Race Car Tech Discuss anything related to road racing and auto X.

Downside to running alchohol injection on a road coarse

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-07-04, 02:27 PM
  #1  
Rotary Enthusiast

Thread Starter
 
radkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waiting for Indykid to catch up
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Downside to running alchohol injection on a road coarse

I have recently installed a alchohol injection system on my car and am quite pleased with the lower intake temps. I an about to do my first road coarse with it and was trying to think of a downside to running it on the track for long periods of time.
Old 09-07-04, 02:44 PM
  #2  
Rotary Freak

 
pluto's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: fort worth, tx, usa
Posts: 1,926
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
add some of those oil lubricant additive with your alcohol injection. Alcohol tends to make everything dry (including internal engine parts) so you'll most likely get more wear and tear ( I assume).
Old 09-07-04, 03:31 PM
  #3  
Rotary Enthusiast

Thread Starter
 
radkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waiting for Indykid to catch up
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by pluto
add some of those oil lubricant additive with your alcohol injection. Alcohol tends to make everything dry (including internal engine parts) so you'll most likely get more wear and tear ( I assume).
Maybe some Marvel Mystery Oil 100/1? I aready use a decent amout of this in the fuel, but I guess it won't hurt to use some in the alchohol.

I actually use 1/3 water and 2/3 denatured alchohol.
Old 09-07-04, 04:31 PM
  #4  
Senior Member

 
TrentO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'd be worried about slosh and running out of fluid. If your car has temperature issues when street driving the road course will radically exceed the cooling you have available. I view alcohol / water injection as a temporary band aid solution and the downside of depending on a system which can run empty on you is too large for me to risk it.

-Trent
Old 09-07-04, 05:10 PM
  #5  
Rotary Enthusiast

Thread Starter
 
radkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waiting for Indykid to catch up
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by TrentO
I'd be worried about slosh and running out of fluid. If your car has temperature issues when street driving the road course will radically exceed the cooling you have available. I view alcohol / water injection as a temporary band aid solution and the downside of depending on a system which can run empty on you is too large for me to risk it.

-Trent
I am not tuned for WI, I use it for a buffer on top of a safe map, and to lower intake temps.

My water temps at the track are always pretty good, but my intake temps would rise to about 55-60 after about 30 min on the track due to my M2 SMIC. I located the main nozzle pre-IC so it would keep the IC cool, and if it failed, my IC would still be cool enough to absorb the heat on its own. I am hoping to be able to keep the temps down to near ambient even after 30 min of track time.

As far a runnimg out of liquid, I have two camp shower bags (one in each rear storage bin) that hold 3 gallons each with no air.

Last edited by radkins; 09-07-04 at 05:32 PM.
Old 09-07-04, 06:01 PM
  #6  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (10)
 
gnx7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,085
Received 19 Likes on 9 Posts
Pre intercooler?/????? Are you afraid it will puddle/condense on the inside of the intercooler?

All alchy injection setups I've seen are just before the throttlebody as it is airflow related..... The alchy/water mist needs a fairly straight shot into the TB so it doesn't collect on the intercooler piping walls.

I believe when I ran alchy on my car I used stuff called Uplon. Similar to MMO but specifically for use with alcohol.

I'll look it up tonight.

Alchy significantly lowers intake temps... good safety buffer. Also remember colder air inlet temps help tremendously in cooling efforts.

-Mark
Old 09-07-04, 06:23 PM
  #7  
Rotary Enthusiast

Thread Starter
 
radkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waiting for Indykid to catch up
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I have stage one set to come on at 10psi pre IC, and stage 2 14psi post IC. The velocity seems to pull the liquid through with no problem. The reason I know this is because when I first hooked it up I had a manual activation switch hooked up and was turning the WI on while cruising. I was expecting the car to stall but it didn't. It was collecting in the IC and as soon as I hit boost in 1st gear it all sucked in the engine and I got bad breakup for the first few boosts till it cleared out. Maybe a lightly modded twin setup wouldn't have enough velocity to pull it through, but mine seems to work fine.

Let me know about the lube stuff

Originally Posted by gnx7
Pre intercooler?/????? Are you afraid it will puddle/condense on the inside of the intercooler?

