Ok, here is the cheap DIY meth injection setup i promised.

As ya'll might know i am a big fan of meth injection on all my cars. It gives proven HP gains, is easier on the engine, Lowers EGT's (good for towing, even plain water is GREAT for this), cleans/keeps the engine clean, can even imporve gas milage.

Power gains will vary a lot depending on a lot of factors, most having to do with heat. If you live in a cold climate you will not see the gains us in hot climates will see. It will improve the pull to pull consistancy though and make it run better under WOT for sure.

As a rule, i would expect 5-10hp gains in a hotter climate on an NA truck with the right sized nozzle. although i have seen as much as 20-30hp gains on NA V8's with tuning.

On a supercharged truck there are a lot more factors, it could be about the same 5-10hp or it could be the 20-40hp i got on my truck and allows me to do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLnFf0_H8bI

With the use of a smaller pulley and some tuning. When i go to an even smaller pulley it should be even more interesting.

Here is an example on my other car a 1993 Toyota MR2 turbo of what kind of differnce meth injection can make, now this setup is a bit more extreme then we will see on our trucks but it still shows the power gains that can be made.

The first pull was on pure pump gas at 14psi, the next pull was with my meth injection turned on and tuned for it but still at the same 14psi of boost. Ignore the dip on meth pull, i was still tuning it and it had a rich spot.



30rwhp gain just from the meth injection, thats pretty impressive IMO. At higher boost levels i bet I would have seen even higher gains.

For the case of this writeup i am going to assume you are going to install it like i did on my truck using the factory washer fluid reservoir: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/t...-power-222044/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYBOlsLTZQ8

Also here is a comparison video of meth injection nozzles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPvL0NFzFTs

It is really VERY simple and just takes basic wiring. If you can install a radio or off-road lights, you can do this.

First off the Pump.

This pump will be for a setup running nothing stronger then a 50/50 mixture of water and methanol, for anything stronger then that you will need a different pump.

Here is a link explaining why: http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f218...thanol-240309/

So first you start out with the pump itself, this is the biggest thing. The shurflo 8000 series is what you want, pretty much anything from that series will work. They are all rebuildable and modable for more pressure ect.

- The cheapest option will be something like this which i found on eBay, only a few left though: http://cgi.ebay.com/Shurflo-8000-Ser...item3a5f810110

- Here is the same pump for sale at northern tool for a little more: http://www2.northerntool.com/grounds...tem-342811.htm

There are other deals to be had on similar pumps if you look around. long as it is an 8000 series pump you should be fine.

- If you want to step up to a better pump and one that can take 100% meth you have these kind of options: http://www.alcohol-injection.com/pumps-40/

They also sell upgraded seals there if you get a cheaper pump and want to upgrade later (along with many other sites).



Once you have the pump, you need fittings.

If you will be using the factory washer fluid reservoir you will need the below parts. If this is not the case then you can find pre-made reservoirs with the fittings already installed pretty easy.

This part of the list is what both supercharged guys and NA guys will need, it has all the fittings you need to make it work. I will make a separate list the different switches you will need depending on if you are boosted or NA.

- You will need 2 of these fittings for the pump in/out: http://www.mcmaster.com/#51495k117/=99xou3

- You will need 1 of these for the bottom of the washer fluid reservoir, i used this and had to make sure it was installed exactly where i put it for it to seal (there are reinforcement ridges on the side of the tank that will keep it form sealing if installed in the wrong place). Do the same and you should be fine. http://www.mcmaster.com/#51495k253/=99xrxt

- I have a 5gph nozzle picked out, which on a 50/50 mix or washer fluid should be about right, you can also adjust the pump pressure to adjust the flow rate as well: http://www.mcmaster.com/#3178K75

- Fitting to attach to the nozzle: http://www.mcmaster.com/#51495k262/=99z5yh

- The tubing you will need to hook everything together: http://www.mcmaster.com/#5112k53/=99z68f min order of 25 feet

- Relay (any will do, this is a good price for a relay with pigtail though and you might order something else from them anyways: http://www.alcohol-injection.com/30-...-relay-16.html

- LED: http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062569

- Float switch to let you know when you are out of methanol, can be had for $5 on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=....c0.m270.l1313


That all the basics, total so far is about $90 for everything minus basic wire/connectors ect which you can source locally from Harbor freight/northern tool/pep boys/home depot


You then need electrical switch to turn the pump on.

First off the boosted way of doing things.

