1. What are the benefits of Water/Methanol injection?
Boost Cooler® Benefits (Petrol):
1. Low cost - where else can you get up to 60HP for $649.
2. More power than other means of detonation control.
3. Efficiency - leaner air fuel ratio can be utilized for normal operation.
4. Greatly increases air charge densities for huge horsepower increases.
Boost Cooler Benefits (Diesel):
1. Greatly reduced EGT’s. Decreases of 120 degrees F (250F)are common
using a 50/50% Methanol /Water mix. This prevents the usual problems associated
with high exhaust car temperatures - rings sticking, holed pistons, etc.
2. Low cost power - where else can you get 70-100 HP for approximately $945
along with reduced EGT's.
3. Greatly increased air charge densities - 3-5 psi boost increases are
common.
4. Great for towing - more power/cooler EGT's to haul the heaviest loads.
2. Do I need an Intercooler with Water/Methanol injection?
Up to approximately 20 psi boost, water/methanol injection will provide all the
density increase/detonation control needed in most applications. Of course, Intercooling
and water/methanol injection would provide even greater benefits especially beyond
20 psi boost. Most air-to-air intercoolers are only 50-65% efficient. That means
for example, that with 11psi boost and its 120°f air charge temperature increase,
an intercooler reduces the air charge temperature only 60 degrees. Also, an intercooler
will reduce boost 2 - 4 psi. on average.
3. Why not use a windshield washer pump?
Water/Methanol must be injected at above 50psi to properly atomize. Lower than
50psi causes greatly reduced air charge cooling as the result of larger droplets
and their reduced total surface area.
4. Do I have to use Methanol?
Not at all. By mixing methanol with the water, you are adding a liquid with a
higher octane rating than the fuel you are most likely using. This allows you
to inject more water, earlier in the boost cycle. When using water only, injection
will need to start at slightly higher boost levels than if mixed with methanol.
All Boost Cooler products are methanol compatible, so if you wish to run a water/methanol
mix - you can do so safely.
5. How much Water/Methanol?
To prevent detonation, the ratio of Water/Methanol to petrol is roughly 1
to 5 in gasoline applications- 1 to 4 in diesel. In practice, you give it as
much
water / methanol as it takes to eliminate detonation without quenching combustion.
The amount depends on the onset RPM of injection, the octane of the fuel,
fuel/air ratio, cylinder head type, even the weather conditions. Your engine
is actually pretty tolerant of extra water vapor, you will know it's too much
when the engine misses and loses power.
6. How long will a tank (1.9 Litres.) last?
In high boost/high horsepower application, a full blast 1/4 mile run will utilise
as much as 1/8 tank. A larger tank should be considered if over 9psi boost
is utilised in road racing where a tank can be used in as few as 6 - 3.2km
laps, at race pace.. Under normal street use in a 400 HP Mustang, a tank usually
lasts about 800 km's. Two reservoirs can be used for 3.8 litre total capacity
if desired.
Turbo diesels use more and usually utilise the existing windshield washer
reservoir (over 3.6 litres in most cases) or the new 30 litre reservoir upgrade.
More will always be used when the system is first installed, less when the
novelty
wears off.
7. At what boost level do I introduce Water/Methanol?
Centrifugal superchargers/large turbos: Generally, at 50% of peak boost the
recommended quantity should be introduced. With positive displacement superchargers
& fast spooling turbos - injection should occur at or near peak boost to avoid
combustion
quench
since peak boost occurs so fast.
8. What ratio of Water/Methanol is recommended?
If mixing water and methanol is your desire - a 50/50 ratio is recommended.
This has been demonstrated to be the best for charge/air cooling, excellent
detonation
control,
and controlling
cylinder
temperature.
This includes diesel applications where water conditions the combustion of
the methanol so combustion timing isn't affected.
9. Will water/methanol harm my engine?
In theory, at recommended quantities, most of the mixture is evaporated before
it hits the combustion chamber. Also, injection only takes place at high boost
levels minimizing cylinder wash concerns. Engines that have been torn down after
two years of water/methanol usage have shown no wear issues only clean combustion
chambers. In fact, water/methanol reduces the probability of engine destroying
detonation. Think of it as an insurance policy against detonation.
10. Can the Boost Cooler® be applied to naturally
aspirated and nitrous engines?
1.Naturally aspirated/high compression engines:
In this application, water/methanol injection allows the use of pump fuel in
all but the most extreme situations which effects tremendous cost savings as
well as horsepower increases due to air density increase and realized timing
potential. The system is activated by a throttle switch so that injection takes
place only during high engine loads when needed.
2. NOS engines: With NOS, water/methanol injection allows the use of full timing
even with large (250HP+) quantities. Injection is controlled by the same means
that controls NOS injection.
3. Naturally aspirated/stock compression: With naturally aspirated
engines with less than 10:1 compression, water/methanol is used typically in
warm climates
to get the intake temps below 20 degrees C.. Benefits include: 10-15 HP increases
from air density increases and full timing, improved fuel economy, and carbon
free combustion chambers. Activation is by a throttle switch adjusted for onset
engine load. With this application, the nozzle is sized so that no more than
10% of total fuel consumption at peak flywheel HP is injected.
11. Why is Water/Methanol injection
so effective on Diesels?
Unlike gasoline engines, the power in a turbo diesel is largely a function
of fuel. The problem with continually adding fuel is that you reach a point
where
the exhaust gas temperatures become prohibitive (over 800 degrees C). A 50/50
Methanol/Water mix will decrease EGT's approximately 120°C while increasing
power..
Power is increased through:
a. Intake charge cooling - Water/methanol will lower air charge temps over
200°f
in this application.
b. Methanol - this acts as a fuel as well as cooling the intake charge.
Where else can you get this kind of power with cooler EGT's!
12. Is this technology new with Turbo
Diesel?
Water/methanol injection has been used extensively for years in high performance
truck/tractor pullers. With the elevated boost levels required for peak power,
water/methanol is a common means of cooling the intake charge and reducing exhaust
gas temps. Also, truckers have used water injection for years to increase fuel
mileage.
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