vrus

In my quest to solve the heat/cooling issues our cars face, I have turned to water/alcohol injection. This technology has been around for ages, and provides alot of power for a properly setup system.

I am working closely with Aquamist right now to develop a water/alcohol injection system for the Mercedes supercharged cars (but it will work on all other models also). It will be a high end system that I am putting in my car but it can be scaled down with less bells & whistles. I chose Aquamist becuase they are the leader in this field and have been around for a long time.

There are huge gains to be had with a properly setup system and I plan to be doing dyno testing at various stages to document the benefits.

I am going to start with a stock car and then put the system on and document gains. Next step will be to add headers, ECU, pulleys, and crank boost up. Then a before and after dyno will be done showing alky ON and alky OFF.

Its a slow process right now because the weather is bad and I am busy with work, but I just wanted to share my excitement with this new project.

I am willing to bet that certain dyno records will be broken once this system is installed and tuned.

Stay tuned for updates. Now for some pics and explanations:












The transparent tube is an air-trap/accumulator, it allows the water to accumulate before entering the water pump. It was designed to be used as follows:

1) Water comes in from the main tank from the bottom and goes out into the two pumps inlets.

2) The top venting port goes to the top of the main water tank but is closed-off by a simple on/off solenoid valve (the purple item).

3) When the two pumps demand water from the tube, water from the main tank will automatically refill the tube due to vacuum created by the water displacement.

4) This will continue to work in the same vain provided there is no air delivered from the main tank. It is unlikely anyway because the float switch (black leaded item) is situated at a level of about 1/4 full. Beyond that, no more water injection - a yellow warning lamp will illuminate on the dash.

5) In the unlikely event of air being develivered, the air will go towards the top of the tube thus preventing air being drawn into the pumps.

6) When injection stops, the controller will open the simple valve for a few seconds so that air (if any) will be vented via the top port into the top of the tank. This action is immediately cancelled when main injection re-commences .

The system was designed to be completely maintenance free so the end user will only need to fill the water tank to re-start the system. If the system is used on a turbo car, the "tank empty" signal can lower boost.

BoBcanada

Wow that looks awesome man, so what kind of power gain do you think you will get out of this?

Also what would be the price range for that kit?

amgplayer

I had a similar system on a '85 corvette. Carroll Supercharging put together a set-up with a Vortech Blower. That with headers, 3" Flowmaster's and an MSD unit realy made the car come alive. The more the denatured alcohol the better.

BenzoBoi

In the back of my mind I was thinkin about resorting to this too. My brother had installed one on his GT-R and it seemed to help out quite a bit. Anyways I will be watchin as the story unfolds. This might be something I am interested in also...

vrus

I'll defintely post information as I come across it and as the project unfolds. I am not going to rush through this because I want to make sure it is done 100% right and that it turns out to be a top-notch kit.

M5KILLR

sweet, i talked to an engineer at evo and they were all for it but it is a system that has to be super finely tuned and i am on the other side of the country so if i could fins a local shop id do it in a second

vrus

Peter,

The tuning isnt as important with this kit. It is based on the Aquamist 2D base kit. It comes with its own controller. It basically interfaces with the injector pulses from the car's ECU and also has a boost referenced on/off point (you can set at what point of boost it should begin spraying). It uses the injector pulse to create a 3D map of the water injection so that it ramps up as fuel is ramped up. This ensures consistency across the rev range.

Done properly, you should maintain 1:3 ratio of fuel to water (from what I remember). Most systems on the market (cheap low-end ones) spray a constant water volume regardless of fuel flow. That's where you run into trouble. Also, other systems have water jets/nozzles which lead to "puddling" in the intake tract; also not good.

The nozzle design of the Aquamist system ensures no puddling and produces a very fine mist of water so that it basically turns into steam on contact with heat. This also helps to de-carb your engine.

So, not only does it provide intake-cooling benefits, it also acts to keep the engine internals clean.

vrus

It's too early to tell what power gains will be realized from using it. But, what I am speculating will most likely happen is that the torque curve will flatten out from 4,000 - 6,000 rpm, so instead of dropping off like it does now it will stay constant.

Also, I am expecting the peak power to be higher because of the increased efficiency. I don't want to throw any numbers around but I am expecting big things from the kit.

