Methanol Injection - Update
07-27-2006, 11:58 AM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 140
Methanol Injection - Update
Hey,
Thanks for all the inquiries on my preliminary post.
I picked my car up from Alternative Auto last night, and all I can say is they did a 1st class job. You don't know how much better of a system theirs is, than some others, until you see on one of their cars. I will start by giving everyone what they are looking for, it made 215rwhp and 244rwtq. The new power curve is really smooth, and you can really feel the torque increase.
This is not an alternative to nitrous at all, it is a baby step to adding a blower or turbo in the future. One important thing to remember is this is on 87 octane fuel, no more messing around with economy tune or premium tune or whatever.
Let me expalin how it works: The system is totally hidden, you would not even know it's there unless I showed you. If I told you to look for it, you would have a hard time finding it. There are 2 LED's located next to the center console. The first one (lower one) comes on if the methanol level is low in the tank, and the second one (higher one) comes on red when the system activates and turns green when it maximizes flow.
The system comes on about 2800rpm (red light) and has full methanol injection about 4500rpm (green light). There are no switches,buttons,etc. it is a fully inegrated system. Just drive it and fill the methanol when required. This question was asked earlier, how often?, it will need about 1 gallon of methanol every 2-3 tanks of gas. Alternative Auto charges $5 per gallon of methanol.
One thing I have learned is, you use no methanol under normal driving conditions! You have to really be into the gas for the system to even activate. This means you could drive 600 miles on the expressway and use no methanol. You only use methanol when you are medium-hard into the throttle.
I hope I have given a good description of the system, but feel free to ask questions and I try to answer them or get the answer for you. If you are interested in the methanol sytem, it may not be worth it, if you are not planning on supercharging or turbocharging it at some time. It will cost about $1300 for everything installed. You can buy kits for $200-$400 and put them in yourself, but they won't be as nice as this system. Believe me when I tell you, Alternative Auto's system and install is second to none! If you are serious about one of these systems, give Alternative Auto a call and ask for Lidio. Tell him you want a system like what was installed on the silver V6 car this week.
Hope this helps!
Thanks!
Thanks for all the inquiries on my preliminary post.
I picked my car up from Alternative Auto last night, and all I can say is they did a 1st class job. You don't know how much better of a system theirs is, than some others, until you see on one of their cars. I will start by giving everyone what they are looking for, it made 215rwhp and 244rwtq. The new power curve is really smooth, and you can really feel the torque increase.
This is not an alternative to nitrous at all, it is a baby step to adding a blower or turbo in the future. One important thing to remember is this is on 87 octane fuel, no more messing around with economy tune or premium tune or whatever.
Let me expalin how it works: The system is totally hidden, you would not even know it's there unless I showed you. If I told you to look for it, you would have a hard time finding it. There are 2 LED's located next to the center console. The first one (lower one) comes on if the methanol level is low in the tank, and the second one (higher one) comes on red when the system activates and turns green when it maximizes flow.
The system comes on about 2800rpm (red light) and has full methanol injection about 4500rpm (green light). There are no switches,buttons,etc. it is a fully inegrated system. Just drive it and fill the methanol when required. This question was asked earlier, how often?, it will need about 1 gallon of methanol every 2-3 tanks of gas. Alternative Auto charges $5 per gallon of methanol.
One thing I have learned is, you use no methanol under normal driving conditions! You have to really be into the gas for the system to even activate. This means you could drive 600 miles on the expressway and use no methanol. You only use methanol when you are medium-hard into the throttle.
I hope I have given a good description of the system, but feel free to ask questions and I try to answer them or get the answer for you. If you are interested in the methanol sytem, it may not be worth it, if you are not planning on supercharging or turbocharging it at some time. It will cost about $1300 for everything installed. You can buy kits for $200-$400 and put them in yourself, but they won't be as nice as this system. Believe me when I tell you, Alternative Auto's system and install is second to none! If you are serious about one of these systems, give Alternative Auto a call and ask for Lidio. Tell him you want a system like what was installed on the silver V6 car this week.
Hope this helps!
Thanks!
07-27-2006, 12:04 PM
#3
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,667
RE: Methanol Injection - Update
Sounds awesome and very interesting especially since it offers some decent gains. Did you do a baseline run before the meth was activated to show what the actual gain was? Seems kind of expensive for their product/install. I believe you said you were getting the xcharger? If so I guess its not that bad seeing as how the meth kit+xcharger should be around the price of one of the other units with an intercooler.
07-27-2006, 12:16 PM
#5
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 2,750
RE: Methanol Injection - Update
ORIGINAL: Furinox
Sounds awesome and very interesting especially since it offers some decent gains. Did you do a baseline run before the meth was activated to show what the actual gain was? Seems kind of expensive for their product/install. I believe you said you were getting the xcharger? If so I guess its not that bad seeing as how the meth kit+xcharger should be around the price of one of the other units with an intercooler.
Sounds awesome and very interesting especially since it offers some decent gains. Did you do a baseline run before the meth was activated to show what the actual gain was? Seems kind of expensive for their product/install. I believe you said you were getting the xcharger? If so I guess its not that bad seeing as how the meth kit+xcharger should be around the price of one of the other units with an intercooler.