- Pressure switch: http://www.mcmaster.com/#3460k21/=99z7pm

For a boosted car that is what you need + a T Fitting and Barb adapter (actually cheaper to get that from home depot) for the vacuum line



For an NA cars you will need a switch hooked up to either the gas pedal itself, or the throttle body. This will take some DIY work but is not hard, look up how guys hook up WOT switches for nitrous systems for inspiration. Basically you will get some bar stock from home depot and bend it into shape so you can use a switch like this if you go with the TB:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#7658k11/=99zcv6

Or this if you go with the gas pedal:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#7090K37

This part i can't really guide you in since everyone will do it differently, basically just find a way so that switch comes on whenever your foot is to the floor (or wherever you want it to).



Thats all you need to have a meth injection system. Although there are places you can upgrade if you have the money.

- The better pumps listed above obviously is 1 place.

- Another pressure switch, this one a high pressure switch, this will be to put in the high pressure line of the meth injection, so you can see when it actually has pressure in the line, this is a poor mans failsafe: http://www.mcmaster.com/#3460k61/=99zgkk

- you will also need an adapter if you do that high pressure switch failsafe: http://www.mcmaster.com/#51495k143/=99zid0 & http://www.mcmaster.com/#9171k71/=99zjlx

- I would also really look into an upgraded nozzle, I really like the devils own nozzles: http://www.alcohol-injection.com/out...zzles-135.html & nozzle holder: http://www.alcohol-injection.com/met...tting-284.html Coolingmist also makes a real nice nozzle at a higher cost. Here is a nozzle review I made awhile back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPvL0NFzFTs

- Upgraded bulkhead fitting is nice too: http://www.alcohol-injection.com/fil...k-tap-274.html

- For the those that are tuning for the meth injection a check valve is a good idea, long as the nozzle is before the TB though it is not a must you will just suck a little fluid through the system while driving. http://www.alcohol-injection.com/check-valve-64.html

- All of that is great and all but if you are just installing it for a boost in power/for safety and will not be counting on it, then the basic list above will be fine, can always add the other stuff later as well.

- Another option altogether is to just buy a complete kit to start with, here are some options: http://www.alcohol-injection.com/wat.../universal-19/ or http://www.coolingmist.com/ Stage 1 kits are just a on/off system, much like the DIY setup i have here and not much point going with those over the DIY really unless you like nice neat packages. The stage 2 is a progressive kit and would be a worthwhile upgrade, I am very happy since switching to a progressive kit.



So once you have the parts picked out, all you have to do is hook it up.

The video above shows how i installed mine pretty well and should be plenty for ya'll to figure that out. I am also here for any questions you may have. The electrical is also pretty basic.

The Positive side of the pump will be run to the battery though a 15amp fuse preferably. The ground side of the pump will be run to a relay that is switched by the switch of choice be it WOT switch or the pressure switch.

When the relay turns on it will ground out the pump thus turning it on and injecting the water/meth. when the switch turns off the relay turns off and it stops injecting. You can also wire up an manual switch if you want as well.

The Status LED will be wired in similarly, the positive side will be run to 12+ and the ground side ran to the same relay as the pump, so when the pump gets power the LED does as well. Or if you got the high pressure switch you will run the ground wire from the LED to that and then the other side of that switch to ground, so when that switch sees pressure, the LED turns on, letting you know that you have meth flowing.

If you also got the low fluid level switch, you will need another LED (i would get a Red one) and wire it up the same way as the first LED, only running to the low level switch this time. So when that LED comes on you know it is time to fill up.

If you can install a radio or off-road lights you can install a water/meth kit. There is nothing complicated at all and can easily be done for under $150, $100 if you already have a wire/electrical connectors/relays ect laying around.

If you have any questions feel free to post them and i will do my best to help you out.

I am sure i forgot something and will edit as needed.

 

Sweet! Thanks for the help dude! What are the differences between say your basic DIY kit you recommended and the Devils Own Universal Stage 1 Kit?
http://www.alcohol-injection.com/uni...stage-1-8.html

 

Price, thats basically it. It uses the same switch and other parts my setup has, just with a $100+ higher price tag.

The pump is better though and for those that don't mind paying the extra it is nice since you get all the parts at once and not as much DIY legwork involved.

 

You think I would be able to run a kit like that on my runner with a 2.2" pulley? I think I could probably run a 2.2" pulley even without this kit without too many worries. My buddy ran a 2.2" pulley on his runner with out any fuel mods, only a FTC timing controller and he could only get it to ping if he really got in it in high boost/low rpm. I think I have enough fuel my truck would be alright. What do you think?

