I have been told to look into meth/water injection and was wondering is this just something to run at the track or do yall use it in daily driving situations?
I've been daily driving my car with a water/meth kit since September.
Well I think I asked the wrong question.
How often do you need to refill and where would you buy more?
Also would you be able to mount a switch in the cab so you are able to turn it on and off as wanted?
Yes there is an on-off switch inside. Depending on the tune, you can use various strengths of methanol/water. Most (but not all) windshield washer solutions that are used to prevent freezing have at least 30% and up to 49% methanol. You can buy "Boost Juice" from Summit in 4 gal packs. If you go with straight methanol, your local Drag Strip can supply it (price varies greatly) or a speed shop can sell it to you in a metal container.
As for amount you will use, it depends on how often you are doing WOT runs, on the street or at the strip. In normal driving you will likely not use much at all. Then there are people like BPD who go through it like an alcoholic goes thru bourbon!!!!
How W/M works is that it cools the air charge allowing your tuner to increase the timing and maximize the A/F ratio under WOT conditions. When the percentage of Methanol goes above 50% it becomes flammable, which adds a second dimension by effectively increasing the combustible charge. This means that you can add more boost and still keep the A/F at safe levels.
The more radical the tune and higher methanol amount may mean that you should not switch it off, if you have a habit of flooring it randomly on a regular basis, especially if you have installed a 3 bar sensor which allows for boost of higher than 14 psi.
Remember that adding a W/M injection system alone, without tuning for it actually will slightly decrease performance. It does however add safety to any tune, including the stock one, as it lowers the air charge temperature which is heated up when being compressed by the turbos.
Lastly, even though my tunes were quite radical, in daily driving as well as on long trips, my W/M system rarely sprayed, so I would use more of the solution cleaning my windshield than I did thru the engine. And yes... a 75% solution is an expensive way to clean your windshield, but it WORKS GREAT!!!! I would say that over 12 months, I used about 4 gal of boost juice and a couple gal of pure methanol (that I mixed with the boost juice to get a 60-75% concentration).
One thing I did to my simple system from Torrie, was to add a light that told me when the system was spraying. That means that when the boost went to around 8 psi, the pump started spraying, and the light comes on. The second the boost dropped below the set level, the pump quit and light goes off. In normal driving I hardly ever saw the light.
Quote from: matt60 on May 24, 2013, 08:40:38 AM
Well I think I asked the wrong question.
How often do you need to refill and where would you buy more?
Also would you be able to mount a switch in the cab so you are able to turn it on and off as wanted?
my water/meth mix is also my windshield washer so the time between my refills varies quite a bit. I pick up my methanol at Home Depot and distilled water at the autopart. I do have a switch but I've left it under the hood since I do not switch it off. If i switch it off I have to flash a different tune and it's a PITA.
Home Depot sells Methanol??? What concentration? How much a Gallon jug/can?
All I could ever find at Lowes and HD was Denatured Alcohol, at least in FLA.
Quote from: EcoBrick Bob on May 24, 2013, 04:36:30 PM
Home Depot sells Methanol??? What concentration? How much a Gallon jug/can?
All I could ever find at Lowes and HD was Denatured Alcohol, at least in FLA.
99.99%
8.99$/gallon
While it was cheaper at Cedar Falls Raceway... It was over $10. a gallon at Bradenton DR Strip!!!
WHOOPPEE!!!!!!
Thanks!
Now I have to check out IA HD for Meth! (anol...)!!!!!
Quote from: EcoBrick Bob on May 24, 2013, 09:10:20 PM
While it was cheaper at Cedar Falls Raceway... It was over $10. a gallon at Bradenton DR Strip!!!
WHOOPPEE!!!!!!
Thanks!
Now I have to check out IA HD for Meth! (anol...)!!!!!
Keep in mind i'm in Canada... our HD might be stocking chemicals yours aren't.
Matt60: Forgot to mention... I've linked my windshield washer tank with another 1gallon tank on the driver's side so I have 2 gallons of water/meth mix.
I mix the 1 gallon jug of -20* blue colored windshield washer fluid with the 12 ounce bottle of HEET (100% methanol) from Advance Auto. This mixture is 50/50. It's also pretty affordable too.
