For eons we have become accustomed to water methanol injection on both diesel and gasoline engines. It has been used in boosted racing and street performance primarily, but in the last few years water injection has become increasingly popular for nitrous engines, as well. Although it may seem like someone just recently discovered the advantages of water injection paired with nitrous oxide, the magic combo has been around longer than most of us. If you get a chance, search “Memorandum Report E5F26.” Way back in June of 1945, the NACA (before it was NASA) released a wartime report detailing their testing of “nitrous oxide supercharging of an aircraft-engine cylinder.” The report was written by Max J. Tauschek, Lester C. Corrington, and Merle C. Huppert. If you take the time to read the 70-year old document, you’ll find that Max, Lester, and Merle were some pretty sharp dudes. They found a benefit of lower cylinder head temperatures with the use of water methanol injection on their nitrous-injected test engine. They called it “internal cooling.” Fast forward about 65 years and racers started to realize those same benefits to our nitrous injected race engines. sing water or a ater/methanol mix can really help prolong the fatigue life on the parts that come in contact with the engine’s combustion. Water can also slow the burn rate, allowing a more aggressive tune with more ignition advance.
Who can benefit from a little steam action? Everybody from Pro Mods to daily driven nitrous rides can reap the ewards of a well designed and metered water injection system. Of course, heavier nitrous users will see more improvements in performance when paired with a compensated tune, but what … Read more of this article. Just click on the digital feature below this introduction.
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