Advanced Engineering Tech For the more hardcore LS1TECH residents

E85 injection for IAT cooling.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-22-2008, 11:14 AM
  #1  
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Drew04GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default E85 injection for IAT cooling.

A few years ago I was on a Formula SAE team that used a 250cc engine with a chemically intercooled engine. The car ran e85 normally and had an additional injector as far up stream as you could deal with it and not get puddling. The IAT's were logged on a 112 degree hot Texas day with track temps closer to 130 and it turns out the intake charge as it was going through the manifold was 20 some odd degrees and was forming ice on the intake manifold.

Now that I'm building a 8:1 370 for my car with a PT88 I'm stronly considering switching the car to e85 and running a dual intercooler setup. E85 and a W2A. I know the method of using alcohol injection isn't new but why use methanol or anything if I have 20 gal worth of e85 in the back of the car? Not to mention the fact that my new house is 3 blocks from the nearest station so its not like I have to go out of the way to get some. Anyone on here use ethanol instead of methanol injection? I know the ethanol isn't as corrosive and whatnot but what else am I going to be missing with this setup?

Comments or suggestions appreciated.
Old 02-22-2008, 12:40 PM
  #2  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (15)
 
Firechikn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

I was thinking the same thing the other day, now that we have a station that sells it. Info would be nice.
Old 02-22-2008, 01:19 PM
  #3  
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Drew04GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Firechikn
I was thinking the same thing the other day, now that we have a station that sells it. Info would be nice.
If no one posts up any real interesting info by later tonight I'll dig through my old chemistry book when I get home so I can determine delta H for a given ammount of fuel being completely turned into vapor. Firechikin have you data logged IAT's? I'm curious to see what they're like on larger turbo LS1's. You're from Houston right? What's the highest IAT you've seen in August?

*edit* Got to thinking about the injector duty cycle issue, I could make a pretty simple circuit controlled by a Hobbs pressure switch to turn the injectors on to spray E85. Use a transistor and some other junk to switch two injectors, one open at a time to split the load between both and keep the internal coils happy.

Last edited by Drew04GTO; 02-22-2008 at 01:27 PM.
Old 02-22-2008, 06:04 PM
  #4  
TECH Enthusiast
 
DanO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Here's a chart.. i didnt feel like calculating though

Old 02-23-2008, 01:47 PM
  #5  
TECH Apprentice
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Drew04GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks Dan, my brain's fried right now from staying at work late and being up all night finishing up my 240/sr20det so I can sell it tomorrow, if I get a chance later I'll crunch numbers on Delta H for lb/min.
Old 02-27-2008, 02:31 PM
  #6  
On The Tree
iTrader: (7)
 
GNXClone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Originally Posted by Drew04GTO
Anyone on here use ethanol instead of methanol injection?
I've been using denatured alcohol from Home Depot. Denatured alcohol is mostly Ethanol.

Good read here:

http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/waterinjection.html
Old 02-28-2008, 08:38 PM
  #7  
Grr
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (2)
 
Grr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Fargo ND
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

One thing you can do, which i am doing once the car comes out this spring. I plan on running a my regular fuel system on E85, with dual walbros and 65# injectors. When those start running out of headroom, im going to inject the rest of the E85 fuel with my regular progressive alky injection system. This way i dont have to go crazy with my already expensive fuel system and also keep idle tuning easy without the huge injectors.
I will tell you that when i was running E85 last year on only 8psi, i picked up 65hp with added timing and IAT temps were 135.
Gary

Edit: BTW, i ran regular E98 in my injection system for years. My brother worked at a ethanol plant, so i got it for free, 55gal at a time. With the V6 in my GN, IATs went from 210* to 18* when spraying. I was using this as 38% fuel as well, and was running 32psi with 26* timing. Thats 450whp or so on 6 36# injectors



Quick Reply: E85 injection for IAT cooling.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:43 PM.