All alchy injection setups I've seen are just before the throttlebody as it is airflow related..... The alchy/water mist needs a fairly straight shot into the TB so it doesn't collect on the intercooler piping walls.

I believe when I ran alchy on my car I used stuff called Uplon. Similar to MMO but specifically for use with alcohol.

I'll look it up tonight.

Alchy significantly lowers intake temps... good safety buffer. Also remember colder air inlet temps help tremendously in cooling efforts.

-Mark
Old 09-08-04, 10:38 PM
  #8  
FD3SW211E55

iTrader: (1)
 
artowar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: NoVA
Posts: 1,826
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Originally Posted by radkins
I...As far a runnimg out of liquid, I have two camp shower bags (one in each rear storage bin) that hold 3 gallons each with no air.
If it's a flammable mixture, then I think you are dramatically increasing your risk of a fire inside the cabin. Maybe you can get a fuel cell that will work.
Old 09-09-04, 01:56 AM
  #9  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (10)
 
gnx7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,085
Received 19 Likes on 9 Posts
Looked at it just now.... it is called Klotz UPLON Fuel Lube KL-107

Tech Support line: 219 490-0489

www.klotzlube.com

-Mark
Old 09-12-04, 01:24 AM
  #10  
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
ZeroBanger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Buckhead
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ryan,

I dont recommend 100 pct alcohol, run a max of 50 pct. NOTHING prevents detonation and Nothing lowers your intake temps like water.

Alcohol will give a similar effect as race gas, I run some myself but if you develop a leak in your lines....
Old 09-13-04, 09:45 AM
  #11  
Rotary Enthusiast

Thread Starter
 
radkins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waiting for Indykid to catch up
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by ZeroBanger
Ryan,

I dont recommend 100 pct alcohol, run a max of 50 pct. NOTHING prevents detonation and Nothing lowers your intake temps like water.

Alcohol will give a similar effect as race gas, I run some myself but if you develop a leak in your lines....
So why bother running alcohol at all if water is better? I have searched for info on the differenced between running alcohol, water and methanol and found almost nothing.

FWIW my pressure regulator built in my pump is sticking from the alcohol. It shuts the pump offf, but won't turn it back on without taping on it. I bypassed it and am searching for the Klotz lube. Hopefully that will help.
Old 12-06-04, 11:15 PM
  #12  
Adaptronic Distributor
RX7Club Vendor
iTrader: (12)
 
Turblown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 7,066
Received 91 Likes on 77 Posts
Originally Posted by radkins
So why bother running alcohol at all if water is better? I have searched for info on the differenced between running alcohol, water and methanol and found almost nothing.

.
Don't mean to bring up a dead thread, but this was never answered and I'd like to know also. Is it because of the octane raise from alky?

Last edited by Turblown; 12-06-04 at 11:29 PM.
Old 12-07-04, 11:18 PM
  #13  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (10)
 
gnx7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,085
Received 19 Likes on 9 Posts
Water will help stop detonation problems.... alcohol will help to bump up the octane level and stop detonation.

Water injection with the proper fuel in the tank would probably be the best. Steve Kahn (Pluto) can answer this one as he has built a few cars with the Aquamist setup.

You better have a big reservoir if using it on a road race course.

-Mark
Old 12-08-04, 07:30 AM
  #14  
Racing is life!

iTrader: (2)
 
cpa7man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Grapevine, TX
Posts: 2,173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by gnx7
Water will help stop detonation problems.... alcohol will help to bump up the octane level and stop detonation.

Water injection with the proper fuel in the tank would probably be the best. Steve Kahn (Pluto) can answer this one as he has built a few cars with the Aquamist setup.

You better have a big reservoir if using it on a road race course.

-Mark
Yes, and it will also keep it from freezing. I ran water/alch. injection in an old turbo piston car I had. 50/50 is plenty, this was per Corky Bell. Remember there is nothing new here people have been running this stuff for 50+ years.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
trickster
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
25
07-01-23 04:40 PM
Th0m4s
Build Threads
25
02-26-19 02:04 AM
CaptainKRM
2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992)
14
08-26-15 09:52 PM



Quick Reply: Downside to running alchohol injection on a road coarse



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:20 AM.