Doing a lot of reading on water injection. From what I've read here on this forum most use it for racing. A mix of methanol and water, (windshield washer fluid), and some spraying from various locations before the impeller or, (as in some material I've read), straight into the intake.
I am thinking along the lines of a permanent injection of
water vapor controlled by load conditions because I don't do racing.
The idea of spraying methanol/water into the intake is based on fear of ruining the turbo impeller. I wonder about this because if that were truly the case the normal gas fuel mixture smashing onto the impeller would inflict just as much damage. Obviously, this is not the case.
That whole concept really has more to do with the methanol. According to what I've read alcohol products will damage aluminum over a course of time. Ethanol running vehicles have nickel plated aluminum parts that are not affected by ethanol.
That is why it is difficult to convert non-ethanol running vehicles. Not that they won't run on ethanol, just that eventually over an extended period of use the ethanol will erode aluminum fuel tanks and various internal engine components made from aluminum, (pistons, intake manifold, turbo impeller, fuel pumps, and carburetors are among a few).
Not to mention the effects of alcohol on rubber parts. Viton and other synthetic rubbers used on modern FFV vehicles are not affected by alcohol. Sadly, there is no market that uses synthetic rubber on the older parts used on our classic Buick's, (none that I know of and this includes internal carb parts).
The vapor idea is controlled by vacuum. There is no better way short of sophisticated electronics to determine load than manifold vacuum. The trick is controlling the injection amount.
One site I looked at used an electronic device to control the injection amount. The vapor was made by having the water run through a copper tube coiled tightly around the exhaust manifold. This steamed the frothy water and shot it into the manifold as a vapor. Bye bye spark knock! This idea was for a carbed N/A engine. I don't see why it shouldn't work for a carbed turbo.
I think with the high cost of gas this old technology is finally getting some real attention. The benefits are incredible. Our old Buicks are great for testing these ideas. Power and better mileage along with extended longevity are hard to beat for such inexpensive ideas.
And if you like to race, well up the timing to a ridiculous point and pound that carbed turbo. Knock will certainly not be a problem. Plain distilled water will work just as well as methanol.
As for N/A Buicks, same technology works!