The Water/Methanol combination serves also to increase the octane content so it will help people who live in places where only 91octane is available.

If you live in a really warm climate, you can run pure distilled water. The addition of methanol increases the efficiency but most people only use it during winter months so the water doesnt freeze in the pipes.

If the testing works out well, I am hoping to put 2 kits together. One like what is shown in the pictures which will be the high end kit with all the bells & whistles and everything needed for installation, and another kit which will be a scaled down version that has just 1 pump and no bracketry.

Marcus Frost

Victor,

I've had a few people from the boards email me about this approach. I've been around a lot of cars like this and no matter how well it was done it simply never performed to the level one had anticipated. On top of that, the fact that you are adding another tank that has to be filled and monitored simply subtracts from the "streetability" of mods like this. Much like nitrous or something.

You definitely have the right ideas and your work is top notch, I'm just giving you some warning that you may be disappointed with the results. The real solution for our problem is disappating heat... and that's done with replacing factory components with more efficient ones with more efficient replacements.

However, it really comes down to an individual's philosophy. I want anything I do to my car be a "fix it and forget it" type of solutoni. Basically modifications that could have been done at the factory and keep the car in an OEM state of drivability. Any injection addon doesn't do that, and on top of it my hands on experience has not been overly positive.

Best of luck to you though, make sure to post your results.

-m

DRCrowder

I would normally agree with this, but if he obtains the increase he hopes to, I could train myself to fill the tank whenever I filled with gas.

vrus

Hey Marcus,

I appreciate the input. The reason I started down this path is that I know a few people that are running these setups on Magnacharged (similar screw type compressors) Corvettes and they got some really good results. They had the ability to push the timing and the boost higher without detonation or extra heat.

My first step is just to install it and run it out of the box with no tuning and see what happens on a stock car. The next step will be to push the limits a bit and add all the aftermarket parts and see what additional benefits it brings.

I agree that some people won't like what the "high end" kit is like; having to install and wire and mount brackets. But, I know that some people will want the "all-out" package. That's really why I am working on building 2 kits.

The lower end kit will use 1 pump, 2 jets, and will use the stock Windshield Washer reservoir so that you dont have to fill 2 separate tanks. The Windshield washer reservoir already has a low-level sensor that lights up on the dash when it gets low. In this kit all of the hardware will get mounted under the hood and will be hidden from view.

It will be 3 weeks for the kit pictured above to be ready, so I am going to do the base kit first and post results on that one.

Of course, no matter what the outcome, I will post my results and hopefully we all can learn something about this.

Lastly, I welcome any input/recommendations from anyone.

Richard Galing

Great post, I'm very interested to hear your results! Chemical intercooling is something I'm sourcing for to quell the heat of my boosted engine. I understand Aquamist has been the leader for water injection devices, but how does it compare to other economically priced kits per say; Snow Performance, SMC and Mr. Freeze?

Much like any chase men become involved in, the chase for horsepower or the chase for more and more boost creates some hurdles...good luck in your quest

vrus

Hi Richard,

First let me say that I am by far no expert in W.I.. I know what I have learned by reading/talking to people... I've stated a couple of issues that can arise when playing with water injection. (ie. water puddling in the intake tract, partial atomizing of the water due to nozzle design, constant water volume regardless of fuel and rpm).

Aquamist covers these issues... They are the best because of: their nozzle designs, the pump system, and the electronics that come with the kit create 3D maps of the water to fuel ratios. I consider them the pioneers in the field and they have been doing this a long time. The World Rally WRX teams use them, as do alot of other companies/race teams.

I've checked out some other kits but I believe Aquamist has the best kit. So, I decided that was the one I was going to put on my car.

The proof will be in the pudding.... when I get the install finished, a few back-to-back dyno runs will quickly reveal if it is doing its job or not.

RossN

FWIW, here is a good article with tons of facts and a calculator about Water/Methonal or Alcohol Injection.

Note: Mentioned is Injection is recommended with race gas.

vrus

That's a pretty good article and good source of info. Thanks for the info!!

They do mention that water injection should be used with Race Gas, but I am assuming they mean that if you are pushing the envelopes of boost and compression.

The base kit that we are working on has been shipped out and is arriving next Monday. I am scheduling the install and should have some more concrete info in the next 2 weeks.