07-27-2006, 12:16 PM
#6
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 140
RE: Methanol Injection - Update
Thanks!
My car is a manual transmission equiped vehicle. As far as the base line, it baselined before the metahnol at 208rwhp and 233rwtq. My baseline was up a little since I dyno'd it last. If you read thru my previous posts, you will see my upgrades prior. Two things have happen since the last dyno run at 201 rwhp and 225rwtq. I added the PHP alternator pulley, changed the rear axle ratio and just turned over 10,000 miles. We believe the motor is starting to break-in and we saw about 5hp from the pulley. My car is now running all Royal Purple synthetic oil in the engine/trans/rear axle, so that may be contributing a slight amount.
Anyway, that's the story. This was just a test to see if methanol was worth anything on oa N/A car. I plan on adding a Vortech in early 2007 after getting my tax refund. My car will go pretty unchanged until then, with maybe an exception of adding the JBA headers. I have heard of them adding 10hp to our cars, which would put me about 225rwhp and 251rwtq.
I am still interested in hearing from anyone with more N/A power than this, maybe I can steal some ideas from you guys. I think I remember someone with a few more horsepower, but they had less torque.
Thanks again!
My car is a manual transmission equiped vehicle. As far as the base line, it baselined before the metahnol at 208rwhp and 233rwtq. My baseline was up a little since I dyno'd it last. If you read thru my previous posts, you will see my upgrades prior. Two things have happen since the last dyno run at 201 rwhp and 225rwtq. I added the PHP alternator pulley, changed the rear axle ratio and just turned over 10,000 miles. We believe the motor is starting to break-in and we saw about 5hp from the pulley. My car is now running all Royal Purple synthetic oil in the engine/trans/rear axle, so that may be contributing a slight amount.
Anyway, that's the story. This was just a test to see if methanol was worth anything on oa N/A car. I plan on adding a Vortech in early 2007 after getting my tax refund. My car will go pretty unchanged until then, with maybe an exception of adding the JBA headers. I have heard of them adding 10hp to our cars, which would put me about 225rwhp and 251rwtq.
I am still interested in hearing from anyone with more N/A power than this, maybe I can steal some ideas from you guys. I think I remember someone with a few more horsepower, but they had less torque.
Thanks again!
07-27-2006, 12:55 PM
#7
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 140
RE: Methanol Injection - Update
Yes, dyno time is extra.
The kit plus install is about $1100, plus the dyno time and fuel/methanol cost at $5 per gallon. I think Lidio charged me about $200 for dyno time and 3.5 gallons of methanol.
To answer the other question about methanol & intercooler, that is the #1 reason for the upgrade and the #1 debate!
Adding methanol to an intercooled system or eliminating the intercooler has resulted in gains as much as 80hp over an intercooled setup. It is believed that most air-air intercoolers have a delay in cooling the air charge. Air-air needs air passing thru it to cool the charge, which may be by 1/2 track or eigth mile. You only get max cooling at higher speeds. That is why OEM's and Vortech run a water-air intercooler that keeps temperatures more consistant, it still needs air coming in the smaller radiator but does not have the wider temperature zone of the air-air. This old debate results in air-air will cooler better and provide more horsepower at certain conditions, and water-air systems will maintain a more consistant but slightly higher temperature air charge. The methanol solves these issues and allows you to run a higher boost system with or without an intercooler. Some intercoolers can actually restrict flow, if not designed and sized properly.
These ideas are what I believe to be accurate. Everyone has a slightly different twist to the mix. Whatever works for you, is best. I look forward to meeting more 4.0L V6 members at the tracks and shows. We can bench race all day, and still agree that all this stuff is cool no-matter what your performance choice may be.
Thanks for reading!
The kit plus install is about $1100, plus the dyno time and fuel/methanol cost at $5 per gallon. I think Lidio charged me about $200 for dyno time and 3.5 gallons of methanol.
To answer the other question about methanol & intercooler, that is the #1 reason for the upgrade and the #1 debate!
Adding methanol to an intercooled system or eliminating the intercooler has resulted in gains as much as 80hp over an intercooled setup. It is believed that most air-air intercoolers have a delay in cooling the air charge. Air-air needs air passing thru it to cool the charge, which may be by 1/2 track or eigth mile. You only get max cooling at higher speeds. That is why OEM's and Vortech run a water-air intercooler that keeps temperatures more consistant, it still needs air coming in the smaller radiator but does not have the wider temperature zone of the air-air. This old debate results in air-air will cooler better and provide more horsepower at certain conditions, and water-air systems will maintain a more consistant but slightly higher temperature air charge. The methanol solves these issues and allows you to run a higher boost system with or without an intercooler. Some intercoolers can actually restrict flow, if not designed and sized properly.
These ideas are what I believe to be accurate. Everyone has a slightly different twist to the mix. Whatever works for you, is best. I look forward to meeting more 4.0L V6 members at the tracks and shows. We can bench race all day, and still agree that all this stuff is cool no-matter what your performance choice may be.
Thanks for reading!
