Finding the benefits of adding
water/methanol injection.
1. The first thing we needed to do for the install at Razor’s Edge was
get access to the factory windshield washer bottle. By removing the
passenger-side inner fender, we were able to easily remove the bottle.
2. The reason we removed the factory washer bottle, was so we could
install a fitting that we could connect the Snow pump in order to pump the
water/methanol mix. In this application we used the factory washer tank as
opposed to adding another tank. The washer fluid is still usable as a washer
fluid, and an added bonus is that when the mixture gets low the dash light lets
you know.
3. Mounting the pump below the level of the tank eases the effort the
pump uses to move the fluid.
4. Next came the wiring. Follow your specific instructions for this
task. We routed everything nicely behind and under panels for a nice clean,
finished look.
5. The Snow controller is mounted within easy reach of the driver. The
control unit for Snow’s Stage 3 Boost Cooler is an all-inclusive module that
mounts with two-sided tape. The controller allows you to adjust the timing of
the spray and the increasing percentage of spray.
The
control unit for Snow’s Stage 3 Boost Cooler is an all-inclusive module that
mounts with two-sided tape.
6. Mounting the I AT sensor is an easy task—drill a hole, add the
gnommet and IAT sensor, and plug it in.
7. While monitoring the engine, Jon at AHMP ran the car through its
paces. We didn’t know what to expect out of the Vortech-boosted 6,1.
8. To see if we made any improvements, we headed to After Hours Mopar
Performance (AHMP) for some dyno time. These guys have been building and
modifying late-model Mopar cars since Mopar started building them. Once there,
we filled the bottle with Boost Juice before testing. Don’t tell anybody, but
it was full before we got to the dyno, but needed refilling (you guess why).
To
see if we made any improvements, we headed to After Hours Mopar Performance
(AHMP) for some dyno time.
9. Since we’re sure that you want to know how the Challenger made out
on the dyno, how does a baseline of 473 hp and 403 Ib-ft of torque sound with
just the Vortech blower, and no water/methanol injection. During our baseline
run, we learned that the Vortech-supplied tune was feeding a seriously rich
fuel mixture. When the run was over, our air/fuel mix was in the 10.2-10.5
range. That being said, we surely could have tuned the existing setup and made
more power—once, but the possibility of doing engine damage precluded us from
doing that. That’s the benefit of the Snow kit: The tunability let us safely
increase the power substantially.
During our baseline run, we learned that the Vortech-supplied tune
was feeding a seriously rich fuel mixture.
10. Knowing
that simply spraying the water/methanol would richen the mixture even more, we
needed a plan. To overcome this extremely rich condition, Jon and AHMP have a
great relationship with DiabloSport, and together, they were able to make sure
that we had a safe tune that would show the power potential of the addition of
the Snow kit, but, make sure we weren’t running the engine in a way that could
potentially cause problems. With some simple tuning, we were finally able to
muster a 12:1 air/fuel ratio, and a whopping 521 hp, and 544 Ib-ft of torque.
Our average horsepower came in at 501 hp. Even our average was now higher than
our baseline test.
Four Reasons Why You Need Water/Meth Injection:
1. Reduced chance of detonation: The lower intake charge temperatures
created by the methanol and water mean less chance for engine-damaging
detonation.
2. Low cost: Water/methanol systems start at around $300.
3. More economical for the street: Water/methanol is a less expensive
high-octane alternative to pure race gas for guys running high-compression
engines on the street.
4. Built-in engine maintenance: In some cases, the atomized water
effectively steam cleans the valves, valve seats, and even the piston tops and
intake, reducing carbon buildup.
