RE: Water Injection

["Tink, Brian@CBR BSAV Mail" <Brian.Tink@domain.elided>]

Mike

Let me expand on the explanantion a little.

We had a chap visit out triumph car club here in canberra a couple of
years
back.  he was a chap in his 30's, had enginerring quals. and gave us a
good
lesson on combustion, shape of flame, the effects of water injection.
he and
his brother are active in drag racing.

He made an interesting comment that he considered the Stag engine
basically
good and that he would enjoy the opportunity in "doing one up".

He showed us a water injection unit that he had installed in his car.
The
car was a very ordinary looking Volvo which one would not take a second
look
at, but under the bonnet was a Chevy v8 motor,  The rear suspension had
been
savagely re-worked to keep the wheel on the ground and it sound
somethimg
awesome.

Over here some of the auto shop are flogging a WI system which consists
of a
water bottle with a line into the carby/s and the "Under the bonnet"
adjustment is made via a tap, not exactly suitable under high speed
situations.  The WI unit that I saw was "state of the art".  it sucked
in a
whole heap of parameters, such as air temp, air humidity, engine temps,
loads
etc etc etc., and it adjusted itself accordingly.  basically it was a
very
neat piece of equipment, however I cannot source a unit in Australia,
hence
my request for someone who may live near or know of the firm in the USA
and
could contact them direct.

As for unleaded fuel.  It is hard to understand how they can claim that
it is
better for the car.  Unleaded fuel is not as efficient as leaded fuel,
hence
you use more and the company sells more and makes a bigger profit.  One
of
the major concerns that the car manufacturers have is, on one hand to
try and
improve consumption levels in order to make their product more
attractive to
consumers and also at the same time to be seen to do the right thing for
the
environment.  

With consideration to the weight reduction that has occurred, to the
more
streamling shape of cars, to the use of multi valve engines, to the
switch to
injection, use of engine management systems, etc. in reality the the
"Miles
per gallon" factor has not really increased that dramatically when one
considers a like car with like car, for size and weight.  My old every
day
hack-mobile, '78 2500S with 300,000 kilo on the clock and never had the
head
off, still gives my over 30 MPG on a trip.

In OZ the Ford company were having real problems with one of their small
bubble cars just to get them running

True it gives a cleaner combustion chamber, I hear that it is a good way
to
de-coke you car, a tank of unleaded and a good long run, but watch the
temp
guage because unleaded burns hotter that leaded.  Of course without
re-timing
the car runs like a dog.

But of course the real issue, this point that they do not want to talk
about
is the question of what has been used as the lead replacement.  While
they
willing get up and say that we are good guys for removing lead so that
your
kids are not going to be dumb because of lead poisoning, they are not
too
quick to tell you that they have replaced lead with some of the highest
carconegenics known to man.  Compounds that I believe to be bi-products
of
fuel refinement and products that are normally difficult to dispose of.

very neat, just put it into fuel and tell the unsuspecting public that
we are
doing them a favour and let them kill them selves using it.

Only time will tell, while i hope and pray that I am very, very  wrong,
but I
fear that in 10 to 20 years time, the major health issue to face the
world
will be Cancer, cause by the benzines, toluenes and all the "enes" being
used
in unleaded fuel. 

never fear, keep staggering

Brian        
________________________________________________________________________
_______
_
From: Mike Wattam on 13, Nov 1997 1:31 AM
Subject: RE: Water Injection
To: Tink, Brian@CBR BSAV Mail
Cc: Stag Mailing List


WATER INJECTION
Strange subject this.  I have a feeling it's going to be important to
the
classic car movement in years to come if leaded fuel goes extinct like
they
are now imminently planning in Oz.  Just goes to show that despite what
the
politicians legislate, if a petrol company decides leaded petrol is not
a
good profit earner, they will just withdraw from the market and leave us
lot high and dry.

It appears to offer some useful characteristics, if you can believe the
hype;

improved economy or performance
running on lower octane rating fuel
cleaner combustion chamber
less piston heat/wear
smoother tickover and running

According to the hype, it was used in Spitfire engines (airborne
variety!)
during WW2 to combat low octane fuels - apparently they sometimes used
cocktails of diesel oil and paraffin (!!).  This tale has a remarkable
similarity to the one where it was alleged they threw lead balls into
the
Spitfire tank to act as a lead substitute.

I also believe drag racers sometimes use such a system.

I have been looking at water injection on and off since I raced
motorcycles
30 years ago, but never actually put a kit on!  More recently I even had
a
guy round my house with a Peugeot diesel car (have I absolutely NO
shame?)
which ticked over like a watch - but of course was bloody hopeless at
telling the time.  The exhaust was clean white.  If I can ever find the
literature in my wondrous filing system I'll scan it and send you a
copy.

The last time I looked at this, 'injection' was hardly the right word
and
consisted of a bit of small diameter hose and a manifold adaptor with a
small hole in it.  The 'tank' was second-hand car water header tank.
Not
exactly the cutting edge of technology.  Lets hope the kit you mention
is
more professionally done.

despite water injection having been aorund for many years, I have NEVER
seen a proper laboratory test of this equipment.  Has anybody else?

I think the only real answer is to buy a current kit and see what
happens.
Who's going to be the Guinea Pig?

Mike Wattam
Triumph Stag Register