Because pure methanol requires spark or ignition assistance or a fuel additive, it cannot be utilized in unmodified diesel engines. The use of diesel combined with up to 20% methanol by volume, on the other hand, necessitates only minimal engine changes (Lin & Chao, 2002).
Will methanol hurt a diesel engine?
Snow Performance deserves full credit for this knowledge. We are delighted to carry the Snow Performance product line because of this level of intricacy and attention to detail!
- Lowered EGTs – Using a 50/50 water/methanol solution, EGTs can be reduced by up to 250 degrees F. In today’s performance diesel environment, increased EGTs are an engine killer.
- Power at a reasonable cost – Where else can you get 50-100 HP for $549? What other modification combines all of these features into a single package?
- Increased air charge densities ranging from 3-5 psi boost are normal with liquid intercooling.
- Increased combustion efficiency equals fewer particulate matter and NOX emissions, resulting in lower emissions.
In contrast to gasoline engines, the power of a turbo diesel is mostly determined by the fuel used. The trouble with constantly adding fuel is that you end up with an over-fueling situation and the exhaust gas temps rise to dangerous levels (over 1300 degrees F). A 50/50 water/methanol mixture reduces EGTs by about 200-300 degrees F while increasing power by 50-100 horsepower.
- Air charge cooling – When the air charge temperature exceeds 200 degrees F, water/methanol is used to cool it down. Low air temperatures result in a denser air charge, which supplies more oxygen molecules for combustion.
- Methanol works as a combustion catalyst as well as a cooling agent throughout the combustion process. Through the “steam” effect, water evaporation inside the combustion chamber enhances torque and power production.
Where else can you have this level of performance with lower EGTs, lower emissions, and better fuel economy?
For years, high-performance truck/tractor pullers have used water-methanol injection for diesel engines. Water/methanol is a standard way of cooling the intake charge and lowering exhaust gas temperatures at the high boost levels required for maximal power. Truckers have also utilized water injection to enhance fuel mileage for years.
To realize the benefits of water-methanol injection in diesel applications, no further adjustment is required.
- The combustion chamber now receives a cooler, denser air charge, allowing for more diesel fuel to be burned than before.
- The methanol in the injection fluid is used as a source of energy. This has a direct impact on power generation.
- In the combustion chamber, water vaporizes, forming quickly expanding steam that pushes down on the piston, increasing torque.
- The amount of extra power generated is highly dependent on the methanol concentration and volume injected. With a 50/50 blend of water/methanol, typical power improvements in 5.9L and bigger applications are 50-100 WHP and a 100-150ft lb-ft boost in torque.
Yes. That is exactly what the MPG-MAXTM systems are built to do. Under regular driving conditions, such as accelerating away from a stop light or driving up a slight grade, both the diesel and gasoline MPG-MAXTM systems are particularly designed to inject a very small and accurate amount of water/methanol.
Methanol directly benefits diesel MPG-MAX systems since it combusts like a fuel, lowering brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). Fuel economy improvements of 10-15% or 1-3 MPG are typical. Diesel engines have shown increases of up to 30% in some circumstances and in independent testing.
- Snow Performance’s 49 percent methanol, 51 percent water Boost Juice is the best fluid to use and may be mailed to your door or picked up at a local dealer. (Boost Juice is a terrific washer fluid that also works as a de-icer if you’re utilizing your washer reservoir as an injection tank!)
- Only use windshield washer fluid that is blue in color and approved for -20 degrees Fahrenheit. This indicates that it is safe to use and is composed of around 30% methanol and 70% water. Do not use it if it is a different color or temperature rating. It should be devoid of any other additives or features. You are able to “Add 3 ea. 12oz yellow bottles of Heet gas-line-antifreeze to every gallon of Blue -20 washer fluid to make a 50 percent mixture.
- Make your own: All you have to do is make sure the methanol is pure “There are no lubricants or other additives in this product. A 50/50 ratio is recommended.
