Competition Methanol Question

[AK RAM]

I need to be educated. Is there more than one kind of Methanol? In looking for it around town for use in a water/meth system, the only place I can find that sells it is a transmission shop that happens to run it in their drag car. He buys it by the 55 gallon drum and is willing to sell me as much as I need by the gallon. Just want to make sure this is the right stuff. I assume meth is meth and all the same unless it is premixed with something else like ethanol or nitro, correct? Should be the right stuff?

 

[Turbo Thom]

Just guessing I would say that meth is for the fuel, not the water mixture. You need windshied washer fluid. The problem with that is the washer mixture is 6% meth. , whereas you will need abut a 47% mixture. But anyway, washer fluid is what you want.



. . Preston. .

 

[AK RAM]

Just guessing I would say that meth is for the fuel, not the water mixture.

Correct. I want to run it at a 50/50 or 60/40 mix at the track. Not interested in it for its cooling ability... . just a little extra kick. I want to mix my own as I don't care for the soap and other stuff they put in washer fluid. I just want to make sure I'm getting the right stuff.

 

[paulb]

If they are running in a drag car,and it's methanol, then it's the right stuff. Just be careful how you mix it. For example for 50% take one gallon of meth and add it to one gallon of water. Don't take one gallon of water and add enough meth to make two gallons. Meth is hygoscopic (absorbs water), so when you add a gallon of meth to a gallon of water, you will end up with less then two gallons. A more exact way is to use a hydrometer, but that would be overkill, for what you are doing.



Paul

 

[05mxdiesel]

what are the long-term effects of using water/methanol injection.

 

[Turbo Thom]

I would say the answer to that is the milky look the oil will take on. That tells me not enought "fire" in the oven, or the water has put it out. I would say the lubricity of the oil has been compromised. Very short oil change intervals. That means the amount has to be calibrated to the amount that will burn, or the life of the engine will be spent as a real marine engine. In the water. But remember also, methane is a fuel also, like propane. The mixture is critical to the life of engine and both will blow.



. . Preston. .

 

[BigBadDodge]

I buy my Meth HERE Because I like to purchase and carry the smaller quart cans.



Matt Snow sells the Boost Juice™

Ever had trouble finding methanol or not sure of how much methanol is in your windshield washer fluid? We now have the answer - New BOOST JUICE™ standardized mix of 51%water/49%methanol. See Products section for details.



BBD

 

[BPINE]

Scott if you need Methanol let me know I always have 55 gallons on hand at 2. 90 or so a gallon.

 

[BigBadDodge]

Thanks Blair, I will keep you in mind if I am going through that way



Have you tried Meth in the blender :-laf



BBD

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I am not 100% sure on this but I think just regular automotive gas line antifreeze is methanol. Being from Alaska, that should be available just about everywhere!!!! We have it in alot of stores in 4 liter jugs, being from Northern Canada... ... ... . Check into it, or somebody will know on here I am sure. The label on the bigger jugs should have the list of ingredients.

 

[KevinLewis]

If they are running in a drag car,and it's methanol, then it's the right stuff. Just be careful how you mix it. For example for 50% take one gallon of meth and add it to one gallon of water. Don't take one gallon of water and add enough meth to make two gallons. Meth is hygoscopic (absorbs water), so when you add a gallon of meth to a gallon of water, you will end up with less then two gallons. A more exact way is to use a hydrometer, but that would be overkill, for what you are doing.



Paul

Thats good info. I think i would have blown it. And yes Methanol is Methanol Made from Wood.

