Hi all.

I have diligently been reading all the info in this section and feel fairly confident I know what I want but I'd like to hear any opinions.

I just bought a lightly modded 93 base FD. It is in fantastic shape with just 28K miles. Bought from the original owner (engineer) so everything is in pristine shape. A true gem.

The engine has stock internals with the following mods (all with less than 3k miles on them):

Kightsports V-mount IC , intake and AST

BNR stage 2 twin turbos

efini Y-pipe

viton vacuum hoses

SMB dp, bonez highflow cat, RacingBeat catback.

Apexi PFC

Supra fuel pump (+bigger secondaries)

It is currently at R3 in Santa Anna getting tuned by Nelson & Nick.
I'm looking for a conservative tune. I'm expecting between 315-350 whp with these mods and a cushioned tune.


The car is going to be a street toy with an occasional track day thrown in so I'm looking to add Water injection (post tune) to give me a bit of safety for track days or long spirited drives. I dont want to tune with water because I dont want to deal with another possible failure point. AI for me is for safety only, not ultimate power.

From all my reading here I think I need a basic boost based system. (stage 1)
I can afford the more complex progressive systems with failsafes etc but I think that's a bit of overkill for my needs. But maybe not?

There seem to be many more kits out there now than when many of these stickies and posts were made. I'm wondering now what the conventional wisdom is and if there is a markedly superior brand to look at.

I'm currently looking at

Coolingmist sage 1 deluxe.
Water Injection, Methanol Injection, Alcohol Injection Systems | Coolingmist

Devilsown universal stage 1
Universal Stage 1 : Methanol Injection Kits : DevilsOwn Alcohol Injection

AIS stage 1
The Best Water injection system and water methanol injection systems at AlcoholInjectionSystems.com


Any suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated.

One other question. Are the pumps loud? How bad is the noise when mounted in the bins or rear hatch area?

thanks

 

I've owned a aem on my first fd, and now a snow performance. Any basic kit will do the job for what you want.

My aem was mounted in the hatch and I could hear it. I drove in a buddy's fd and he had it mounted in the bin. It slightlly louder in the bin but not crazy.

 

Is AEM a well made kit? I've read various opinions on AEM quality.

 

If you are spraying water only, post tune for safety, you don't need a HD kit. If you feel better spending more money then that is ok with me.

 

So can it be installed after a tune?? Doesn't it need to be tuned with the tuner??

 

You don't need to be tuned, but you need to know that you will probably lose horsepower, while gaining a safety net. You can find kits used for $150 up, and the cheapest new kit is made by Aquastealth, and they go up from there. You could also put something together.

 

If you add it post tune just for safety, then you only want to spray a small amount.
The amount depends on the power level of the engine.

 

Are there any used up for sale?

 

yes. search around

 

Intuitively I agree there has to be a little drop in power. But with a properly sized nozzle, my experience says that it won't be much. I used HC's formula for nozzle sizing in the stickys based on the estimated hp of my car. My system is boost-activated (@ ~ 2 psi), water-only, post IC, pre-throttle-body on stock ignition. There was no break-up or perceptible (butt-dyno) drop.

 

buy a wannaspeed kit.

Great quality, great product.

 

After installing a custom water injection system and a small 300cc injector after intercoler.......are u people positively sure its safe running water with no tune? This fricking car was flying temps were amazing and boost was going up on its own 0.10bar from original preset
Temps were like 10c lower
Are u sure im not gona blow my engine up :p???

 

If your boost is increasing beyond pre-set then you have other issues. WI won't cause boost to increase. You have spike not being controlled by a boost controller or boost creep. And that's why you feel a power increase. You are risking a lean condition if you increase boost without fuel.

 

Install the WI prior to tuning the car. That is the best way to get the most out of it. Its going to drop your intake temps lower than the car will regularly see without WI. I also recommend a fast-acting intake temp sensor. I have had good results and zero failures with AEM kits. I stock them.

 

can you guys post you water/meth systems. id love to see where everyone mounts their setups so i can prepare.

 

My car is at a relatively modest power level, so my system is pretty simple. Boost-activated at ~ 1.5 psi. The pump is just above the driver's side (left) rear cross-member arm. It's on a plate that is tack-welded to the chassis with studs which hold the pump (see pictures below). I use the stock windshield washer tank for the reservoir and it has a float-switch (from devil's own IIRC) that activates a small red LED to let me know when it's running low. A green LED also lights-up when the pump is activated. Component list: M3 nozzle, 90' nozzle adapter, Line, pump, tap for tank, check-valve, in-line filter, float switch, pressure switch, two LEDS, electric wire, fuse and some 3/16 plate I had laying around for mounting and four mounting studs I welded to it.
Hasn't come up very often, but at some point in the near future I may incorporate an old (now unused) switch from "the fan mod" to shut power off to the pump if I run out of fluid.

 

Thats where I normally mount the pump. Keeps it out of the way.

 

these days i usually install the AEM progressive controller kits. i have run the devil's own kits on my own car and a few others since the water injection section on this forum was created and they also work very well for what they are. main reason for the AEM is they are available, cheap and seem to work just fine.

i never felt the need for a 3d water injection system, it just seems like a stupid amount of effort for a rather generic injection system that doesn't need great accuracy.

that's also where i mount the pump on the FD sgtblue, it's about the only spot in the engine bay that is available from one car to the next. on an FC i mount it behind the right side of the front bumper radiator duct in the front bumper, fed off the stock washer reservoir which also nicely has the low washer level sensor(although it is a little on the small side it makes the install clean and clutter free). the FD tank needs to be higher so i usually put it(4 quart reservoir) in one of the storage bins with a little coercing.

 

I have a rear window washer tank from a touring model I accumulated...somewhere. Not sure on it's exact capacity, but guessing maybe 1.5 quarts. Was thinking about simply mounting it in the stock location under the hatch and running a line down and T'ing into the existing feed line to the pump. Probably route it through the brake line conduit/guard. What your thoughts? Worth the cost of a check-valve and filter? I know it's not a lot of extra, but for my uses of the car the stock WS washer tank is adequate most of the time as it is.