I think EBB had a pretty good answer to your question so I wont repeat a bunch of what he said. You could turn it off, problem is to be safe I'd reflash the tune and that would be a PITA. I go thru maybe 5 gallons a year and I run my car pretty hard. I run straight 100% methanol (VP Racing M1) thru braided lines and run it all day everyday, winter, summer, spring and fall. I think I pay about 42 bucks for 5 gallons which is like 3.50 a month...not too bad :)
Quote from: EcoBrick Bob on May 24, 2013, 11:54:31 AMAs for amount you will use, it depends on how often you are doing WOT runs, on the street or at the strip.
In normal driving you will likely not use much at all.
Then there are people like BPD who go through it like an alcoholic goes thru bourbon!!!!
Very true EBB! Very true indeed....... man I sure did / do love me the METH.
However, even I have decreased my consumption considerably since that 1st year of use.
A 5gal pail of VP, even with the exorbitantly high taxes in IL, runs me like $48.
As others have said, your consumption depends on your driving habits.
If you drive it like you stole it on a regular basis, well then yea.... expect to got through quite a bit of it.
If you embrace even somewhat "normal" driving habits, your METH usage, in turn, will also likely be "normal".
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I'm probably going to opt for the kit Torrie sells, but I'm debating on whether or not to buy separate holding container for my meth mix. I'm hoping to spend next weekend installing my dp's and meth
Quote from: jdeprato on July 09, 2013, 09:28:09 AM
I mix the 1 gallon jug of -20* blue colored windshield washer fluid with the 12 ounce bottle of HEET (100% methanol) from Advance Auto. This mixture is 50/50. It's also pretty affordable too.
Thats exactly what I used to do with my old water/meth setup in my cobra. In fact I still have some jugs of the -20° stuff and heet bottle in the garage. If anyone else goes down this same path I would suggest looking up the MSDS on the washer fluid you want to use (autozone...o'reilys...walmart...etc..etc..) and make sure there aren't any other ingredients besides water / methanol / and blue dye. It's the ones that have the detergents in them that you want to stay away from. Generally all the -20° ones wont have it, but I wouldn't risk it until you confirm it's contents on its MSDS. Usually you can find it on the manufacturer's website.
Quote from: redsand on July 11, 2013, 01:16:34 AM
I'm probably going to opt for the kit Torrie sells, but I'm debating on whether or not to buy separate holding container for my meth mix. I'm hoping to spend next weekend installing my dp's and meth
Im in the same boat with my MKS. I can't decide whether to just tap into the stock washer fluid tank or buy a dedicated tank. Leaning toward the washer fluid tank....but a separate, small tank would only be like $20. Hmmmm...
I run a 2 quart meth tank in my car, in typical of driving I only use about half a tank. And can do 5 passes at the track before I have to refill.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l583/crash712us/0e8cf7fd.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/crash712us/media/0e8cf7fd.jpg.html)
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l583/crash712us/73f209f7.jpg) (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/crash712us/media/73f209f7.jpg.html)
What's typical?
I was talking to Andy and I'm thinking about doing the 4 gallon fuel cell.
For few reasons; finding the fuel here is HARD! I've been searching and it looks like places I have to go is almost 2 hours away.
So, if I can stock up on $100 worth of fuel (5 Gallon containers), then I can last a good season.
Andy says 4 gallon tank should get me through an entire summer of driving crazy LOL.
He did say the trunk option fuel cell is pretty good setup.
I'm just wondering if I should firewall my seat area. I don't plan to put seats down--I can get a truck for big moves.
Quote from: geswek on July 12, 2013, 08:59:41 PM
Andy says 4 gallon tank should get me through an entire summer of driving crazy LOL.
Classic quote! ;D
There was a time (not all that long ago) when a 4 gallon cell would've simply just wet my appetite.
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That would make you beyond crazy.
Quote from: bpd1151 on July 12, 2013, 09:29:18 PM
There was a time (not all that long ago) when a 4 gallon cell would've simply just wet my appetite.
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That's just because your settings were off. Honestly though 5 gallons should last you the season..and that's only like 45 bucks not 100
Quote from: darreli on July 12, 2013, 09:55:04 PM
That's just because your settings were off. Honestly though 5 gallons should last you the season..and that's only like 45 bucks not 100
Yeah, but I meant buying like $100 worth of fuel since the closest seems to be way the hell out there and 2 hours in PA is like 5 hours elsewhere (hate these damn roads).
You think it would be necessary to firewall the rear seats? I know methanol is flammable; I guess it would be equivalent of my fuel tank blowing up during an accident.