- Ethanol: While not as good as methanol, it can be used as a backup if methanol is unavailable. It can also be combined up to 50 percent with water. Do not use E85 or any other gasoline-based fluid. Your Boost Cooler’s fluid delivery system will be destroyed, voiding the warranty immediately.
- Isopropyl/Denatured Alcohols: These can be utilized, however they don’t have the same properties as methanol. When compared to methanol, they have a lower BTU, or energy content, as well as a lower latent heat of vaporization (a fancy way of stating how much heat they absorb) and a lower octane rating.
Methanol is a very clean fuel with a good price-to-benefit ratio. Because of its high latent heat of vaporization, it is a good air charge cooler, resulting in a denser mixture and higher horsepower. It is a superior fuel than ethanol because of these properties, yet ethanol will suffice in a pinch. Isopropanol has a different flammability profile and should not be utilized. Methanol is extremely hazardous and should only be handled in well-ventilated environments with rubber gloves. Skin contact should be avoided at all costs.
Methanol is a great fuel to use as a supplement. It produces safe power without spiking cylinder pressures because it has a cetane number of 4CN.
“When plain methanol is burned alone, it has a cetane number of 4CN and produces less PM (smoke) and NOx.” “Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of Minimally Processed Methanol in a Diesel Engine,” SAE Technical Paper #940326.
Snow Performance’s Boost JuiceTM is a 51/49 water/methanol mixture. If this is the only method utilized, Snow Performance can provide a lifetime warranty if the free registration card is returned promptly after purchase.
Methanol is commonly seen where racing fuels are sold. In addition, most gas line dryers, such as the “Heet,” use only methanol. Methanol can be purchased for a very low price from industrial chemical suppliers. VP Racing Fuels sells methanol on the internet.
Blue windshield washer fluid designated for -20 degrees F is also appropriate for usage and is available at most service stations. Despite the presence of glycol and other copolymers in some fluids rated below -20 degrees F, most windshield washer fluids contain up to 40% methanol. Look for one that says “contains methanol” on the label, is good to -20°F, has no additives or special ingredients, and is blue in color.
Methanol is also used as a primary fuel by many sprint car drivers, circle track racers, and drag racers. They frequently have methanol on hand and would even sell methanol that has been sitting unopened for a long time for a very low price. Just make sure there are no additives or lubricants in the methanol (such as top lube), as they aren’t necessary and can harm the pump.
Although all Snow Performance components are designed to handle pure methanol, it is not recommended for a variety of reasons.
Pure methanol has a low flash point of 140 degrees Fahrenheit and burns with an invisible flame.
Water absorbs more heat than methanol at the intake and inside the combustion chamber, therefore it performs better. Water, on the other hand, cannot be flash-ignited, hence it is more likely to produce combustion quench on a volume-for-volume basis. SAE tests on the effect of methanol as a diesel fuel reveal a cetane of 4CN (increased ignition delay) and increased area under the torque curve during the power stroke (as the piston descends after TDC), resulting in safe power (not from greatly increased cylinder pressure).
Diesel engines require more fluid than gasoline engines and are frequently in higher load states.
The factory washer fluid tank on a pickup vehicle (typically 1-1.5 gallons) will last a tank of gas on a Stage 1 or 2 system. This is for normal mixed driving with no towing and a little bit of forceful acceleration.
A 7 gallon reservoir on a Stage 3 towing system normally lasts 1-2 diesel fuel tanks. The 7 gallon reservoir will provide roughly 1000 miles of range when empty. The 7 gallon normally lasts roughly 500 miles while towing.
For every 75 miles of towing, a conventional Stage 3 system will utilize around 1 gallon of liquid. Many Stage 3 users replace their factory washer tank with a bespoke big capacity tank using the special universal fitting provided in Stage 3 Snow Performance diesel kits. Any reservoir situated in the back of the vehicle should have a solenoid upgrade installed.