 

[boydo]

You can buy methanol at just about ant fueling bulk station by liter, pail, or drum. I wouldn't use methal-hydrate just a little to rich. It is also advisded not to mix more than 50/50 unless you like it when it pings ang knocks. Between 30-36 % is where the mix becomes flammable - the idea is to get as much water as possible into combustion, the meth thins the water to help achive that the power gain is from the water to steam prosses which results in more exaust for turbo spooling and of course cooling occurs aswell. When setting up a system start with 15-20 % and slowly increase ratio until queching or stumbling is minimized. In my application I bypassed the pressure switch on the pump and run two 675 ml nozzles and varible control it - comes on at 25# and max it at 55# . I found that 35 % meth to water is perfect, any less the engine quenches and more than 45% is a little uncontrollable( some ticking at high boost). More isn't also better, when inject drugs into your engine take the time to set it up.

 

[4xquadrod]

Just guessing I would say that meth is for the fuel, not the water mixture. You need windshied washer fluid. The problem with that is the washer mixture is 6% meth. , whereas you will need abut a 47% mixture. But anyway, washer fluid is what you want.

. . Preston. .

I obtained an MSDS sheet on a typical window washer fluid and it stated that it was 34% meth and the rest water.

 

[AK RAM]

What does it say the freeze point is on that bottle? The washer fluid I have has a freeze point of -20*F and it says "contains over 20% methanol. " Wish they were a little more specific. The idea of squiring all that soap into my engine still doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

 

[AK RAM]

…… It is also advisded not to mix more than 50/50 unless you like it when it pings ang knocks. …… In my application I bypassed the pressure switch on the pump and run two 675 ml nozzles and varible control it - comes on at 25# and max it at 55# . I found that 35 % meth to water is perfect, any less the engine quenches and more than 45% is a little uncontrollable( some ticking at high boost).

The guys at Snow recommended a 50/50 mix, but that is not the first time I have seen it mentioned that anything over about 40% can cause a little pre-detonation pinging. Sounds like 40% will be the sweet spot for me.



What do you mean when you say you bypassed the pressure switch on the pump? 220psi not enough for you?



Common sense tells me to be somewhat conservative and not go balls-to-the-wall with this stuff as I'm a little worried about the effects of using "too much". I decided to use a smaller 375 nozzle so I can have it come on a little earlier and a 625 nozzle for max flow at high boost. It is set to start at 20psi and full on at roughly 35psi. I left the pump at 150psi. What are your thoughts on that setup since you have been through this already? If experience says I can run it a lot higher and be fine, I certainly would like to do that.



So your running two 600 nozzles at max pressure and are not having any problems. With my smaller jet, it sounds like I may be able to go ahead and set the pump at 200psi. I've been busy and haven't finished wiring everything in, but hopefully I can finish it today. I would like to minimize tweaking time and get it close to perfect from the start by copying you folks that have already been through the trial and error process.

 

[Turbo Thom]

On the dyno, we had the 47% mixture detonate pretty bad. It just didn't work here. We went down to a 35-38 % mixture and have had no problems . Now the Snow system is broke and I can't get them on the phone so it's still broke. The pressure regulator is always on.



. . PT. .

 

[boydo]

AK RAM

I prefer 35 % meth the most, 150 psi is good but slowly increase it until quenching occurs and reduce about 5 %, although I think you'll be alright at 200 psi with the 300's, but some tweaking is always required. I bypassed the pressure switch because it wasn't consistant and in now it runs a approx 275 psi. With the pump set that way and with everything on kill mode my pre turbo egt's don't exced 1250 max.

 

[BigEasy]

I am not 100% sure on this but I think just regular automotive gas line antifreeze is methanol.

That's isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol... it's much cheaper to buy at the grocery store than it is at a gas stop...

 

[BigEasy]

An independent bottler for many products and many corporations, is right down the road from my place. I bet if any diesel speed shop contacted them, they could set up a deal for premix at whatever percentages you wanted. The stuff could be sold by the case, just like bug wash. You could even have labels of your own design made up and put on the bottles. Different mixes could be marked with different dyes...



Let me know if anyone out there is interested...

 

[Cooker]

That's isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol... it's much cheaper to buy at the grocery store than it is at a gas stop...

Actually they use both isopropyl alcohol and methanol in the gas line antifreezes.