All Engines: DIY alcohol kit!
04-13-2007, 09:44 AM
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DIY alcohol kit!
DIY alcohol injection
I made this up a while ago because the prices of alcohol kits were going up and I wanted to make a simple kit with a cheap introductory price. Plus you get a better feeling knowing you made it yourself
Hope this helps someone! Prices subject to change so are just an estimate.
PARTS
-Pump- The pump comes from Portable Generators, Sprayers, Power Tools, Welders | Northern Tool + Equipment. Part # 2687. It flows 1.02gpm @60psi and is capable over 100psi (adjustable screw on top/bypassing the pressure switch). 3/8 inlet and outlets (female), with no fittings supplied. $69.99
-Nozzles- McMaster-Carr has the nozzles you need. Search for “misting nozzles” . They are just the standard cone spray (not hollow) brass nozzles. They come in sizes m1-m15 (@100psi) and are (I believe) 1/8" NPT male connector (barbed fitting needed). $3.81 each.
-Gauge- The same place as above sells a 0-160psi gauge. You don’t need the gauge but it helps with tuning the pressure of the pump. Part # 3793K13. $9.33
-Check valve/solenoid- There are 3 choices here. You can either get the one check valve from Water Injection, Methanol Injection, Alcohol Injection Systems | Coolingmist (Best), which is a 1/4" NPT female (no barbed fittings supplied). It has a 22psi cracking pressure so it will never open under vacuum, and it’s brass. $29.99. Or you can get a solenoid from them for $39.99. You can get a plastic check valve from gm. I’m not sure of the cracking pressure but I’ve seen them used on DIY kits on the internet. Part # 14047619. It should be under $5.
-Boost switch- Adjustable one from coolingmist again. It’s adjustable from 1-25psi, normally open. $24.99
-Resiviour- Go to the local auto parts store and get yourself a radiator overflow. The biggest you can fit the better. ~15 bucks.
-Lines/fittings/misc- Auto store for the lines. 1/4" fuel injection line is best. The total length depends on how you set it up. I like the keep the lines short as possible. A bunch of small hose clamps. The fittings can be bought at home depot (1/4"npt barbed can be found there, but the 1/8"npt will probably have to be bought at the auto store or possibly from McMaster-Carr . You’ll also need some wire. For the pump 10 gauge, and some thinner stuff for the relay/led etc.
-LED- Radioshack dummy. Get whatever color you like. You’ll also need an LED holder from there too.
-Relay/fuse holder- Just a regular 5 spot automotive relay (look in your garage lol) and a fuse holder. 10-15 amp fuse (blade or old style both fine).
INSTALLATION
Refer to the diagram for installation. Some things to remember:
- Keep the solenoid or COOLINGMIST check valve within 12" of the nozzle. The GM check valve should go in between the resiviour and the pump.
-Use teflon tape or pipe dope on the fitting. SOLDER your wires. The last thing you need is a wire falling off while on the ragged edge of detonation.
-Don’t take apart the nozzle. If you do and the pill falls out the slotted face faces up. Just don’t do it
-Terminal 87A on the relay is NOT used.
-To test the system (after it’s hooked up of course), turn the ignition on and ground terminal 85.
-Adjusting it is pretty easy. Run the car and build boost slowly. Watch for the led to go on (I believe the are sent out at 10psi closed) and note what psi it’s at. You’ll have to find out how early to turn it on depending on what your car likes. If it bogs it’s too early, or too much pressure, or too big of a nozzle or a combination of those. It you turn it on too late, or have too small of a nozzle, or not enough pressure, or a combination of those you will detonate. You’ll have to research about alcohol on your car to find what’s the best starting combo (what size nozzle, starting psi, and pump psi) for you and go from there.
-The pump listed is NOT safe for methanol. There isn’t ANY commercial available pump that is except if you want to use a fuel pump that is designed for e85 as I think those work, but I like the shurflo pumps. I've read into this before and got the same answer that you cannot use methanol forever in any pump without the occassional rebuild even when some say you can. This was a while ago and things might have changed since then so take it as you will. You can use denatured alcohol (50/50 mix) or isopropyl (rubbing alcohol). I used the rubbing alcohol. You can get it in 90/10 mix, and I think 50/50. You’ll have to look at them at the store. Walmart has the cheap big bottles of it. If you use denatured (home depot) you will probably have to use klotz lube in your pump.
-Keep it clean too, you don’t want clogs in your lines.
To run a dual stage system measure the resistance across the terminals on the pump and get a power resistor that is ½ of that reading. It has to be at least a 10 watt resistor too or it will fry. Install it according to the RED in the diagram. You could also get a progressive controller from one of the many vendors and wire it up to this kit.
