There are multiple benefits to meth injection.
-A higher octane level
-chemical cooling
-More power (20-30 whp, 30-40wtq on a stage 2 application and more with a bigger turbo)
-The ability to obtain a leaner A/F ratio without detonation.
-An increased resistance to knock/ detonation
-A cleaner engine. The injection creates a steam cleaning effect on the internals of the engine.
-low cost (a meth kit with a failsafe can be had for under $700)
The things that I have been looking at are an increased resistance to knock/detonation and few other things combined for a safer power gain. Basically, there is no DOWNSIDE to going meth, right?
Are there things that I should know beforehand that isn't written or stated anywhere else about running meth? I have seen the kits that are most popular, but what are you guys running and why did you choose what you chose?
Personally, I don't know why so many people are afraid of methanol injection systems. Given, there's always the chance that the system could fail, which of course would result in engine damage unless a properly installed failsafe system is used.
There are quite a few good quality systems on the market today, way more than even a few years ago. I have the AEM-HD kit. (HD-Heavy Duty, designed primarily for turbo diesel applications. Comes with a 5 gallon tank and a few different cc/min sized nozzles.) I might have chosen a different kit had I not been offered this one, brand new, in the box at a verrrrry low price.
Most tuners recommend a mixture of distilled water and methanol. Boost juice is a great option, especially because it's always pre-mixed to the exact same ratio. It's not that expensive, but there are many ways to make filling the tank cheaper. My last tuner was of the opinion that pure methanol is the way to go. Though I don't completely agree with that, there is really nothing wrong with it either. Being that the tune is set up for pure methanol, I went online and found a 5-gallon can of 99.5% methanol for $75. After my tuner originally filled the tank, I've occasionally topped it off with my 5-gallon can, and still have the same can (probably 25% full at this point) since summer 2011. Until just recently, the Batmobile has been my daily driver and I've run a number of auto-x events, so you can see how long that 5-gallon can has lasted me. Consider that if you mixed the methanol with distilled water yourself, it would last roughly twice as long. (To get the most accurate, repeatable mixture at home, you should mix the distilled water and methanol together, 50/50 BY VOLUME. If you mix it by weight, oh well....just make a note to mix it the EXACT same way next time as well.) Most people in the Subie community seem to shy away from pure methanol and almost always opt for a mixture with distilled water. Quite a few people in the EVO community run straight meth and I know a couple guys with 80's Buick Grand Nationals that have run straight meth for years and years with no problems. These are the main reasons that I didn't argue with my tuner over straight meth vs. water/meth.
Your methanol system controller will likely have a few settings. Some systems are "progressive" meaning that the amount of methanol being pumped can be increased along with the increasing boost. Non-progressive systems spray the same amount at peak boost as they do at activation. Mine is progressive and starts spraying methanol (into my boost tube, about 6" before the throttle body) at 10 psi and increases up to about 20 psi. Here you can also see how the system is not using methanol all the time, only when my right foot gets heavy enough to make at least 10 psi. :lol: 20-30whp gains are easily achievable and I've seen even 30-50whp increases on a few high boost setups.
My EGTs are a bit lower than on 93 alone, but I imagine they'd be considerably lower on a 50/50 mix of water/meth. Timing was advanced a bit to make more whp and my AFR is 11.24:1. Methanol not only increases the effective octane of the mixture in the cylinder, but does aid in cooling a bit. Water added in is what really drives down EGTs though. As far as methanol cleaning engine internals like valves, combustion chambers and pistons, there has been a lot of talk about this over the years. Joe and I will find out how true that is around this time next year when we tear down my motor. I'll be sure to take a lot of pictures.
There's also the fact that you can store more than one tune at a time if you have the software/laptop/tactrix or Cobb AP available. So you can have a 93 octane tune and a 93 oct+Meth tune. This could also save you money in the long run by not using the methanol tune all the time.
Some people argue that running pure methanol is damaging to aluminum engine components. While it is true that methanol accelerates corrosion of aluminum, you also have to consider the time it takes to actually corrode the aluminum. Apparently, people have forgotten how hot everything under the hood is. The flash point of pure methanol is 53*F and vaporizes immediately after being atomized into the boost stream, so there is no time where methanol is going to remain in contact with engine components long enough to cause damage. On the other hand, pure methanol is harder on the internal components of the methanol system itself, which could reduce life expectancy.
I personally shy away from using window washer fluid for the same reason I shy away from E85. Unless you can GUARANTEE that you'll always have the same exact brand of washer fluid available, I'd be hesistant. Maybe order an entire pallet from Walmart. :rofl: It's impossible to say whether the alcohol/water content is always going to be the same everytime. Which brings me to E85. I know many people use it with no problems, but there are also many people who have had tons of problems with E85, especially in the northern parts of the country where the ethanol content is varied with the seasons. You could always get a test kit for E85, but that's another story. IF I could run a flex sensor with the stock ECU, I would probably run E85. Also, without E85 , I don't have to worry as much about accumulating water in the tank.
Shit...I've lost my train of thought. Let me know if you have any other questions or want me to expand on something.
