Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance Water Injection Update #2 (long)

Ok, I spent most of this afternoon getting to know my water injection a little better. For starters I dropped the injector size, took away the spark blow out, but increased the strain on the pumps.

I managed to get it fired up and running without any problems, tuned it while in the driveway. I set it the best I could to ignore temp readings and come on under WOT around 4,000rpms...

After I got it set close to the way I wanted it I went for a short drive down my dad's road (He lives out int he middle of nowhere on a straight as an arrow type road.). I pulled out and from a roll I stomped on it.
Boost came on strong about 2,800rpms... normal
Secondaries opened at 3,200... normal
at about 3,900rpms the lights on the Spray controller came on with a loud click and with that click came a sudden surge of power. It honestly felt as if I tossed on 30-40hp shot of nitrous! The car REALLY came to life, lit the tires going into 2nd and spun them pretty good going into 3rd as well.
I did 2 more runs down the half-mile stretch between my dad's house and my grandmother's house and on the final pass I read 140mph (indicated) at the half mile mark, which at that point I lifted and pretty much coasted to a stop and shut the system off.
After I got back I went through and made the wiring a little more "permanent" so it wouldn't come apart during normal driving. I did notice the pumps were pretty hot as well.
After finishing up and allowing everythign to cool I fired the car & system back up only to find that all of my settings were no longer there... oh well no biggie I can re-adjust it. So I unhooked the pumps and then got the box to trigger like it was doing before. I hooked the pumps back up and started for home to see how they worked under normal driving. on the way back the came on quite a bit, but the car didn't seem to make any more power or run any different... so I decided to pull the plug on the box until i got home to check things out.
After I got home, I plugged the box back in and went for a drive down to the private road where I work and ran up and down it a bit to see if I could hear the pumps kicking on, I couldn't.
Back home I went to call Aussie SVT and see what my options are. Well he told me what to do to check the pumps and sure enough the pumps are fried!
Well, two steps forward and one step back is still a step in the right direction isn't it?

All I can say is for those few minutes it was working at 100% I was in pure bliss!
-Mark

What kind of water injection system you are running? I am a fan of water injection. I used to run a home made water injection for my NA SVT. Now with my WRX it is harder, but I am consider running one.

Custom setup using a Labtronics controller.
-Mark

Heheheh, now if the pumps are under warranty or something, you're in business. Any reason given by the manufacturers as to why the pumps fried? Think I can modify a sump pump to 12V from the house to work? :rolleyes:

Well I was using a couple window washer pumps, basically the small injector size put to much strain on the pumps... causing the melt down.
The search for a new pump(s) is on...
-Mark

I wonder if any of the RV water pumps are 12V? Basically, it'a a water pump so you can have pressure for runing water and showers while in camping grounds where water pressure is know to be low. Might check to see what they have...

Hey Brad, what about using a fuel pump? I cna get a good fuel pump for cheap, think it might work with water instead of gas?
-Mark

Heck ya! Here I am thinking of oddball ideas to try to help you out... even one of the cheap fuel pumps would kick butt over the windshield washer pumps. Liquid is liquid... You could even rig a fuel pressure regulator to vary flow rates to engine boost like Vortec does with the fuel system! Very good idea... kinda seems like a "Duh" answer once you say it...

Only problem with fuel pump is that the water might rust it out cos it has to sit in it all the time.I am looking for options.

Perhaps a dash of rubbing alcohol in with the water? Some other additive? I have to wonder about automotive coolant as well...