I made this up a while ago because the prices of alcohol kits were going up and I wanted to make a simple kit with a cheap introductory price. Plus you get a better feeling knowing you made it yourself
Hope this helps someone! Prices subject to change so are just an estimate.PARTS
-Pump- The pump comes from Portable Generators, Sprayers, Power Tools, Welders | Northern Tool + Equipment. Part # 2687. It flows 1.02gpm @60psi and is capable over 100psi (adjustable screw on top/bypassing the pressure switch). 3/8 inlet and outlets (female), with no fittings supplied. $69.99
-Nozzles- McMaster-Carr has the nozzles you need. Search for “misting nozzles” . They are just the standard cone spray (not hollow) brass nozzles. They come in sizes m1-m15 (@100psi) and are (I believe) 1/8" NPT male connector (barbed fitting needed). $3.81 each.
-Gauge- The same place as above sells a 0-160psi gauge. You don’t need the gauge but it helps with tuning the pressure of the pump. Part # 3793K13. $9.33
-Check valve/solenoid- There are 3 choices here. You can either get the one check valve from Water Injection, Methanol Injection, Alcohol Injection Systems | Coolingmist (Best), which is a 1/4" NPT female (no barbed fittings supplied). It has a 22psi cracking pressure so it will never open under vacuum, and it’s brass. $29.99. Or you can get a solenoid from them for $39.99. You can get a plastic check valve from gm. I’m not sure of the cracking pressure but I’ve seen them used on DIY kits on the internet. Part # 14047619. It should be under $5.
-Boost switch- Adjustable one from coolingmist again. It’s adjustable from 1-25psi, normally open. $24.99
-Resiviour- Go to the local auto parts store and get yourself a radiator overflow. The biggest you can fit the better. ~15 bucks.
-Lines/fittings/misc- Auto store for the lines. 1/4" fuel injection line is best. The total length depends on how you set it up. I like the keep the lines short as possible. A bunch of small hose clamps. The fittings can be bought at home depot (1/4"npt barbed can be found there, but the 1/8"npt will probably have to be bought at the auto store or possibly from McMaster-Carr . You’ll also need some wire. For the pump 10 gauge, and some thinner stuff for the relay/led etc.
-LED- Radioshack dummy. Get whatever color you like. You’ll also need an LED holder from there too.
-Relay/fuse holder- Just a regular 5 spot automotive relay (look in your garage lol) and a fuse holder. 10-15 amp fuse (blade or old style both fine).
INSTALLATION
Refer to the diagram for installation. Some things to remember:
- Keep the solenoid or COOLINGMIST check valve within 12" of the nozzle. The GM check valve should go in between the resiviour and the pump.
-Use teflon tape or pipe dope on the fitting. SOLDER your wires. The last thing you need is a wire falling off while on the ragged edge of detonation.
-Don’t take apart the nozzle. If you do and the pill falls out the slotted face faces up. Just don’t do it
-Terminal 87A on the relay is NOT used.
-To test the system (after it’s hooked up of course), turn the ignition on and ground terminal 85.
-Adjusting it is pretty easy. Run the car and build boost slowly. Watch for the led to go on (I believe the are sent out at 10psi closed) and note what psi it’s at. You’ll have to find out how early to turn it on depending on what your car likes. If it bogs it’s too early, or too much pressure, or too big of a nozzle or a combination of those. It you turn it on too late, or have too small of a nozzle, or not enough pressure, or a combination of those you will detonate. You’ll have to research about alcohol on your car to find what’s the best starting combo (what size nozzle, starting psi, and pump psi) for you and go from there.
-The pump listed is NOT safe for methanol. There isn’t ANY commercial available pump that is except if you want to use a fuel pump that is designed for e85 as I think those work, but I like the shurflo pumps. I've read into this before and got the same answer that you cannot use methanol forever in any pump without the occassional rebuild even when some say you can. This was a while ago and things might have changed since then so take it as you will. You can use denatured alcohol (50/50 mix) or isopropyl (rubbing alcohol). I used the rubbing alcohol. You can get it in 90/10 mix, and I think 50/50. You’ll have to look at them at the store. Walmart has the cheap big bottles of it. If you use denatured (home depot) you will probably have to use klotz lube in your pump.
-Keep it clean too, you don’t want clogs in your lines.
To run a dual stage system measure the resistance across the terminals on the pump and get a power resistor that is ½ of that reading. It has to be at least a 10 watt resistor too or it will fry. Install it according to the RED in the diagram. You could also get a progressive controller from one of the many vendors and wire it up to this kit.
Last edited by TommyP; 05-23-2012 at 01:31 PM.
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