The pump must be within 24″ (hose length) of the reservoir and must be as low as or lower than the reservoir’s base. It’s a “pusher” pump rather than a “puller.”
Engine bay: The reservoir and pump can be placed virtually anywhere in the engine bay, as long as they are not too close to the exhaust heat or in the path of road debris. Just make sure the pump is at or below the reservoir’s level, and that the reservoir isn’t higher than the nozzle. To avoid gravity-feed, a solenoid upgrade (part number 40060) is required if the reservoir must be higher than the nozzle.
Mounting the pump in a trunk or a bed is good, but it must be close to the reservoir and gravity fed. Tubing lengths of 20-25 feet to the nozzle are acceptable. For rear-reservoir attachment, we always recommend a #40060 solenoid. The #40016 7 gallon reservoir comes with a solenoid.
Use the washer-fluid tank from the factory. The OEM washer fluid tank can be used as a reservoir thanks to a bulkhead fitting. A washer fluid made of 50/50 water and methanol works well. This is a common tactic used in stage one and two kits.
Reservoir in the bed. The reservoir and pump can be installed in the vehicle’s back. Extra tubing, a solenoid upgrade, and mounting brackets for bed attachment are included with the 7 gallon reservoir upgrade. With any reservoir/vehicle, we always recommend a #40060 solenoid for rear mounting.
The nozzles should be placed around the intake manifold’s inlet or nearly anyplace on the pipe running from the intercooler to the intake manifold. The nozzles can be put anywhere along the tube as long as they are oriented in the same direction as the airflow. The nozzles can be arranged in a row or adjacent to one another. Regardless of the nozzle positions relative to each other, there is enough heat, velocity, and flow in the pipe under boost to absorb the water/methanol.
Snow Performance nozzles are pre-drilled in some intakes. Even distribution and cooling will ensue if all of the airflow into the engine passes through all of the nozzles in the system.
It’s not a good idea to put it before the intercooler or turbo(s). The cooling isn’t any better. An injector nozzle should never be installed before a turbocharger compressor. Fluid flowing through the compressor wheel at speeds ranging from 50,000 to 250,000 rpm can corrode the fine aluminum’s leading edges. According to SAAB research, pre-turbo injection causes cavitation on the turbo wheel leading edges over time.
Should the water/methanol solution be injected before or after the Turbo? Where should a few specific trucks be parked? (Duramax, Power Stroke, Cummins CR 5.9L/6.7L)
Pre-turbo injection has been the subject of more recent debate (particularly on the internet). The majority of the discussion revolves around growing atomization. If you inject a small amount of finely atomized fluid (less than 10 micron droplet) with a very low injection duty cycle, you can probably get away with it in the short run. Also, if you don’t care about turbo longevity (like some competitive diesels, where the turbo is replaced frequently) or if you have a system that doesn’t atomize properly and needs the turbulence to aid (low injection pressure and nozzles that aren’t built to atomize appropriately),
It becomes a question of when compressor wheel damage becomes too severe in diesels, especially where injection quantities are large in relation to fuel and where there is benefit to injecting at low/mid engine load states on up, as pre-turbo injection has been proven to cause compressor wheel erosion. The amount of erosion is determined by the volume injected, the size of the droplet injected, the compressor wheel speed, and the injection duty cycle (what percent of total engine operation is water-methanol injected).
Also, in an appropriately sized modernturbo, the notion of reduced compressor work per unit flow and increased mass flow rate doesn’t hold water.
Can you put methanol in your diesel tank?
Yes, you can put meth in your tank immediately. It’s the best usable fuel available, barring Nitromethane, but it has a 4.5:1 AFR compared to 12.5:1 for petrol (peak power AFR ratio), which means you’ll need to pump roughly 2 to 3 times as much gasoline to achieve the same air to fuel ratio (12.5/4.5 = 2.7).
Does methanol injection clean valves?