Quote from: geswek on July 12, 2013, 10:26:50 PM
Quote from: darreli on July 12, 2013, 09:55:04 PM
That's just because your settings were off. Honestly though 5 gallons should last you the season..and that's only like 45 bucks not 100
Yeah, but I meant buying like $100 worth of fuel since the closest seems to be way the hell out there and 2 hours in PA is like 5 hours elsewhere (hate these damn roads).
You think it would be necessary to firewall the rear seats? I know methanol is flammable; I guess it would be equivalent of my fuel tank blowing up during an accident.
Gotcha...I don't think it's really necessary. Right..you'd need some type of ignition source and it's less flammable than gasoline..coming from a firefighter perspective I don't see a need for it
Quote from: darreli on July 12, 2013, 10:30:29 PM
Gotcha...I don't think it's really necessary. Right..you'd need some type of ignition source and it's less flammable than gasoline..coming from a firefighter perspective I don't see a need for it
Makes me feel better. I just don't like the idea of cluttering up the engine bay anymore. Since I have this HUGE freaking trunk--why not?
Andy said they do a good job too; it's mounted in the trunk and the spare tire area (which I believe now has my tire pump thing--no spare on PP) is still accessible.
Plus I can be all cool and be like "BAM, look at that aux fuel cell with 100% pure methanol!" LMAO. If I'm ever camping and we can't start the fire--I got it covered.
:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
Yeah..they do a good job. FirstSHO has his mounted in the trunk. I don't have any more clutter under the hood. My washer fluid reservoir is now the methanol reservoir and I have my new washer reservoir mounted behind it. Low washer fluid light means low methanol..but I like the trunk mount idea as well
It's been a few years since I've talked to anyone who uses a meth set up a lot, I'm curious how the reliability of the new pumps are in cold climates. What's the longest some of you have had your kits on and running? How has the reliability been after a Winter?
Thanks
Art
2 michigan winter on my LMS/Alkycontrols set up. No issues
Same as Crash... 2 michigan winters no issues
Same as Crash712us, & Darreli, with the exception of my Winter's having taken place in Chicago.
Just as harsh (at times) as Michigan's Winter's!
No issues whatsoever.
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Thanks guys. Giving me more to think about. I'm sold on several mods right out of the gate when my Explorer shows up, just not sure I want to forfeit my warranty right away with something as obvious as a meth kit.
Art
I've only been through 1 winter with my kit but it did see some use in -40 weather. Only had traction issues :D
I'd love to put on a meth kit. Actually I am dying to. Warranty does hold me back and I don't really trust them. It is like nitrous was when I was younger, great power but all my friends cars eventually detonated. They have much better kits now. And meth is bled in so it don't just hit with 75 to 250 more hp....I feel meth is alot better then it used to be but I am not sure it's ready for a daily driver. However some manufacturers are starting to address it. Is there a especially Reliable pump or brand of pump that is the best. Most systems seem to be built around a certain pump then add bells n whistles. My 1st system on a 340 duster used a Hobbs switch and activated with vacuum, it was used for knock only no noticeable real power except the ability to really turn it up and make a little power for Fri nights.....I am inching closer to going meth, but can garnish more of my hp with better traction tires first.
Quote from: avidmotion on December 21, 2017, 04:24:55 PM
I'd love to put on a meth kit. Actually I am dying to. Warranty does hold me back and I don't really trust them. It is like nitrous was when I was younger, great power but all my friends cars eventually detonated. They have much better kits now. And meth is bled in so it don't just hit with 75 to 250 more hp....I feel meth is alot better then it used to be but I am not sure it's ready for a daily driver. However some manufacturers are starting to address it. Is there a especially Reliable pump or brand of pump that is the best. Most systems seem to be built around a certain pump then add bells n whistles. My 1st system on a 340 duster used a Hobbs switch and activated with vacuum, it was used for knock only no noticeable real power except the ability to really turn it up and make a little power for Fri nights.....I am inching closer to going meth, but can garnish more of my hp with better traction tires first.
The ALKY KIT proves to be superior Hand Down IMHO! from its quality pump,lines and brass fittings and by far the best customer service and support from the man himself Julio Don @ www.alkycontrol.com (http://www.alkycontrol.com) .
The man responds in matter of minutes to your emails and have him on Speed Dial!
Feel free to start your very own post! Z :)