out more. I am not advocating this, I am just saying that in theory water will yield the most power when tuned, because you can take your car closer to the edge.

My personal opinion is that you can always add a larger injector for fuel purposes. Water is the way to go for the W/I to do its job.

 

yeah that stuff is serious and not that expensive.

 

afterburn do you know the mixing ratio?

 

"100 oz of toulene for octane boost
25 oz of mineral spirits (cleaning agent)
3 oz of transmission fluid (lubricating agent) "

That is a common mixing ratio that will give you something similar to the store bought octane boosters, but it will be cheaper and in larger quantities.

It is very simple to calculate the octane rating after mixing in the xylene/toulene. For 90% 93 octane pump gas and 10% xylene: (93)(.9) + (117)(.1) = 95.4 octane rating

I wouldn't run more than a 15% mixture of xylene or toulene into your gas, and also make sure it is mixed very well.