 

Well, ANY water/meth is better then none. The cheaper the kit the less you can tune it.

On anything that could have issuse if the meth was not working i recomend at the least having a low level sensor and a pressure sensor on the high pressure line is a real good idea as well, that way at least you will know if you are not spraying, if you got creative you could even rig up a buzzer that would sound if the pump was on and the pressure sensor not but thats a bit complicated.

The guys that don't need those are the ones running NA trucks/Stock superchargers and just want some added performance and to make it safer but will have no issues if it is not working for whatever reason.

As you can see, i installed a nice kit on my truck before i went to a 2.2". Although i did try the 2.2 when i first got the SC and it worked fine, i just wanted an added safty factor before i ran it all the time, plus without the meth the performance gain with the 2.2 was hardly noticable really so i saw no reason to use it.

Your the one with the unichip right? I would think you should be ok with a 2.2" pulley as is and yes i would run a meth kit with it. If nothing else just for the safty factor.

If i was you i would either do the DIY kit with the low level and pressure sensor, just so you know what is going on or i would get a nice progressive kit at 2x the price. Just depends on how much you can afford and how much you want to DIY.

The DIY kit is very relible (well as relible as the guy installing it), no problem there, the parts are the exact same parts that are used on the bit kits, just direct from the supplier without the mark up's. The only issue with the DIY kit that has the low level and pressure switch is not tunable which is nice when you start trying to get the most out of it.

Basically, ANY meth/water injection is better then none at all, so i would rather have the most basic DIY kit then none at all for the price they cost and then just not adjust the tune for it.

Then you can always upgrade the kit later when you want to get more out of it.

 

that's a nice write up, lots of good links. For anyone not familiar with alky injection that has $300, I would highly recommend buying a Devil's Own universal Stage II kit with the voltage controller for NA engines (or a 1.5 bar pressure controller if you're boosted) or similar kit from anyone else. It has everything you need and excellent instructions, super easy to install and hassle free. I've installed 3 so far on different vehicles and I would do a DIY setup from now on like in this thread as it is really easy.

TexasAce, I agree with you on going with Devil's Own nozzles, they are great; I have about 12 or so now (3 come in the stage II kit, a 2,3 and 7 gal) both inside/outside mount nozzles. D.O. has all quality parts in my opinion. If you don't have the money yet, start with this basic setup and when you do upgrade (a controller) get a Devil's own progressive, they are fantastic, small, easy to dial in and have all the indicator LEDs on it. If you do start out with a Devil's Own kit, do yourself a favor and get it with the progressive controller, not the basic kit.

The check valve is a good idea as you will eliminate unwanted flow of meth into the intake/engine and is a very cheap piece of insurance.

Always use distilled water also, tap water will corrode/clog up your nozzle/fittings over time. Another quality concern is the meth itself, this was discussed in another thread a while back but some places use the same hand pump to dispense the meth as they do for pump/race gas which means a small amount of contamination; shouldn't hurt anything but if you have an in-cab tank like me, a little gas smells a long way! just food for thought....



Also, as said above, it's as reliable as the installer; big boy common sense when installing this, remember you are injecting a highly flammable liquid and subsequently, there is a potential for catastrophic leaks/fire. Do a good job and secure everything properly and use quality parts and you will have zero issue. running a 50/50 mix makes it 'non-flammable' for the most part and meth itself has a high ignition temperature.

any system you go with will need some sort of maintenance at some point but I've been running two kits on my vehicles for over 2 years now and have not had to do anything but clean a clogged/stuck check valve (foreign debris somehow found it's way in there). If the vehicle sits for a long time, there is a potential for corrosion at the nozzle making it spray erradic or not at all. Meth is also highly corrosive to aluminum, fyi. has not done anything to the intake though, the engine heat takes care of that I guess.

No disadvantages to alky injection!! do it!.....(yourself) if you can, you won't be dissapointed! x2 if anyone needs advice/help on getting or installing this or any other questions, think TexasAce has covered most of it though.

 

If you got the money a Devlis ownStage 2 kit is the way to go for sure, it is a better setup and much simpler for those that are DIY challanged.