Many individuals associate the words “water/meth injection” with peril. There are numerous horror stories floating around about people who have blown their motors while using meth and how deadly it may be. Many of the tales and fears concerning water/meth injection, on the other hand, are just unfounded.
There are numerous advantages to using a water/meth injection configuration on your high-performance vehicle, especially with the new direct-injected vehicles that are becoming more common. Valve cleaning, charge air cooling, expanding your limited DI fuelling window, and, most importantly, it can provide significant performance gains are all potential benefits.
So, even if you don’t care about the power gains from a good water/meth kit, the valve cleaning alone is worth it for most people who own a Mazdaspeed, a Focus ST, a WRX powered by the FA20DIT, a BMW N54 or N55, or any other direct-injected vehicle. With direct injection, no fuel is sprayed on the rear of the valves, but when you add EGR and an insane amount of oil from the PCV System, you quickly get gunked up valves that will affect performance and fuel mileage over time. Methanol is a powerful cleaning chemical that will remove the crud that accumulates on the valves and keep your engine running smoothly.
In comparison to gasoline, methanol has a very high latent heat of vaporization for charge air cooling. The meth will remove heat from the intake tract, the piston crown, and the valves because it vaporizes at a much lower temperature than water. The intake manifold’s cooling of the boosted air provides for a colder, denser charge as it enters the cylinders. Cooling the piston crown and valves helps to prevent hot patches in the cylinders from causing an uneven burn (detonation).
We’ve shown a back-to-back datalog comparison of an automobile before and after methanol injection in the graph below.
The same care was taken with the same turbo and performance items, first without and then with the methanol kit. The post-intercooler air temperatures drop dramatically.
I could stop typing right now and give you plenty of reasons to start looking for meth labs, but I can’t because… “But hold on! “There’s still more!”
When it comes to the original fuel system, direct injected cars like the Ecoboost Focus ST and Mustang, the Mazdaspeed 3, and the FA20DIT WRX have plenty of room. When the injectors in most port-injected cars run empty, the DI systems will usually keep going. However, once you’ve reached your limit, there’s not much you can do. There are a few aftermarket injector alternatives for Ford Ecoboosts that will give you a little more headroom, but the DI cars we deal with are all going to be limited to approximately 400whp. For some, this is an excellent stopping place, but for others, there is no such thing as a stopping point. So one of your possibilities is to operate a methanol arrangement as a fuel supplement. A proper meth setup might give you an extra 100whp, and in some cases even more.
Overall, water/meth injection opens up a whole new universe of possibilities. By keeping everything cool and clean on the inside, you can not only create more power and make it more reliable, but you can also extend the life of your engine. In terms of risk vs. profit, The reward comes from a high-quality Water/Meth setup that helps to reduce risk and maximize the chances of a successful setup.
How much methanol do I add to diesel?
The addition of 10% methanol to diesel fuel has been proven in this study to have a significant influence on engine performance and the environment.
Does methyl hydrate remove water from diesel?
It’s critical to respond quickly if you discover water in your diesel fuel tank. Water and fuel aren’t buddies, and they shouldn’t mix because horrible things can happen. What’s the best way to remove water out of a diesel fuel tank? This article has taken the time to answer this question!
There are several methods for removing water from a diesel fuel tank. These two strategies, however, are the most effective:
- The first method is to use a hand pump to siphon away the water-contaminated fuel using a siphon kit. Ensure that the line is long enough to reach the tank’s bottom.
- To help dilute the water fuel mixture, you can add a fuel additive with a methanol base. This procedure should only be utilized if the diesel fuel tank contains a small amount of water.
Remove the fuel filter while using either approach to assist drain any surplus tainted diesel fuel.
For a variety of causes, water can enter a diesel fuel tank. Water must be evacuated from the diesel fuel tank in some fashion, regardless of how it got in there. We’ll look at how to get water out of your diesel fuel tank in more detail in this article. We’ll also talk about the dangers of water getting into fuel tanks, so keep reading!