RossN

Victor,

My prediction is that it can only help. I don't see a downside other than the inconvienence of have to run down to HomeDepot of Lowes and buy the Alcohol and filler'up (appropriate mix of course).


I have some questions for you guys as you progress down the line.

Max boost supercharger can produce on the 55K's?
Max boost thru the engine itself before failure?
What components are forged in the 55K's?

One last one, anybody think upper 600's is possible by the end of this year?

vrus

Hey Ross,

I cant answer any of your questions because I am fairly new to the Mercedes marque (this is my first one). I've been driving Porsches/Ferraris for the past few years but last year decided to try the E55. I immediately became attached to it after I drove it for 15min and decided I had to have it.

Although I can't answer your questions right now, I intend to find out the answers as I will be experimenting with different things over the coming months.

We do know that based on the SLR, the engine itself is quite capable of making 100bhp more without breaking a sweat and without giving up any reliability issues.

I didn't want to mess with extra boost until the heat issues were under control, so once the Alky is installed, the next step is more power.

Hopefully in the next 2 months the tuners that are developing cooling upgrades will have those ready.. That itself will show significant improvements in power.

I truly believe we can see 700bhp with the proper setup.

There are a few "gear-heads" on this board that like to tinker and can't leave well enough alone... Saying that, I am quite confident that alot of new things will be discovered in the next year.

RossN

Didn't mean to set you up with those questions, finding the answer would mean a destroyed engine in each case and that isn't something Mercedes owners are usually willing to do.

I think 700 and beyond is very possible, if the ECU could get cracked and proper tuning is done then you will see even more reliable power. I am thinking along the lines of the LS1Edit in the Chevy world.

If chevy and ford can easily get 800 to 900 RWHP out of their Forced Induction small blocks in their "Tuner World" with the right hardware, the Mercedes engine shouldn't have any problems as well. To add insult, the domestic average joe can get to these numbers with less than 10k easily.

Still curious, what is forged inside the engine.

Richard Galing

Hi Victor,

Thanks for your response, I look forward to reading your progress and seeing your results. I ordered the Aquamist 1s and awaiting for it's arrival and hope to have the unit installed soon to provide you with my feedback.

vrus

Ross,

I know exactly what you mean. I had LS1Edit for my Corvette and that would be a great tool to have for the Mercedes.

I want to experiment with the E55, but I wont be pushing any limits. I just think through safe experimentation we can find out what works and what doesnt.

Richard,

Aquamist 1s is a great kit. It is their entry level kit and is a good way to get into W.I. Just be careful of one thing; the 1s has no "Computer" that meters the water flow. It is a constant water flow regardless of RPM or fuel.

Also, the more water you use, the leaner you make the mixture, the more methanol you use the richer you make the mixture. With this kit, dyno tuning with a wide band is a *MUST*. You want to make sure you dont inadvertantly make a lean condition in the motor and damage anything.

Start off with the smallest jet and pay close attention to when and how you inject the water/meth.

Good luck and can't wait to hear how you make out.

Richard Galing

Victor,

After re-reading your post, I'm seriously thinking of holding off on the Aquamist 1s and waiting to see the results of your "scaled down version". The 2D seems to be a better route for our cars, these systems can be tricky to tune and if you don't get them dialed in safely, things can get expensive in a hurry. I will be anxiously awaiting your results

vrus

Richard,

I think that is a wise decision. I think the 2D is worth the extra money just because it controls the water/meth flow.

My 2D kit was shipped and should be here any day now.

Stay tuned...

Fast55

Very interesting. Any pricing on the 2D? This might be just the ticket for our blower cars.

vrus

No pricing yet. I am working on this project with the owner of Aquamist in U.K and with the Canadian distributor for the product.

Once the testing is done, we will be selling the kit from Canada but it can be drop-shipped anywhere in the world. I'll have pricing once I know what custom pieces need to be made to make this all work properly.

Richard Galing

I was quoted $840 for the Aquamist 2D. Our roots blower has the lowest adiabatic efficency of all FI, generally somewhere around 60-65%.

Victor: Since the 1s unit arrived over the weekend, I guess I'll stick with the unit and hope for good results. I expect to install it when the rain dies down here in So Cal.