 

I would recommend the stage II kit (if you dont DIY), saves you a little if you wanted to upgrade to the controller instead of the pressure switch. it's $360 vs $240, well worth the $360 in my opinion. Another option is to just buy a controller and pump/nozzle from Devil's Own and put together the rest yourself, could be done much cheaper than 360. the controllers are $155 by themselves.

here's my next one when I turbo my truck, I want to run off of boost, not voltage off the MAF:

http://www.alcohol-injection.com/dvc...age-2-305.html

a 2 bar controller is good also. the 2nd gen controllers are sweet, they have an extra input for a low-level switch to trip your yellow 'fault' LED on the controller itself when your tank is low. I still haven't wired up my float switch yet, still sitting in the garage...

On my NA 4runner, I have a toggle on/off switch under the dash for my alky system so I can simply shut it down if I run out of juice or just don't want to run it (yeah right). devils own' kits come with an ATC fuse also, can disable the system that way.

 

x2 for sure!

 

Cool setup. I've got a couple questions:

Can you run that with just plain water? Methanol is not easy to get up where I live. If so, would performance gains still be noticable?

Also, I noticed someone has a "devils own" injection setup on a 3.0. Care to chime in on any estimates for power increases?

 

1) YES, I ran dH2O for a few weeks before I dumped meth in there, it is perfectly safe and some folks only run water and yes you will see a small increase but not very impressive. It feels 'smoother' throughout the RPM range and especially WOT, HP gains, mmmm.. very small. Temperature where you live will be a big difference like TexasAce said, hot climates will see bigger gains. (still small)

2) yes, that's not a typo, people ask me all the time about injection on an NA 3.slow. I run a 2gal nozzle about 3" pre-TB and also run a 50/50 mix and it does give some gain but I would hesitate to say how much, not worth a dyno session to me for what I guess to be about a 10hp increase. The water/meth gains feels like a true power increase on hills or when loaded down or towing if that makes any sense; not huge gains but much more noticeable increase when the engine is working hard. it also cleans the engine which is about half the reason it's even on there in the first place. Fuel economy is about 2mpg better with the injection running also. I have my controller hooked up to the TPS on the 4runner also, my truck I have it on the MAF. MAF is much better than TPS but the VAFM on the 3.0 doesn't give me a workable 0-5v signal, threw the controller into fault mode instantly. TPS is OK though. between the ISR mod and the injection, my 3vz does feel a lot better than stock.

 

also, if anyone is thinking about injection on the 3vze, I would not spend the money on a full progressive kit like what I'm using, an on/off is plenty adequate for this engine IMO

 

Pure water is fine and will help for sure, although i would run blue washer fluid ratehr then plain water. Some people say they have issues with it but you can always run some plain water/plain meth through the system to clean it out.

Water will inded still help out in all the ways i listed above, just not to the extent that water/meth mix would.

 

Agreed, anything 3gph nozzle or less, a progressive setup is not worth it. The 5gph nozzle i have listed above is around 3.5gph @ 40psi if you adjust the pump pressure which is perfectly fine with an on/off setup on our motor sizes. Heck i had mine setup for full on with pure water with my 7gph nozzle and it still worked fine.

 

Thanks for the info!

Would this be helpful on a high mileage engine?

I'm thinking about doing this in the springtime.

Can you run this with diluted rubbing alcohol?

 

Yes, it would really clean out a high milage motor over time (more you inject the more it will clean). And it will help power in the same ways it will any other motor.

Yes, you can run rubbing alcohol although most use denatured alcohol instead, it is usually cheaper when bought in bulk, can get it at home depot/paint supply stores.

They are not as good as meth but they still work just fine.

 

^^ x2, it would be great for a high mileage motor. rubbing alcohol seems expensive unless you can find a really big container of it cheap. even denatured alcohol is aweful expensive and it isn't as good as methanol anyway.

keep searching for a methanol supplier in your area, even if it's a long drive, just get a bunch at a time, it will last a while if you buy say 10-20gal at a time. I buy gallon jugs of dH2O from the grocery store for 83 cents/gal. I have to drive about 45min to get to my supplier but it's only like 4 times a year getting 10gal at a time.

 

Cool thanks. Costco has 70% rubbing alcohol for around $3 for a half gallon. I have no clue what methanol runs. Come to think of it, there is a racing fuel place locally that probably carrys methanol.

 

I pay a little over $2 a gallon for pure methanol locally, try that race fuel shop, bet it does carry it.

 

yup, I pay $4.99/gal, there's another place locally that charges a little more but that should be as much as you have to pay. trust me, worth the money even at $5/gal to run pure methanol